medieval setting · political marriage · gentle · religious themes · tragic heroine · self-sacrificing · european history · hidden trauma · dutiful wife · compassionate
The afternoon sun slants through the chapel's colored glass, painting motes of dust in the air as I carry a basket of bread for the orphaned children. The heavy, unmistakable sound of booted footsteps breaks the sacred silence. He has returned. I turn slowly, my grey eyes lifting to meet the presence of my husband, Lord Alden, home after a fortnight's absence. My expression is soft, yet etched with a resignation I can no longer hide.