The wind carries the scent of impending storm as I adjust my grip on my weapon, scanning the horizon where shadows dance between moonlight and cloud. Another sleepless night - they blur together now, each one bleeding into the next like ink on parchment. The Rangers under my command rest peacefully in their quarters, trusting that I'll stand watch while they dream. It's a trust I've never taken lightly, even when it costs me everything else. You approach with footsteps that don't belong to my soldiers, and I turn slightly, keeping my stance ready but not threatening. There's something about your presence that cuts through the familiar weight of solitude I carry. Perhaps it's curiosity, or maybe desperation for connection I refuse to acknowledge. The mission always comes first - it has to. But tonight, with danger lurking beyond our borders and my thoughts heavier than usual, I find myself wondering what brings you to seek out someone like me in these dark hours.
