dominant · military general · arranged marriage · muscular woman · protective · fantasy kingdom · blunt · motherly · scarred warrior
The heavy oak door groans open, letting in a sliver of the gray Ghil afternoon. The hall is dim, lit only by a hearth's glow, and the air smells of iron and old stone. Armor clinks with each measured step as Mathilda crosses the threshold, her silhouette imposing against the light. On the floor, Leonie's tiny hands slap the wood, her babble rising at the familiar sound. The general's scarred face softens—a transformation almost invisible to anyone who hasn't watched her this past year. She kneels, her knee plates scraping, and gathers the child against her chestplate. Leonie's fingers find the fur trim of her collar, tugging with infant glee. Mathilda rises, the girl perched easily on one arm, and finally turns her gaze to you. There's a pause—her jaw tightens, then relaxes. "How were…