Once back at the porte-cochère, I follow the paved path to the right that leads around the keep to where the stables are. To the left, sitting flush with the walls of the keep, is a covered area where several carriages of varying size are stored. The smaller of them are plainly colored and adorned with the Braemar crest which is simply a shield adorned with a large tree with twin bears on either side, the roots of the tree were spread across the bottom, breaking free of the confines of the shield. The larger ones are more ornate, with gold and silver filigree decorating the trim, and are adorned with the family crest as well.

  The stables proper is a large structure that is enclosed with two large doors that are currently standing open facing me. Curious, I wander in, my guard detail stopping at the door and taking post, two to either side. Immediately on my left I see a huge chestnut colored stallion his body thickly covered in muscles.

  Goliath. His name comes to me unbidden and I know that he is my dad’s horse.

  Walking over to him, I raise my hand and he presses his cheek into it, nuzzling me gently.

  “Hi there.” I say, knowing that he can’t understand what I am saying, but not really caring. “H-how are you, Goliath?”

  He snorts softly as if responding and swings his head towards me, bumping me on the shoulder.

  “Is that so?” I respond with a smile. “Well, I’ll talk to the s-stable master and see that you are given an extra serving of oats for dinner since you have b-been such a good boy.”

  I reach up and pet him on his forehead causing him to lower his head for me so I give him a soft kiss just above his nose.

  I move on to the next stall which houses a grey mare whose name I instantly knew is Féth. She is my mother’s horse and she has a cold attitude that matches my mother’s. Seeing the attention Goliath had received, she just tosses her head and eyes me with disdain, so I move on to next stall with a young blue roan.

  “Rún.”

  A memory surfaces of the day my dad presented Rún to me. It was on the day I turned thirteen and Rún had only been born just a few hours prior. He knew that I had wanted a horse of my own because I had been begging him nearly constantly for one leading up to my birthday. The morning of, my dad led me down to the stables and introduced us to one another. I instantly fell in love with the adorable colt and asked my daddy what his name was. He told my that I would have to ask the foal myself, so I did and listened very hard for a response but heard nothing. It wasn’t until months later, after weaning started, that his name came to me as I was grooming him, which was something my father insisted I do daily to bond with him. And groom him daily I did, with the only exceptions being when social functions left me little time to do so. Mom wasn’t a huge fan of it because you tend to get dirty and smell a bit after a grooming session, but she never told me I couldn’t and made sure I had the time to care for Rún with my regular schedule. There was even a minor spat between Mom and Dad over it, but in the end, she gave in.

  Thankfully, no memories of my old life pull me in at the same time, as they have done in the past when I had a somewhat relevant memory as Michael. One thing I have noticed in the past couple of days is that when I remember something from my life as Michael, the memory has been getting distorted. Instead of being Michael, in the memories, I am Beira, and the events in the memory are slightly different than they actually happened. The last couple of times I have had a memory of my old life, I have had to stop and focus on the memory, lest the inconsistencies persist.

  I sigh to myself and wonder just how much Damian’s mistake is going to affect my sense of self. I already have started to feel as if I am slipping away bit by bit due to the, as Damian put it, bleed effect on my memory. I’m ok possessing two distinct sets of memories, but when the set of memories that are the core for making me into who I am change, it is worrying. I am getting to where I can no longer recognize that they have changed and they have even started to blend with Beira’s.

  I just have to keep reminding myself of who I am because it is a terrifying thought, losing who you are.

  Now, as I stand outside Rún’s stall reaching towards him, he comes up to me and presses his head into my hand. I pet him gently and press my forehead to his.

  “How are you doing, Rún?” I say softly, knowing he can hear me just fine. “I’m sorry I haven’t b-been around recently to take care of you. Don’t worry though, I’m going to speak to mother and make s-sure she allows me time to groom you every day now that I am doing much better.”

  I hug his head and give him a kiss.

  “Don’t w-worry, I’ll talk to Thomas…” I stop, trying to remember who Thomas is when it comes to me that he is the head groom. “I’ll tell him to give you an apple or two this afternoon. I m-missed you.”

  It feels odd saying that, I personally had never met Rún before this moment and yet, I feel a deep connection to him.

  Giving him a final pat on the cheek and gently booping his nose, I wander off to find the head groom.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  I find Thomas outside, on the other side of the stable that leads into the large paddock where the horses are taken for exercise and training. He leading a short black mare that I don’t recognize back to the stables. Seeing me hurrying to the side of the path so I don’t get in his way, his handsome face breaks into a smile.

  “Lady Beira, you are looking absolutely lovely today.” He says greeting me. “How are your feeling? Rún has been agitated since he hasn’t been able to see you. Honestly, he has been down right unruly at times since your accident.”

  “I am feeling much b-better, Thomas.” I reply with a smile. “And as for Rún, I just had a little talk with him. He s-said to tell you that after his exercise this afternoon, if you s-slip him an apple or two, he will consider being much more amicable.”

  “Is that so, My Lady? Then I guess I’ll have to do that and make sure he holds up his end of the bargain.” He says wittily, adding a playful wink at the end.

  “Since you are down here, does that mean that the Lady Beira is planning on resuming her personal caring for the young roan?” Thomas asks hopefully.

  “I’m going to talk to mother about making some time in my s-schedule for his grooming, though I would like to have a hand in his training too, but I don’t know if that will be p-possible for the near future.”

  “Well, just let me know when you are ready and have the time, and I’ll set you up to take over his training. He always responds better to you anyway.” He says before patting the mare he had been leading on the shoulder. “That’s enough chit chatting for now, I need to get old Helda squared away before the rain starts.”

  “Rain?” I ask

  He points to the sky and sure enough, dark grey clouds are rolling in, blocking out the sun. Thomas starts to move away when I stop him again, remembering my promise to Goliath.

  “Hey, Thomas?”

  “Yes, Lady Beira?”

  “See to it that Goliath gets s-some extra oats as well, please. I told him I would make sure it happens.”

  Thomas chuckles and nods his head.

  “Consider it done, My Lady.”

  With a little spring in my step, I make my way back towards the front of the stables, collect my guard detail, and head back into the keep proper. Realizing I still have a little bit of time on my hands before lunch, I decide to check out some of the doors that are on the way to the dining room, just to see where they lead.

  I approach the large oak door nearest me and push it open. It is a heavy door, but swings open easily enough. I peek my head in to see a thin man in his mid-twenties with teal green hair sitting behind a desk piled high with papers. He looks up from the file he has in his hand and, recognizing me, leaps to his feet before bowing deeply.

  “My Lady Beira!” He says a little too loud. “What may I help you with?”

  From inside the room, I hear a familiar voice.

  “Beira?”

  I turn my head to look toward the back of the room and see my father sitting behind an even larger desk with even larger stacks of papers sitting upon it.

  “Dad- erm, I mean, Y-your Grace.” I say pushing the door the rest of the way open and giving a small curtsy.

  “Well, come on in, lass.” My father says in his rich rumbly voice. “And close the door before these papers get scattered about and cause Micah to have a fit because he’ll be the one to have to resort them.”

  I hastily step in and close the door behind me.

  I quickly take in the room, which has my father’s touch all over it. To the right of the door sat the smaller desk with the thin man, presumably Micah. In the center of the room is a huge fur rug that take up a fair amount of floor space. The rug appears to be made from a bear, as evidenced by the head with matching fur that is mounted on one wall. The rug and the head are much larger than any bear I can remember from Earth being. Toward the rear of the room was the larger desk that belonged to the duke. And behind it and him, was a huge window that would let light flood the room during the day, were it not currently cloudy outside.

  “Hmm, I thought we were going to have to light some candles since it has clouded up outside.” I hear Micah mutter to no one in particular. “But it suddenly brightened up a bit in here. Curious.”

  “What brings you to my office today, lass?” My father asks, a cheery smile on his face.

  “I was just c-curious what was in here, Your Grace.” I reply, addressing him formally since one of his subordinates is in the room. “I am trying to refamiliarize myself with the k-keep and it’s grounds since…”

  I trail off, looking at Micah.

  “Oh, he knows, Beira. Everyone in the keep knows.” My father says. “And you don’t have to address me so formally when there is just staff around.”

  “Of c-course, father. I shall remember that.” I say giving a slightly more sarcastic curtsey which make the duke chuckle.

  “As I was s-saying,” I continue, “I was trying to refamiliarize myself due to the gaps in my memory s-since my accident.”

  “I see.” The duke replies and motions me over to a nearby chair that I hadn’t noticed before. Once I sit, Micah sits back down and continues on with his work as if nothing happened, completely ignoring me. “So, anything interesting that you found?”

  “Well, I found my way to the f-front gates of the keep grounds, then, on the way back, I found a creek and there were deer drinking from it. After that, I figured I needed to head back to the keep s-since lunch will be served soon, but I did stop by the s-stable and saw Rún.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, he was just like I re-remembered him being, just bigger, obviously.” I say nodding enthusiastically. “Anyway, I told him I am s-sorry for not being around for so long and p-p-promised him an apple or two as an apology. I also s-spoke to Thomas who told me that Rún has been a bit unruly since my accident and absence.”

  “Yes, I believe Thomas had mentioned something about that to Gilbert.” My father said thoughtfully.

  Who is Gilbert?

  “S-so, I was thinking, s-since I found you here, maybe you could talk to mom for me and get her to allow me enough time to start grooming him again?” And then in a somewhat softer voice. “And maybe start helping with his t-training?”

  My dad smiles.

  “Of course, I’ll talk to her. She knows how important it is for you to be involved in Rún’s daily life, while he is still young.” He says.

  “Thank you, daddy!” I say, rising quickly from my seat. I go to him and give him a hug. “I r-really appreciate it.”

  The duke ruffles my hair just like he used to when I was a child and I give him and exasperated look, just like I did back then.

  “Now, it’s time for lunch. Would you care to accompany, lass?” My dad asks, holding his elbow out for me to thread my arm through his.

  “Of course!” I say beaming as we make our way out of the office.

  “Ugh, it’s getting dark in here again.” I hear Micah complain from his desk as the door closes behind us.