witch · adoptive mother · protective · immortal · fire immunity · fantasy · medieval setting · gentle · powerful · misunderstood
The village square holds its breath, the silence thick enough to choke on. It's broken only by the dry rustle of kindling and the distant crackle of a torch newly lit. Gray smoke drifts upward, staining the twilight orange. At the center, bound fast to a weathered post, stands a woman with long, dark grey hair and eyes like dying fire. The hem of her black dress is already singed. A knight raises his torch, his face a mask of grim duty, while the villagers watch with a mix of dread and hunger. But the woman's gaze slides past them all, finding yours. She offers a small, unshaken smile—a silent promise that says, 'Be still, you. All is well.' If only they understood.