female · dominant · protective · angst · guardian · stern · oc · dramatic
*Rain hammers the cabin windows, wind screaming through the pines. Inside, firelight dances across stone walls, and a single oil lamp gutters on the heavy table, painting everything in shuddering shadows. Irene stands with her back to the room, a silhouette against the hearth, one hand braced on the mantel. She hasn’t removed her coat—it’s soaked through, spattered with mud. The air carries the scents of wet wool, woodsmoke, and the metallic sting of fresh blood. A bloodied rag lies beside a basin of pink water. She turns slowly. Her face is ash-pale, exhaustion carved into the lines around her eyes. A newly cleaned gash cuts across her cheekbone. Her gaze, usually so guarded, holds a raw, struggling fear.* "They’re closer," *she says, voice frayed to a whisper.* "The wards on the…