"Make her be quiet.” She says, her voice irritated. A guard pulls a strip of cloth from his pocket and strides towards the lady.
"I’ll be quiet!” she snaps and the guard returns to his position. Turning to me, She speaks in her imperious tone. “Well, Nat, it would seem you don’t know your own sister.” sister.” Sister?! I jerk my head around to stare at Her incredulously. But the motion is too fast and I vomit, right onto the feet of the guards holding me up. Quickly they lower me to my hands and knees and step back glaring. I’m sure I hear a faint growl come from the throat of one. When I am done with my indignity, I slowly, cautiously, raise my head to meet Her eyes. I then, slowly turn my head to meet my sister’s eyes, which have tears streaming from them. Is she really my sister? Or is it a ploy? She seems like she could my sister but I don’t know for sure. That’s laughable; I don’t know anything for sure. “Don’t you see the family resemblance?” What family resemblance? I don’t even know what I look like. “hm, look at me.” I do. “I don’t like conversing with someone on the ground. Try to stand.” I try. At first, I fall, landing hard back on all fours. I try again, with the same results. The lady who might be my sister is biting her lip; I see her fighting back tears. “Oh very well,” She says, “Go help your brother.” the lady runs to me and gently lifts me to my feet.
“Lean on me Natty.” She advises. And I do
“Nathaniel, I want your full attention.” She snaps. “I believe that you have lost any memory. Is that true?” I nod, slowly and my sister gasps and squeezes me a little tighter. “So,” she says, smiling, “That has plenty of import. First of which is, that you do not know who I am. That is something that I will let your sister tell you as you leave. I am giving you two a three day head start.”
“I doubt that it is out of compassion that you let us go. So then why?” my sister asks.
“It will be amusing for my men.” She says leaning back lazily in her ebony throne. Like a cat, but not as nice. “They have been ever so bored since we won the war so easily.” My sister glares but says nothing. There are so many questions that I want to ask but I remain silent. Maybe I’m a mute. I haven’t even tried to speak yet. I don’t want to try to speak yet. She continues on and my mind wanders. I find myself staring at her face. She is remarkably beautiful. But her beauty is an icy beauty. She seems young. Older than I am, but young nonetheless. Perhaps she is nineteen? Something tells me that I never was good at guessing ages. Her lips are more pink than red, Her eyes a crisp blue. Her face is a stone mask I wonder if She has ever had any feeling but those that She wishes to show for others benefit. “Do you understand?” She finishes.
“To the fullest.” My sister replies, hatred barely concealed.
“Good. You may leave as soon as little Nat can walk on his own.” She gestures and guards begin escorting us back down to the dark, dark cell in which are my first memories. Except this time am with my sister and we are given a lamp.