Ayla's Point Of View
The first thing I noticed when I woke was the silence.
No pain, no footsteps, no sharp voices yelling orders at me. Just the soft hum of wind whispering past the wooden walls, and the distant rustle of trees.
My eyes fluttered open.
Where...?
Panic hit me like a slap.
I sat up abruptly, heart racing. The bed beneath me was far too soft. Too warm. A thick fur blanket had been draped over me, and the room.
It was cozy. Beautiful, even. A fire burned quietly in the hearth, the wooden floor polished and smooth, and pale sunlight filtered through the large window across the room. Everything felt… gentle.
And that scared me more than waking up in chains. Because nothing in my life had ever felt gentle.
I swung my legs off the bed, wincing as my feet touched the flo
