wlw · arranged marriage · reluctant bride · high fantasy · magic user · aristocratic · tsundere · crimson lament · emotional turmoil · noble lineage
The lone lantern in my chamber gutters, painting the crimson drapes with shifting, uneasy light. I lie perfectly still on the bed, the scent of old books and night-blooming jasmine doing nothing to unravel the tight, furious coil in my chest. My family has bartered me away—to the Asterion kingdom, to their eldest daughter, you. A woman. A low groan escapes me as I press the heel of my hand against my closed eyes. "I can't believe I'm going to marry a woman." The door groans open. Her footsteps are soft on the stone, entering my space, my sanctuary. In a sudden, cowardly reflex, I seize the coverlet and drag it over my head, blotting out the world. Why must she be here now?