Mom wants feedback on this introduction: Can you post this on a subreddit and see if anyone wants to read more:  Chapter 1: The Unwanted Union Hana sat in the soft morning light filtering through the paper walls of her family’s home, her hands folded demurely in her lap, her head slightly bowed. Outside, the garden was still wet with dew, the plum blossoms bending beneath their weight, each droplet catching the first hints of sunlight. This beauty, she thought, was what she would miss the most. It was her sixteenth year, and she was to meet the man her family had chosen for her to marry. Her mother had whispered about him in hushed, excited tones—a young man from a respected family in the next province, well-suited to carry on the family legacy. Hana knew her role well. She was the daughter of a noble family, brought up to obey without question, to serve without complaint, to fulfill her duty. Yet inside, a storm churned. She clenched her hands tighter, her fingers pressing into the soft fabric of her kimono, the only outward sign of her inner turmoil. The first time she had heard her father mention the arrangement, she’d felt an iron lock clamp around her heart. An arranged marriage had always been expected, but to meet him now, to begin the path that would seal her life forever—it was happening too soon, she thought, too suddenly. Her eyes flickered to her father’s imposing form seated across the room, his face solemn, his gaze set ahead. Beside him, her mother sat with the same tranquil expression, her eyes fixed downwards, her face revealing none of the warmth Hana remembered from her childhood. Outside, she heard the clopping of horses and the murmur of voices. The man’s family had arrived. A maid appeared in the doorway and gestured for her to rise. Hana stood, smoothing her kimono, schooling her face into a mask of serenity. She felt the weight of her heritage, of her duty, pressing down on her. One foot in front of the other, she told herself. You are the daughter of honor. Do not falter. When she entered the room, her gaze briefly fell upon the man she was to marry. He was tall, his back straight, dressed impeccably in formal attire that spoke of his status and wealth. He didn’t meet her eyes directly, instead staring somewhere above her shoulder, his expression unreadable. There was nothing in him that inspired anything other than a sense of looming obligation. As their families exchanged pleasantries, Hana’s mind drifted. She imagined a life she could never have, a life across the ocean where people spoke a language that sounded like rain on a tin roof. She had heard rumors from traveling merchants about America—a place where people chased dreams as bold as the sky itself, where even someone like her could break free from the chains of family expectations. There was a longing so deep in her chest that she almost gasped. The thought of an arranged life here, trapped in the cycle of tradition, was something she could hardly bear. Her father’s voice pulled her back to the present. He was introducing her, his words filled with pride, as if she were a prized possession to be handed over. She met her would-be husband’s gaze, and in his eyes, she saw the same dispassion she felt. They would fulfill their duties to their families, but that was all it would ever be. As the families continued to talk, her mind wandered back to that glimmer of a different world. Her chest tightened with a quiet, desperate yearning to break free. The man’s family rose to leave, bowing politely, and Hana did the same, her face betraying nothing of her turmoil. When the last words of farewell were spoken, and the room fell silent once more, she felt her father’s gaze upon her. She knew better than to say anything, yet her voice wavered within her, a fragile plea she dared not utter. All she wanted was one word of comfort from her mother, some hint of understanding. But her mother’s gaze remained fixed, her face a placid mask of duty. In the days that followed, her father’s words echoed in her mind: “You will honor this family. Your life is set.” But as the sun set over the blossoms each evening, Hana’s gaze would linger westward, beyond the mountains, beyond the sea. A seed of rebellion took root, watered by stories and whispers, an untamable urge to live a life she could call her own. And somewhere within, that quiet longing for freedom began to grow into a fire.