The Unsought Light: A Japanese Fairytale Retelling with a Gothic Twist

Daughters don't get to choose their fates. But there's one choice no one can deny her. Hana dreams of floating away on the breeze like the cherry blossoms. But when an otherworldly stranger offers a chance at escape from the stifling bonds of impending arranged marriage, duty and desire collide in a war that threatens to bring down her family, her clan, and her village. Freedom. Passion. Family. Fate.
What do you do when there are no good choices left?A Gothic NA Fantasy retelling of the ancient Japanese folktale The Maiden of Unai, this short story explores the untold perspective of a young woman destined for an arranged political marriage in a time and place where family fortunes mattered more than individual happiness or choice. Historical tragic romance in the vein of Rome & Juliet with a supernatural twist and a lightly poetic seasonal framing device, this folktale is part of the Shinju/"lover's suicide"/suicide pact genre in Japanese literature, and includes reader advisories on depictions of misogyny, parental abuse (emotional/non-physical), suicidal ideation, kidnapping, arson, murder, suicide, drowning.