Dreamwalker

25- Parley or Pretense

"Look at me, Bell." Soutine stopped her so he could put a hand on her shoulder. He took his sword out again and sliced a triangular symbol into his hand. "Now, can you say your full name for me?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Just do it."

"Bell Jeanne Darche."

Soutine placed his cut hand on her forehead. "Your name is Bell Jeanne. Until your full name is uttered again, you will lose all memories forthwith connected with it. Darche is no more. Nan tor kai." Even though there was no breeze, Soutine and Bell's clothes fluttered like in a sudden wind, and even the ends of Soutine's hair floated up around his shoulders. A bright white light glowed under the skin of Soutine's hand for a moment.

When the light faded, Soutine took his hand off her forehead and wiped the blood off her skin with his sleeve. "What was that?" she asked, blinking a little as though just waking from a nap.

"Bell, what is your full name?"

---

And everything came back. Everything. The suite in the prison where she grew up. The daily experiments drenched in blood. Snow swirling around towers of stone. A fear of falling into the endless green countryside that stretched beyond the horizon of the mountains. Screaming into a pillow. Charcoal sketches fluttering around a cluttered one-room cabin with white walls and a large window to let the sun in. Her father's face, round and intimidating. Her mother's face, freckles splattered all over. Bell Jeanne Darche. Bell Jeanne Darche. Bell Jeanne Darche.

She couldn't move. She could hardly breathe. Each memory hit her like a tidal wave, drowning her in emotion.

Laurier approached her. "Ah, I see. He must have put you under a spell. Take time to recover. Do you need to sit down?"

"I... I..." On cue, Bell sat down on the floor. "I'm sorry, I don't... understand..."

"Dear child, you must be so confused. It was an awful trick... I never would have expected Soutine to twist your mind like this." Laurier sat down next to her, placing his staff next to his feet and holding the fire close to her as if he were worried the darkness would freeze her. "Might I clarify your mind? Do you have any questions for me?"

Bell hesitated, then said, "did you know my father? My real father?"

"Not well. I knew him by name-- Monsieur Angora Darche."

"Angora Darche... What about my mother?"

"A bit better. She, Madame Devon, has lived in Solancee for many years. You must have inherited her talent."

Bell thought a little more. Slowly, she pieced memories together, forming a quilt made of blurry images in her mind. "But... but I spoke to you last night somehow. You said you were in trouble."

"I'm sorry, Bell. I said it to bring you to Solancee. I didn't know how long you could continue speaking to me so I wanted to keep our conversation brief. Please forgive me."

"Then where is Soutine?"

At this Laurier fell silent. Bell turned to look him in the face. He looked hurt, regretful. "Monsieur Laurier?" she repeated.

"Do you really still want to see him?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, of course. It's the reason why I came to Solancee. You said he was locked up here. And," she continued, voice growing louder with passion, "I don't care about what he did in the past. I know he made mistakes. But--- but don't we all? I mean-- I'm sure he'd tell me the truth now, wouldn't he?"