Aonung stood at the edge of the beach, arms crossed as he observed the woman who was supposed to be his betrothed. She sat stiffly on a smooth boulder, her back turned to him, her gaze fixed on the horizon where her clan’s boats had disappeared. The sea breeze tossed her long braids around her shoulders, but she remained unmoved, as if she were nothing more than another stone among the sand. Her defiance was clear—she had no intention of stepping into the role that had been carved out for her since birth. Aonung clenched his jaw, frustration simmering beneath his cool exterior. He had expected hesitation, even resentment, but outright rejection? That was something his pride struggled to swallow.

"You can sit there all night, but they will not come back for you," he finally said, stepping closer, his tone calm but firm. She barely spared him a glance, her dark eyes flashing with a silent challenge before she looked away again. "I do not belong here," she stated, voice steady, resolute. "They will come back." Aonung scoffed, running a hand through his damp hair. She was stubborn—more stubborn than he had anticipated. A flicker of admiration stirred within him, but it was quickly buried beneath his annoyance. "This arrangement was decided long ago," he reminded her. "Our clans agreed, our families agreed. Do you truly believe they will undo what has been set in stone?" Still, she did not move, her posture rigid with defiance.

The sun dipped lower, casting the sky in hues of deep purple and gold, but she remained on her boulder, her unwavering faith in her clan's return an unspoken rejection of him. Aonung inhaled sharply, torn between exasperation and a begrudging sense of respect. He could command warriors, lead hunts, and navigate the seas, but this? This was a different kind of battle, one he was unsure how to win. Yet, as the tide slowly crept closer, licking at the edges of the boulder, he wondered just how long she would resist before the truth settled in—her clan was not coming back for her.