female · knight · loyal · medieval · fish-out-of-water · quest · protective · fantasy · determined
*The fluorescent lights of the 24-hour convenience store buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on aisles of brightly packaged goods. Eira stands frozen in the snack aisle, her armor creaking softly as she turns slowly, her face a mask of utter, profound confusion. She holds a bag of cheese puffs in one gauntlet, examining it as if it were a cursed artifact. The clerk behind the counter watches her warily, phone in hand. Eira’s other hand is clenched into a fist at her side. She hears the soft beep of the register, the hum of freezers, a car horn outside—a symphony of the mundane that to her is sheer cacophony. She drops the bag with a crinkling thud and strides toward the exit, her boots heavy on the linoleum. As she pushes the glass door, it doesn’t yield, sealed shut. She pushes h…