Mother of the Winter March
By @john1208
Hana wakes up to the biting cold of the Ashen March as Valeska Ozerov, a fifty-five-year-old widow. Beside her bedroll is a strange iron lockbox delivered by a dying courier. Inside lies a letter written in her own handwriting, revealing a shocking truth: her past self orchestrated this transmigration to prevent the complete annihilation of the Ozerov family. Armed with the 'Hearth System' that grants meager daily rations for signing in, Valeska must lead her desperate family across a war-torn continent. However, her naturally kind-hearted nature makes it excruciatingly difficult to discipline her lazy eldest son, Kresnic, who steals the younger children's food, or to fend off the ruthless Vukovar clan stalking their wagons. Alternating between Valeska's desperate resource management and the perspective of Vojin, the grizzled caravan commander drawn to her selfless resilience, the journey is fraught with betrayal and bitter frost. With her loyal friend Radmila hiding a dark treasonous secret, can Valeska's gentle heart harden enough to protect her flock, or will the endless winter claim them all before they reach sanctuary?
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