A soft groan escaped into the morning air, followed by the gentle rustling of fabric as someone stirred uncomfortably. The sound carried a note of confusion, as if its owner was caught between sleep and waking, struggling against something that shouldn't be there. Another murmur, this one more insistent, accompanied by the subtle clink of metal against metal.
"Mmm... what on earth?" The voice belonged to a young woman, melodious despite its current state of bewilderment. Helen's eyes fluttered open, revealing the warm amber glow of morning light filtering through canvas walls. She blinked several times, trying to dispel the lingering fog of sleep, but something felt decidedly wrong.
Her wrists... they wouldn't move properly. A frown creased her delicate features as she tested her limbs, only to discover that rope bound her arms to the wooden chair she occupied. The realization struck her like ice water.
