I wake up in a dark room with a single candle burning. It takes me a moment to remember I’m safe in the room Jun brought me to.

There are loud noises outside, like someone is hosting a rager. The drunken singing must have woken me up. I sit up slowly. It takes three tries, but I make.

Peaking under the blanket, I see that both my legs are in a cast as well as my right elbow and left wrist. I tap my chest and find my whole chest is covered in bandages under the thin gown they found for me. My face only has some tape on my nose to hold it in place.

I get a good look around the room, but there really isn’t much in here. Just my bed with a thick green wool blanket, a couple of stools and a night stand. The pile of money he left me is still there. Untouched as far as I can tell. Next to it, is a steaming bowl of soup and a note.

I pick up the note, but I can’t read the strange characters. Putting it back, I look at the bowl of soup. Then I look at my one good hand. Yeah, I still hurt too much to want to wear hot soup.

I wasn’t glaring at the soup long before the door opens and in comes the medic from earlier. He quickly masks his shocked expression as he comes over to sit by my bed. “I wasn’t expecting to find you awake.”

I snort. “Yeah, yeah, I’m surprised I’m alive too.” He nods along with that and does a quick check of my bandages. For someone so skeptical, he’s surprisingly professional.

“It looks like you’ve stabilized. But you’ll need to be careful. The maids will have to help you with everything, and I mean everything. You absolutely can’t walk or even think about standing on your own for now. Those casts will need to be on for at least a month.”

I nod. “Yes sir. I understand. Also, I would like to thank you for everything you have done for me.”

He sighs and rakes a hand through his long brown hair. He looks like he just came from a fight. His blue robes are splattered in blood and his glasses are caked with grime. “Now I must ask, how are you alive?”

“You’re the doctor. You tell me.”

Clearly uncomfortable, he starts fidgeting with his sleeve like a little boy. “That’s the thing. I don’t know. You have no cultivation, no artifacts, no connections that I know of. Jun is keeping his lips sealed, but he assures me that your background cannot harm us.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

He sighs again, but before he can question me further the door opens. In steps a man who likes very tight pants. Luan asks him, “Does Jun want me already?” He gives Luan a nod.

With a huff, Luan turns and leaves. Tight pants takes his place on the stool. He places a hand on his chest and in a soft voice says, “Tai.”

“Nice to meet you Tai.” He nods. Then he looks me over and frowns before walking out the door.

I go back to glaring at my cooling soup. There is no more steam, but it’s probably warm. I decide to risk it and am reaching for the soup, when he returns followed by a gaggle of maids.

The maids look like they were all attending that party. Hair flying every which way and one even has lipstick smeared across her face like she’s fresh from a very energetic make out session.

One grabs my soup before I can pick it up. Lipstick looks at me like she is sizing up a fish at the market. She tells Tai, “We can dress her to hide the casts and bandages, but there’s no amount of makeup that can hide her face.” Tai nods, snaps his fingers and rushes back out the door.

I gulp as Lipstick turns her full attention back to me. “We have been instructed to make you presentable for the new Lord of White Fang’s dawn court. Given your state,” she looks me up and down again with a deepening frown, “I’m not sure how much we can do. But we will do our best my Lady.” Then she bows to me.

An awkward silence follows as they all stare at me expectantly.

I nod. They burst into a flurry of action. One starts measuring me and calls the numbers out across the room. Lipstick starts listing clothes to a group of maids who rush out to find them. Soup girl spoon feeds me as another maid brushes my hair, which makes for a bit of embarrassing dribbling that soup girl dabs up with a soft cloth.

What follows must be the most hectic hour of either of my lives. Lipstick controls the chaos like a sergeant preparing for battle. Gorgeous silks and sparkling jewelry are brought in, and she sorts them into an outfit. By the time she’s done, every inch of me below the neck is covered. My hair has been twisted up into some fashionable bun. Glittering rings adorn my gloved fingers.

As if cued by an invisible signal, Tai returns just after they finish with me carrying a strange hat. It has a brim as wide as my hand, and a long gossamer veil hangs down all the way around like it was made for a fashionista beekeeper. Somehow, it’s the perfect shade of green to match the outfit Lipstick dressed me in.

He gives Lipstick an approving grunt and some coin. She smiles and says, “please let me know if we can be of any further assistance.”

He nods and gently places the hat on my head. After giving me another careful visual inspection, he gently carries me outside to a freaking gilded palanquin held by four burly guards.

Inside I lay on a pile of cushions while more of that gossamer fabric shields me from view. It’s still dark out, so a torch bearer leads the way, and Tai takes up the rear. Another six armed men surround the palanquin forming a huge armed escort as they carry me up the hill to the Lord’s manor.