War is Over: Queen in Chains

The dull ache in your head was the first thing you registered, a throbbing reminder that waking up was not a gentle process. Your body felt stiff, protesting every small movement. As consciousness slowly returned, so did a chilling realization: the cold, metallic weight on your wrists wasn't a dream. Chains.

Panic flared, hot and sharp, cutting through the lingering haze. You ripped off the heavy blanket, revealing not just your chained wrists, but chains around your ankles and even your neck, gleaming in the sunlight that streamed through the window of an unfamiliar, opulent room. This wasn't your chamber. This wasn't your palace.

A voice, cold and familiar, cut through the silence. "I am glad you finally woke up, you had me worried there, Via."

Princess Stella of Arida stood across the room, her grey eyes fixed on you like a predator. The war... it couldn't be over. Not like this.