"Are you having problems with your memory?"

He was looking around the inn, he actually seemed unaware that he was even here before he regained consciousness. He appeared extremely timid like he had to wait for the perfect moment just to get out a single word. Even as he spoke he stumbled over himself, like he wasn't sure about what he wanted to say while he was saying it.

"I don't think so. I remember walking on a path on the way to some village, I'm pretty sure it was this one."

"Do you remember where you came from?"

"Yeah, I was at my home before this. My parents sent me out to chase the... dog."

Well, it's painstakingly clear that he's lying. I don't really care enough to wonder why, he's probably just some runaway who's mad that his parents didn't get him every single thing under the sun. I don't need another responsibility when I'm already going to be spending the next half of the year making up for this incident. I may as well find myself serenading her in the pouring rain, maybe a pathetic display of that level will provoke some sympathy from her, and maybe I can find her good graces once more.

The innkeeper pulled me to the side so our conversation could not be heard by the child.

"I can see that you are contemplating abandoning this child. Before you make what may be your worst choice yet let me offer you a different solution. You want to make amends with the girl do you not?"

"Sure."

"And she left you a note asking you to take care of this child, did she not?"

"She said to deal with it. I'm sure turning away some likely spoiled brat fulfills that criteria. Hell, I'm sure that she would make the same choice if she were in my position."

"In what world would she ever see a child covered in rags walking alone throughout Rheadrith and deliver them to you just to expect that you would turn them away, ignore whatever plea they have come to deliver?"

So she did come back with the kid after our fight.

"So what are you asking of me, that I take him with me somewhere? If he is as spoiled as I think him to be he'll probably run away again when I don't fulfill his every need."

"Maybe, but how will you ever know what will happen if you do not give him a chance first? Your entire life you have chosen to take risks, you have navigated through every conflict headfirst without hesitation, so what is it about what seems to be someone who has found themselves in an unfortunate circumstance that fills you with suspicion? Why do you see a child who clearly requires help even if only in the slightest degree and presume that because they are not entirely truthful in their words they have some ulterior motive to defraud you, to steal that which you have?"

Unfortunately, he wasn't wrong. I was being particularly cynical, likely because of the quick progression of events over the last twelve or so hours. I owed it to this kid to at least give him a chance, even if he wanted to find someone who would give him everything he asked for, if he had come from Elknid like I suspected he surely has come long enough to be rewarded in some regard. There's no way he could realistically take something of great value from me anyway. At the end of the day, he doesn't pose any risk to me.

I turned back to the kid, he was still on edge. Every moment that passed seemed like one that he could prepare to run, or maybe try his luck at striking me down. If he had truly gone around the capital he's probably been running for his life from each dawn to the next for around a month. I would think that no child of nobility, no matter how greedy would ever go to such lengths just to get whatever they want in the fleeting moment that they express that want. As I prepared to speak to him I knelt down so we were at the same height, hopefully it would make me appear more friendly.

"Listen, do you need a place to stay?"

He nodded. I hope we're not back to purely nonverbal communication.

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"I have a cottage over on the outskirts of Cyndor that I haven't used for a fair while. I bought it back when I would have colleagues over often so the place has several bedrooms. Since it would be unusually cruel of me to leave some poor child alone how about I bring you with me there, and I'll take care of you until your memory comes back and we can find whoever you truly belong to."

"Would you really be fine with that?"

"Don't hold back now, you've already gone through the painful journey of getting sympathy from me. Doubling down on the emotional blackmail will only make me regret the decision I've just made."

His face lit up and then he giggled. He had one of those smiles that people yearn to see again and again. The type of smile that makes you feel rewarded just for being around them when they're happy. At that moment I chuckled too, I didn't want to be left out of this pivotal moment in his life. It had been so long since I'd had a moment to just laugh, to be there with someone who I knew, at least in that fleeting moment-

Well, they were someone who I could at least believe was better off with me there. Believing was enough, enough to make me feel needed, enough to give me some sort of support.

We stayed another night at the inn, the innkeeper ensured that he was well-fed and rested while I went around town preparing for our journey on horseback. There was no way that he'd survive if I brought him with me by chain, he'd either get blown away or injured in some other manner. Plus, I needed some time to relax after the hectic day I'd experienced just before. The five days we would take to get to my cottage would allow me a brief period to fully grasp what I would do about my now discordant relationship with Alena.

The next day came and we set off on our carriage. The child only had his katana and pocket watch with him, and I did not have much of value with me either. As so to not expend the resources of the now nearly bankrupt innkeeper I gave him a thousand Melus, and I paid another five hundred in the local market to procure proper food and water for the five nights we would be on the road. The first day on the road was spent mostly in silence. I was imagining scenarios in my head about the various ways I could approach Alena should I ever find a viable opportunity to do as such, and I'm sure the kid was thinking about what the cottage would be like. Eventually, the silence was broken by the coachman who prefaced a story about notable people he'd had the opportunity to ride with a question about whether the child was from some special family. We stopped for the night at a military outpost on the eastern border of the Aerdal woods, and while the kid slept soundly I was unable to fall asleep at all, kept awake by the sounds of the bonfire in the middle of the outpost. The second day took us through the royal capital. I only poked my head out of the carriage to get us through the various checkpoints, if any of the townsfolk had caught wind of my appearance they wouldn't hesitate to swarm me, eventually I'd be escorted to the palace and have to deal with the entire family fawning over me. The second night was spent in an inn right near the west gate of Prymdor. I was able to get some sleep after asking the barkeeper to shut down early. I awoke in the morning to the same swarm of citizens I had hoped not to meet, but I was luckily able to escape on the carriage, and I made my way through the checkpoint and out of the capital. The third day was spent making our way to Cyndor. That night there was no structure on the road where we could stop to rest, so we set up camp a fair ways off the road so we would not be seen by any individual who prefers to lurk around carriage roads in the night looking for an opportunity to profit from another's misfortune. That night, I awoke to a full moon and the absence of the child. I immediately called upon my chains and quickly found the child in a nearby ditch. As I was approaching him, I saw a bright pink glow around his figure, I chalked it up to a lack of sleep. He said that he heard a noise near our camp in the night that sent him running in fear, and before he knew it he had fallen into the ditch I found him in. I didn't care to evaluate whether he was telling the truth or not, I was far too tired.

The fourth and fifth days went by without any issues. We slept in Cyndor on the fourth night and had arrived at the cottage by the fifth. I had resolved myself to apologize should I ever see Alena again. Regardless of how right I was, if I was even right at all. I immediately made a fool of myself by exploiting her past just for a few short moments of expressing my anger. There is nothing in the world that can measure her loyalty to me over the past thirteen years that we've known each other. I liked to tease her about how she would often act so angry during whatever temporary argument we were participating in but be so keen to make amends later on, so how could I make myself a hypocrite when our entire relationship could be rebuilt with just a little bit of honesty?

I realized when we got to the cottage that I had yet to ask for the kid's name. Five days on the road and I hadn't mentioned it once. He was running around the cottage looking through every room, as though it was some new property promised to him as a gift. I stopped him as he came down the stairs.

"I've forgotten to ask this until now, but it's awfully important that I know your name."

"Right."

He was panting from running around the cottage. He took a few seconds to settle his breath before fully answering my question.

"Koyo, my name is Koyo."

Well, shit.

I didn't know he was alive.