Chapter 10
Fendwyr
I woke with a start, my heart pounding in my chest as I found myself in an unfamiliar bed, surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar room. The air was thick with smoke, the scent of expensive cigars and perfume hanging heavy around me. I blinked, trying to make sense of my surroundings, but everything was hazy, distorted, like a reflection seen through rippling water. What was going on here? I asked myself.
The room was dimly lit, filled with shadows that danced and flickered as candlelight cast its glow upon them. I could make out the shapes of people moving about, their faces obscured by the gloom. I heard muffled conversations, laughter, and the clinking of glassware - a party, perhaps? It was possible, but I couldn't know for sure. Not without checking it out in person.
I pushed myself upright, my body protesting at the sudden movement. My head spun, and I had to grip the edge of the mattress to steady myself. What had happened? How did I get here? I didn't know. And perhaps the most striking thing about this was that I was aware there was something odd about it.
As my vision cleared, I took in the opulent decor of the room. The four-poster bed I lay in was draped in rich velvet curtains, the sheets beneath me soft and silken. The walls were papered in an intricate pattern, and the floor was covered in plush rugs. This was no ordinary place; it was a palace, a mansion... But whose? The question remained in my mind, and I didn't know if I would get the answer anytime soon.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet sinking into the luxurious carpet. I stood, wavering slightly before gaining my balance. I was dressed in clothes that didn't belong to me - a waistcoat, a cravat, and breeches, all made of fine materials that felt foreign against my skin. I looked down at myself, running a hand along the front of the waistcoat, tracing the embroidered patterns.
What was going on? Where was I? And why couldn't I remember anything?
A noise caught my attention - footsteps approaching the door. I turned just as it opened, revealing a young woman carrying a tray laden with food and drink. She paused when she saw me, her eyes widening in surprise. And her shock was understandable.
"Sir,"she said, curtseying."You're awake. I'll inform Master that you've risen."
Before I could ask who 'Master' was, she hurried off, leaving me alone once more. I sighed, rubbing my temples as I tried to force my mind to work, to remember something, anything...
All of a sudden, a loud commotion erupted outside the room. Voices raised, glasses shattered, and I could hear the distinct sound of flesh hitting flesh. A fight, perhaps? Intrigued, I moved towards the door, throwing it open to reveal chaos unfolding in the hallway beyond.
People were shouting, pushing, shoving one another as they tried to escape the fray. In the middle of it all, I saw him—a blond-haired man with green eyes, struggling to keep his footing amidst the pandemonium. He was slight, almost delicate, and yet there was a fierce determination in his gaze as he fought to maintain his ground. He was biting off more than he could chew, yet his determination never wavered.
Without thinking, I stepped forward, grabbing hold of his arm and pulling him away from the crowd. His eyes widened in shock, but he didn't struggle against my hold.
It was as though he had kind of expected it.
Instead, he allowed himself to be led to safety, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.
"What's your name?"I asked, releasing my grip on his arm only after we'd put some distance between ourselves and the brawl. And I would surely ask him about the fight.
He hesitated for a moment before answering,"Gustall. And yours?"
"Fendwyr,"I replied right away, my mind still racing. Why did this stranger feel so familiar? Why did saying our names aloud seem to solidify something between us? It didn't make any sense.
We stared at each other in silence, the cacophony of the fighting fading into background noise as we became lost in each other's gaze. There was something undeniable passing between us, a connection that transcended words, that spoke of a shared history, of destiny intertwined.
"Are you alright?"Gustall asked finally, breaking the spell."You look... confused."
"That's because I am,"I admitted, running a hand through my hair."I don't know how I got here, or what's happening. Everything feels strange, surreal... It's like I'm in some sort of dream, but that can't be true."
His expression softened, and he reached out, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder."It's probably just the drink,"he said gently."You've been asleep for hours, and you were drinking so much before."
I was drinking too much? I thought, frowning. Or was there something else at play here?
But before I could voice my doubts, Gustall continued,"Come on, let's find somewhere quiet to sit down. You need to rest."He smiled, guiding me back inside the room I'd awakened in earlier.
We settled ourselves onto the plush chairs near the window, the faint light of the moon casting long shadows across the room. I leaned back, closing my eyes briefly as I tried to gather my thoughts, to make sense of the whirlwind of events.
"You mentioned I've been asleep for hours,"I began, opening my eyes to look at Gustall."How long have I been here? Do you know what brought me to this place?"
Gustall shifted in his seat, looking down at his hands folded in his lap."Well, you arrived earlier today,"he said slowly."You were... not yourself, if you understand my meaning. Confused, disoriented. You kept rambling about seeing things, knowing people from another time."
My brows furrowed as I processed his words. So, I had been like this since this morning? That explained the strange clothing, and the unfamiliar surroundings. But it didn't explain why I felt such a deep connection to this man, or why my dreams seemed so real, so vivid. Or why, in some way, this also felt like a dream.
"And you've been taking care of me all this time?"I asked, my voice softening as I took in his delicate features, the way his blond hair complemented his face. He radiated an aura of gentleness, of kindness that seemed at odds with the opulence surrounding us.
He blushed slightly at my question, looking up at me through lowered lashes."Yes, well, someone had to,"he murmured."Besides, it wasn't any trouble. You're... interesting company, Fendwyr."
Interesting company? I wanted to laugh at the understatement, but something held me back. Perhaps it was the sincerity in his voice, the way his eyes shone with genuine curiosity as he looked at me.
"But why do you think I was acting that way?"I pressed, needing to understand, to grasp at some explanation for the strangeness of my behavior."Do you know what caused it?"
Gustall hesitated, biting his lower lip as he considered his response."I can't say for certain,"he admitted."But I believe it might have something to do with the necklace you were wearing when you first arrived."
Necklace? I touched my throat, finding nothing but bare skin."What necklace?"I asked, my frown deepening. What was he talking about?
"It was beautiful,"Gustall said."A silver chain with a locket pendant, inscribed with symbols I couldn't decipher. When I tried to take it off you, you became agitated, aggressive even. So, I left it alone, hoping that once you woke up, you'd tell me more about it."
I nodded, trying to remember anything about a necklace, but coming up blank. Whatever had triggered these visions, whatever had led me to this place, it was clear that I had no memory of it.
"Do you think it's important?"I asked, leaning forward in my chair."The necklace, I mean. Could it be connected to why I keep having these... dreams?"
Gustall shrugged, his eyes darting away from mine."I honestly don't know,"he said."But maybe if we found it, we could figure out what's going on. Wherever you hid it, perhaps?"
I glanced around the room, my gaze landing on the bed where I had awoken earlier. On a hunch, I walked over to it, lifting the mattress to reveal a small, hidden compartment beneath. I wasn't as surprised about the finding as I thought I was going to be.
Inside, nestled among dusty blankets, lay the very necklace Gustall had described—a delicate silver chain with a locket pendant, adorned with intricate symbols that seemed to dance and shift in the moonlight.
"Here it is,"I murmured, holding it up for him to see. The metal was cool against my fingers, the weight familiar somehow, as if I had held it a thousand times before.
Gustall stood, moving closer to examine the piece. His eyes widened as he took in the details, tracing the patterns etched into the surface."These symbols..."he whispered."I'm not sure, but maybe they remind me of something, something ancient, almost forgotten..."