Konella
I woke up to a raging headache and my body aching all over as though I was hit by a truck and run over by a boulder. Taking a few moments to realize that the air was stagnant as I breathed. Musty. Old and not well maintained. My eyes darted around, finding myself in an unfamiliar room with old, worn out drapes, eaten by moths. Wallpaper that lacked luster from it's past as it peeled. I was not at the school any longer, that was for certain. The ball was the last thing I can remember, and it made my head hurt trying to recall what happened.
Shifting myself off the bed and realizing I no longer wore the dress Eleanor gave to me, I pulled at the fabric I now wore and questioned who had violated me. Where the hell am I? My thoughts rattling, unable to place myself back at the school or what happened at the dance clearly, this place made me uneasy. "Dammit it all, what the hell happened to me?" Not vying for anyone to answer me, I held my head in my hands and heard the sound of a door creaking open and turned to find someone coming into the room.
"The subject seems to have awaken, sir." The man-considering his voice being male-entered the room wearing a hazmat suit, voice muffled by the mask. I glared and lowered myself to leap at him when another man came into the room that wore no hazmat suit but was sucking on a piece of candy. The man stood with a small, almost delicate frame, yet there was an undeniable presence about him. His velvet hair, light and lustrous, fell in soft waves that framed his face with an effortless elegance. He wore glasses with thin, silver frames that perched on the bridge of his nose, giving him an air of intellectual sophistication. His eyes, a deep, thoughtful shade of blue, were sharp and observant, always seeming to analyze and dissect everything around him. His features were finely chiseled, with high cheekbones and a slender nose that hinted at his French descent. Despite his slight build, there was a quiet confidence in his posture, a man who knew his worth and his capabilities. Dressed in a tailored suit that fit him perfectly, he exuded a sense of meticulousness and precision. The scent of his cologne, a subtle blend of bergamot and cedarwood, lingered in the air, adding to his enigmatic aura. His hands, though small, moved with a practiced grace, each gesture deliberate and controlled. When he spoke, his voice was smooth and cultured, with a hint of a French accent that added to his charm. There was an intensity in his gaze, a spark of curiosity and intellect that marked him as a man of science. He was someone who thrived on knowledge and discovery, always seeking to understand the world around him. Despite his refined exterior, there was an undercurrent of mystery about him, a sense that he held many secrets. He was a man who lived in the realm of the mind, always thinking, always calculating, and always one step ahead.
I went to reach for my daggers habitually before cursing under breath of their removal.
"Indeed she has. No need to fear, madam, you are perfectly safe here." The heavy French accent was something I was familiar with as he spoke. His eyes drifted towards his left, grabbing hold of a clipboard that I failed to see before. He remained quiet, the other waiting for orders. Getting a better look at the room, there were medical equipment set up here. Small monitors that showed heart rate and blood pressure. Bags of saline. Everything needed to tend to a patient.
"Madam Brooks, everything here on your charts is reading normally. Tending you for the week carefully has proven to be the right choice." He looked back to the man in the suit, waving him off to grab something on the opposite side. I watched them carefully, wondering what it was they monitored me for and how I slept through it all. "Ah, I must apologize for my oversight in not offering you any refreshments. Do you have any preferences?"
"…you said I've been here a week. Explain that to me." I hardened myself to hear whatever it was he had in store. If I'm not fond of his answer, I'll take him out and run.
"But of course." He waved the man in the suit aside, dismissing him cordially as he turned to face me properly. "Since leaving Cinq Fléches, monsieur Goldsmith has tasked me with your care until his return. You have been in a deep sleep since that night, mademoiselle, and I have been caring for you meticulously."
"You keep mentioning that, and who is this Goldsmith?" My head started to hurt thinking about it. The dance was like a fog and I couldn't clear it. "You know nothing about me." I darkened my tone, exuding I was dangerous to take him on. He seemed to have gathered my hidden intent as he picked up the clipboard yet again and flipped over a page.
"Konella Brooks, born in the year 1901. Graduated from the University of Agriculture and Commerce at the tender age of 19 and began working for the Cinq Fleche Winery in 1920. Supposedly turned sometime in the year 1928 and has since been registered as dead—until now, that is." He pushed up his glasses and smirked, clearly proud of his findings. "Your test results are a remarkable find, mademoiselle. Very raw data for me to study." He waved his hand nonchalantly, dismissing my apprehension. "I was, of course, advised to keep you from harm during any of my testing." His voice was smooth, almost too smooth, like velvet hiding a blade.
My heart pounded as I listened, trying to process his words. The room felt colder, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic and something metallic.
"Your brain activity is one for the books; c'est magnifique, if you will, when reading your brainwaves to see what triggers your mind." His eyes gleamed with a mix of curiosity and excitement, making my skin crawl.
"What are you talking about?" My mouth became dry, and the motion of swallowing became even harder as my hands felt numb.
"Ah, yes, the amnesia!" He exclaimed, as if he had discovered something grand. He walked over to a table cluttered with small items, picked up a bottle, and held it up with a grin. "I've been told you suffered a traumatic experience during the change and were presumed not to have made it through the process. I'm positive that this will trigger some of your memories that seem to be hidden away in your mind. Much more effective than silly hypnotism."
Not waiting for my consent, he sprayed something in my face. I coughed as I inhaled it, the pungent smell searing my throat and burning my eyes terribly. Flashes of light started occurring, and I felt nauseous trying to keep my composure.
"The smell is unpleasant, but I assure you this will cause your brain to move forward and trigger what lies in the deep recesses of your mind to surface. And with it, hopefully, less strain on your membrane when recalling everything."
"You're cough insane!" I gasped, unable to keep upright as I fell against the closest piece of furniture. My vision blurred, but I tried to focus on the man. Suddenly, a flash of a child standing beside him hitched my breath. It was the same boy I had seen before, vague and unfamiliar then, but now his presence was unmistakable.
The man moved somewhere else, but the boy remained, smiling at me. He started coming towards me with open arms, and it took everything I had not to reach out to the illusion. The room around me seemed to crumble away, the walls and furniture dissolving into shadows as my mind focused solely on the boy.
I held my arms tight to my sides, resisting the apparition. A familiar floral scent groped my senses, caressing me gently. I began to calm down from the sudden illusion, but then something grabbed hold of my shoulders from behind. The reverie vanished instantly, leaving me gasping for breath.
"Wh-" I stammered, unable to break free from the grip of someone incredibly strong. It felt like a man, and I shivered uncomfortably as he put his mouth on my neck, kissing my nape. "Stop!" I cried out, feeling vulnerable. The man who had sprayed my face seemed distracted with something on his clipboard, oblivious to what was happening to me. He left with the man in the suit, leaving me struggling against my assailant.
"Dammit!" I continued to struggle, but I didn't have the strength to break free.
"Konella," the assailant whispered my name in my ear, making my chest tighten. His voice was filled with a mix of longing and desperation. His lips played with my nape and moved up to my ear, making my body grow hot and weak under his touch. "Remember what we were, Mon Cherie. You and I have a past that can never be replaced." His hands loosened their grip on me, gently turning me around to face him.
It was the man I danced with at the ball. His blonde hair was slightly unkempt, and his crisp white suit made his brilliant light green eyes stand out. Mesmerized by his appearance once more, I quickly recalled what was happening. I stepped back, watching his features dampen as I pulled away and moved across the room.
"You truly can't remember?" His voice was quiet, sullen. His eyes stayed on me as though I might disappear before him, filled with a deep, unspoken sorrow.
"I…" I gingerly rubbed my arms, feeling a prick of unease. There was something more to him than met the eye. I knew I felt something during the dance, but right now my head—everything was a blur. "I don't know who I was before, but right now I don't know who you are and why you did 'that' to me." I clasped my neck defensively where he had touched me, and he seemed even more hurt by my action.
His shoulders slumped slightly, and he took a hesitant step forward, his eyes pleading. "I would never harm you, Konella. Please, try to remember." His voice cracked slightly, betraying the depth of his emotions. After a moment of silence passed between us, he gathered a thought and gently spoke.
"Do you remember our dance?" he asked tenderly, reaching out as he did then, waiting for me to take his hand once again.
"…vaguely…" I replied, trying not to provoke him. Not knowing if he was friend or foe, he was being oddly patient and kind to a stranger. "We danced at the school… my head started hurting…" Trying to recall the details, I felt my shoulders slump and my guard drop. "You… you mentioned my name—even before I told you—you knew already?" Facing him directly now and seeing his eyes light up a tad bit, I stepped forward, only a step. "I think you said something to me… I can't recall well what it was, but my head was full of images." My head started pounding near my temple, and I tried focusing but couldn't help the twinge.
"Yes… try to remember, Mon Cherie." He coaxed me gently, not even noticing him coming closer until I saw him standing right in front of me. He didn't touch me or even try to, but waited as though I would take the initiative. "You mean everything to me… my very existence belongs to you." He spoke so tenderly that my heart clenched at his words.
"You know me…" I began, my voice trembling before I could form a real question. He merely nodded, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "Before meeting Haji…you know who I was?" I asked, seeking confirmation. Tentatively, I reached for him, noticing he didn't flinch at my touch.
I continued, my fingers running through his hair, which felt like silk between them. Slowly, I trailed my hand down his face and neck, the familiarity of the gesture making me lose myself in the moment. I held my hand on his cheek, and he leaned into my palm submissively, giving me an odd sense of satisfaction.
Pulling my hands back, I stared at him, trying to gather my thoughts.
"When we were dancing, I had images flash in my head that made me feel dizzy. The song playing didn't match what I was remembering…like someone was supposed to be singing." He remained silent, his hand gently taking hold of my fingers and rubbing them. I didn't pull back, finding comfort in his touch.
"When…when you said my name, I felt as though I've heard you before." He seemed troubled, his other hand coming up to wipe the tears from my cheek. My emotions were running rampant, a mix of brokenness and relief. With my voice cracking, I asked the question that had been haunting me. "Who are you?"
He sighed softly, his eyes searching mine. "You were someone very special to me. We worked together at the vineyard. Those days were filled with laughter and… moments that were unforgettable." His voice was a whisper, filled with a longing that tugged at my heart.
I closed my eyes, trying to grasp at the fleeting images in my mind. The scent of grapes, the warmth of the sun, the feel of his hand in mine as we walked through the rows of vines. "I remember… the vineyard. We shared so many moments there?"
His smile widened, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Yes, the vineyard. It was where we first met, where we fell in love."
A tear slipped down my cheek, and he gently brushed it away. "I want to remember everything," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I want to remember..."
He touched me as though I was made of glass, withholding himself far more than before, leaning in to tap his forehead to mine. There was a moment of stillness between us as he took a breath in before he was eye level with me to speak. "I'm your husband, mon amour. Married to the woman I love and never forgotten." He answered softly and assuredly.
It wasn't the answer I expected to hear and somehow just didn't register with me. I don't believe that was the case and I touched his face once more and tried looking into his eyes for the answer I sought. Or maybe just seeking something I can't find myself. What was I wanting from him? He answered me but it wasn't enough for some reason and drove me mad.
"I'm—" A loud crash interrupted us as he hugged me quickly while glass shattered from the window. Gunshots were being fired from the outside and I could sense his discomfort when he heard the ruckus. It didn't even occur to me we were somewhere a fight would break out when looking outside the broken window. The scene was gruesome with tiny creatures running amok and killing everything they met. It was eerie hearing them too. Humming a song, sounding almost like children? The chaos outside was like watching Vietnam coming back from the grave and reenacting the violence and bloodshed.
"We must go," he urgently spoke while taking hold of me quickly without warning as he lifted me off my feet and dashed out of the building. Once outside and near several helicopters, two being cargo carriers, the man from earlier was here and giving out orders left and right to move one container quickly. Being placed down and observing the chaos around me, I faced the man calling himself my husband and wanted to know what was happening right now.
"What's going on here?" My blood boiling to fight, he seemed rather calm as he looked at me and took hold of my hand and kissed it. Startled by his approach and wondering why I didn't just get an answer, he merely grinned, regardless of the surroundings.
"Some unpleasant guests arrived to ruin the mood. Karl will handle them while we take off."
I wanted to ask who Karl was but was taken again into his arms so easily and quicker than what I could process happening to me that I didn't have time to rebuke him. When he stopped it was at the furthest field from the other helicopters.
"Where are you taking me? I still have questions for you!" Unable to hear myself with the blades going overhead, I tugged his arm when I noticed he was no longer paying any attention to me. Looking where he was staring at, across the field just barely in sight was a figure. Taking a few moments to see another figure in the distance, it occurred to me they were Saya and Haji!
"How interesting…" he spoke with little interest. When I focused more on Saya I noticed she looked rather strange? Hunched over, bloodied clothes and holding her katana in a strange fashion. Unlike before when she would hold it with some sort of grace, she looked feral. Haji seemed haggard as well and injured from the look of it.
"Haji…" watching quietly from afar as Saya seemed unnerved, I tried reaching telepathically to him but was blocked out. Unsure what to expect, it was when Saya started running across the field with katana ready and feeling her desire to kill us.
"AAAHHHH!" She screamed as she held her sword at me, ready to strike me down with eyes glowing red and filled with animosity. Panicked as she came close, I raised my hand and had to use my power to stop her from slicing my head off. She stopped instantly, gasping for breath as her glare bore into me what I was doing to her. Though my ability was hurting me slowly, keeping Saya at bay was my only solution from not being killed.
"Saya…why would you attack me?" She didn't respond, rather, acting like a savage beast out for only a fight. "Are you incoherent of speech?" In the distance still Haji was non-responsive seeing me here. Having been separated from them both I would think they would be thrilled finding me. Yet why? Why are they acting this way? "Haji?" I looked to him for answers, he wasn't even speaking to me much less looking my way. He was looking at the man behind me…something was off about all this and I wanted to speak with them, but this didn't feel like I could without one of them fighting with me. "Both of you are acting ridiculous! Why did you attack me for no reason, Saya?!" Yelling at Saya as she kept trying to break free from my grasp, her eyes were rabid with anger and her teeth gnashed together. "Seriously?" I tightened my grip and heard Saya choke for air when I felt a sharp glare my way.
"Release her." Haji ordered. There was no mistaking it either, he wasn't asking me, it was an order. He even held his case as though to tell me he would inflict harm.
"Haji…are you threatening me?" His glower the only answer I received, I realized what protecting his queen truly meant. My grip lessened on Saya and she coughed only once before stabbing her katana into the ground and raised her head. Her eyes dulled a bit and she seemed to be back to normal as she looked at me and to the man behind me. Anger fueled her still, but she at least looked more human than she acted before.
"He's Diva's chevalier! Why are you just standing there with the enemy rather than coming back to us?! Why would you defend him?" Her eyes almost pleading, I was confused to her proclamation—also her dual personality.
"I was about to reach out to you, but instead I was met with the intent to be killed where I stood!" My blood rising, feeling my anger come forth but withholding it desperately, I turned back to the man behind me calling himself my 'husband' and just needed answers.
"Diva's chevalier?" He didn't object, but there was something about him being a chevalier that made sense. He showed me several times now his inhuman strength and speed, so being called a chevalier was certainly reasonable. "…Haji," facing Haji, he stepped forward and the air between us seemed stiff and cold. "You know something about this, don't you." The way he looked at me made me nervous. I was looking for answers about myself for years traveling with him and came up with nothing until meeting this man at the ball. Answers upon answers are slowly being laid out for me no matter how confused I am, and Haji knows something and won't even tell me?
"Konella…" the man behind me took hold of my shoulders and pressed a gentle kiss on my cheek.
"!"
"He knows nothing about you," he answered. "Your past lies with me. The present you is but a vacant shell without substance to fill the cracks. There is nothing they can offer you that will fulfill your desire." His voice darkened, making me shiver.
Saya approached with her katana in hand again and I felt this urge to take it from her and throw it aside for wielding it in front of him—in front of me! I was ready to defend against her when the man took hold of my hand gently without sensing his movement when doing so.
"Kon—" Haji began to say before my 'husband' cut his words off.
"She is mine," he answered with absolute threat in his words. Both seemed a little surprised, but neither of them faltered with their intent to hurt him. "My wife who I've chosen and that has chosen me; there is no other way of understanding her the way I do." Changing his wording and seeing the two falter a little, Haji didn't seem all that surprised? Did he know of this? Has he always known something? Haji stepped forward ready to speak out and I gripped the man's hand a little tighter waiting to hear him.
"She is—" a loud boom echoed and the building we were in had blown up. Half of it was in smoke while small child-like chiropterans started flooding the area. "Saya!" Haji looked away from me back to Saya and something about that notion didn't hurt as bad as it did before. Haji took Saya in his arms protectively as shrapnel started flinging across the field, creating a terrifying landmine of objects to skewer us all.
"Mon amore," being protected by my husband as his arm shifted to a chiropteran shield, deflecting the debris and remnant flames, he cared not for what was happening other than my wellbeing. I peeked around him and watched Haji protect Saya with the cello case and tried reaching out to him one more time.
"…Haji…?" Whispering his name and seeing him ignore me completely as he shielded Saya, the act saying more than words could. Even after everything that just happened, I still wanted to at least speak with them and get clarification. But it seemed fruitless to even attempt after Saya's attempt to skewer me.
"We must go mon amore," he guided me a few paces back into the helicopter and Haji's cello case came flying at us. Easily deflected by the man and hearing him sigh despairingly, he seemed unamused by the folly. "Really now," exasperated, he turned back and frowned. "You cannot have what is mine Haji, it just isn't meant to be."
"You will return her, chevalier." He stated angrily with a calm demeanor before the man faced me once more and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand in traditional gesture.
"Go inside the helicopter and wait for me mon amore, this will only be a moment." I scooted into the helicopter and took a seat as the pilot signaled, taking off mere seconds later.
Never flown before I was a little scared of the ride and held onto the railing for dear life as we started rising off the ground. I was shocked to find Haji looking at me while still protecting Saya and seemingly anguished I was leaving. Not really understanding why he was showing such strangled emotions after what they both just did towards me, I felt confused and bitter all at once.
Finding purchase with my feet and hanging out the door slightly to watch everything unfold down below I saw another person come into the fray. He battled against Saya with fervent strikes while Haji battled the man I was with and something kept nagging me behind my skull of his name.
The man from earlier called him Mr. Goldsmith, but that wasn't the name I needed to hear. With the helicopter getting higher into the air and seeing another carrying a freight, the same one I discovered at the school, my heart pounded when I recalled speaking to Julia about Diva. David even said it was her crate when I discovered it in the warehouse. I didn't feel this earlier when beside it, but a Queen's presence was something unexplained. I felt both happy and fearful of Diva. A want and need to be beside her that I never felt with Saya. Haji spoke of this feeling for many years, but having experienced it now, I felt I can relate to his words better than before.
Looking back to the battle below and hearing Saya scream out in pain as the man she fought against broke her arms, he looked distracted and leapt up into the sky and latched onto one of the helicopters. Seeing he was probably protecting Diva, his mission was probably to slow Saya down. I looked around the field losing track of Haji and Goldsmith and found them still going at it. The battle seemed to be going nowhere with a clear winner and Haji got distracted with Saya's scream that gave the man an opening to kick him across the ground. He took that chance and looked up towards where I was at and wings sprouted from his back, ascending towards me with speed I've never seen even from Haji.
"I've returned," smiling without care that he had blood on his hands and a ruined suit, he latched onto the helicopter without bothering to come inside and I reached for him without reason. Taking hold of my outstretched hand as I was pulled gently into his embrace and falling out of the copter, there wasn't any hesitation or fear from the action?
"Why am I not afraid of you?" I murmured, more to myself than to him. He chuckled softly, his arms tightening around me as we soared through the sky, the chaos of battle below us fading into insignificance. Despite the raging flames and the distant screams, I felt an inexplicable peace.
"Because you've accepted me with your entire being, and I've never regretted showing you my true form." His lips brushed my forehead, a tender gesture that made me clutch his clothes tighter. I gazed into his green eyes, feeling a profound connection.
"Your name… what is your name?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
His features softened, and he leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear. "Solomon Goldsmith," he whispered, his voice a soothing balm.
As his name echoed in my mind, a flood of memories surged through me, like a river breaking its banks. Every dream, every fleeting image from my past, began to coalesce. The dancing in the snow, the laughter on the beach, the child's joyful cries—it was him. It had always been him.
"Solomon…" I breathed, the name a mere whisper on my lips. It was enough to draw him closer, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that tasted of the sea, then of lavender, iris, and vetiver. My senses were overwhelmed, but I couldn't pull away. I needed to feel him, to anchor myself in this moment.
The intensity of the kiss left me breathless, and I reluctantly pulled back, trying to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions.
"I will never let you go…" he murmured, his thumb brushing gently over my lips. As we descended towards the helicopter, I caught a final glimpse of Haji and Saya watching us from below, their expressions etched into my memory. Overwhelmed by the rush of feelings, I felt my body give in to exhaustion, and darkness claimed me.