We come to a stop, my father releases his hold on me, and I hear him open a door. My nostrils are assaulted by the smell of cooked bacon, fruits, and spices. I take a hesitant step forward, unsure of the layout of the room.

  “Beri!” I hear a young girl squeal in delight to my right. I turn my head in the general direction of the voice where then now seems to be a scuffle of some kind.

  “Unhand me you brute!” the girl’s voice cries out. “Unhand me this instant!”

  My father sighs and takes my hand leading me to a chair to seat me at a table.

  “Isabella, I told you to calm down.” I hear someone say that sounds like Angus. “She has only recently recovered enough to be out of bed and she still cannot see anything like I told you. Do you not see the duke leading her to her chair? You would have knocked her to the floor in your mad dash to be reunited with your best friend and then all of us at the table would be upset with you, Beira included, I am sure.”

  I sit in my chair and stay quiet for the moment, not sure what to say or do as the cacophony subsides and I hear someone take a seat to my left. I also hear my father’s heavy steps walking away towards what I presume is the end of the table on the other side of the person to my left. Across from me, I hear someone pull out a chair and sit with a huff.

  “Izzy, don’t pout, it’s unbecoming of a princess.” I hear Angus chide from my left, his tone on the playful side.

  “Good morning, Beira.” I hear my mother say from my left.

  “Good morning, M-mother.” I say turning my head, nodding slightly before turning it to my left.

  “Good morning, Angus.” I continue. “Or should I address you as Your Highness?”

  I hear a snicker come from across the table.

  “Did I say something wrong?” I ask, confused.

  “No, and Angus is just fine when it comes to you, Beira.” Angus responds quickly

  “Beri, you called my brother ‘Your Highness.’” I hear the girl say while laughing from across the table. “Keep that up and it will go to his head.”

  “You and the young prince have both known each other since childhood,” my mother explains calmly, probably in response to the confused look on my face. “You two have been on a first name basis since you two first met. Actually, I believe the name you first used for him was 'Angi' because you couldn’t quite say his name properly.”

  “And you have known me for longer than him, Beri!” The princess interrupts.

  “I-Isabella?” I question, addressing her with the name I first heard Angus use.

  “That’s me.” She replies, then her voice gets a slightly worried tone. “You really don’t remember me, do you?”

  “No, I’m sorry.” I answer, shaking my head. “As upsetting as it is to say, you are as much of a stranger to me as my own parents.”

  Just saying that out loud broke the damn holding in my emotions and I feel my eyes start to water.

  I am alone. I am all alone in this world full of people I do not even know and that do not know me despite what they think. I will never see my family again, or my friends. I am dead to them, literally.

  I feel tears start to flow down my face as I let out a heart wrenching cry of grief.

  “Beira.” I hear multiple people say.

  How can I just be expected to pick up this girl’s life as if I am the one that has always been here? This is too much; I cannot do it.

  I feel a strong warm hand on my shoulder and I continue to cry. It sounds as if everyone is talking but I cannot understand what they are saying. I cover my face with my hands and then push myself away from the table with my legs, my appetite gone. I stand up, knocking my chair over, and try to leave the room, embarrassed at my sudden emotional outburst, not sure which way leads to the door.

  Someone grabs me and wraps me in their arms, pulling me against their broad chest. It is Angus. I can tell by the scent. The muscles in his chest and arms are tight and strong, they make my feel tiny by comparison. I put my arms around him and sob into his chest unaware of anything else around me other than his warmth. He gently pats top of my head while softly assuring me that everything is okay.

  After an indeterminate amount of time, my tears subside and I unwrap my arms and push away. He reaches out and gently cups my face with one have, causing me to jump slightly before I realize what he is doing. He wipes the tears first from one cheek then the other.

  “I-I’m s-s-sorry.” I say feeling ashamed, my face flush from embarrassment.

  “There is nothing to be sorry for, dear.” I hear my mother say. “You have been through something none of us can understand.”

  “That doesn’t mean we aren’t here for you though.” Angus says, sympathy in his voice.

  “Aye, lass,” The duke chimes in. "We are all here for you because you are precious to each of us.”

  “And,” I hear Isabella say from my immediate right.

  When did she get so close?

  “With me at your side, you have nothing to fear, I’ll protect you!” She declares before wrapping me in a tight hug.

  "Now, you come and eat.” She says, pulling me forward then pushing me gently into a chair. I assume that at some point, someone had picked up the chair I knocked over. “You look like a slight breeze could carry you away.”

  “T-thank you, Isabella.” I say smiling slightly.

  “That is Izzy to you, missy.” She says tartly. “It feels weird when you call me by my full name.”

  I shake my head and raise my hands apologetically.

  “I apologize, Izzy.” I quickly reply.

  The rest of the time at the table went quickly, Angus and the Duke made small talk about matters of importance to the kingdom, while the Dutchess (my mother now, I remind myself) helped me with the awkward task of eating from a plate I could not see. Izzy rambled on about a myriad of topics, jumping from one to the next is dizzying fashion before eventually circling back around to the first. The mood of the meal was a bit subdued, probably because of my outburst earlier, but that did not prevent Izzy from having a cheery tone fill her voice after a while. By the time the meal is close to wrapping up, I am familiar enough with the layout on the table before me that my mother can focus on her own meal while offering advice regarding the food placement on my plate when I appear to be too far off the mark in my current quest to feed myself.

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  The meal done, everyone stands and I follow suit. I am led to a room that smells like books and, upon being sat in a large comfy chair, I receive confirmation that I am in a library.

  “It’s a bit too chill for you and your friends to enjoy some time outside, but the library will do just as well.” The Duke says gruffly.

  “I’ll send one of the maids with some hot tea to help keep you warm.” My mother says as I feel someone, most likely her, pat me on the shoulder before I hear both of my parents walk away.

  “So, Beri,” Izzy starts as soon as I hear the door close. “What all do you remember? My bull-headed brother was quite vague about it when he came to the chateau yesterday. He just said that you were not yourself and had lost your memory.”

  “H-he wasn’t wrong, Izzy.” I began to explain but, remembering that I had been told to keep silent about who I am, I chose to continue carefully. “In truth, I don’t remember anything, and for a while there, I t-thought I had been somewhere else. The only reason I know the names I now know is because I have heard them said, sometimes with r-references to what they are. I only know my age because the doctor told me. I know A-Angus and I are to be wed at some point in time,” I feel my face flush, “though I know not when. Fifteen seems a bit young for that, so I don’t think it will be any time soon. I know the duke’s... I-I mean my father’s name is Alastair. I only know that because my m-mother said it. Because of Angus, I know I am somewhere in a kingdom called Elgoss, but I have no memory of ever hearing that name before I woke up. It’s all like that, I-Izzy. Everything before is just… gone.”

  “You told me a fairly strange tale when you woke up, Beira.” Angus comments. “Have you forgotten that?”

  “N-no.” I say, nervously shaking my head. “T-that was just a dream. An awful dream. O-one I d-d-don’t want to remember.”

  I hang my head.

  “To be fair, it did sound rather disturbing.” Angus replies with a sigh.

  There is silence for a moment and I feel as though I am being studied with intense scrutiny.

  “W-what?” I stammer.

  “When did you develop that stutter, Beri?” Izzy asks, a slight edge to her voice.

  “Haven’t I-I a-always had a s-s-s-stutter?” I ask, hating that the anxiety spike brought on by her sudden question makes it worse.

  “No, you haven’t.” She says dryly. “Are you sure you’re my Beri, and not some imposter disguised as her?”

  My eyes widen and my hand goes to my mouth.

  “W-w-w-w-“ I stammer, unable to complete the word.

  “Izzy, that’s enough.” Angus says in a scolding tone. “She think’s you are serious and it’s upsetting her.”

  “Sorry, Beri.” Izzy says, sounding apologetic.

  “What she says is true though, Beira.” Angus states. “You didn’t have a stutter like this before… whatever happened to you happened.”

  “I-I’m s-sorry, I c-c-can’t help it.” I spit out, trying to regain control of the words coming out of my mouth.

  I hate when I get like this, I feel so stupid.

  I close my eyes, not that it makes much of a difference, and take a deep breath before slowly letting it out. I repeat the breathing two more times before feel calm enough to continue talking.

  I must look like an utter idiot to them.

  I feel a small hand come to rest on my knee as I open my sightless eyes and smile slightly.

  “Are you ok, Beri?” Izzy asks, concerned.

  “No.” I reply truthfully. “I’m not. I feel l-lost and alone. I know no one, but everyone, it s-seems, knows me. I am apparently not behaving quite the way they think I should be behaving and t-that has them upset which in turn makes me upset. Everything feels awkward and alien to me. But thank you for asking, Izzy, it does let me know that people care, even if I don’t know them personally just yet.”

  “Well, you will always have me, Beri.” Lizzy states, a smile on her voice.

  Angus clears his throat.

  “And my brother who, despite his many short comings, is actually a great guy who loves you a lot.” Izzy says in a teasing tone.

  “Hey!” Angus says loudly, sounding flustered.

  “Well, it’s true.” Izzy states matter of factly. “And as long as you have us, you will have two people you can count on to, hopefully, help you get back into the normalcy of the life you had. And we can will get to know each other all over again, so don’t feel the need to put on an act around us.”

  “To be honest,” Angus chimes in, “You do not seem all that different, stutter aside, just confused, probably because you don’t know anything.”

  He pauses and then continues.

  “I have an idea.”

  “Watch out, Beri. He’s using his brain and might hurt himself.” Izzy chimes in cheerfully.

  “Seriously, Izzy…” He warned.

  “So here is my idea, Beira.” He says after a moment’s pause. “You have no memory of us, your personal history, or any knowledge, historical or geographical, of the lands in which you preside, correct?”

  I nod, unsure where he is going with this.

  “But you clearly have a grasp of language and grammar, otherwise, you wouldn’t be capable of communicating with us as you are.”

  I nod again.

  “Well,” he continues, “what if we check and see what other types of knowledge were retained or are gone as well?”

  “O-okay.” I say, curious where this will lead.

  “Okay then!” he says, clapping his hands together once, startling me slightly. “Let’s start with something basic, academic, and on the easier end of things. How would you say you are at mathematics?”

  “I would say I’m ok at it, I think.” I reply, knowing that I was never really that good at math.

  “Okay, we will start out very easy with addition. What is nine plus four?” He asks.

  “Thirteen.” I answer quickly.

  “Twenty one plus forty six?”

  “Sixty s-seven.”

  “One hundred and fifty three plus five hundred and forty seven?”

  I pause to think for a second before answering.

  “Seven hundred.”

  “Good.” He replies. “So, we know you have retained some of the academic knowledge you had, at least pertaining to mathematics. I assume you could perform equally as well in the other basics, like subtraction, multiplication, and division?”

  “I t-think so.” I answer, nodding. “Though I may need pen and paper to figure some of the multiplication and division out. Assuming I could see my writing, that is.”

  “Can you write?” He asks

  “I should be able to but I can’t guarantee how it will look c-considering I can’t see anything.”

  “Izzy, get some paper and a pen from that desk over there in the corner.” Angus orders and I hear Izzy moving to oblige.

  Soon Izzy returns, I have a quill put in my right hand and she guides my hand down to the paper.

  “What do you want m-me to write?” I ask.

  “How about, my name, your name, and Izzy’s name.” He replies.

  Slowly I write the three names out, trying my best to make them legible.

  “Not bad, considering you can’t see what you are writing.” He complements. “I can make most all of the names out.”

  “I did my best.” I protested.

  “I know, and it was well enough to show you have kept that knowledge. What about the sciences?”

  “Do y-you mean things like chemistry and biology?” I ask.

  “Chemistry?" I can almost hear the gears in his head turning. "Oh, you mean Alchemy, the practice of using chemicals and magic to produce various effects, usually in the form of potions and powders. Well, the fact that you mostly remember the names for those subjects and their association to the field of science tells me that you have likely retained some knowledge in that regard, so we can explore that later, since it can get nuanced. So, let's move on to magical arts.”

  Oh, that’s right. That little runt said there was magic and Beira could use it but that I may not be able too.

  “I don’t know anything about magic, Angus.” I stated with a frown.

  I could almost sense the disappointment on his face.

  “Beira, all royals and nobles have access to a magical nature they can control with practice, though more advanced and complex usages usually require rituals to help focus the energies involved. You can usually tell what element they have power over by their hair color.” He replies in a scholarly tone. “My hair, is red. Care to guess what element I have dominion over?”

  “Fire?” I ask cautiously.

  “Exactly.” He says.

  Briefly, I feel a warm heat against my face and I see a small ball of flame pierce the darkness of my sight before being extinguished.

  “Wait!” I cry. “Do that again!”

  “What?” Angus asks, confused.

  “The fire. Make the ball of fire again.” I demand.

  Suddenly, the ball of fire reappears and I lightly see the shape of a hand holding it as tiny fiery tendrils crawl across it and down the forearm where they vanish.

  “I can see that!” I exclaim, excitedly. “And part of your arm too!”