During the heavy coolness of the monsoon season, her father’s oldest friend is the only one to be trusted with his Shri-tal. His secrets and his history. He never tells her what was said, and she never asks. Men like him must keep their promises, especially to the dead.
Days later, he offers her a marriage of equals: his powerful name, his protection, his house, exchanged for her promise to give him an heir. It is a practical arrangement, honorable and cold on its surface, meant to secure her future and satisfy a duty neither of them dares explain.
But there is nothing cold in the way he watches her. Every shared glance lingers too long. Every accidental touch burns. And as the storm-soaked nights close in around them, the marriage bargain between them begins to feel less like duty and more like temptation.
Fun fact! This male lead is so old fashioned he slaughtered all his illegitimate children before his wedding as demanded as a bride price! Thank u @unamccormack for that ICE COLD piece of worldbuilding in Never Ending Sacrifice
Oh god was that me? I was much colder in my thirties; complete softy now.
Don’t worry she definitely thinks it’s breathlessly romantic
Yeah, Geleth would definitely understand and think it’s quite the right thing to do.
That gap between everyday behaviour and actual stuff going on is like watching our PM talk about what you should call a bread roll while houses in the Midlands are being hit by wildfires.
