Forget Where We Were (reupload!)

Chapter 20

ONE MONTH LATER

"I heard that this chamber was overflowing with flowers and other offerings two years ago when you lost your memories and everyone thought you were gone. Sumeru must have really recognized your talents, son."

"They only recognized after the Matra declared and they believed that I died. Funding for Kshahrewar has gotten better after that, they said." Kaveh shrugged as he admired the murals that covered the chamber walls. "The appreciation only came when things were too late."

"It's a human flaw," said his mother. "One that we ought to unlearn."

"I know. It sucks to be revered after they all thought that the desert killed me, just like how Dad died." Kaveh turned to his mother. "Mom, why did you want to visit this place first?"

His mother shook her head. "Nothing to be worried about, son. I just wanted to see these things, as I should have been there for you in the first place."

"You've been saying this for over a month, Mom! It's enough already." Kaveh patted his mother on the back before stepping away.

He went over to a simple grave on the far side of the chamber. Zamir was the name written on the headstone Kaveh requested Dehya to put up. She gladly agreed to the request as she told the architect that it was kind of him to honor a fallen Eremite. It was common sense to him, though, as the man practically saved his life.

Kaveh reached out and placed a couple of Mourning Flowers by the headstone. His mother joined him as they gazed at the grave for a few moments of silence.

"Are you sure you want to go back with me?" Kaveh turned to his mother. "Wouldn't it be too much for you, after all?"

His mother gave him a smile, "It has been a long time. There are still aches and pains that would never go away, but they should not hinder me from going back for a bit. After all, you're going to be with me. How thankful I am to have such a good son, a kindhearted genius, even though I had abandoned you."

"You only wanted to be happy. I could not find any fault in that."

His mother looked around the chamber, "Any power this chamber might have had has been used up. It's nothing but a ruin now. It must have been very painful, what that ancient king had to carry, that he wanted to remove all of his memories just to alleviate the pain."

Kaveh's gaze fell on the murals that depicted the Orchard of Pairidaeza. "He never went through with it. That's why the curse got triggered when we stumbled here the first time when I felt that falling in love with someone who liked to dissect my mistakes was not at all a good idea, that maybe if I didn't feel it I would have been fine."

"And now? Do you still think that?"

"He liked to dissect my mistakes like it was a major accomplishment. Maybe because he wanted to push me even further and learn from my mistakes. I mean, it's not like I don't call out every single one of his weaknesses." Kaveh shrugged, "I just get too stung sometimes. It's not something we could not talk about."

"And what about Kiran?"

"Kiran... was a part of me. I lived as him, and now he will continue to live in me. I might not be Kiran, but Kiran sure is Kaveh. He would always represent a part of my life that has become important to me, even if it was a result of something unwanted."

"Good. I am proud of you." His mother offered Kaveh an open palm, "Shall we? Go back to Sumeru City?"

Kaveh took his mother's hand without a second delay, "Of course!"

The people of Sumeru, mostly the scholars and the Akademiya students, stared at them as they walk down Treasures Street, heading to the Grand Bazaar. People whisper amongst themselves that Master Architect Kaveh was actually alive all this time and beside him was another esteemed Kshahrewar scholar. No one dared to come up to them and talk directly, though.