CHAPTER 4- A Thief of Memories
Dawn had broken over the horizon before Nasuada awoke. Sitting up, she realized she was still in the dragon tower overlooking the kingdom. It took her a moment to gauge the time as the tower was facing the northwest. She stretched her sore limbs and yawned. Despite the tension in her muscles, she had a surprisingly restful sleep. This was good because she had fallen asleep on the edge of the tower. She shivered to think if her dreams had been fitful, she could have easily fallen to her death.
The beautiful autumn morning captured her attention as she thought about her subjects. At any given point of fixation, she was witnessing multiple people rousing from their sleep, though she could not see them specifically and they would never know she had watched. In essence, she really was watching over her people. With respect, she compared the idea to the gods above, knowing for the first time the true depth and beauty of the unknown and unseen looking down upon her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a set of soft footsteps behind her. Nasuada tensed, preparing attacks she could use to defend herself against the seemingly never ending assassins hell bent on killing her. Then a familiar voice chimed out in the silence, sending a shiver down Nasuada's spine.
"Do not ponder your attacks too much, Your Majesty. You know as well as I it would do you no good had I the intention to harm you," Elva stated as she padded over to stand next to where Nasuada now sat with her legs draped over the edge of the wall.
"Elva, why are you up here?" Nasuada asked not of curiosity but rather from annoyance. The girl had a habit of turning up when Nasuada was least in the mood.
"Do not be so quick as to pass me off as an annoyance, Lady," Elva let the words hang in the air a moment. Nasuada cursed herself for not better guarding her emotions around the girl, though there was no sure way to tell if Elva knew her thoughts or not. Elva continued when Nasuada made no effort to speak in her own defense, "I cannot get you out of my head. All day, everyday something is grieving you, constantly reminding me you are in pain."
The girl sat on the floor next to Nasuada, her feet dangling off the edge. Elva looked down, a coy smile on her face. "What a strange way to die, falling to death. Did you know it would be perfectly painless?" Elva shifted her glimmering purple eyes to look at Nasuada. Unnerved, Nasuada turned her gaze westward in an attempt not to show her discomfort.
A tone of self-satisfaction colored Elva's voice as she spoke again, "What is it that ails your soul, Lady? Speak freely and perhaps I can give you the words of comfort that you seek."
Nasuada had every intention to deny the girl the information she was seeking, but as she turned to tell her face to face, something in the girl's eyes made her hesitate. Elva seemed genuine in her request to help; though it really said nothing for the girl's character when she was likely doing it for her own needs.
Still, Nasuada felt a trust in the girl she had not felt in a long time for another being. She took a deep breath, gazing out at the vast kingdom once again before she answered, "Is…" Nasuada's voice caught as his name stuck in her throat. It was strange, she knew his name, yet she could not think of it. She look to Elva, but the girl was returning her look of confusion.
Nasuada cleared her throat, starting again, "Is… How is… the red dragon Rider?" Throughout the course of her sentence, she had given up on his name, deciding the sleep still clouded her mind.
Elva was still giving her a strange look, as if she were trying to search Nasuada's whole being just through one look. Nasuada shifted uncomfortably under the girl's unwavering gaze. After a minute, Elva blinked, shaking off the strange reverie she was in.
Elva looked out at the horizon then, contemplating what to say. After a moment, she said, emphasizing his name, "Murtagh is safe, but troubled much like you."
Relief swept over her. Both girls hunched forward as if weight had literally been lifted from their shoulders. "Thank you," Nasuada said breathlessly as she finally straightened back up.
"The kingdom is waking up, it will not be long until they notice you are not in your chamber, Lady," Elva responded absently, her mind apparently elsewhere.
Nasuada acknowledged Elva's comment, getting to her feet. As she headed towards the landing at the top of the stairwell, she turned to Elva intending to have her accompany the queen.
Elva, still staring out at the horizon, cut her off, though her voice was soft, "Nasuada… someone is stealing your memories."