literature

Memory Magic

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"This is my home. My palace of Shadows. Who would dare to intrude on my solitude, Javert? Doesn't everyone in the land know that madness lurks within these walls?"
Javert bowed to the blue haired, panicky young woman. "Allow me to investigate for you, Milady. What are your orders should I find any intruders?"
"Make them leave! I cannot abide people. They make me sad. I don't ever want anyone to break the curse. If they seek to harm you, use force, but please do not kill unless you have no choice. I have enough ghosts haunting me…"
The tall young man bowed again, and slipped away. He could feel her gaze following him, and knew she would be anxious until he reported that everyone was gone. It was always so.

In a brightly lit room, with walls lined floor to ceiling with full book cases, three youths were gawking. All three were teenage males.
"Think they have enough books?" muttered the blond, short one.
The red haired one drifted over to a book case and reached out to touch a leather binding. "I could live here forever…" he breathed wistfully.
"Guys…I think we really shouldn't be here…You know the stories… Any minute now someone's gonna come and attack us!" insisted the shortest boy, with his mop of curly brown hair.
The blond one scoffed. "The crazed witch and her butler? You buy into myth too much. Besides, that story is ancient. Surely they are both dead by now…"

Drifting into the room with the boys was a tall, slender young man dressed in all black. His wavy black hair was tied back in a queue and his eyes were a pale grey. "Excuse me, but as you are aware, you are intruding. As your presence is making Milady very anxious, I have come to escort you out."
As one, the boys shuddered and turned pale. They hadn't noticed the butler enter the room.
"You mean…the stories are really true?" asked the blond in a squeaky voice.
A fierce frown met their question. "I do not know what stories you may have heard, but you are trespassing. This is private property. Now, you must leave."
The brown haired boy tugged on the sleeve of the red head. "We should do as he says…" he whispered pleadingly.
With one last longing look at all the books, the red head nodded reluctantly. They grabbed the sleeves of their blond friend, and followed the butler reluctantly back the way they'd come.

Every room they passed through seemed to lurk with more shadows than before, and a faint sound like whispering seemed to follow them. Chill breezes crept in through their clothes and caused their breath to fog.
The red head looked around in confusion. "I know we came this way, but everything seems so different from before…What is with this place?" he muttered anxiously to his friends.
The butler heard him though. "The spirits linked to this place are displeased by your presence. Worry not. They probably won't harm you unless you do something to threaten me, Milady, or this place." The boys picked up their pace, and soon were at the front entrance of the palace. "Do not return. I am authorized to use force on all intruders. No go!"

The boys scurried out the front doors, and Javert watched them leave. Once they were well out of sight, he continued his rounds. The spirits told him there were no other intruders, but he knew that his lady would feel safer if he also gave his word.

"Javert! Are they gone?" The blue haired lady asked anxiously. Her violet eyes shimmered with unspent tears of fright.
"Calm your fears. It was just three teenage boys, and they left without a fuss. I escorted them out, and there was no one else." Javert soothed her.
She took a deep breath. "Is my flower safe?" she asked.
"They did not find it. Shall I fetch it for you?"
"Yes…"
Javert left the room and crossed to a dark stairwell. Pressing a rose carved into the railing on the floor of the stairs, a panel of the wood siding slid over. Revealed was a small room, with a glass case holding a shimmering, blue rose bloom. Carefully, Javert removed the case and replaced the siding.

"Lady Ysaderia, I have the flower. See? It's fine." Javert told her, holding up the bloom.
She drifted over to him and delicately opened the case. "Magic of the memory, cast your spell once more. Let my time be granted unto this bloom and grant my heart's desire…" Ysaderia whispered lovingly.
The rose glowed even brighter for a brief moment, and then a heady vanilla scent wafted from the case. Smiling, she closed the case and drifted back to her comfy chair.
Javert sighed and went to return the rose. As he did, he pondered his lady. Whenever she was anxious or scared, she sought the rose's magic. Somehow, by doing so, both she and himself had been kept at their current ages for the passed couple centuries. At least, that was his understanding of the spell. His lady's ears, and his own, he'd noticed, were not quite like the intruders ears. Their ears were short, stubby and rounded. His lady's ears were longer and more delicate, more pointy. Was it because of the rose's magic? But…hadn't both of their ears always been pointed? Surly everyone else's were abnormal?

Ysaderia curled up in her chair, basking in the absence of the memory of fear. Of course, she'd forgotten much more than that, like how long she'd been living in her palace with only Javert to keep her company. That was memory magic though, one of the abilities that the bloom possessed. Blue rose of Forgetfulness…that was the name of the spell.
Idly, she wondered if Javert was as affected by the spell. His memories seemed more intact than hers…so maybe not.
"He is lonely here. When will you tell him?" whispered the spirits that haunted the halls of her palace.
"Not yet. Not unless he asks…" Ysaderia hushed them.
"Not unless I ask what?" Javert responded, appearing by her side silently.
She looked up at him warily. "Are you lonely here?" she parried.
Javert stared at her. "Why would you ask me something like that?" he said confused and angry.
"Because the spirits insist that you are. Even though we are both elves, and therefore different from everyone else in these lands, I will not hold you here against your will."
Javert shuddered and stepped away from her. "The spirits have driven you mad. You could not survive a day on your own!"
Ysaderia smiled sadly. "Both are true, but why are you angry? As an elf, you will stay young for centuries and live for countless millennia if you are careful. Didn't you realize we are elves?"
Javert shook his head warily. "I-I had…forgotten. Where are the rest of our people? Why are we here alone?"
"They are the spirits that haunt this place. Many centuries ago, there was a war…and we were hunted down. Sold or slaughtered. Those that could fled, but I cannot leave this place. My essence is required to…to…" she faltered and scrunched her brow. "I cannot remember why I cannot leave, but it was important! I know it was! You don't have to stay if you'd rather try and find the rest of our people. I will find a way to exist."

Javert looked as if he'd been hit in some vital point and was slowly losing his grip on reason. "Why? Why don't I remember? It must be important, so WHY?"
"Memory magic makes you forget whatever pains you most to know. This was obviously what you chose to forget."
His pale silver eyes blazed with anger. "I want to remember! I need to KNOW! I cannot stand being so lost and confused. Why…are you content to linger in such madness? What makes you so different from me?"
Ysaderia unfurled herself and stood. Placing her hands on his forehead, she muttered a remembrance spell.
Javert almost keeled over from the strength of the emotions his memories invoked. Tears scalded his pale cheeks and despair swept over him. "Mother! Sister! All our kin! Slain like vermin…and you…how could they bind your soul to this place and…" he choked on sobs that wracked his slender frame.
Ysaderia held his trembling frame to her and stroked his dark hair. "Shh…I'm fine. Hush love. T'was what you chose to forget, what your soul trembles to remember. It's a fearful burden to bear. I can take it from you again, if you wish, or you can hold it to your heart, all the memories both good and bad. I'll not keep you here if you wish to leave…"

He clung to her, sobbing. "Why are we so different? Why are you so strong?" he demanded.
She smiled sadly, and whispered, "I am not strong, but because I had you, I could handle some of the memories that are hurting you. Without you, I would choose to forget everything and everyone-even you."
Javert looked up into her face. "I will not leave you, Lady Ysaderia. Do you think…if I fetch the magic flower again, you could cast the spell…to ease this horrible pain in my heart?"
"Of course, Javert. As many times as you wish."
Ysaderia and Javert are elves living in a palace haunted by spirits...and Javert questions why they remain...
© 2012 - 2024 AmnesiaRose
Comments4
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Bhabayagga's avatar
Wow. Sent the chills down my spine. It's a beautiful, yet sad story....