The Dark Kingdom

Chapter 4

Okay, sorry for the wait. I hope it's good enough!

As promised, this chapter is dedicated to KatieG123. Loooove youuuu!

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I opened my eyes.

The first thing I registered was Gretta, the village healer, leaning over me with a worried, haggard look etched into her deep wrinkles. Her silvery hair was pulled back into a loose bun, her lips pursed with anxiety. The second thing I noticed was that I was in her small hut on an uncomfortable cot. I was naked, a thin wool blanket covering my body. I blinked rapidly, trying to make the pulsing black spots obscuring my vision go away. When they finally did, a pounding headache remained, along with parched lips and throat. I let out a grumbling moan, letting Gretta lift me up into what resembled a sitting position. “Finally,” she murmured, causing me to wince. When she was sure I was propped up, she turned and stood at a smooth wooden bench on which sat a clear cup filled with a thick red-purple liquid and mint leaves. Gretta took a handful of the leaves and mashed them together, tipping them into the cup and mixing them into the drink. She grasped it in her frail hands and shuffled towards me, handing me the cup and ushering for me to drink it.

I stared down at it. “What is this?” I rasped, sniffing it. A warm, raspberry smell assaulted me and my mouth flooded with saliva. Just the smell of it cleared my head and I wanted desperately to drink it, knowing that it would make me feel better. I glanced back up at Gretta, waiting for an answer.

“It will make your headache go away.” she responded. Satisfied, I tossed my head back, ignoring the pounding I received because of it, and drank it all in one gulp. It was delicious, heady and sweet. Raspberries definitely, I decided, and honey. I could certainly taste the mint leaves. But the other tastes...I could not place them no matter how hard I tried. Gretta snatched back the cup as soon as I was finished and, setting it down, felt my forehead tentatively.

“What happened?” I asked, my throat sounding much better now that I had had something to drink. Gretta wrinkled her forehead at me, pursing her lips yet again. She looked rather like an owl.

“I don't rightly know. How about you tell me? All I seen is Amaya banging on my door at the crack of dawn, tellin me that you were in trouble. She couldn't seem to recall what sort of trouble. Then you turn at my doorstep, unconscious, lookin like death personified. I don't rightly know,” she repeated, “And somethin tells me you ain't gonna remember what happened either.” I opened my mouth to argue, and closed it abruptly. Did I remember?

Okay, Dessie, deep breaths. Start at the beginning.

I had been hiding a bottle in the woods, and Amaya had caught up with me and we had buried it together. There had been....Something. Something bad.

But what?

“I—I cannot seem to recall...” I spoke softly, confusion evident on my face. Searching Gretta's face for answers gave me no hints; she truly did not know. Gretta gave a quick jerk of a nod, as if I had just confirmed something.

“Someone been tampering with your memories, peaches.” I gaped up at Gretta, recoiling at the thought. The more I mulled it over, the more I could admit that she was right, of course, it was the only explanation that both me and Amaya would forget. Yet who? And why? Again, I tried to remember, but everything was a big fuzzy haze, and as I tried to remember my headache came back full force and I mentally pulled back from the fuzzy haze. Shaking my head, I swung my feet out of the confines of the blanket and stood, leaning on Gretta a little for support. I was feeling surprisingly well-rested and strong despite losing all that blood.