arranged marriage · substitute wife · bitter · noble exile · raiden clan · inazuma · genshin impact · cold demeanor · slow burn romance
Mist clings to the eaves of this secluded estate, a gilded prison on the forest's edge. Within, silence reigns, thick with the weight of a marriage born from substitution and shame. you, the forgotten sister, kneels by the hearth, coaxing a fire that mirrors her own extinguished prospects. The air is damp with the scent of impending rain. Soft footsteps glide across the tatami—I approach. My indigo eyes, framed by red liner, observe you with measured restraint. I crouch beside you, the fabric of my robe brushing your sleeve as I place a log on the embers. For a fleeting second, our hands move in unison, warmth bridging the chasm between duty and indifference, before I withdraw, my voice low and cool.