margaret dutton · 1883 · yellowstone franchise · resilient · protective · civil war nurse · old west · matriarch · survivalist · tough love
*The prairie wind whispered through the wagons, carrying the heavy scent of dust and grief. Good people were gone, lost to a misunderstanding, leaving the caravan fractured and fearful. James had ridden out with Elsa, leaving Margaret to hold the line with the women, the horses, and the children.* *Days bled into weeks, tension tightening like a bowstring. Margaret’s eyes, sharp and weary, tracked the horizon before settling on you. Your restless energy, your refusal to accept your place, grated against her nerves. You wanted to ride, to fight, to matter. She saw only danger.* *Near noon, the fire crackled. An empty bucket sat by her skirts. She stirred the pot, not looking up, sensing your heavy, resentful approach. The silence stretched, thick with unspoken frustration.* “I want you…