To Sing the Tortured to Sleep

III. The Recollection

Kain had arranged for a fancy dinner to celebrate my company, but I had a feeling that it was only organized to introduce me to his family. They must have heard about me. After all, it wasn't everyday that you rescued a stranger who’d lost their memory. It was an even rare occasion, to bring them home and house them.

Before dinner I had a chance to finally talk to Kain about the arrangements that would be made for me.

“You will be staying in one of the guest rooms until your memory comes back,” Kain explained, leading me through one of the castle’s various hallways, stopping directly in front of one of the rooms and gesturing to it. It had a tall wooden door, and looked plain and ordinary like the rest of the rooms in the hallway. “Think of this as your room for the time being.”

“You don’t have to keep me,” I began, trying to explain to Kain that I would be fine on my own. I was a strong girl.

“What would you like us to do? Kick you out? Let you get attacked again by God knows what?” Kain’s voice was strong and protective, as if he was taking his assignment to protect me far too seriously.

“I can take care of myself,” I insisted, trying to stand up for myself against the strong chiseled man before me.

“If you could, you wouldn’t be here.”

It was a low blow, but a necessary one at that. Kain was right, if I could defend myself, I wouldn’t have lost my memory, and I would have never been brought into his company. Kain acknowledged my silence as a clear victory, and continued what he’d been trying to say.

“Father will only be willing to make the trip round the Montash Mountains if we know it will take you home.”

So that’s it, I was stuck in an unfamiliar place with Kain his entire family until my memory decided to show itself.

We ventured away from the guest rooms, moving to a hallway that I assumed led to the entrance to the dining hall, as it was bustling with waiters and servants.

“My father has called for all clans within one hundred miles to return to the castle after dinner. He wants to see if any of them recognize you," he explained with a hopeful smile, "and if they aren't the ones who attacked you, they might have seen what happened.”

“Clans?” I questioned, wondering what he was talking about. What sort of clans was his father in charge of?

“They are bandits, hired by my father to keep out intruders and search for Arganian spies.”

It was my turn to ask questions. I had a million running through my mind, but I still wasn't sure where to start. Changing the subject completely, I moved towards my most desperate question. "How did you find me?" I asked, receiving a defeated glance from Kain who, disobeying his father's request, told me.

"I had been called for a meeting with General Cunningham and on the way home my driver heard a scream," he gestured to me, "I assumed you were one of my citizens and made it my duty to save you. But when I found you, you were already unconscious and there wasn't another living being in sight."

With my question answered, another rose to the surface, if Kain doesn't know what happened, who does?  I felt like I was sinking, the realization finally hit me; I was a complete stranger, even to myself. "But you said I was attacked?" I asked, recalling the words I'd strained to hear.

"We assume that you were attacked by something. What person in their right mind knocks themselves unconscious?" he asked, amused by my question.

"So I was attacked by bandits?" I asked, trying to confirm what he had theorized earlier.

"We cannot be certain, but it's possible."