The Remembered (Elements II)

Chapter 38

As the days passed, the princess found her strength returning. The bruises and pain faded, but she could still feel the grip of fear, especially at night. Isla let her take her time to recover, never questioning her, but she couldn't work up the courage to ask the question that she wanted the answer to.

Finally, she forced herself to. Searching for the water elemental, she eventually found her outside, kneeling in the garden. For a moment, the young girl watched her, curious. She was gardening, her hands covered in dirt. The dark hair had been pulled away from her face, revealing the multitude of tattoos on her back that didn't quite mask the scars of whippings. There were a few plants lying on the ground beside her, and the turned earth, emitting a fresh, damp smell, showed that she had been there a while.

"Is there anything you want, fy merch?"

Catriona smiled a little. She had learnt the meanings of Isla's native language, although she sometimes still got confused.

"I want to ask you something, Isly."

Isla sat back on her heels, wiping her hands on her dress. It was different today, a much simpler cut than the others Catriona had seen her wearing, and a dark blue-green. Catriona decided that she liked it.

"What is it, my dear?"

The princess took a deep breath, and let it out again. "The...the men," she began, and then stopped, noticing a dark look coming into Isla's eyes. "Isla?"

With what seemed like an effort, Isla pushed the look away. "It's nothing, bach merch. Just my son."

Catriona nodded, even though she didn't understand.

"What's your question, then?"

She dropped to the ground beside the elemental, careful of the plants on the ground. "What happened to them?" she asked in a rush.

"The king's guards found them."

She blinked. "They - they did? How?"

"Searching for you, when you didn't return."

"But...how did..."

Isla sighed, and stood up, pulling the princess to her feet. "Come inside, Cat. This isn't a topic for the open air."

She followed Isla inside, and sat down at the table. "Why?"

"Because you're a human."

"What does that have to do with it?"

For a moment, Isla stopped moving, her back to the princess. Then, she came and joined her at the table, two glasses in her hands. "Here. It's an issue, because some of the elementals are not pleased with you being here. They think that it puts our home in danger."

"How? Why? I'd never..."

"Not you, perhaps. But there are others. Human who believe that all we are good for are slaves. If they found their way here, they'd enslave us all, even the children."

"But how can that happen if I don't even know how I got here?" She put forward what seemed like a reasonable argument. It was shattered.

"You do know. You just can't remember."

"Why?"

"Because I won't let you. But the longer you stay here, the more you'll remember. There will come a point where you remember everything."

She was speechless for a long time, staring into her drink like it held all the answers. Isla didn't speak further, patiently waiting for her to understand what she had been told. Eventually, she lifted her head.