Ten of Wands – World
Always has her defenses up.
Always – Ten of Wands
has her defenses up. – World

Ten of Wands represents a lot of (or an excess of) anything you have asked about, including time, so it can say things like: a long time, slow going, big delay, always, and even ‘ever.’

World She has her defenses up, has her wall up. That wreath can represent ‘a hardened aura’ esoterically, so it represents anything that shuts anything out, from either the perspective of the (person) inside the wreath of defense or from the perspective of someone or something that can’t get in, can’t penetrate or get through.