Previously

He spoke suddenly, "You don't remember, do you." It was not a question but more like a statement of confirmation. Sadness mixed with a tinge of regret. What was it that I didn't remember? I knew he was the same person I had risked my life for but before that I had never met him, but... why did I face that faction for a complete stranger.

Unless he wasn't a stranger.

"Hey, wake up. Wake up already."

My eyelids slowly fluttered open, revealing the blazing sun and a bright blue sky. I moved my legs slightly and heard the swish of grass beneath them. Groaning slightly, due to my complaining muscles, I sat up.

"Where are we?" I asked slowly, getting used to using my voice.

"Somewhere that we weren't at before," he answered back.

Turning to face him, I saw him sitting under a tree about 10 meters away. He had removed his armour and was now wearing a plain black long sleeved shirt and grey trousers along with a pair of sturdy boots and his signature fingerless gloves. His sword hung from a leather belt which also held two leather pouches, one of which he was opening.

From within it he pulled out a roll of bandage and proceeded to throw it at me.

"Wrap that around your swollen ankle, and next time tell me that it hurts instead of walking on it all day and collapsing," he said sternly.

I tried to scowl at him but in the end I sighed and gave up; he'd just ignored it completely. I finally realised that my boots and socks had been taken off and some sort of plant leaf had been put over my left ankle. Taking a closer look at the plant I realised it was the keind leaf.

My eyes widened.

That leaf was extremely rare and very expensive. I looked over at the guy.

"What?" he asked when he saw me eyeing him, "You needed it and a plant is a plant." At this he got up and walked towards me, then sank to the ground on my left. Picking up the soaked leaf, he examined my ankle before shrugging.

"So it actually is worth the trouble," he muttered to himself.

He then took the bandage from my hands and started expertly wrapping up the not so injured anymore ankle.

I had a vision.

It was relatively dark, the room was only lit by candlelight. I was lying down on a hard board. Looking down at my feet I saw someone wrapping my left leg with a clean white bandage.

I couldn't see his face clearly but I could tell he was saying something, so I focussed on his words.

"...and next time tell me instead of walking on it all day and collapsing, don't take wounds like this so lightly!"

He seemed to have finished his rant, because his head turned and I guessed he was looking at me, though his face was still cloudy. I heard myself say something but the vision was fading out and the only words I made out were "..sorry, Seph."

My eyes refocussed and my hearing came back.

'Who was that person...'

I found myself lying back on the grass again but instead of the sun there was someone leaning over me and waving a hand in front of my face.

I sat up quickly, surprised, and suddenly my forehead felt sore.

"Ah, dang, you trying break this beautiful face?" he exclaimed whilst holding a hand over his nose. I quickly apologised and looked away.

"What just happened anyway, your eyes just glazed over and you collapsed back to the ground. Do you realise how wor-" he stumbled, "how, ah, annoying you are?"

I returned my gaze to his face. 'Was it just me or did he almost say worried..' I blushed slightly and looked away again.

"Shouldn't we go?" I suggested quietly, looking up at the sun. Half an hour wasted.

I saw him nod slightly and check his compass.

"We're almost there anyway," he said.

I suddenly realised something.

"What is your name?"

He looked at me before replying, his expression filled with sorrow.

"My name's Steven, but I prefer being called Seph."

My eyes widened slightly and a strange feeling came over me. That same name. I took a stock check on my expression and tried to neutralise it. Luckily it seemed he hadn't noticed my sudden surprise.

Seph walked back to the tree and picked up a long black cloak with armoured shoulder pads and a silver hem. He shrugged it on before watching me tie up my boots.

"You got a name aswell?" he asked strangely, as if he didn't really need to ask.

"Call me Rin. A friend gave it to me, as far as I remember..."