Things I Almost Remember: A Selection Story

Once Upon A December

The weeks of early winter and Kate's princess lessons flew by, and before she, Johnny, and Connor knew it, Christmas was nearly upon them. When she wasn't reading about Illéan history or at lessons with Johnny or Connor, Kate often could be found staring at the music box Johnny had showed her. He had never technically said she could have it, but there was an unspoken understanding between them that it now belonged to her. Inside, Johnny believed he was just returning it, but he also was intrigued by how fascinated Kate was by it. He often would see her sitting quietly humming the music of the lullaby the box played as she rewound it over and over again.

One day, Johnny was watching Kate play with the music box while he pretended to read a book at the small desk when Connor came in through the doors.

"Johnny, Kate, I just saw, they were in the streets, we know him," Connor panted, all his words coming out as one long panicked noise.

"Connor, slow down, what is the matter?" Johnny asked standing up from the desk chair. Kate's attention quickly turned from the music box to Connor. Her eyes looked panicked. 

"Stevie Baker, the local patrols, they were beating him just out in the market square for participating in 'suspicion of treason and anti-monarchical behavior," Connor panted, albeit a bit more slowly than before. "Johnny what if they come for us? We're hiding a girl who may or may not be a lost member of the Schreave line. What would they do to her if they found out? What would they do to US?"

"Connor, Kate is with us. We promised to protect her, and she has let us teach her about Kerttu. We owe her. She is our friend," Johnny said slowly, trying not to elevate his brother's panic. "Stevie Baker was a part of Niève Underground. We both know they are not exactly discreet. We have a girl in our apartment, it is not like we are out there protesting in the open."

"What is the Niève Underground?" Kate asked, speaking for the first time since Connor had returned. Both of the brothers whipped their heads around as if they both had just remembered she was there.

"It is a resistance group," Johnny explained.  "They work to protest the monarchy and local rule here in Niève , but they do so in not very discreet and often very violent ways. Stevie Baker is a guy Connor and I have met a few times. We have told him it would be dangerous to get involved with the Underground."

"Doing anything that goes against Marid Illéa's rule is dangerous," Connor hissed, trying to control himself. "What we are doing is not safe. Kate needs to go."

"No, she stays," Johnny said adamantly. "I think what this tells us is we need to get going to France sooner than we expected. You are the one who has been supposed to be working on those passports. How are those going?"

Connor narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"I have been trying, you know how much more difficult it has been with the increased patrols around town. Besides, how have you been helping exactly? All you have been doing is sitting here flirting with a girl because you think she is your long lost childhood crush," Connor snapped, glaring at both Johnny and Kate.

"You know that isn't true," Johnny snapped back, his voice growing angry.

"Please yes it...," Connor began when Kate suddenly stood up and marched between him and Johnny.

"Stop! You are both acting like children. It is ridiculous. If you need me to go, I will, but you both need to stop," she snapped tears rolling into the corners of her eyes. "It is almost Christmas, you are family. You have each other. I have no one. I don't even remember if I ever had a family. I know you both have had a hard life, but you have had each other. You are all each other has, don't ruin that. You both are the closest thing I can ever remember to having friends, people who care about me. I won't let myself come between you!"