Otherwise Titled: a stressed Orphan and her protective Guardians.
Ryan gets her Found Family .2 seconds after entering the Armada Ship. Subodai watches her back from the start, and his take is basically: That's a child. She's capable, yeah, and a great leader, but she's a child. I'm protecting her with my life. He effectively becomes her Dad. (As well as her First-Mate)
And then, of course, there's Dead Mike. He's like her uncle. He was the one person who didn't ever abandon her or her parents (willingly) and he swore his afterlife to avenge her family, and now to care for her. He's a big softy, and the moment he realized Ryan was still alive, he swore to be there for her till his second death.
And, as it goes, I also love the concept that Ryan is generally pretty harmless-looking when she first starts her adventures. No name for herself, she doesn't speak, and her actions are sneaky so people rarely know it was her who hit them. Until she becomes more infamous, Dead Mike and Subodai act as her big scary goons. They hit hard and w/o hesitation if Ryan orders it.
(Also picturing Ryan ready to tear someone to pieces, but she's already low on health, and Ratbeard or Steele holding Ryan back with Subodai and Mike roll up their sleeves and go demolish the enemy. And/or Armada coming by in a town, and Ryan ducking behind Subodai and clinging to his hand (hoof?) As she uses him as a wall between her fear and herself.)
