Memory of You

Chapter Thirty Six: Every Now & Then

Chapter Thirty Six: Every Now & Then

Laughter echoed in his mind. The sound of it familiar, but he couldn't put a finger on whose it was.

'There, just don't get into any more fights.' He heard her voice.

'I'll try not to...' Nicholas heard himself say.

Words and voices kept swirling around his mind.

'As long as you remember to return. Save the last dance for me...' Who was he saying that to? Nicholas wondered.

'I know that I like you...a lot...more than a lot, really. It might even be love...I mean, it is love.' The same voice was confessing their feelings to him.

'That doesn't mean I don't love you...because I do...' He could hear his own voice.

The words and the voices started to blur together, confusing him all the more, until he felt like he was falling; Nicholas woke up with a start. Sitting up, he took in a deep breath, sweat ran down his temples. Who did the other voice belong to? He wondered.

Looking up, he noticed the early morning sun streaming in through the large window. The trees outside still wet from the rain, droplets of water could be seen dripping from their leaves.

He turned to look around the room, finding the Queen sleeping soundly. Her back facing him, she hadn't been disturbed by his sudden movements. Watching her, Nicholas felt as though a part of him knew her, it was just the other part couldn't place her.

'Do I know the Queen?' He had asked Mark the night before.

'We've all grown up together at the castle.' Mark had told him, sounding evasive. 'You still don't have all your memories back, so a lot of people may seem unfamiliar to you.'

Nicholas hadn't bothered to delve any further then, since his head was spinning from the amount of information the two of them had told him.

Pieces of his childhood had started to form. He could remember the guard and his whitish blonde haired cousin, a little bit better. Even a brief image of his sister had appeared in his mind, but each time he looked at the Queen, he felt uneasily blank.

Why do I feel like I should know who she is? He wondered.

Adding to his confusion was the fact that she was perfectly all right sleeping next to him. He didn't know why he hadn't caught that last night, but looking at her right now, he was puzzled at how she wasn't bothered by the arrangement. It couldn't possibly be normal for her to sleep in the same bed as a Lord she wasn't courting.

'Mark needs solid sleep, since he doesn't sleep very long...he won't share the room since he says I talk too much.' She had told him the night before. 'He won't allow me to be on my own either...your his back up security guard.'

That may have been a valid reason, but Nicholas still didn't know what to think of her. They hadn't spoken for very long last night. After telling him about the sleeping arrangements, she had handed him his belongings before going to change and then falling asleep.

I suppose I should wake her up? He thought, not knowing if she would get up by herself.

"Err...Your Majesty?" He spoke tentatively.

"Yes?" Her voice sounded clear, as though she had not been sleeping at all. Still she didn't turn to face him.

"I believe it's time to wake up? It's already morning." He told her.

"Thank you." She said, getting up, her back turned to him, running a hand over her face, before pushing up hair. For a second he thought he recognized her voice, but no sooner had he thought of who she reminded him of, the memory was gone, like wisps of smoke he was trying to grasp.