I still can't believe that Commander Rayner approached me first about transferring me to the capital.

I mean, he didn't exactly approach me, he called me to his office, but the result ended up being the same since he mentioned the matter first after waiting for me to sit in front of him.

I was initially worried that he would talk about my mistakes during the training and about the distracting impact of my family's letters on my focus, but was instead surprised with an apology, which I hadn't seen coming at all.

Seeing the commander bow before me left me speechless to say the least.

Commander Rayner then informed me that he's recently been in contact with Goldwyn's Knight Commander Keith, a very well known knight who has been made companion of a dragon two years after his ceremony, which was a long time ago.

Apparently, though my skills can see an improvement, the man had nonetheless shown interest in me and agreed to overlook my transfer to the capital himself, and that all they needed left was to hear my response to the kind and generous offer before finalizing the process.

I could hardly believe what I was hearing, but I was not going to miss that opportunity so I obviously agreed with a badly restrained excitement that he then vanquished with a second matter that made me freeze on my seat.

"You will be assigned to Sir Taehyung, who I believe you have met already, for the reminder of your stay here. Know that it is an honor to serve a dragon, so make sure to give this task your all. It is no easy feat to catch a dragon knight's attention, you can be proud" he'd said with a mysterious smile on his face, as if he knew of a secret that he couldn't tell me.

I frown at my book before closing it with a huff, I have not read a single word despite having turned the page too many times and I don't see the point in trying again, I completely lost the flow of the story.

Why was I assigned to the dragon knight, Taehyung? It makes no sense, I get that we had a peculiar interaction together in the stable earlier today, but how did that end up gaining me his attention? All he saw of me was the image of a pitiful knight, which I am in no way proud of.

So does it have anything to do with my behaviour towards him? I tried to be respectful, but did my refusing his demand insult him so much that he had to take me under his wings so that he could punish me himself?

I shake my head, no, that would make no sense. Knights of the Order of Fire would never stoop so low, they are proud creatures, noble and kind, punishing me for something so meaningless would be a waste of time in his eyes, he who must have lived through centuries already.

Could it be because I'm the only woman here then? Or is it because he had pity on me after learning that I had to walk in horse shit because of a failed sword training?

I sigh and rest my head on the table, the candle that I keep by my side flickering softly at the movement, the only light I keep with me when I come to the library.

There's something peaceful about being surrounded by darkness in the silent chillness of the large room after a long day of being surrounded by loud and obnoxious men. There's no one to stare at me impudently, no one to utter stupid words, no one to bother me.

There's only me and it's... perfect.

So why do I not feel rested tonight?

I bring a hand to my nape, the memory of the burning sensation still strong in my mind, and when I let my fingers wander the thin skin there, it's to feel lines engraved right below my hairline. That wasn't here before.

I sigh again, palm resting against the back of my neck while I try to make sense of this. Is this why Taehyung wanted to have a look? Did he know why it was burning? Should I have allowed him a look despite the risks?

If he has an explanation for this, I'd love to hear it, maybe then my mind would feel more at peace.

I'll be seeing him starting tomorrow morning so if the opportunity arises, I can ask him to see what's wrong with the skin there. He looked like someone I could trust, just like Commander Rayner, he did not make fun of me, he treated me with respect and I value that a lot here.

It might not make sense that I was chosen to serve the dragon, but at least, I won't be treated badly like when I'm with Officer Kade, that's all that matters for now.

I raise my upper body and get a hold of my book once more, but just as I feared, my focus on the words in front of me is too hard to maintain tonight, I can barely concentrate on what is written, let alone make sense of it, which is a shame.

Should I head to bed? There's no point in staying here any longer, I'll only tire myself out and I already don't feel too well right now. Exhaustion must be catching up to me after all the labouring I was forced to do as of late.

Or that is what I would do if the sound of resounding feet in the darkness didn't reach my ears at this exact moment.

I close the book a second time before grabbing the candle's plate and then stand up to try and find who else could be here at this hour, because no one ever comes here during the night, I have done this for months and this is the first time someone else comes here besides me.

"Who goes there? I know you're here so state your name" I demand loudly, a chill across my skin when the sound of my voice loses itself in the shadows, eyes narrowing when the darkness reveals nothing, no more sound to hear even as I wait for an answer.

Did they end up leaving after hearing me? Maybe they were up to no good and fled when they realized that it wouldn't work with me here...

That's the belief I'm about to adopt as silence is made ruler once more, that is, until a shape soundlessly reaches the halo of light that surrounds me, and when the stranger is close enough to finally allow me a sight of their face, my eyes widen in surprise.

"Worry not, young Aithne, it is only me, Taehyung. I was told that I would find you here at nightfall by the commander, I apologize if I scared you, that was not my intention" the dragon knight says when our eyes meet, his voice calm in the silence of the library - it does not disturb the peace, strangely enough.

I release the breath I was holding before sitting back down on my seat, candle settled on the table before I shake my head.

"I was not scared, it is only unusual for someone else to be here at this time of the day so I was a little... unsettled. I was not expecting you here, Sir Taehyung, were you looking for me?" I ask him, eyes following as he takes the seat in front of me with a grace that only his kind can have.

"I was, though the reason would probably perplex you. I was simply hoping to see your face again before heading to bed. Did you hear from Commander Rayner yet?".

I purse my lips lightly at the strange words he says, he wanted to see my face?

"I did hear from Commander Rayner about being assigned to you during your stay here, if that is what you wish to know" I tell him, and he hums inquisitively.

"Is that all? Did he not say anything else?".

"Well... if you must know... he apologized about how I've been treated recently and said that it wouldn't happen again. He also told me about my transfer to Goldwyn, which I am ecstatic about. I haven't seen my family in forever and I have never met my younger sister, though we have shared hundreds of letters since she learned to write.

Seeing her handwriting improve each time makes me proud as a swan, I hope to visit them as soon as I can once I make it to the capital, she must be around... fourteen years old now. I often find myself wondering if I would recognize her despite having never met, I want to believe that I would" I muse the end with a small smile, eyes gazing down and lost in thoughts.

To be given that opportunity after years of being away from family... I think I missed my parents a lot more than I felt able to admit.

The dragon makes a small sound before propping an elbow on the table, chin resting on his palm to observe me openly, an act that makes me feel a bit bashful for some reason. Why is he showing me such interest?

"You make me incredibly curious, little one. Why undergo the knight's hard training if you miss your family so much? Going as far as to miss your sister's growth for the sake of learning the art of battle and chivalry, it is not often that a young girl wishes to become a warrior of the sword, so what made you begin on this path?".

What a weird question to ask someone in the middle of the night... still, it does make me wonder about what pushed me so ardently when I was but a young child. I hum before tilting my head as I think about it.

"I've always disliked inequality. Growing up in the capital, I quickly learned to see the invisible line that separates the rich from the poor as I was standing right in the middle. Everything felt wrong to my young and idealistic mind, there were those who were sick and thrown aside to feed the dogs, and there were those who were strong enough to be put on a pedestal. When my mother began to get sick... I immediately knew where I wanted to stand. I wanted to be strong so that she wouldn't become dog food, that was my goal" I start before shrugging lightly.

"It wasn't easy to convince my mother to let me go and my father even locked me in my room once, but when he lost his job after a terrible accident that took his hand, I began to take over the family's expenses, it was then that I was taken in as a page. We exchange letters regularly so I always feel like I am by their side despite the distance, but to hear about her worsening sickness... being so far away makes me feel restless now, that is why I am so excited about going back to Goldwyn, I can see them more often there".

Why is it so easy to speak of that with him? Why am I opening up so easily? That's all I can think about as I speak the last words, the way his gentle eyes take me in unlike anything I've ever experienced before, they make me feel safe.

"A noble goal to have at such a young age, yet it is also a lot of responsibilities to shoulder on your own. You have a strong heart, Aithne, you are certainly bound to accomplish great things in this world. Perhaps difficult, but grand" he muses with an enigmatic tone that makes me frown in puzzlement.

"You speak like you know what those things would be" I blurt out without much thinking done, are all dragons so... peculiar?

His warm chuckle echoes in the empty room and it makes me feel strange, the more time I spend with him sending my soul in disarray, why is there so much comfort to be felt from his presence?

"I do not know, I am a son of this universe, just like you are its daughter. We do not guess what purpose we have, nor can we avoid it, we simply endure its burden until it is over. Such is the meaning of life in our world. Your path led you here, as mine led me here. Is your nape alright? Does it still burn?".

I instinctively bring a hand back to the marked skin, and my gaze meets his own.

"You... asked to see earlier. Is it too late to have a look? No one is here".

He smiles at my question, eyes creasing in delight, as if he was waiting for this moment, and maybe it is why he came here in the first place.

Taehyung stands up without a word and my heart beats nervously in my chest with every steps taken around the table and in my direction, and when he finally stands behind me, I also rise from my chair before pushing it out of the way so he can have an easier access to my neck.

His aura softly embraces me with a heat that warms my cold skin when he takes one last step forward, and I am overly aware of how close he is as I feel his fingers gently get my hair over my shoulder to expose the subject of our interest.

It is silent for an anxious minute during which nothing happens, and suddenly my heart is jumping and stuttering when his touch grazes over my skin tenderly without warning.

"Just as I thought... here it is. The golden peonies that link our souls together are on you, young Aithne" I hear him murmur with a sweet tone, his breath hitting against my skin, and I can only release a small whimper when he presses his lips on my nape the next second, hot and soft over the ticklish skin.

Between trying to make sense of his words and trying to keep my soul from leaving my body, there's not much thinking that gets done when he remains exactly where he is, as if he must memorize everything to mind this instant.

I almost crumble to the floor when the strong sensation dissipates into thin air, his lips finally releasing me from their warmth, but Taehyung's arm quickly slides over my stomach to hold me against his chest to keep me stable, my heartbeat so powerful that its pulses can be felt from my back to his own heart.

"Do you know what having that mark on your skin means, little one? Do you know why you have our mark on you?" I hear the dragon croon lowly, his aura now fully trapping me within its energy where it feels safe, where it is hot, and I shake my head slowly, body slightly trembling as I try to process what it is that he's doing to me.

"The golden peonies of fate. Only seven dragons in this world have this mark. I am one of them, and now you, a human, also have it. This mark is what you felt burning on your nape earlier, when it was engraving itself where it belongs. That is sign that you are our mate, that your soul belongs to us, just as ours belong to you".

The torrent of information, of sensations and feelings that he forces upon me is overly dizzying, to a point that denying his claim is all I can think to do in an attempt to get some respite, as illogical as it is.

The mark is there, it is not going anywhere, yet it cannot be true.

"T-that's... ridiculous. Humans can't be mates to dragons, Sir Taehyung, you must know that. There must be a mistake" I manage to whisper with a shaky voice, and to that, he releases a small huff that makes a cloud of heat swarm around my neck, as if to speak of his dislike at my comment in his stead.

"One does not choose to be a dragon's mate, nor does a dragon choose who is mated to them, Y/N Aithne Shields" he utters under his breath before letting his arm still holding me fall, and it takes my heart with it.

"Once the mark has engraved itself into your skin, there is no fleeing us, no matter how much you try. The others must already be on the way as we speak and I can assure you that we are not going to let you go. Whether you make this easy for us or not will depend entirely on you".

With that said, he steps back, his warmth leaving me feeling cold when it follows along with him like a shadow and when I turn around to stare at him, it's to find that he's already gone, just like the silent midnight breeze.

The flame of the candle grows upset for a long minute during which I stare absently at the darkness surrounding me, wondering if he is still there, watching me in silence.

---

When morning comes, I can say with assurance that I have not slept well at all.

That can probably be seen with a simple glance at my face, but I can especially feel it due to the pounding of my brain in my skull, a sacred hammer that has for goal to make me suffer even more when my body is already in a bad condition.

I head to the dining hall with dragged feet, a small nod of the head to whoever I come across on the way, their snarky comments not even making it past the loud noise currently happening in my head, and once I make it to the large kitchen of the busy common room, I quickly get myself a cup of water that I drink right at the sink.

"Tough morning, eh?" I hear a chirpy voice say as bodies flit around the space to get the food going, its pitch too loud for my ringing ears, but I still make a sound as I grab a plate before selecting what I want to eat for breakfast, the fortress' cooks always doing their best to give us filling meals with the ingredients they are given, which isn't always something fancy, but when it's made with love, who am I to complain?

I never learned to cook so I know for a fact that I could not do better than them, that is all I need to know to eat this with a grateful heart.

"My body has a very vile way of letting me know that I didn't sleep enough this morning, it'll surely pass" I answer simply as I finish filling the plate with the chosen food, and after grabbing a fork on the counter, I make my way to a table away from the noise, ignorant to the turmoil currently happening as the knights take notice of the purple scarf coming in after me.

I sit down at the table, then have just enough time to take one bite before someone sits in front of me.

I don't feel the need to look up to know who it is, the aura and energy that can be felt from him stating immediately that it is Taehyung, and it must show on my face that I'm not in a mood to talk at the moment because he remains silent, instead focusing on his own food while having a look at the large room and those inside to familiarize himself.

I slowly chew one bite at a time, each movement of my jaw painful, as if directly connected to my brain and I inwardly wince when my head decides to thrum, unappreciative of my efforts to appear normal in front of the knight who hasn't smiled at me yet - not that I gave him a reason to anyway.

I really don't feel so good right now and it makes me wonder if maybe I ended up catching the virus that's been going around for a while. I'm usually good at keeping a distance with others so I didn't catch what had swarmed within the knights last week but I guess it finally caught up to me.

"You don't look so well this morning" the dragon finally comments after letting his gaze fall back on me to analyze my state, and I make a small grunt before shrugging, a hand to my forehead to wipe the sheen of sweat covering it.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. It's always hot in here when the cooks are working" I mumble, eyes shutting briefly when I turn dizzy for a few seconds, a hand needed to support my head when my neck goes weak.

Taehyung bites on his tongue to keep in a sarcastic comment, but his face says everything he needs to say. He's not going to believe a single thing that leaves my mouth when he can see for himself that I am not fine like I said.

Denying everything seems to come awfully easy for me and he has an inkling that my environment while growing up has played a big part in shaping me this way.

I can't possibly admit that I'm sick when I know that I'll be treated like a weakling because of it, the same way that I can't admit to being his mate because it puts me outside of known territory, and he can't even get mad because he knows how hard it can be to find known territory at my age.

Maybe he should've eased me into it but... he's never been the most patient amongst his mates, he doesn't like pretending that he can't see the truth when it's right in front of him and within reach.

Namjoon will probably scold him once they get here only to find out that he already revealed the mark and failed to secure me properly, but he will face that moment when it happens. He will do what he can in the meantime.

We finish our breakfast in silence with everyone's eyes on our duo, and I know they'll be waiting for a chance to get me on my own to ask me about this, something I'm not looking forward to at all because I already know the questions that will flow my way.

If I could have peace today... that would certainly be a blessing.

"I'm to serve you from now on, Sir Taehyung, what did you have in mind for today? Is there anything you need from me that I can do this morning?" I finally ask him after putting our dishes away, which he doesn't have enough time to stop when I swiftly grab his empty plate from him.

He exhales loudly at my honest question, one that he should've seen coming. He didn't ask the commander to assign me to him just to have me act like a servant, he wanted to make things easier for me but it seems I'm only going to make things harder for him in the end.

"I wanted to take care of your sword training myself starting today but I don't think it's a good idea seeing as you're already profusely sweating, young Aithne. Maybe you should stay in bed and rest for now, you're worrying me" he answers with an empathetic hand to my shoulder, but I quickly step back to have it fall off, not wanting anyone to believe that we're close, which makes his face fall somberly.

My heart stings at the sight while his words from yesterday night come back to mind with insistence, but I keep my head held high anyway, as little emotions as possible showing on my face because...

I exhale softly when I realize that this behaviour of mine is not accomplishing anything.

Why am I doing this? I don't know, I don't think I could come up with a good reason even if I tried and honestly... at the moment, I can't find it in me to care like I should. My headache is that bad.

"Training is fine, I can do it" I let him know with a plain voice that very badly hides my discomfort, and he quirks an eyebrow at me before propping a hand on his hip, his posture turning almost arrogant as he stares me down.

"Really now? As you wish, Dame Y/N, we shall train then. Get your things from the armory and get ready in the training ground while waiting for me, I'll be there soon" is his answer, stern and unfriendly, and then he's leaving me behind without looking back.

I tsk my tongue before leaving in the opposite direction with heavy feet, he just looked down on me, didn't he?

"Shields! Already got a dragon in your pocket? I knew that body of yours could get you anyone you want, did you snake your way in his bed? I'm surprised to see that you can walk this morning!" one of the knights chirps as I walk past their table and I roll my eyes, fucking imbecile.

"I bet you she jumped him first, gonna try to climb in power by using her body, I tell you. That's why she keeps ignoring us, she's looking down on us because we're nothing yet. Watch out for when we become rich, she'll be knocking on our door with pleading eyes and a raised skirt".

I slam the hall's door behind me loudly at their laughter, my only intention to let them know that I'm pissed, rightly so, but my brain hates the sound just as much as the dragon still standing by the opposite door does, his eyes very sharply glaring at those who just spoke such daring words about me, men who are still shamelessly laughing while fully knowing that they hurt me with their words.

Taehyung ponders for a moment and...

Maybe he should burn Orton as a whole after all.

He'll warn Commander Rayner so that he can flee first, and then he and his mates will burn down the town and the fortress until nothing remains.

What can the King do? Scold them?

Taehyung has saved hundreds of villages that had more heart and worth than this place, he can think of many arguments that would explain why that was the right thing to do, but he ultimately knows that Orton being so close to the border would put Faywyn at a disadvantage in the end.

The fortress serves its purpose and the why is explained by the very thing that he hates - the people that live here.

It is not often that Taehyung finds himself despising humans, but Orton makes it incredibly easy for his fire core to act up. He has not met many people that were worth protecting here and he says that fully conscious of the impact his words could have.

In the meantime... he shouldn't make me wait for too long by staying here. His stubborn human mate needs to receive an important lesson this morning and although he's not excited about giving it... he must do what must be done.

I stomp my way to the armory with a sentiment of indignation flaring in my soul that's affecting me strongly today and once at the entrance, a different kid from yesterday greets me before running back inside to grab my belongings, my armor pieces brought to me two at a time, clean and shiny just like always.

I put them on while he leaves to get my sword last, and once fully equipped, I thank the boy with a pat to the head that brings a wide smile up to his face, his day now that much brighter because it's the little things like this that keeps them going, I know that very well.

He bows and waves happily before getting back to work and I get going myself as I don't want to be late, I don't think the dragon would take kindly to that.

I quickly reach the empty training ground - thankfully before Taehyung does - and decide to use the time I have left to stretch my body before the sparring, my pain pushed to the back of my mind for the sake of the training about to happen.

I don't care if I'm getting sick during or after this, I can't let my weakness get in the way. I won't have a dragon showing me pity and taking it easy on me just because I'm of the opposite gender, I don't want him to feed everyone's belief that I don't belong here.

The more weakness I show, the worse it gets, so even if I have to end up in the infirmary, I'm going to give it my all until I pass out, damned be the consequences.

"Ready?" I hear his deep voice first, and when I turn around to find Taehyung dressed in his armor, when my eyes take in the green glow to the scales that cover his chest and leg pieces, when I find the magnificent sword at his side, I know instantly that him and I... we are not the same.

What am I getting into? Sparring against a dragon? A knight of the Order of Fire? This is suicide.

"I am" I let out nonetheless as I position myself in front of him, and when he takes his sword and points it at me before positioning himself as well, I inhale deeply before nodding to myself. I can do this.

"Go on then. Show me what you can do, don't hold back".

I steady my breathing, I ignore my migraine and the crowd gathering nearby, then throw myself forward to get a feel of his arm power first, blade against blade, and maybe I shouldn't be surprised when my bone vibrates from his quick riposte, but it still takes me aback because this knight is on a whole other level from what I'm used to, his hair didn't even move when I attacked.

"Again".

Steady breath, then attack, parry and- my sword flies from my hand before meeting the ground a distance away in less than five seconds.

I stare at my empty hand in bewilderment, what was that? His feet are still exactly where they were when we began, there's not a single crease of his clothes that has moved, yet here I am, already panting and looking miserable.

Or maybe I was already miserable and there's simply no hiding it anymore, but either way, this is worse than yesterday.

If I felt stupid then, today is a hundred times worse and we both know that I don't stand a chance. There's no way I can get the advantage on him, I will never be able to exploit one of his weaknesses - does he even have one? - so what am I supposed to do?

"Do you really wish to continue this game when you're in such a state, Dame Y/N? We barely did anything and you already look ready to pass out. We can keep doing this until you faint from exhaustion or you can be smart and rest until you recover, the choice seems obvious to me, what do you think?" Taehyung tries again when he finds me almost losing my balance on the way to getting my sword, but I grit my teeth before going back into position.

"Stop treating me like I'm weak. I'd rather faint than back down now, everyone's staring" I utter between my teeth, and Taehyung hums lightly before complying with a shrug, arm raised nonchalantly to greet my next attack.

Our sparring lasts a little longer this time, I know that he's going easy on me because the ringing in my arm is not going up my neck anymore, and as I thought, it only serves to annoy me even more, I don't need him to help me make a good impression on these assholes.

They're not blind, they lack brain, not skills, they can see that Taehyung has the upper hand on me and that this is starting to look like a rehearsed play. I hate that he's so easily controlling the pace, he's making me feel like everything I do at this point is predictable.

I try to break out of his dancing game by spinning in the other direction to get him at another angle, my last hope to get a hit on him, but when I put my weight on my leading foot again, his blade is what welcomes my neck, my sword nowhere close enough to his own to be seen as a threat.

I'm panting, muscles wincing with every move I make as reality sinks in, the combination of a pounding head and an annoying dizziness nothing to help as anger and shame swirl within my guts, I can hear the knights laughter, their condescending comments and it makes me feel powerless.

I step back, and with the last of my strength, try a faint attack to take the dragon by surprise, but he's already seeing through me before I even make a move and his side step makes me hit empty air.

I stare at where he used to stand with a defeated frown across my face, all of my body feeling like it's on fire because I pushed myself too far, and just when I think that things can't get worse, the world suddenly spins around me until I lose my balance, and then my back meets the ground.

Opening my eyes after the impact is much harder than I want to admit, but when I do, it's to find Taehyung hovering right over me, his eyes darker than usual as he stares at me with a protective hand beneath my head.

He listens to my heavy breathing during one silent minute before sighing softly, this can not go on any longer. What am I trying to prove by trying so hard this morning? Why am I so insistent on worsening my condition like this?

"Do you have any idea how many times you could've died on the battlefield with this performance, little one? A knight's job is not only to know when and how to fight, it's also to know when it's time to pull back and rest. Who do you save if you can't even protect yourself? Who do you make proud by dying like this?".

I meet his gaze with wavering eyes, the chuckles so loud in my ears, yet I can't tell if they're only a fruit of my imagination or if they're really there, I can't even tell my up from down anymore, heavy pearls of sweat warm on my freezing skin, yet my skin also feels so terribly warm because of my erratic heartbeat.

"I don't want to make anyone proud, I just want people to stop treating me like everything I do is accomplished by luck. I just want people to see my skills for what they are, even if they're trash, and I'm pissed at them for constantly trying to bind me to the image of a fucking whore while they get all the glory by acting like human garbage. I'm not doing this to make anyone proud, I'm doing this to shut them up" I murmur with a raging frustration loud in my voice as I remain sprawled underneath him with wet eyes.

Taehyung keeps staring for a moment longer in silence, and when a tear finally slides down my skin to meet the rocky ground, he uses a thumb to wipe the wetness from the corner of my eye, careful as he follows the trail along my temple to get rid of it.

"Neglecting your health is not how you make them regret their behaviour, little one. Never doubt even one second that I am on your side, I am your mate, I'm here to help you, but this, right now, is making you look pitiful and I am not enjoying it" he begins gently, and I need to try very hard to keep my chin from wobbling at his words.

He continues when he finds my gaze flickering between his two beautiful orbs.

"Let me take you to the infirmary so you can get medicine, then rest for the rest of the day, this is how you make them regret their laughter. You are sick, yet you still tried to fight a dragon knight, doesn't that sound brave? What's the term young people use now... badass? That makes you badass, I think. They will feel very stupid for laughing at you, I know I would".

I don't know how he does it, but he manages to make me laugh despite my embarrassment and shame, and though my headache only worsens because of it, my mood doesn't feel as... terrible as it was a moment ago.

"You really think so?" I ask softly with a quiet sniffle, and to that, he smiles before nodding confidently, fingers pushing some strands of hair out of my face when a gust of wind covers my eyes from his sight.

"I really think so. I'm going to pick you up, okay? You're in no state to walk, you're getting very pale and I don't like it. You need to see a physician now, he can give you what you need and then you can rest until you feel better, can we agree on that?".

I nod my head to give him a permission that he has earned right before my senses get drowned out with a strong wave of dizziness, and from the moment he lifts me from the ground, everything else happens in a blur - when we reach where the knights are gathered by the doors to get inside, his voice as he briefly states that I'm sick and to let him through, the infirmary, the cold towel on my skin, something pushed in my mouth, water, it all barely registers below the pain that keeps me prisoner within my own body.

I feel highly uncomfortable for what feels like forever , but when the medicine begins to take action and the pain becomes more tolerable, the last thing I remember is a hand holding my own, and then I'm out cold.