He tried walking in the garden that afternoon. But, his muscles weren’t used to anything but rest. He had only walked for five minutes, perhaps if even that, when his shoulder gave way and his bad right foot hit the wooden walkways that led further into the gardens. In the end, Jun and Shou had to carry him back to the room.

Whenever his leg touched something, in a particular angle, it burst forth within him a sudden searing ache. A reprimand from his own body.

Useless, he thought. What a stupid thing. Can’t you see I need to walk?

Narumi was alarmed. But, once back in his bed, the ache turned into a background noise of a city: constantly there, but barely being recognised. It throbbed like a metronome, and he drifted off to another dreamless sleep in the evening.

Late at night, Narumi brought the cats. She was carrying the one with the white dusty fur and striking blue eyes, with a brown nose and a fluffy tail. The other, the black one, with its round amber eyes, strutted around her - too proud and perhaps too heavy, perhaps even a size too large, for Narumi to lift.

Ylinat.

But, whether because Narumi was present, or whether because that had been some sort of fever dream, the cat said nothing more than a reluctant meow when Narumi reached across to pet Kurocchi.

“This is Mimi!” She patted the white dusty fluffy tailed one. “You wouldn’t remember her. We got her after your … uhhh, incident.”

“Hello, Mimi,” Kuro said. She gave his fingers a little sniff before running her whiskers across them.

Word had reached her that their mother would be back the day after. He wondered what sort of a woman she was. He wondered what she would be thinking about - her son awake and walking after three years. He felt guilty again for not having even one strand of memory of hers remaining, not even how she looked like.

“Perhaps we’ll go to Hisaka now,” Narumi said. “She’s going to be so happy!” She gave him a hug that he couldn’t dodge, squishing Kurocchi in between them.

“What about our older brother? Naoya - was that his name?”

“He’s … a busy man. The last I saw of him was two years ago. You know, … work. He’s a knight of the Ashen Rangers.”

“What the hell is that?”

“Oh, they are the coolest and the most famous Order of Knights. The ones that are gathered across the Empire to fight obakemono. Kyaaa, some of them are so handsome.”

He imagined regiments and people mounted on horses. A military man. Vain and proud? Or, with humble nobility.

“So,” she continued. “Naoya rarely comes back to home. Most of the time, he spends in Ankyo.”

“Then, you’re mostly alone with our parents.”

“Mostly mother, yes. … Father is a really busy man, and spends more than half of his time in Hisaka.”

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A lonely child.

“Did you tell your friends about me?”

She looked a little abashed.

“Well …,” she hummed, looked away, and whispered to no one. “Most of them are in Castle Hisaka…”

She lies.

The black cat was looking at him, its pupils round and wide and dark like the endless depths of the oceans. Kuro didn’t say anything back. He waited.

She is tutored by five teachers everyday. She never goes out. Such is the way.

You follow her to Castle Hisaka? Kuro thought.

The last time she went there was an year ago, now.

Kuro nodded.

There were two emotions floating within him now - first, that the early morning wasn’t a dream, which made him feel a certain sense of relief. But whatever a cat that could talk to him within his mind meant, it had to wait. The second desire was a burning one - that was to protect, that was to cherish.

“I will sit with your tutors from tomorrow morning,” he said.

“Huh?”

“I was gone for three years. I have missed all my lessons. Mother and Father would be happy to know I was up reading with you, since, if I’m incorrect, you are the same age now that I was when my accident happened. So, I’m at the same level as you now. I shall read with you. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Yes,” she said, sounding a lot happier. “Yes, that would be fun.”

----------------------------------------

Stay, he thought, pretending to sleep when at last Narumi left for her own room.

He peeked just a bit to see the eyes of a cat reflecting shades of glittering amber in the darkness.

“We need to talk,” he said. “Kurocchi.”

It is not yet the time, my lord.

“You will answer my questions,” he said. “And you will answer them now, and truly.”

Ah, the cat answer. That might be … difficult, to do so truly. Press me not why.

“Why?”

The tail swished. There might be things watching.

“I thought cats could hear and see far more than us,” he said. “There are surely no eavesdroppers in this place?”

It is not the humans that I am afraid of.

“Then whom, Ylinat?”

That name is not safe.

“Why?”

There might be things watching.

They were going in circles.

“Tell me at least how do you know me? Cats don’t talk like this. You are not cat. Then what are you?”

You are my lord, to whom I owe my word and my loyalty. This is the absolute truth. But, it is best I help you from the shadows. Here, I am your namesake, and a cat. It is best I remain so. But, understand this, my lord, that every step of the way, I shall remain with you.

“Who am I, Kurocchi?”

At this point, the cat’s eyes narrowed. Even I cannot tell.

Kuro, lay back down on his pillow and looked at the roof. The woodwork showed straight lines of polished wood. Simple, but the joints at the end were entirely without nails. They were bold and large, and looked like the works of a master carpenter. No expenses had been spared at the support, even though there were no ornaments on the wood, like houses of the great and the old and the important that were floating from the depths of his memories. And he liked it that way.

Perhaps, my lord, the cat said. You will find out who you are by yourself, and soon. That is for the best. But, fear not, I will be your aid.

“Good,” Kuro said. “I will need to rely on cats. Faithful cats. Never thought I’d see this day. Do you know what coffee is?”

I beg your pardon?

“Coffee.”

Never heard of this. Is this some human invention?

“A drink, in fact.”

The cat swished the tail multiple times. Not very fond of – human drinks. Except for milk. But, then, it comes from cows, does it not?

“Yes. Buffaloes and goats too, in fact. Be thankful that they serve you. Milk and coffee go together well.”

Then, I might try it.

“Were you always a cat?” He pressed on.

No. But, I love being one. Sleep all day, get petted, eat good food, catch mice. It’s a good life.

“You won’t tell me what you were?”

It doesn’t matter what I was. Know this - I was, then I was not. Now what I will be will depend on you.

He was, then he was not. And now I am, but without knowing who I was. Things started aligning in his head.

“Good night, Kurocchi,” he told the cat.

Sleep, my lord. Sleep well. Much is to be done. Ere I go, I must tell you to insist that you will go to Castle Hisaka as well.

“Why?”

My nose tells me mischief is afoot.