To Sing the Tortured to Sleep

XIII. The Spy

Author's Note: Just to make sure you're aware. The flashback if not in the perspective of Kain, Raven, or Isabelle. It's a surprise who it is. The rest of the chapter however, is in Angel/Isabelle's perspective. Enjoy!

I heard the sounds of faint cries in the distance and so, for the fourteenth time today, I peeked out from behind my bush. Off in the distance Kain was bandaging an injury that Isabelle had obtained. They’d been playing hopscotch for awhile and Isabelle had been reduced to tears from falling so often. Her knees were rubbed raw, I felt sorry for the poor girl. If I was over there instead of Kain, she would be safe. She wouldn’t be crying, she would be happy.

“How ‘bout we go inside and paint? You like painting, don’t you?”

From beneath her long, raven hair, the sad girl’s mouth turned up in a smile. She didn’t like painting, she loved it.

Just like that, Isabelle was lifted on to Kain’s back and taken inside the door to the kitchen and down the staircase which led to the library. The library was where Kain and Isabelle spent all of their time, whether they were painting, reading, or flat out playing hide and seek. They did everything down there, and they did it all together, without me. Raven had even joined them a few times in their adventures although they seemed to mildly prefer being alone with each other for innocent reasons.

Slowly, I tiptoed into the kitchen. However, instead of creeping down the stairs and into the library, I took a different approach. Into the living room I went, gazing around to make sure that I was truly alone. Then, in a few swift and silent movements, I opened the door to the dinner pulley and hopped in, closing the door before lowering myself down. The door at the bottom was closed, although there were tiny slits in the door that allowed me to see right into the library. Directly to Isabelle.

The light in her eyes was the drive behind my soul. Even when she was injured, she managed to stay strong and stay happy. Jealousy nagged at my heart, as I realized it was Kain that was keeping her so happy. He was the one to patch up her wounds, not I.

I would give anything to be the one that made Isabelle smile.

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Just like that, I had a name. Isabelle Richardson. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or hated it, but I was stuck with it since Kain seemed fairly certain that that was who I was. Vaguely, I remembered the engraving that had been on the butterfly book I’d seen last week. The heart seemed more pronounced now, in my memory. Was Kain only insisting that I was this Isabelle girl because he missed this long lost love of his? Was it true, was I really Kain’s long lost lover?

Some of the doubt I had was erased when I was engulfed by the arms of an elderly woman, the woman that Kain told me was my mother. How could this woman be my mother if I didn’t even recognize her? How had I been hit so hard that I could forget everyone I had supposedly cared about?

Still, there was a sliver of uncertainty in my mind. Why had my parents been under the impression that I died? Why, if I was dead, was I still being chased after? Was I being mistaken for somebody I wasn’t?

For the first time since I had lost my memory, I truly felt clueless. I was as helpless as a pinball, subject to whatever came crashing my way. I had no driving force, I was entirely moved by anyone and everyone else. I could not do things on my own, for I remembered nothing that would allow me to. I was alone for the first time that I could remember.

Kain and Raven talked it out with my parents, who decided that it was better off that I stay with them for now since Kain was more than willing to have me. My parents were currently living in a town just a few minutes from Mannix, but it was currently under high alert due to the burning of Mannix. My parents had no idea who the masked men were, neither did any of the other townsfolk. It seemed that the identities of these masked men were truly secret, as they wished it to be.

Thus, we made our week long journey back to the castle. We were undisturbed the entire ride back and Kain was sure to keep his promise. At the slightest sound or sign of danger, he was at my side. Although, I wasn’t exactly sure if I could blame him for what had happened. He was only one man, there was no way he could have defeated at least thirteen men and also keep his eye on two foolish girls.

As Raven finally began to accept that I was Isabelle, she opened up more to me. Both siblings told stories of the times that we would play when we were younger. Apparently, my favorite game had been hide and seek, although I didn’t remember playing it with either of the two before me.

“Kain, when do you think I will remember you?”

I knew it was a tough question, and I didn’t expect a definite answer from Kain, although he gave me an answer that was just as satisfying.

“Soon dear, as soon as you come to fully accept your identity.”

At this point, there was no question in Kain’s mind that I was his precious Isa. I couldn’t understand how he could be so certain, but I dared not to ask. I would rather assume that he had a good enough reason to believe in me, than learn that he was only guessing.

The day we arrived back to the castle, Kain and Raven were scolded harshly by the king. He was furious that they had put themselves in danger for some common street rat, or so he called me. However, when Kain finally revealed that I was his beloved Isabelle, things changed awfully fast. The king bowed to me, as if I was unaware of his hurtful comments the moment before. It was despicable how double sided the king was.

I tried not to let it bother me though, because he would be welcoming me into his home for a while and I had to be civil. I was progressively growing more and more curious though. The more I stayed locked up in the castle, the more I ventured to the library and studied book after book. I was at peace in the library.

However, I couldn’t get rid of the repetitive feeling that I was being watched.