Chapter 10

After a few minutes of silent staring, the boy clears his throat and asks, "are you going to ask me something or are you going to stand there for the rest of the day?"

I shake my head, trying to shake away that crazy idea. I can't be a princess, no way in hell. "Yes, sorry. I ehm, wanted to ask if we've met before. You look familiar somehow."

Only now, do I see his broad chest and thick arms from working so much. His tanned skin is just the perfect color. His clothes complement his athletic form perfectly. The boy looks at me for a few moments before shaking his head. "I don't think we've met before." He scratches his cheek which makes me giggle somehow. "I do agree that you seem familiar too. Where do you come from?"

"I came from there," I say, pointing my finger behind me at the door I came through.

"Ha ha," He says sarcastically, though he smiles. "I meant from which village are you, maybe I've seen you there."

"I'm from a small village called Harmonia, it's not far from here."

He thinks for some time, scratching his cheek, which he seems to do when he's lost in thought. "Never heard of it."

"Em, we should go," Persephone says, slowly walking towards us. "We're not supposed to be here."

The boy quickly stands up and bows. "Your majesty," he says respectfully.

Persephone just nods at him before turning to me again. "Em, we have to go, if Mother finds us here-"

"Chris, why are you not busy doing your job?" a voice shouts from the far side of the garden. "And what are these two young ladies doing here? You haven't brought your girlfriends her-" The woman belonging to the voice walks towards us but stops when she sees who we are. She bows and says, "Your majesties, you are not supposed to be here. What would your mother say if she sees you here?"

She gets up and walks towards me looking me over before a big grin breaks through her steel face. "It's really you. The crown princess has finally returned!" She practically shouted the last part. Her eyes fall on my dress. "But dear girl, what are you wearing? This isn't the right attire for a princess."

Before I can correct the woman, Persephone starts telling her my story while I just stand next to her smiling sheepishly, all the while feeling the boy's eyes on me. As I look in his directing I look right into his eyes, but what I see surprises me. While other people look at me with a mixture of joy and interest, his eyes only show sadness and regret.

"Who are you?" I ask him, totally shutting Persephone and the woman up, who were in a discussion over my memory loss. "How come I remember you and this place while I don't seem to remember anything else?"

The woman and Persephone send each other meaningful looks but I keep looking at the boy. He seems indecisive, but apparently, he makes a decision because he starts talking. "My name is Chris, I'm a servant here. I don't know why you only remember me, I'm just a nobody."

I smile at him. "After a lot of years serving others, I've learned that no one is a nobody. Everyone has a story, so what is yours? What is ours?"

He looks at me with a sudden interest. "If you want to know my story, I'm an orphan, left at the castle door. As for our connection-"

"You don't have to bother the princess with such a story," the woman says, cutting Chris off.

"He isn't bothering me at all and actually, I'd like a moment alone with Chris if you don't mind."

"Mother won't be happy when she finds out," Persephone says, trying to get me to come with her.

I just smile at her and say, "let me worry about that. I just want a few answers for once, not just more questions and I think Chris can give me some answers." I see the woman looking at Chris with a stern look on her face, silently telling him to keep his mouth shut which makes me angry. "You just said I was indeed the crown princess and as your princess I want you to stop this hiding of the truth. I don't care who tells me the whole truth but I will get it and that is the truth."

The woman looks down, clearly ashamed. "Now, may I please get a moment alone with Chris?" I look at Persephone, trying my best to give her a pleading look. "Please, Seph."

With a sigh she nods and walks away, the woman walking after her, looking over her shoulder at me and Chris.

I wait until they are far away before I start talking. "Before you say anything, I want to tell you about my only memory of this place." I look around me until I find what I'm looking for, a swing set secured to a big oak tree overlooking the whole garden. We make our way to it as I tell him about my dream.

"The last few months the dream came back more often. And it always ends with either the girl or the boy telling me to 'remember it', whatever that means," I conclude. "I always thought that I'd never find those kids. That I could never find out what it was that I have to remember, but when I saw you back there I just knew I found that little boy. So please help me, help me figure out who I was, because if I don't know who I was, how will I know who I am now?"

Chris seems to think about this. "You won't, I guess," he says, standing up. "I promised to never talk about it ever again, to anyone."

"Until I find out who I am, I am no one." I grab his arm. "Please Chrissy, I really need your help."

Under my hand, I feel Chris's muscles tense. "What did you call me?"

"Ehm, Chrissy, why?"

He turns around too fast, pulling me off of the swing, but catching me before I can hit the ground. I look up into his eyes and am surprised as I see tears in them. "Only Gem called me by that name. You're really her, aren't you?"

"I don't know," I stress, feeling desperate suddenly for no apparent reason. "That's why you have to help me."

He nods. "Ask me anything."

"What's our connection? Why would I remember you while I don't remember anything or anyone else?"

He smiles for the first time. "That's easy, we're best friends."