Things I Almost Remember: A Selection Story

Kota

The van stopped on the road in front of an old dilapidated house with a grey aged oak in the front yard.

"This is it," said General Leger as he put the van in park and turned off the engine.

"What is this place?" Kate breathed almost inaudibly.

"This is where your grandmother grew up and where her family lived until she became Queen. Your great-uncle Kota and his wife live here now," General Leger responded turning around in his seat to look at her, Johnny, and Connor.

"Did I ever meet him?" Kate asked, her voice still quiet. She was still having trouble remembering details of her past life.

"No," General Leger said, looking down at his hands. "He and your grandmother did not get along. They tried, but every time he saw her, he would try to use her position as queen to further his own career as an artist. The fame he received on his own and for being her brother was never enough for him."

"Then why are we here?" Johnny asked, speaking the question Kate had been wondering herself.

"After Marid took power, Kota had a great change of heart. He lost his entire family that day. Your grandmother and the rest of her siblings all died in the tragedy, and he realized the consequences of his own selfishness that separated him from his family. Our paths crossed several years ago when I was back in Carolina, doing some work for the resistance against Marid. He expressed his grief to me and asked if I knew how he could help in the fight against Marid," General Leger said, his eyes serious. "Since then, he has been making art for the palace and those who are in positions of power and loyal to Marid, and in doing that, he has been doing work collecting intel and information for us. I am still wary of him sometimes, but he has proved to be a great ally. I can't hold onto old differences forever. It is not what America would want."

Kate nodded and leaned onto Johnny's shoulder.

"He is the only family I might have left in all of Illéa," she whispered. "I want to...want to give him a chance."

General Leger nodded, and they all got out of the car and walked to the door of the house. The yellow paint on the outside of the house was faded and chipping in placed, and parts of the roof looked as though they needed major repair.

"I can't believe this is where my grandmother grew up," Kate said quietly. 

"It used to be in better shape, though not by much," General Leger said as he knocked on the front door. "Your grandmother's life was very different after she entered your grandfather's Selection..."

Kate thought he sounded like he was about to say more, but he was silenced when the door creaked open.

"Leger? What are you..." the man's words were cut off when he saw Kate, Connor, and Johnny.

"Can we come in? Quickly?" General Leger asked, and the man breathed in before nodding and gesturing for them to all come in.

Kate got a better look at the man, Kota, once they all had entered the small entryway of the house. He was pale, had red hair that was thinning and streaked with gray, and wore thick spectacles. He looked at the four of them in confusion before speaking.

"Who are they?" he asked, turning his eyes to General Leger and narrowing his gaze behind his glasses.

"These two are Connor and Johnny Abernathy, sons of a guard I knew while I worked at the palace," General Leger said, taking a breath in before continuing. "And this, this is great-niece Kate, better known as Princess Kerttu Koskinen of Illéa."

Kota's eyes grew wide as his stare bore into Kate. She averted her eyes and looked down. What did he think of her? She certainly did not look like a princess in her torn, dirty clothes.

"But, I thought, I thought," Kota stammered, looking back at General Leger. "I thought she was gone, like the rest of them. I know there were rumors, but I never believed..."

His voice trailed off as he looked at General Leger again.

"How?"

"America asked me and my wife to take her and run," General Leger said. "I never said anything because I became separated on the run from her and my wife. Lucy is still missing, but due to some tips, I recently was able to find Kert- um Kate. She has been separated from my wife and has been suffering from amnesia up until very recently."

Kate breathed in and unthinkingly gripped onto Johnny's wrist. He looked down at her, giving her a small smile and squeezing her hands in his.

"I knew Kate at the palace growing up," Johnny said, interjecting himself into the conversation after sensing Kate's nervousness. "She has gone through a lot in the years since I knew her, but she is still as strong and compassionate as she was then."

General Leger nodded, thankful for the help.

"We are trying to get her to France to reunite with her uncle and his family in France," General Leger said, looking at Kota with a question in his eyes that they both seemed to understand.

"And you need my help to get her there?" Kota asked, looking back at Kate.

General Leger only nodded and also turned his eyes to Kate. She was still holding Johnny's hand, but a strength fell into her expression as she finally looked up at Kota.

Kota stepped forward and extended his hand to Kate.

"I will be glad to help," he said, a smile finally forming on his face as his breathing became more steady. "Forgive me, I thought my entire family was gone. I thought I would never be able to atone for the way I treated them, especially America, but I hope I can do right here by you, Kate."

Kate looked at his extended hand and then into Johnny's eyes. His expression was encouraging and gave her strength to step forward and accept his hand.

"It is good to meet you, Uncle Kota," she said quietly before she broke down crying and threw her arms around him.

"I thought I had no family for so long," she whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his shoulder.