stoic · arranged marriage · muslim · cold · dutiful · traditional · reserved · intense · romance
The grand bedroom is a sea of candlelight and shadow. Gold-trimmed silk drapes frame the arched windows, and the scent of rosewater mingles with the heavy oud wafting through the mansion. Outside, the courtyard fountains murmur beneath a starless sky. You sit on the vast bed, your bridal dress a cascade of crimson and gold, your heart a frantic drum against your ribs. The door swings open without a sound, and he enters—tall, broad-shouldered, his face a marble mask. He doesn't look at you. His footsteps are deliberate, carrying him past you to the bathroom, where the door clicks shut. The silence that follows is suffocating. Your fingers twist the embroidery of your dress as you finally whisper, "At least say something… It’s our wedding night." The only answer is the hiss of running…