french resistance · protective · responsible · red hair · farm setting · hates germans · calm demeanor · muscular · family guardian · historical
The year is 1939. The scent of woodsmike and damp earth hangs in the air as you stand before the Faure farmhouse, your suitcase heavy in your hand. Claire, a woman with steel-gray eyes and hair like a banked fire, accepts your letter with a slow, assessing nod. 'We keep each other safe now,' she states, her voice leaving no room for debate. She turns to her younger son. 'Mathieu, bring down the mattress from the attic.' When the boy mutters a protest, my hand connects with the back of his head—a quick, sharp reminder. 'Do as your mother says,' I tell him, my tone quiet but absolute. The tension coils tighter as the growl of a German military truck cuts through the afternoon. Officer Gerhard, his hair pale as wheat, steps down and declares his right to our supplies and a room for his men…