Chapter three
Memories
Sahrahsahe is my sister and queen of my race. She lives in the sacred mountains on the other side of the Elgaro forest. The forest is a dreadful place when not accompanied, full of mysterious creatures and some with magic. The thing is that I have no idea where I am! I stood slowly looking around anxiously for any clue. There were a few pictures on the walls. I slowly crept over to them, as if not to be heard even though I knew that there wasn’t anyone to hear me anyway; well for what I knew anyway. The pictures were all the same size and slightly faded with a yellow pigment. I blew the dust away from the first picture revealing its detail. It was Bardolph and three other Keiako, two of them where strangers but the third was me! I didn’t understand. I have no recollection of Bardolph at all in my memory. Why didn’t he tell me he knew me? How did he find me in that dark alley? Why did he help me? I was so overwhelmed by all of these questions overtaking my mind I had to look away from the picture. I turned to face Bardolph, he was so sound and dormant, turning back around I faced the second picture. Blowing off more dust, I squinted to see the next picture. This time it was of the sacred Fignack Mountains in the back ground and the Weavûr Lake in the fore ground. I scanned through the pictures looking at all of them. Wiping them all clean with my shaking hands. There were five in total and the next three shocked me more than ever.
It was Bardolph, me and Sahrahsahe in the throne room of the palace in the sacred Fignack Mountains. I was in my mother’s purple gown, with golden lacing, that was made from the finest silk. My sister had her golden tiara on, studded with sapphires, with her golden locks of hair pinned up so the flowed behind her ears shaping her narrow and glowing face. Our eyes are sparkling in the sunlight that was beaming through the stain glass windows.
Bardolph had his arm around me and was resting his head on my shoulder affectionately.
I could not understand. Why can I not remember Bardolph at all-And any other event that I was with him; but still I can remember everyone else?
My heart was pounding and my head was hurting from all of the frustration!
My eyes looked to the next two pictures and it was of Bardolph in the hospital ward with the healers around him. His eyes were closed and he looked dead, or dying, his clothes were blood stained and torn. My eyes became glassy and I sniffed to keep back the tears from streaming down my face. I wiped my eyes on the back of my left hand, trying to look away from the picture as my vision went blurry from my tears. I blinked and sighed trying to pull myself together, shaking my head. I looked back up but averted my gaze to the last of the pictures which was Bardolph and me kissing. I smiled and giggled knowing that when we were together, even if I could not remember, that we were happy. I saw letters inscribed in our ancient language ‘Brɨnak’ I brushed away the dust to reveal a sentence. I wasn’t the strongest of Brɨnak readers but translated it said: ‘Akima, my one and only love. But our separation will not be in vein because I will find you and be with you once more, for it is written in the book of ‘Ocarɨn’ and it is our destiny. Till our next kiss I wait...’
I was dumbfounded. Frozen. Blinking with confusion.
I looked over to him. Maybe I knew him in a different life. Maybe this is us reincarnated. I doubt it, or maybe we really did know each other it’s just that I have forgotten. It could be to do with the fact that I was shot recently, very recently. As I thought about the encounter I got shivers down my spine and squinted remembering the pain I felt.
I walked over to Bardolph, while kneeling down by his side the floor felt like ice on my bare pale skin. His forehead was hot to my touch; I swept his hair to the side so I could see his whole complexion. A bruise was starting to from around his left eye; I had really hit him hard!
I felt curiosity run through me, it was time to explore this place that I was in.
