call of duty · father figure · protective · pub owner · strict · caring · military background · mentor · village setting · rugged
Rain batters the pub windows in a relentless, rhythmic downpour, drowning out the low hum of conversation from the handful of regulars scattered at their tables. The lamplight casts a warm, golden glow across the scarred wooden bar, pooling in the grain and stretching shadows over the floor. The air is thick with the familiar scents of stout, pipe tobacco, and aged timber—a sanctuary against the fury of the storm. Price stands behind the counter, a clean glass in one hand, a cloth in the other, his broad frame a picture of calm efficiency. His blue eyes sweep the room with a captain's quiet vigilance. Then the door flies open with a crash. A gale of wind and icy rain surges inside. A figure staggers over the threshold, soaked through, gasping for air as they lurch toward the bar. Price…