27-11-1706

  …

  A new diary. The previous left behind. Like leaving behind my life. My flock's death paid for

  I need to remember who I am. A daunting task with my memory. The caravan hasn't moved yet but I am awake. My skill seperate minds talked about only needing 3 hours. No one has heard of the skill before. Apparently it seems similar to parallel minds. The skill wording is strange.

  It's lonely at night. There is no one to talk to and I am left to my thoughts. My thoughts scare me.

  …

  -----

  There was a bit of commotion at the front of the caravan. I twitch my ear in that direction.

  “What do you mean we need to submit to an inspection?”

  “Just as I said, Cea'nila has been encroaching on the Queendom. Your caravan is to submit to inspection.”

  “Isn't a [Soul Sense] enough? It was before.”

  “Do not make me repeat myself, Yindinal.”

  “If any tier four Elf or higher is present, submit yourself for questioning.” A shout is made.

  My sheet says tier one. Even if everything else implies my tier is higher. Besides, not an Elf. I wait where I am.

  “Why the mirror?” I hear Stone ask. But not for himself. I cringe, I didn't show up in a mirror that one time. I forgot to investigate that after. I grow nervous. They reach my wagon. They show each passenger a small hand mirror. They continue slowly, they even check the gaps with the mirror. It is actually rather bizarre.

  They reach me. Please be a reflection. Please be a reflection. There is one. I frown. Said is visible and so is my Elf ear.

  “Hello Elf. I'm going to need you to come with us.”

  It's too crowded here, their souls are too big. I wouldn't win. I surrendered. I exit the wagon. Rin looks like she wishes to surrender as well. I shake my head. Glindinal grips her shoulder. I didn't see Stone.

  -----

  They put manacles around my ankles and wrist. It's trying to drain my mana, it's not having much luck. My jewelry was confiscated. They left me in a small tent, chained to the ground. I gave up extra colors and an arm for an ear that is back to being pointed and unfurred. Frustrating. They have Said in a cage that I am pretty sure she can leave at any time. I can't hear anything beyond the tent.

  So I wait in my tent with Said. The flap moves and a man enters.

  ? ? Human, Competent Mage, Baron

  He has an adventurer card with him. He reads it. There is a twitch to his eye and a rise in his emotions.

  “She who Mourns.”

  Guess it was my card. I don't say anything. Best to not get into trouble for my voice. I wait for him to continue. He places a familiar sheet of paper in front of me. Before he can use his knife I put my finger on it and push my blood out to activate it. I maintain eye contact the entire time. His agitation grows. The paper activates. He picks it up.

  “[Adventurer], ‘She who Mourns’. Chimera. Real name: Sara Maxwell Magdeline. Deceased. Cause of death: Execution for high crimes against the Queendom of Atlas 4-12-678. Aliases: Jam, Scratches.”

  Well so much for not being hunted on this side of the border. There is a great deal of anger emanating from the man. His face is blank though. After a moment, two moments, three, he speaks.

  “So the other half has returned. You know I watched your sister be executed. I thought that was enough for me. Her crimes listed didn't include the one that injured me of course. No, her Majesty actually expunged that crime. It denied me her head.”

  I tried to focus on his words but the mention of having a sister shook me.

  “So care to explain how your sister was executed for your crimes, Sara Maxwell Magdeline?”

  I look at the man. His rage was palatable. I glance at Said.

  “She doesn't remember a life before her time in Cea'Nila.” Said says.

  He glances over at Said. His annoyance grows. An impressive feat for being where he started. He pulls out three spikes. Did he confiscate it from Stone?

  “Testimony was given that these items were found inside your skull. It lends credence to the idea that you have been under control for the last two years. It is disappointing that you claim to have no memory beyond that. I will be reporting your return to our custody to her Majesty.”

  He turns to leave, I have to know. “How did I injure you?”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  He gazed back, “My name is Kent Anvar.” He looks at me closely, willing something, anything from me. He shakes his head in disgust. “I was there when you were sentenced along with your mothers and sister. You were quite unrepentant about killing my mother and father. That it was an act of revenge. I loved them, and they wronged you. That it robbed me of them fills me with fury. But I also understand why.” He takes a breath. “I hate you, hate that you lived, hate that my lands were taken from me and I hate that it was my father who created you. He used my spat to starve a village. Your village. Just to supply cover for some bleeding slavers. I hate that you don't even remember anymore.”

  He leaves me to my shock. Who was I? Did my sister really get executed for my crimes? Why?

  -----

  A bowl was placed in front of me. Some more hard tack on the side. A spoon was in the bowl. I was left alone with this meal. I peer in, see a thick liquid with bits of something in it. I tried it. My left hand clumsy at the attempt. I sigh and put down the spoon. Instead I grab the bowl and slowly tilt it towards myself. It is not the greatest but it reminds me of meat. At least there was hardtack. I begin gnawing it as I wait.

  The flap parts again. I give a weak smile to Stone.

  “How you holdin’ up, Mourns. I tried to let them have your barrel or skin but they dumped both after inspectin’ it.”

  I frown, more sacrifices that led to nothing. Damn it. At least I am not feeling my thirst. The medicine bottle was in Glindinal's trunk at least. “Anything else happen?” Said asks.

  “Naw, the caravan proceeded without us. I surrendered myself after they took ya. ‘Tina, wouldn't forgive me if I let our evidence get separated. Think they goin’ to let ya go."

  “Apparently her sister was executed in her stead and she killed the [Baron]’s parents.”

  Stone eyes widened at that. “Kinda makes me wish I hadn't surrendered myself. Fark.” I laugh at that, he smiles. “Ya know, that laugh was scary before but now its just comfertin’.

  I smile at that. I nibble my hardtack some more while he sits with me. A head pops in and he sighs and leaves.

  -----

  That was my routine. A meal, Stone then silence before another meal arrived. Every once in a while I slept for three hours and got a notification. It was curious but they never attempted to compel me.

  Then I started screaming.

  Today is your 14th Soul Day

  Soul raised to 220

  It burns. I can't stop screaming. It all burns. I don't understand. I am on my side. Screaming. Said is screaming. She is alternating between visible and not. Please don't go. I cry. My thirst begins to grow. I continue screaming. Others come to examine me. Shout at each other. In the end, they didn't know. I don't stop for hours.

  -----

  I look to the cage, hoping to see her. She is not there. She winks in. Thank the system.

  “Alright?” I croak out.

  “Better than you.” She huffs out.

  Guess she doesn't feel my thirst. The flap opens. It's the baron this time not Stone.

  “Care to explain.”

  “My Soul day apparently didn't agree with me.” Said squeaks out.

  “One soul? You sounded as if you were a child who just tried to double their soul. Care to say your age for the records?” I pop out the notification. “Fourteen, you brought ruin to my family at age eleven? My hatred is spent on a child needing a rod.” He paces the tent, trying to process the new information. “We executed her the day before she was twelve.” He murmurs. He seems truly at a loss for this.

  I start laughing. She died a day before our Soul day. That is just too much. I cackle, my thirst roars and I just laugh. The funniest thing is. Mother doesn't think this ‘sister’ is actually dead. She sent Arccor to collect her body. I already know I can shrug off fatal blows. Can I survive without a head? Can she? Or would I be the head? I just laugh at the idea that my sister is headless going around. Even better if she was just a head bobbing around.

  The baron rears back, “Those horns…that is impossible.”

  Giggle, right, the horns were a reward for laughing at my execution. Giggle.

  “Are you sure it was my sister that was executed that day?”

  He pales and leaves. Damn, he was looking like he was about to shed some blood. Giggle. From soul searing pain to a giggle. What a Soul Day. Giggle.

  -----

  The flap moves again. The baron and a knight. The knight comes over to me and starts undoing my manacles. I stare at the baron. He has a piece of parchment. His rage roils in him. The knight leaves.

  “Apparently your sister's execution and your extradition to Cea'nila was deemed enough punishment for your crimes. If any should attempt to detain you for the massacre of Yetna citizens in the year 678, present this document.” The parchment is placed into my hands. He grips my wrist. “Her Majesty may have absolved you, but I have not.”

  “Do you know why he sacrificed a village?” He winces at my words.

  “My siblings and I are Hybrids.” He waits for something, perhaps hoping I have the geas and will attack. He is disappointed. “He paid slavers to help us level and learn [Resist Life]. To avoid Elven eyes. You somehow survived an enslavement camp and came for him a year and a half later.”

  “My mother to the north has caused many great evils in the name of saving Elf souls.”

  He grows angry at that, “You would blame her for your actions.”

  I shake my head, “I don't know about my own, but I can blame her for your fathers. I assume it was your mother then? How did she avoid the geas?”

  His eyes narrow at me but he continues, “My father used a geas to convince her she was human. I assume she was reborn in the capital then.”

  I pale at that. I was the newest princess; there were no others. But I had eaten princesses. Three. And I had killed his mother. But where are her memories?

  “You realized something.” His mood sours, impressive considering where he was before.

  “I don't know, things don't align. The [Empress] wasn't pregnant when I escaped. I don't know what happened to your mother's Tapestry.”

  “Leave.”

  I do so, parchment in hand. Said floats through her cage.

  -----

  I head out of the camp. It didn't feel like a good idea to linger. His emotions were in turmoil in the end. Damn, my jewelry is back there. I sigh and stick the folded parchment into my robe. I look to the sky. I head in the direction I hope is south.

  “Said.”

  She floats to my face. “Are you sure?”

  I nod, and grit my teeth. She boops my nose. My body grows and dies. The wounds are still all there. For an illusion, it seems to remember. My thirst grows as various punctures close. It stops well before I am whole. Only three arms are usable, my two middle ones are writhing in pain while my top right is gone. But I can smell.

  Stone is still in the camp with the baron. A sizable number. Do they detain him or does he not know I have left? Perhaps he simply wishes to be quit of me. My thirst still demands my attention, I best not think of that direction of so many souls. I pan my nose searching for something sizable. No villages this time.

  I feel my skin split across my upper body. I look at my arm at one of these new rents and see the newborn fletching eyes staring at me. I start to titter. I move.