There was something about this old woman that was oddly... familiar. Nai frowned. Something in her fragmented memory told her this woman was important.
They'd thought her unconscious, when they had dropped her in her blackened stone cell. Something was going on elsewhere; people yelled and shouted. They didn't bother to make sure that the door to Nai's cell was locked, and ran down the corridor to see what the commotion was. Shaking, Nai got to her feet and slipped out. She was in bad shape; she hurt so much, and she was trembling and drenched in sweat. But she'd probably never get another chance...
She slowly made her way towards where she thought the door was. It was agonizing. She had to lean against the wall, because her legs didn't want to support her. There was something broken or bleeding inside; her side hurt too much for there not to be. Her vision kept doubling, then tripling, then doubling again. It didn't matter. Ignore it, it was only pain. She had to get out of this place. If she didn't, something terrible would happen to her, of that she was certain. Where could she go? She didn't know. Who could she trust? Again, she didn't know. All she remembered was her name, and even that wasn't certain. She knew that something precious had been taken from her, but she would have to get it back later. One thing at a time.
It took all of her strength to open the door, and she was unprepared for the light outside. If it had been daylight, she'd have gone blind. As it was, she threw her arms up in front of her face. The action caused her to lose her balance, and her legs folded under her. She tried to get up, only to sink down again as a fit of coughing wracked her. Blood spattered the ground.
Someone grabbed Nai's arm, and she lacked the strength to fight back. Whoever it was helped her to her feet and steadied her until her head stopped swimming. An old woman stood there, smiling in a way that was somehow comforting. "Fly away, little bird. Fly far."
Nai shook her head. "Have I met you, grandmamma?"