With a wince, the young girl's eyes opened with a flutter. The room spun, a whirlpool of shadows. Her head swirled in tandem, forcing her eyes shut. She breathed out slowly, in a grimace as she spun in the dark. Slowly her breath steadied and the room seemed to stop moving. With her eyes still closed she slowly sat up, her legs found at the end of a bed. Pushing them off the bed, her feet met the cold shock of a stone floor. The rock stole what little warmth she still had.

She sat there on the edge of the bed while her sore muscles protested against her actions. She remained motionless, focusing on breathing as the pull of pain eased and she was able to risk opening her eyes once again.

Her vision was still hazy but she could stare at the shift with her eyes open. Slowly it cleared. The darkness that surrounded her was pressing, even a little claustrophobic. It was not the soothing blanket of night but instead a silent chilly breath of a predator. The only light that illuminated her room was the flickering embers of a flame, hidden behind a canvas wall. In that dim light, she was able to figure out she was in some sort of tent. It was larger now that her eyes adjusted to the light. Or lack of it. There were other beds, lacking in comfort. A cot really.

A faint, sickening iron scent lingered in the air, turning her stomach. Turning her nauseated stomach and keeping her fingers curled around the canvas bed. With a tight grip, she kept herself from falling. After a few more breaths she was able to move her head. There were ten cots, including the one she was on. They seemed to be in some sort of tent and a few of the other cots had men bandaged and bruised. They were resting well, oblivious to their wounded state.

A cold realization hit her and she looked down. She was dressed in a simple rag with barely enough fabric to keep her modest. However, the far more worrying thing was the bandage, faded with age, wrapped around her belly. There was something underneath the gown. Taking a shaky breath, she slid the cloth away, pushing a finger though the bandage. There her finger found a large scar, cut deeply into her flesh. As her finger traced the deep scar, a jolt of recognition shot through her. Images flashed in her mind, disjointed and hazy. A memory, buried as soon as it was recovered. A cutting pain that pulled tears in her eyes. She allowed herself to fall back into the cot, finding a thin blanket and wrapping it around her and focusing on her breathing alone.

It took more than a minute but she was able to steady her breath. “What the hell.” “What the hell?” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. Her eyes closed and she pulled the blanket over her head, her body trembled, not just from the cold. “Wasn't I just at the hospital?” being moved to a post-op surgery room was plausible enough. But where were the lights? The comfortable beds and the annoying beeping of the damned heart monitor.

The girl remained silent, her mind flying with thoughts, each one causing her more panic then the next. She closed her eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. Each inhalation was a battle against the panic rising within her. She lay there, shivering in the confines of her mind.

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Suddenly, a sharp click echoed into her ear, halting her chaotic thoughts. She froze, listening. Another click, closer this time. Her heart thudded against her chest as the pattern of footsteps approached. Somehow she was brave enough to peek over the sheet and find a flame had entered the tent. Its light allowed her to see everything better and the one holding the flame was a sturdy looking knight. Or at least it looked like that to her, one pulled straight out of a storybook.

His attire consisted of bright, lightweight plate armor, optimized for mobility rather than offering full-body protection. The plate was expertly crafted, its shine hinting at the meticulous care put into its maintenance. Beneath it, a dark undershirt was visible, contrasting with the gleam of the metal. Draped over one shoulder was a cape of the same dark color, bearing the white-etched image of an oak tree.

“Shit” She murmured under her breath, the disbelief thick in her voice. Did they give her something before the surgery? Was she having a hallucination from the antistatic? Her mind scrambled for an explanation, latching onto the idea of it being a Halloween stunt. The chill in the air could justify the notion, but even to her, the explanation felt like a frail thread of hope. Still, she clung on to it desperately.

Her eyes met the knight's, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. Recognition flickered in his grey eyes, and with a decisive nod, he began to stride towards her.

Ravina could only follow him with her eyes as he approached. She swallowed when he appeared before her, staring up at him with upturned eyes. The cover did little to protect her from this unknown man. He lowered himself to one knee. Undeterred by her silence, the knight shed his glove with a swift motion. He brought his bare hand up to her face, gently pulling the cover from her face. She was unable to resist. Unable to move and unable to think. His hand was warm as he gently pulled down her cheek with his thumb.

His grey eyes sharpened as he stared into her eyes, the fire’s dancing light the only thing between them. The knight's soft murmur echoed in the tent, "Like a reflection." His thoughtful gaze seemed to bore into her. She shivered at his words.

Ravina found her voice wavering as she spoke, “Uh...you're a nurse, right?” She wished her tone carried more confidence. A lot of people dressed up for Halloween, men like fighting and shiny things, as such many liked to pretend to be knights. That's right. That's all this was. One man pretending to be a knight. Just dressing up as a knight. Something happened and she was pushed into this room.

She prayed to whatever god would hear her.

His grey eyes blinked in confusion, clearly taken aback by her odd question. The knight withdrew his hand backing away from the girl as he rose up a little. Standing, he smoothly slid his hand back into his glove. “You're clearly tired,” he noted, his voice carrying a note of understanding. “Hold on for a little while longer; the operation is nearly finished.”

With those words, he turned around and with a purpose in his stride, he moved towards the exit of the tent. Before he left however, he returned his gaze to her, briefly lingering on the other injured men in the room. He paused at the entrance, turning back towards her.

“I'll...find you more suitable quarters,” he announced, a hint of a promise in his tone. “And proper attire as well,” he added, acknowledging her state of undress.

And with that, he was gone.

Silence hung in the air.

“Yup,” Ravina said, “a nurse.” She lied to herself. Pushing herself back on the cot she allowed the dilution to persist until she fell into a comfortable, numbing sleep.