Pages Chapter 5

Stolen Memory

Erhuard had passed out during the journey to wherever the girl was taking him. It was dreamless… Nothing but black and silence. It was eerie…

Am I dead…? Is this what it’s like? Darkness and silence? He thought.

He was relieved of the eeriness when he heard a voice call out to him.

“Hey, you with me?”

The darkness faded as he opened his eyes. The girl was looking down on him, a gentle smile on her face with relief in her eyes.

“You’re awake… thank goodness.”

She pulled away as Erhuard sat up. He looked around taking in the surroundings. It was a small cottage from what he could tell. It had standard furniture like a table, a few chairs, and some book shelves.

“Where am I…?” he asked.

“My home, needed to get you somewhere safe and warm so you could rest, you were really tired after I found you.”

Erhuard nodded, remembering the exhaustion.

Yet I don’t remember why that happened…

“How long was I unconscious?”

“For a day. Curses can be brutal so no surprise.”

“I… was cursed?”

The girl’s eyes had worry in them now. “You don’t remember, do you?”

Erhuard shook his head. “No…”

“It must’ve been the Masked One.” she said with a sigh.

“Who?”

“He’s our current ‘king’. He has a tendency to shatter the memories of his victims in case some how they make it. Makes them nothing as he puts it… You probably don’t remember your name, do you?”

Erhuard took a moment to see if he could remember one but found nothing.

“No…”

“You poor thing…”

“... Do you have a name? I’d like to be able to thank the person who saved me properly.”

The girl smiled giggling. “Trying to look at the better side of it. I’m Rosalia, Rosalia Rossellini.”

Rosalia Rossellini… That sounds familiar…

“Beautiful name… Thank you, Rosalia.”

Rosalia smiled. “You’re welcome.”

NEIGH!!!!

“OH WOULD YOU CALM DOWN!?”

Erhuard’s head snapped towards the sound.

“What was that?”

“Oh no…” Rosalia said hurrying over to a door and heading outside.

It took Erhuard a moment before he could follow after her. His body was still tired from the curse making it hard to get out of the bed he was in. Once he was able to get the strength he needed to stand, he headed outside.

He was there in time to see Rosalia calming down the horse that he remembered being lifted on to.

Monarch I believe was its name.

Rosalia was hugging the horse’s muzzle, kissing its head.

“Good girl.”

“See? You’re much better with this horse than I am.”

Erhuard hadn’t noticed, but was something sitting on the top of the horse’s head. It looked like a person just very small… and had monarch butterfly wings on its back. It had tan skin, green eyes, and short brown hair. Its outfits consisted of green gloves and boots with a brown shirt and pants.

What’s the name I’ve heard… Pixie?

The pixie looked at him when it realized he was standing at the door.

“Oh look, the moron is awake.” it said.

Erhuard found himself wincing at the name.

“Maria!” Rosalia scolded.

“What? It’s true! He got himself cursed by the Masked One by wandering around the woods like an idiot. Everyone knows that you should never travel the woods without a horse or more importantly alone! The Masked One will take any opportunity he’ll get to curse someone.”

“Like he did with you?”

Maria glared. “My situation was different, don’t compare me to him.”

Rosalia shook her head looking over to Erhuard.

“Sorry about her ill attitude, she knows nothing about manners.”

“Hey!”

Rosalia giggled. “Don’t deny, anyways, we got more important things to worry about than that.”

“Yeah, like what we’re going to do with the moron here.”

Would she stop calling me that?

“I’m a person you know.”

“Yeah, a person with no name, so I’m calling you moron till you do have one, cause for reasons I’ve stated, you are one.”

Erhuard sighed. Perfect…

“Chrys.”

Erhuard and Maria looked at Rosalia confused.

“Come again?” Maria asked.

“I came up with a name for him. Chrys, with a y.”

“Why with a y?”

“Because it comes from the name Chrysalis, the state where a caterpillar with becoming a butterfly.”

“... Okay, why that as well?”

“... Do I need to explain everything? Can’t it just be because it’s cool sounding?”

“... Fair enough. Well moron, do you like it?”

Erhuard repeated the name in his head.

“Chrys… I like it.”

“Chrys it is, least till we know your real name.” Rosalia said smiling.

“Till we know? You have something in mind Rosalia?” Maria asked cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes… and I think you already know.”

Maria was silent before it clicked.

“... You know that’s suicide right?”

“Yes.”

Maria crossed her arms. “Rosalia, traveling the woods is dangerous enough, but traveling to each of the Healers temples is as dangerous as it gets.”

“It’s the best chance we have in getting Chrys’ memories back. We have to try.”

“And what if they can’t get his memories fixed?”

“As I said, we have to try. If they don’t, maybe Grand Healer can help figure something out.”

Maria let out a sigh. “You’re going to be persistent aren’t you?”

“Yep!”

“... Fine… Your funeral.”

Rosalia pulled Maria off of Monarch’s head hugging her tightly.

“Oh thank you thank you Maria!”

“ACK! ROSE! CRUSHING RIBS!”

Rosalia let her go rushing off into the house. “I’ll get started on the supply!”

Maria shook her head as she watched Rosalia leave. “Always eager to travel… can’t blame her.”

She turned her attention to Erhuard, now Chrys. “Now for you.”

“Uh… What about me?”

“We need to get you ready too… Unless you know how to ride a horse.”

Chrys glanced to the side. “I… don’t.”

A grin appeared on Maria’s face. “Then looks like we got some learning to do.”

Chrys felt a cold chill run down his spine.

Why do I feel like this is going to end in tears?