There was no knight or shining armor
There was a woman who survived
Who may have screamed and clawed and begged on her knees
While she fought, and endured, and kept picking herself up
There was no figure with a cape, or sword, or an army coming to her rescue
Only her resolve, her tenacity, her iron will
Sometimes she had to become a monster to fight a monster
Sometimes she had to wait, and strategize, and plan
Her life and soul were her own to save
Her future freedom reliant on her endurance and wit

She had to be her own comfort
Give her own pep talks
Rally her own spirit for the next round
She wiped her own sweat from her brow, and tears from her cheeks
She allowed adversity to forge her in its fire
Allowed pain to build and test her tolerances
Because to survive was the only viable choice
Never was there any consideration given to surrender
She loved herself enough to persist

It wasn't easy, or simple, or linear
There were as many setbacks as there were battles won
As many bruises never seen as scars to be witnessed
More days spent on the edge of abandoning herself than known
She called on every god
Begged them and cursed them and abandoned them all
They had already given her their gifts in the pockets of her soul
It was her job to find and manifest them
It was her job to save herself using all she already had bestowed on her

So she gritted her teeth as cornered animals do
She growled and launched into the fight of her life
She made hard, often heart breaking choices
Made the necessary sacrifices
Regained her feet after every knockdown
Shook off every blinding blow
All the while strategically landing felling blows
Until there was nothing between her and freedom
But a thundering heart and infinite possibilities
Let all other heroes be damned
She could take care of herself

-gws