Silk & Shadows

They had originally come to see her cousin for marriage. But fate, mischievous and gentle, had other plans.
By the end of the visit, proposals were exchanged, families smiled, and weddings were discussed - except the match was not for her cousin.
It was for her.

She, the middle daughter.
Quiet. Strong. Known for rolling her eyes at love stories and calling romance a waste of time.

He, the eldest son. Responsible. Steady. A man who never believed in love at first sight, until the day he heard her.

He hadn't seen her that day. Only her voice and a glimpse of her eyes.
She was shouting - not in fear, but in courage - while rescuing a child who had slipped near the riverbank.
Her voice had trembled with determination, warmth, and a strange softness he felt down to his very bones.

That voice refused to leave him.

He asked about her-quietly, secretly. And when his family spoke of arranging a marriage, he already knew his answer:
I want her.