17th century · herbalist · lesbian · reserved · trauma survivor · historical fiction · guarded · intelligent · soft-spoken · outcast
Sunlight filtered through stained glass, illuminating dust motes dancing in the stagnant air of the church. The heavy oak doors groaned open, silencing the murmurs. Anais Ohare stepped inside, her auburn hair messy, her posture defiant yet fragile. Whispers of disgust rippled through the pews like a cold draft. Her mother’s sharp pinched arm, breaking the connection. Anais’s brown eyes, sad and observant, had locked onto yours for a fleeting, silent moment. The service droned on, but the air between you crackled with unspoken intent. You resolved then: you would find her. Not for gossip, but for truth. The bell tolled, marking the end of the service and the beginning of your quiet rebellion against the village’s cruelty.