Forget Me Not

II

I had been led back to my room, where I nervously awaited their decision. I stood up from the bed and walked over to the window, staring out at the blue, rolling sea. I didn't know why, but I felt as if I should be out there. I noticed a couple people milling about, carrying things off the beach. What were they carrying?

"Hello, Mysteria!"

The voice that erupted suddenly behind me made me jump, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned away from the window and turned to look at who had spoken, still a bit shaken.

It was a girl that looked close to my age, maybe a year older, with long yellow hair spilling around her shoulders. She was ever so slightly shorter than me, and was wearing a white dress. Her icy blue eyes were alight with excitement and kindness. She looked like an angel.

"M-Mysteria?" I asked, confused.

"Yes! I have heard all about you! A girl with no memories is found washed up on our beach? They dubbed you with that name because of it! We can call you Misty for short if you would rather?"

"I guess," I said, feeling a bit awkward.

"You were probably looking out at the beach a moment ago, weren't you? Some debris has been washing up on the beach. Probably from a ship. Everyone thinks that's how you might have gotten here."

"I... wish I could remember..." I sighed. The girl came over and put her gentle hands on my shoulders. She looked into my eyes and gave me a calming, beautiful smile. With the excitement finally leaving her, her voice was soft and even a bit quiet.

"It isn't your fault, and no one is rushing you. You take as much time as you need, alright? I can't imagine this is easy for you." I nodded, glad that she understood. She squeezed my hand and slowly pulled me in the direction of the door. I looked at her, not sure where she was wanting to take me. "I actually came to bring you to the banquet hall. Everyone figured you might be hungry."

"Are you... part of their group?" I asked. She wasn't dressed like them and had no weapons I could see on her. She didn't even seem like she was the fighting type.

"Yes," Excitement began to enter her voice again, "And we finished voting--you're staying here! Erik and I were very adamant on you staying here with us."

"You didn't even know me and you've been so kind... Thank you..." I trailed off, realizing I still didn't know her name and couldn't thank her properly. "Sorry, what is your name?"

"Verity Stormehart," She glanced back at me as she pulled me down the hall. She lifted up her dress a little, very quickly, and I saw a flash of a dagger strapped to her leg. "If you ever need anything, you can come and get me. Maleah and I have been placed in the rooms on either side of you for the time being. Erik will most likely be around you in the daytime, so I don't think you will have many problems with safety."

"I don't think so either," I laughed, "He seems very protective."

"He just believes no one can be too careful," Verity explained. "He's been betrayed and hurt so much... more than the rest of us."

I didn't ask any questions, as I figured it would be awkward and maybe a bit too personal since I was a stranger. I followed her in silence as she turned down a short hall, where at the end, was an open archway. I could hear laughing and yelling and through it, I could see Erik, Tristian, Lucian, Xander, Maleah, Geneth, and two others I didn't know, sitting around a huge wooden table covered with plates and bowls of food.

I saw Erik standing at the farthest end of the table, wave us over. He pulled out two chairs, and waited patiently for us to make our way over there. We thanked him and sat down, before he made himself comfortable in his own seat. I was seated between Erik and Verity, and was relieved--they were two of the four people I felt comfortable around.

"I told you that you'd stay here," Erik leaned over towards me and whispered, smirking.

"You seem so proud of yourself," I teased, taking a sip from the glass sitting in front of me. "You should get a badge for your efforts."

"I feel you are mocking me," he said.

"How could you tell?" We both hid a smile as he shook his head at me. I couldn't believe I was sitting here, joking around with a bunch of strangers so easily when I was in a bad situation. But then again, friends are always strangers in the beginning. And I had to be patient and hopeful that the memories I had lost would return to me in time. Worrying wouldn't bring them back, it would only do harm.

"Everyone! The newbies need to listen especially! That means you two, Phoenix and Flyn!" A loud clinging of a spoon on a glass drew everyone's attention to Xander, who was the one speaking. "As most of you know, a girl was found on our beach this morning with no memories of who she is or where she came from. She will be staying with us until further notice, until she finds out where she belongs. You will not harm her in any way, and is welcome to the majority of the things here if she wishes. She will have a guide and protector at all times. If anyone has a problem with this, please speak now." Everyone was silent, even Tristian. "Okay, good. Now that we have that out of the way, we can all eat."

Xander sat down, and Verity took the liberty of pointing out Flyn and Phoenix, the only two in the room I hadn't met.

"They are the newbies, along with Geneth, they are training to be like us. They are the youngest ones here and are best friends," I looked over at the two boys. They were throwing food at each other and Xander was scowling across the table at them. Verity bit her lip and laughed nervously. "They are fifteen and... yeah..."

She didn't need to finish that sentence for me to understand.

I looked back over to the boys. The first boy, the one being pelted by a ton of food, was blond, with his hair to his shoulders, and had bright green eyes. He was shorter than his friend by at least half a foot, and was cowering in his chair from his friend. He was adorable and something about him made me want to protect him.

"Stop it, Phoenix!" He whined, "I want to eat now!"

"You do not mess with the master!" The one called Phoenix yelled.

This boy seemed rambunctious and thoughtless. His bright, fiery red hair made him stand out profusely against everyone else. His eyes, although brown, were alight with a child's recklessness.

Over at the other end of the table, Maleah was telling Geneth to eat lots and to not listen to Tristian about her weight because she looked just fine. There was Lucian, talking to Xander casually, as if it were a normal day. And then Verity beside me, humming a sweet tune as she grabbed food.

"Are you going to eat?" Erik asked me, putting a piece of meat on his plate. "Don't be shy. There is more than enough, grab as much as you want."

"Yeah, thanks," I said, starting to fill my plate up with different foods. Everyone here was so different from one another, and I liked that, even if some of them made me nervous. It was like a big, strange family. And I found comfort in all of it.

A part of me hoped... that I could stay here forever.