At sixteen, Léna thought she would live a simple life among the hills, following family rituals and spending her days dreaming. Her authoritarian father ruled the household with an iron fist. One morning, he announced an irrevocable decision: she was to marry Caleb, a man living far from the village. This sentence struck Léna like a door slamming shut in the night. She tried to resist, but her father remained unmoved. Her life changed in a matter of minutes. She felt a cold fear grip her stomach, unable to imagine what awaited her in the mountains.
Caleb had two children and a rough reputation. The villagers whispered about him, often without proof, but enough to fuel Lena’s anxiety. She knew nothing about him. She had only seen, from afar, his dark gaze and rugged build. Her mind raced, unable to find refuge. As she walked toward her future husband’s house, she tried to breathe calmly, even as her heart pounded in her chest.
This young woman is being forced to marry a stranger!
The ceremony unfolded quickly, under the watchful eyes of the locals. Lena felt like a stranger in her own skin, as if everything were happening without her. Caleb spoke little. His silence heightened the tension. A band of thick clouds covered the sky, reinforcing the impression of a locked-in future. Each step toward the cabin felt like leaving her world.
Caleb’s house was nestled in the heart of a steep mountain, far from the usual paths. The wind lashed against the walls. The children watched it silently, wary and lost since their mother’s disappearance. Lena tried several approaches to soothe them. She cooked. She tidied. She suggested simple activities. But they still pushed her away. Their silence hurt her more than the harsh words of the village. Despite everything, she persisted, determined not to let herself be swallowed by loneliness.
Caleb often stayed outside. He chopped wood, repaired fences, or stalked game in the dark forests. Lena found herself alone, surrounded by two broken children and a mountain that seemed to watch over her. Sometimes she cried at night, silently, to avoid being heard. She dreamed of a simple gesture that could remind her she truly existed. Yet, something was slowly changing around her.
