As she sat staring into the darkness, remembering how to breathe *inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale* she had the creepiest feeling that the darkness was staring back. Once she was happy that her breathing would continue without conscious thought, she turned her mind to deeper rememberings and was strangely unsurprised to realise that she came up blank. The darkness stared at her and she stared back. *inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale* She searched her mind for memories, any small spark, and came up blank, time and time again, but she would not be defeated, she knew, just as she knew how to breathe, she knew she would find something if she was strong enough to keep searching. Strong, yes, something else she knew, she was strong, strong and fierce and brave. It was working, she saw a flash in her mind, a snow covered castle, a pain in her side from being held just too tight.
*inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale*
She pushed herself, her mind screeching in defiance, and she heard a soft voice 'Now, now, dearie, be careful'. *inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale* Blankness, she stared into the darkness and this time she was sure, the darkness stared back. A voice, she had heard a voice, did she have a voice too? Could she remember how it worked? 'I am strong' she proclaimed, happy at how even and commanding her voice sounded, 'I am strong, and fierce and brave.' She repeated her mantra 'I am strong, I am fierce, I am brave.' She pushed herself to her feet, staring aggressively at the darkness, daring it to stare back now, 'I am strong and fierce and brave, I am loyal and I am kind'. She walked forward, unafraid of the darkness, and she knew, she knew who she was, where she was and why she was and she was unafraid. He had claimed her, captured her, owned her, but she had claimed him back. She had kissed him, she had stood against, she had fought him and she had taken something, she had taken part of him. The power rushed out of her, rejoicing to be free, it attacked the dark, it would stare no more, and she walked forward, eyes ablaze. She would find him again, she knew he would need what she had so innocently taken.