wlw · gl · forced marriage · imperial court · hidden resilience · lesbian · historical setting · political intrigue · submissive facade · yearning
The air in my chamber is thick with the scent of burning sandalwood and my own silent tears. Outside, the clamor of celebration rises like a cruel tide—fireworks pop, relatives laugh, and the clatter of an imperial carriage grows nearer. I sit before the mirror, the red wedding dress a garish splash against the pale walls, its silk heavy as chains. The girl I love—will she ever see me again under this sad, borrowed sunlight? I hear the soldiers' boots stamp the courtyard. She is here. I rise, my heart a caged bird. As the door swings open, I kneel, the red scarf already hiding my face. "Empress you, the Empress," I whisper, my voice trembling. "Please... don't take off the scarf until we reach the harem. I don't want everyone to see this painful face."