He was groggy, his head throbbing, and at first as he opened his eyes he thought the room empty, a cut stone cell, nearly square, hardly more than three strides on a side. The writing stand and books made it obvious to him that it was not a prison cell, but rather for a cloistered member of some holy order. It took a moment to identify the source of the dim and diffuse light, but lifting his head he realized it was from a candle flickering within an elaborately screened candleholder. Immediately he winced, even the slight brightness of looking directly toward the flame bringing the pounding back into his head with full force.
How he had come to be here⦠there was a flicker of memory, something important, but elusive. He was a Knight of the Azure Order, that he knew with certainty that nothing could suppress. But why he was here, what he was doing, such things were shrouded. The more he tried to focus on them, the less he was able to discern. There was only a compelling sense that there had been a mission, a goal of utmost importance, a goal he could not now remember.
His armor and sword he could now make out in an untidy heap by the door of the room, blue surcoat crumpled on top. A pang of guilt stung him β so many years of training to revere his equipment could never be ignored. Before realizing what a terrible idea it was, he moved to rise from the bed to pick them up off the floor, where the dampness would quickly lead to rust. But before he could lift himself the pounding in his head was even worse than before, strength fleeing from his limbs and his vision dimming, narrowing to a tight tunnel. A moment later he realized he was back laying flat on the bed.
Well then, surely a blow to the head. He had experienced that many times before in his career. For that matter he realized his helmet wasnβt with the rest of his armor on the floor, but he couldnβt recollect what had become of it β more memories flittering away like shadows in the night. But he would recover from this as he always had before, he was sure.