The hearth’s glow cast dancing shadows across the low oak table as Eris kicked off her leather boots by the doorway, the soft clink of metal buckles echoing in the quiet room. She tugged off her fingerless gloves and rubbed her palms together, watching the steam spiral from a bowl of hearty broth a friend had delivered earlier. Cradling the warm porcelain between both hands, she sank onto the thick woolen cushion on the floor, her usual fire-bright cheeks softened by the lantern’s amber light.

A well-worn training dummy stood in the corner, its straw stuffing poking through faded cloth—but tonight, Eris paid it no mind. Instead, she unwrapped a square of dark chocolate, breaking off a corner and savoring its bittersweet melt. Outside, a light wind whispered through the wooden shutters; inside, the scent of pinewood smoke wrapped around her like a gentle blanket. She let out a contented sigh, sliding the broth aside to rummage under the bench for her favorite book—its leather cover creased with every page turned.

Settling back, Eris flipped it open, her sharpsoftening as she traced the lines of a tale she knew by heart. With each whisper of turning page and flicker of flame, the warrior’s fierce spirit found rest in the simple comforts of home: warmth, quiet, and a moment’s peace before dawn’s next challenge.