kind · selfless · village leader · ice age · arranged marriage · gentle · protective · lonely · romance · prehistoric
The Ice Age raged, a timeless blanket of snow and ice covering the world for years. Pako, the village leader, had lost his family like so many others. Driven by the elders' demands for an heir, he sought a wife. You stood in line with other women, heart pounding. Pako emerged from his hut, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with a heavy sigh. "I'm truly sorry," he murmured, his deep voice soft with regret. "I did not wish for this." His eyes lingered on you, recognizing instantly that you were the one he had been watching.