The Throne is Mine

Emery

Emery's POV

When I dream, I dream of brightly lit passage ways through what looks like a mirror. I don't remember what it is like to race with the antelope or roll around in wild flowers. When I look around the walls in my room, my mind comes up blank. My life has been like this for a while now. I feel like I have a greater purpose than sewing with Aunt Mildred and drinking tea with Uncle Willus. However, when I bring up such things, they look down at me sternly and shake their heads. When I walk through the gardens in Pineville, I feel the village watching me with an unreadable hunger in their eyes. I think it's hope. But what about me could make them hope? I can't even remember the last twelve years of my life.

I sit up in my bed and open the window. The day's soft breeze sweeps in and covers me in a cloud of moisture. Suddenly, I'm aware of a set of footsteps making their way down the hall. I feel the urge to hide, or to grab something nearby and hurl it through the door. Of course, I don't. I don't know why I feel this way, but I do know I should trust my gut.

"Hey, Emery!" Jade, my roommate, bursts through the door. She has been a calming presence that keeps me sane. I give her a small smile, and she beams down at me. She quickly crosses the room in two strides, and sweeps me up in a hug. Her arms are almost twice the size of mine, not to mention she is almost a head taller than me. She releases me and takes my shoulders in her hands. "Do you know what day it is?"

"Yes of course! It's the start of my Summoning Day! Today, I am going to present myself in front of the whole village and call upon the Goddess. Hopefully, I will fulfill my duty as both a competitor and a naturae." I pause and say sarcastically, "You know how excited I am to grow up and get myself a little pet!"

Jade sighs and sits down next to me. "You know that's not all they are good for, being pets. They are so much more than that! They see into your soul, they le-"

"Truly Jade, I have no interest in a familiar. I have you to keep me safe. If I'm going to be spending the rest of my life in this small town, I'm not going to need a bear to scare off the neighborhood dog."

Jade chuckles, despite her height, she can seem docile at times. "No one has summoned a bear before, not even the most talented of naturalists! I wouldn't be surprised if you get one, though. You surely have the attitude equivalent to one!"

I roll my eyes and elbow her sides. "Hey!" She squeals. "I was just messing around. You can be sweet...occasionally!"

"I still can't believe you got your familiar at the age of 10! Speaking of familiars, where is that horse of yours?" Jules has the largest familiar in the town. I've heard stories of queens having wolf and lion familiars. However, I'd settle for a horse any day. Most people in Pinewood have familiars such as house cats, dogs, small birds, and snakes. It's a pretty big accomplishment, having a horse.

Familiars are vital to any naturalist. They play a very important role to a naturalists powers, outside of their specialties with plants and such.

Jade gives me a mischievous look. "Lily is just outside, I was hoping maybe you'd like to ride her down to the festival today."

"Sure, I'd love to." Thinking about riding Lily puts me in high spirits and I forget about my memory loss for a short time. The next 10 minutes are spent with Jade's fingers intertwining strands of my brown hair into short braids that tickle the top of my shoulders. Sitting there was one thing, being tickled was another. I had to stifle a laugh many times.

At last, Jade takes me by the hand and we make our way outside. We can hardly slide out the door, due to Lily being excited to see Jade.

"She sure is beautiful." Envy strikes me straight through the heart. The dapple gray mare has most definitely won me over. Lily shoves her head in my side and I laugh at her eagerness. She is already saddled and ready to parade us through the town square. On the short trip over, I kept my mind busy.

I contemplated telling Jade that I had in fact, lost my memories. How would that change our relationship? Would she be able to help me solve this mystery? Most of all, can I trust her?

Trust comes easy with people like Jade. She's open about everything, offers her help like candy, and even leaves coin on her dresser.

Fighting the urge to spill the beans, I shake my head. I have been able to manage on my own, I can solve this on my own. People are loaded with information. I just have to be careful and make sure to ask the right questions. Surprisingly, people can't get enough of their pasts. Obtaining bits and pieces of myself has been easy enough.

I can't help but imagine the senario in my head. If I were anyone else, I believe they would start questioning Jade.

"Why do you think it is that I lost my memories? I know I'm not supposed to talk about it, I'm sorry... but I can't help it. I feel like everyone is keeping something from me. Why is it that I am the only person that the townsmen gather for? Why must I call upon the Goddess herself in front of everyone?" My pitch would raise slightly. "Are you in on this too? I know we are supposed to be friends but how can I trust you if I do not know who you are?"

Yeah, who would want to answer any of those questions? I'm not sure that would ever work.

Jade is placed in front of the saddle, clutching the reigns loosely. Imagine her never changing her posture, letting my words roll off her as if I was just a rock lodged in a creek bed.

She would ask when I lost my memories. I would grab her shoulders and demand to see her expression.

The townsquare comes into view. Ringing of church bells reach my ears. It must be noon.

Two weeks, I would respond to her. Lily comes to a stop.

Through my lashes, I see more people than I have ever seen gathered before. There has to be hundreds here in this very townsquare. Here, I was thinking that there were only a few dozen townsfolk in Pineville. I guess that's what I get for being cooped up for fourteen days. Lily continues on nervously. That strikes me as odd, and I crane my neck over Jade's shoulders to see her hands now tight on the reigns. I lean back and I look into the eyes of those around me. So many people with their familiars. Everyone is standing around or leaning on trees. Those that have no room on the streets, are crowded in their neighbor's balconies. I give a short wave and the crowd erupts in cheers. We pass by a group of children and they rush up to touch Lily and bow to me.

These gestures make my stomach sick and I quietly tell them to return to their mothers. Jade squeezes my hand and the feeling subsides. I see Aunt Mildred and Uncle Willus beckoning us towards them. In front of them, the roads are covered in white rose petals.

"Almost there, just a few more strides. How are you hanging in there Emery?"

Laughing silently to myself, I think about our conversation in my head.

"It is hard to believe that this is happening." I say in a whisper. "No going back now."

"Yes, that's for sure..."

And there we were, our journey has finally come to an end. Jade and I both jump off of Lily and the crowd roars.

"Emery! Emery! Emery!" There is so much noise that the ground vibrates with their energy. Birds start to sing and dogs start to howl. The sun's light is centered directly above me. Now, all I have to do is kneel.