Memorybound

Chapter 12

Delilah sat in the study, glancing over the map. Captain Hathaway was insistent that she study it and understand which part of her kingdom was being attacked. Part of her still wanted to travel to that location, to see for herself what was happening. To give aid to her people if she could, but then maybe her people would see that she was mad.

She remembered getting stabbed, having flaming arrows launched at her. She had been in so much pain. She was screaming, trying to get away. There was a girl with white hair, holding a glowing blue sword, who kept striking her, stabbing into her over and over again. The girl looked familiar somehow, as if Delilah should know her, but she couldn't remember if the girl was real or just a figment of her imagination. It seemed that there was a great battle and she had lost something, but what had she lost?

She knew that these images were coming to her more and more frequently of late. Sometimes it was just a flash of a memory and other times, the entire castle around her seemed to disappear as if she were standing just outside the thing she was remembering...or imagining.

She remembered holding the baby again. There was a party and people, but the people were all very still. It was possible that they were statues, but who would bother to dress statues in such fanciful colors? One of the windows had been broken, but it didn't seem the sort of place to have a window broken like that. No one was moving except for her and the child. The baby didn't cry, not even a little, but blinked her big brown eyes up at Delilah and she had whispered something to the child. She could not remember what. The thought puzzled her. She wished she could remember who the baby was, who her parents were.

The smells of freshly baked bread and beef stew beckoned to her and she realized that her mind had been drifting agin. It was becoming so difficult to concentrate on what it was that she was supposed to do. She rose and moved to the dining room, where Mathias had already laid dinner out for her on the long and empty table. When this war was over, she would have to invite the nobles of her kingdom to come feast with her. The dining hall would be large enough to host them all, she was sure.

She sat at the center of the head table, hoping that her memories would not haunt her for a moment at least and she could enjoy her meal. Where was Mathias? He usually came to find her when her meals were prepared. She was certain that he was attending to one matter or another, and she put it out of her mind.

Her fingers were almost burned when she picked up the loaf of bread. She cracked it and steam rose into the air. She slathered the piece of bread with butter, moving her fingers continually so that they would not burn.

The crust was hard and the center was soft and she savored the flavor, washing it down with wine, which had already been poured for her as well.

In the middle of her second bite, Captain Hathaway entered. She had taken a larger bite than she should have and fought to swallow her bread so that she could speak.

The captain did not seem to notice, or if he did, he did not embarrass her by asking if she was well. He bowed. "Your majesty, there were people sneaking through your borders."

"Did you let them through as we discussed?"

"Of course." He motioned and a prisoner, who was bound and gagged was brought forward. When he did not kneel before her, he was thrown to the ground. The man was old and it surprised her than any kingdom would send such an old and possibly sick man to spy on her and her people. Maybe a harmless old man would be overlooked by others. She was satisfied with the captain's work and she told him so.

"It is my honor to serve," he said and bowed again.

Delilah took a drink of wine, relishing the bitter flavor on her tongue. "Have you sent our spy?"