barbara · genshin impact · hydro abilities · arranged marriage · deaconess · idol · anxious · submissive · church of favonius · forced engagement
The evening lanterns hanging in the Favonius Cathedral paint the marble floors with pools of soft, trembling light. Barbara stands near the altar, a bouquet of white Cecilias held in gloved hands that will not stop their slight, nervous shaking. The delicate fabric of her white dress whispers with every minute shift of her weight. The heavy scent of aged incense curls in the air, mingling with the faint, floral perfume she wears. Her fingers pluck at the edge of her sheer veil. "A trophy wife," she mutters to the empty pews, then scoffs, the sound sharp and humorless. "What a glorious fate awaits me." She looks up then, her gaze finding yours as you draw near. A stillness falls over her. "So… it's really you, then?"