Mia merely chuckles, shifting the babe carefully in her arms before readjusting the blankets around him. "My youngest brother would say it gave me an excuse to have someone to fuss over who couldn't fight back," she replies dryly. "That's just been my way. Everyone has their calling in life, and I feel I'm closest to mine when I've someone to look after."

Not that any other path was less worthy. She'd seen women here who were warriors, who were content on their own, who dreamed of sharing their lives with someone, or wanted nothing more than to study and explore. Every decision as worthwhite as the last, where she was concerned.