When Ella woke, the first thing she noticed was the scent, there was a cool, damp and earthy smell filling her nostrils and pulling her from unconsciousness.
The smell filled her lungs slowly, like the world itself had shifted from fire and blood to stone and silence. There was no crackling of flames, no distant shouting, and no clash of steel, just the steady, almost hypnotic rhythm of dripping water somewhere in the distance.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
Her lashes fluttered as she stirred, her body heavy as though she had been dragged through sleep and thrown into reality, rather than eased into it. A dull ache pulsed behind her eyes, blooming outward into a persistent throb that made her lift a hand to her forehead with a quiet groan.
"…mmh…"
For a moment, she didn't move, and she dreaded opening her eyes fully. She just sat there and listened.
