ol
ached a clearing. They stopped and placed the stretcher they carr
light, bathed in a golden glow; all around leaves slowly
s waited, standing at four points around
wai
s still. No
eyes opened, and he took
upon a knee. He looked at his h
? Are thos
n, feeling only smooth
e said beginning to laugh
a moment?' one of the masked fig
gure spoke th
ng him a mirror. He took it, staring back at his own reflection. He be
himself perfect white teeth in
back to the figure,
the four of them. 'All of you' he said turning on the spot
nother of the figures spok
er...' he thought further. 'I remember my body was scarred, I remember pain, but not where it c
' one of the masked
ything of my childho
ve you a new body. Your memory reaches only as far as a few days ago when you first saw your new body; and nothing after or before that. E
ned to these
n realised. 'Yes. I remember. But...' he lifted his head t
sked figure reminded. 'You want it to be
aid. 'All I can
her still burns strong'
drew a steady breath. 'I know where s
racks, 'there is one last thing we want you to do. For your own be
the ma
Bring her with you and wait. Wear that coat' the figure indicated, and the man glanced down at the long coat he wore, bright blue it was and beautif
him?' the
knew him before your memory was erased, and he still knows you. He ju
is
t you did
memory was erased
e dipped her hea
sked, feeling suddenly a bit sad. 'He
lanced at each other
e from you is because he wants you to live a normal life. You didn't have a norma
that you are alive and safe and happy. That is w
? Can you wait by the clock tower three days from
s of the masked figures silently
at last. 'I
pte
on. He had been going for quite some time, but she waited until his mouth stay
without sounding terribly interested, 'but w
society' the lord reasoned, 'but th
hall just have to suffer in silence, and anyway' she spoke up quickly as the advisor opened his mouth to interr
talk about them disagreeable.' The s
scrutiny and distain. They hated her; she could see it
er, to emphasize the fact she was speaking and wished not to be interrupted, 'has been going on for nearly five hundred year
as dull as the one that sat beside him. 'Our soldiers are forced to
osing her eyes and pinching the bridge of h
od they grow to feed the soldiers, in doing so they cause more suffering than w
g forwards on the marble table. 'But many believe that the
back home. In truth they are only giving more incentive for us to attack others for food.' Miranda si
ily. 'There are too few of them as it is, and man
king what he thinks' th
his head down and hands covering his face as he leant on his elbows
mly. 'The council wi
uctantly. 'Anything my wife
n to murmur amongst themselves. Miranda leant fo
ok livelier. You look o
to express my
raid I feel unwell and a bit light headed. Please will you come with me my dear hus
of the many surrounding the circular gre
the room. 'You will be gathered again when that time comes.' She snapped the door shut behin
and to face her h
feel?' she
p and steady breath
ame his ans
aid walking past him, and then
ung. The queen held him by the arm as they walked, trying her best to support hi
was extremely grateful. They left the empty halls with their grey and black marble floors behind them, stepping through the ornate
ight of her husband as she carried him. He was not a heavy man by any means, in fact he had lost wei