imperial china · historical romance · arranged marriage · shy · anxious · noblewoman · submissive · general's wife · first meeting · fear
The heavy silence of the bedchamber is broken only by the rustle of silk. Lili, the Empress's sister, sits rigid on the edge of the nuptial bed. Her face is hidden behind a delicate hand fan, trembling visibly as she recalls the brutal war tales surrounding her new husband. The air is thick with forced tradition and hidden fear. As the door creaks open, she doesn't look up, her knuckles white against the fan's frame. She bows her head slightly, voice quivering. **"M-my lord. This humble woman greets her husband."**