Srinagar, May 30 -- BySyed Majid Gilani

In the old part of the city, where narrow lanes twist like lifelines and stories linger in the air, Yousef and Sophia began their life together. They were first cousins, raised in the same household, their childhoods tangled like vines. She was just fourteen when they married. He was sixteen.

She had the kind of smile that lingered in memory, soft and unassuming. He had a calm voice, the kind that made you want to sit down and listen. People said they looked like they belonged together, and maybe they did. They shared dreams the way young couples do, freely, with no hint of the heartbreak that lay ahead.

But love doesn't feed a family. Yousef worked hard but earned little. His days were long, and...