Annalise's POV
I drifted back into consciousness slowly, like I was swimming through thick fog. My head felt heavy, like It was too big for my body, and for a second, I couldn't tell where I was.
My eyes blinked open, but the world around me was blurry, almost like it was too bright, too loud. There was a pounding in my skull, a dull ache spreading through my body.
Everything felt distant…sounds, smells, the sensation of the ground beneath me. It's like I was there, but not really there. I tried to move, but my limbs were sluggish, and it's like I had forgotten how to make them work.
A wave of nausea hit me, and my stomach twisted. My mind was slow to catch up, flashes of memory flickering in and out…what happened? Why was I out?
I swallowed, the dryness in my mouth making it hard to breathe. My heart began racing, my chest tight, like my body was panicking but my mind hadn't caught on yet.
Slowly, things started to sharpen, sounds filtered back in, the bed underneath me solidified anchoring me back to reality. I breathed in, deep and shaky, trying to push away the dizziness, waiting for my brain to catch up with the rest of me.
My numb body started to melt into a heated puddle as the sensations creeped back into them and I felt my toes wriggle.
I fluttered my eyelids carefully to clear my vision and the first thing my gaze fell on was a grand high ceiling. What followed as my eyes moved about was the whole chamber with intricate gilded moldings on the wall. My breathing halted as confusion set in.
"What?" I thought to myself silently. "Did I end up at a hospital?... what sort of hospital was this? It looks too strange…too grand"
I opened my eyes wide sitting up suddenly. I moved in a bid to stand on my two feet but soon fell to the hard solid ground. The door across the room opened quietly and a figure walked in.
"Your Grace you're awake!" the warm raspy voice of a woman followed by a loud gasp caught me off guard. She rushed to help me back up into the bed.
My sudden movement caused my head to ache painfully. A quiet groan slipped out of my mouth as I clutched my head that seemed like it was going to fall off my head digging my fingers into my scalp. My eyes shut tight again from the pain.
"My lady!" the voice cried out again, "please be careful" the woman pleaded. My vision cleared and I could see her carefully now.
She looked elderly and was dressed in a maid outfit. Her face wrinkled with worry as she patted my forehead to check my temperature.
"How are you feeling your Grace? Oh! I was worried sick! You wouldn't wake up for days!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with worry. "I'll call the royal pack doctor for you". She stood up in a hurry before my lips opened to say anything.
"Roselle! Selene! Fetch the doctor! The grand duchess is awake!" . Her loud voice echoed through the door.
I blinked rapidly still trying to process everything I was hearing. "my lady?" "royal pack?".
I looked around again in confusion, this time my eyes scanned the entire room I just woke up in. My jaws drop in awe at what greeted me.
The grandeur of the space was almost overwhelming. The ceilings soar high above, adorned with a large shiny beautiful chandelier that shimmered in the soft, golden light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
My gaze fell back to where I sat still. The soft bedding was plush peach and gold perfectly suited for royalty I assumed.. Not far from it, an antique dressing table caught my attention.
The mirror was adorned with what looked like precious gems, shimmering faintly in the light.
"What the fuck?" I blurted out quietly, picking up my jaws and covering my mouth in awe.
I felt a sharp twinge of pain in the middle of my head. Memories began to pour in…memories of the last thing I saw before dying or so I thought. "Is this a dream?...heaven?...no it can't be…heaven is very much described differently"
I felt a subtle anxiety crawl in my stomach as my mind shifted to the boy and his dog I managed to save. "Did they make it?"
"I hope they're okay" I mumbled to myself looking down. My mind was distracted again by the soft silky fabric of the gown I wore. It looked so luxurious that it almost felt like a sin wearing it.
"Where the hell am I?" I mouthed in silence still staring blankly at the ceiling. Was I saved by a rich person who pitied me? Was I kidnapped? Why was I referred to strangely? Who was that woman who helped me up? She seemed to know me. Different thoughts ran through my mind.
I raised my arm one after the other inspecting every detail and noticed my skin was paler and skinnier than I recalled. The long length of my hair soon occurred to me. I always kept it short but now it was full and long.
"How long was I unconscious for?" I picked up a strand and realized it's curlier than what I had before. I stretched it and a long burnt orange hair met my gaze.
My heart leaped at the color and length of it. It was a thick and long burnt orange curl. I became even more confused and mustered up all the strength my body struggled to find and attempted to stand up again.
My two feet touched the hard solid ground adorned with a thick beautiful carpet. I slowly got up grabbing on to the bed frame for support.
I stood on my two feet but my weak shaky knees caused me to stagger a bit almost falling back down.
I carefully walked over to the dressing mirror to take a look at myself. I gasped audibly at the sight that greeted me in the mirror.