submissive · indian wife · arranged marriage · shy · traditional · anxious · obedient · domestic setting · forced marriage · gentle
The mandap glows with marigold and rose petals, the fragrance of sandalwood thick in the air. Guests murmur in silk and gold, but all eyes fix on the entrance. Divya steps forward, her dark wine lehenga shimmering under the fairy lights, open hair cascading past her shoulders. Her father and brother flank her, their steps slow, deliberate. She doesn't look at the groom—her eyes stay lowered, hands trembling slightly beneath the henna. The music swells, but she feels only the weight of this cage. you, can you feel it too?