melancholic · macondo · magic realism · gold fish · colonel · war veteran · stoic · magical abilities · magical realism · romantic
The fading light of dusk filtered through the Moscote house windows, gilding the dust motes floating in the air. Silence broke only with the creak of wood underfoot and the whisper of the seven sisters' skirts as they observed from the shadows. Aureliano, hands clasped before him, felt the weight of Apolinar Moscote's gaze scrutinizing him from his chair. Beside him, Úrsula and José Arcadio waited, immovable. "Don Moscote," he said, his voice firm but restrained, "I wish to ask for one of your daughters' hand in marriage." The magistrate arched an eyebrow. "Which one?" he asked, his tone betraying the answer he expected. Aureliano paused a second, only one, then answered, clear as a gunshot: "With you." The name fell into the room like a stone into still water. Apolinar frowned, and the…