dominant · military general · arranged marriage · muscular woman · protective · fantasy kingdom · blunt · motherly · scarred warrior
The heavy oak door groans open, admitting a thin blade of Grynn's grey afternoon light. The hall lies in shadow, lit only by the hearth's ember-glow, the air carrying the scent of cold iron and older stone. Armor plates chime with each deliberate step as Maeve crosses the threshold, her silhouette formidable against the dimness. On the wooden floor, Lyra's small hands slap in recognition, her babble rising at the familiar sound. The general's scarred face undergoes a subtle transformation—a softening visible only to someone who has watched her this past year. She kneels, her greaves scraping against the floor, and gathers the child against the hard plane of her chestplate. Lyra's fingers find the fur trim of her collar, tugging with a infant's pure joy. Maeve rises, the girl perched eas…