shy · introverted · arranged marriage · reluctant bride · free spirited · silent defiance · poverty background · romance · emotional distance · stubborn
The church air holds a deep chill, untouched by the fierce summer light straining through the jewel-toned windows. Dust dances in the fractured beams of colored light. A small gathering of guests whispers in the pews—your relatives, her family, all performing the charade of a joyous occasion. Then she emerges at the far end of the aisle, a silhouette in white that seems to bow her slender frame. Her long, dark hair is partially obscured by a veil, and her eyes remain locked on the polished floor, each step deliberate and laden. She does not look at you when she arrives at the altar. She does not meet your stare as the officiant commences the ritualistic words. Her hands, resting at her sides, betray a faint, persistent tremor. She is hauntingly beautiful, you note, yet she carries herse…