"By all means, finish eating"

The pink haired man watched them hawkishly; a few minutes had passed and he was yet to say a word. They regarded him with the same suspicion.

"*What do you -*"

They open their mouth to speak and then pause, confusion coloring their featured as no words come out

'W-what? I can't speak? why can't I -'

They try once more, clamping their lips shut as the revelation dawn's

"I... I'm mute?'

Their realization is cut short as the pink haired man clears his throat, he shifts in his chair, the leather armor he wears squeaking

"I have things to do, important things, so I'd like this to be as quick as people for the both of us" he pauses

"As you must have realized, you cannot speak"

They purse their lips and the pink haired man continues "My name is Davic, I'm with the city watch and I'm here to ask you a few questions"

They blanche 'I can't speak, how will I -'

"I'll ask you yes or no questions, nod for yes and shake your head for no" Davic drones

'Oh' They nod their head in acceptance and the pink haired man began

"Do you know where they found you?"

They shook their head in the negative, brows furrowed

"I find that hard to believe" Davic stated "That you just some how wound up in the middle of the bazaar, right next to the merchant's guild most honorary member"

'Merchants guild... most honorary member?' The confusion on their face was clear

"And in such a state too, funny thing, no one seems to know where it is you came from, I've spoken to most of the surrounding shop owners and they all say the same thing, you just appeared in the middle of the road, that's not possible, now is it?" Davic raised a brow

'I...' They absorb the new information, still confused, they did not know anything about anything, all the places the man opposite them mentioned seemed to float right over their head, all the things he said were foreign.

"You know the kind of scandal you've caused, things like this, people appearing by your place of business half dead isn't a good thing, especially when you're so far from ordinary" there was a pause, where Davic examined their disposition.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" he asked

They tried to think on it and found their memory was blank, the first thing they remembered was waking up, there was nothing before that.

'I don't... remember' They shook their head in the negative

Davic hummed and then he smiled, the action caused them to blink in surprise, a little unsettled at the sudden change in expression.

"I may not look it, but, I'm actually part of the investigative division, know what that means?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

They shook their head

"The difference between a truth and a lie is a few hundred days in a cell" Davic stared "So if I were you, from now on, I'd answer as carefully and honestly as you can"

'What?' They blinked

"The situation is ridiculously suspicious, especially you" Davic paused "You know, there's ways to get information out of people that won't talk, even that won't save you"

'E-eh? What is happening right now?' They thought 'I'm... being suspected?'

"Are you with the Iyes?" Davic asks suddenly

'...Eyes? What is -'

They opened their mouth, closing it with a wince, they had no idea what was going on, but there was no way they would -

'Even if I was, how would I know? I don't remember anything! B-but -'

They shook their head on the negative, watching Davic narrow his eyes at them

"And the tattoo, what, is it just a creative design?" he asks

'Tattoo? what tattoo?' They blink, then shake their head and shrug

"Hey kid, I said it was a bad idea to lie to me, didn't I?" Davic glowered

'But I'm not - am I? I don't... I don't know whether I'm lying or not, I can't remember, and I cannot get that across, what If I was, what even was an 'eye'? criminals? otherwise why would they inspire this level of animosity? if I was I'd be put in a cell? for how long? what the hell do I do?' They contemplated the situation, the thought of claiming to be something they did not even know about left them irritated, in the end they decided to stick with their decision, glaring at the man opposite them.

"Any family or guardians?" Davic asked

'Ah' They blinked, even that they did not know, was there really no one important to them? what about the person that they saw -

They shook their head in the negative

"No? You're alone in the city?" He asked

'I... I don't know' They realize

"Well?" Davic prompts

They shrug at the question

The pink haired man scoffed, pinching the bridge of his nose

"Why do I always get involved with the troublesome kids?" he asked out loud

They glared, irritated at the labeling

"Listen kid, are you in trouble of some kind?" Davic asked

Well, even that was a question they could not answer. They shrugged in response and Davic stared

"Any plans to leave the city soon?" He asked

'I have no idea, but, where would I even go? I don't know anywhere or anyone'

They shook their head in the negative and Davic stood up

"Are you in trouble of some kind?" he asked

They blinked, there was no way to know, was there? They didn't think so; or weren't they already - after all their situation was already troublesome

They shook their head in the negative and Davic stared

"Last question, and think on it well" he paused "since I entered this room, since I began to ask you questions, have you lied to me?"

'I ... I don't think so' They pursed their lips, all the same they could have lied and not known, they exhaled and shook their head 'As far as I know, I've been honest'

"Alright then, you're healed enough that you can leave whenever, I'll send an apprentice in later, take care of yourself"

And with that the man was gone.

They stared at the door he just left through and then with a sigh fell back onto the bed

'Just what kind of person was I?'

They raised a hand, inspecting dirt filled fingernails and bronze skin.

Whoever they were, they were the kind of person to end up like this, that did not feel them with confidence, just what was it that happened to them that they would lose even their sense of identity

'I don't even know my name'

They scoffed, and then chuckled, the situation was ridiculously suspicious, as Davic had said, to them, right now, it was just hilarious, the chuckles turned to giggles till they were laughing at the ceiling.

For the second time that day, their room door is opened, they sit up and watch as a young woman draped in white robes approaches

'Who...?'

"My name is Ravki, Davic sent me, the soft hearted fool" she said as way of introduction, smiling disarmingly "I'm an apprentice"

They nodded, noticing that she held a bundle of clothing in a hand, she followed their gaze with hazel eyes

"Ah, clothes for you" she said "You're lucky they found you when they did"

The clothes are set on the bed beside them

"I'd like to do a final check and then you can leave" Ravki said

She placed a hand on their forehead and then after a moment pulled away

'That's it?'

She smiled at them "You're all good" suddenly reaching uo to ruffle their head

They were stunned into inaction, and she pulls away, sensing their discomfort

"Sorry, you just reminded me of my younger brother" she said

They smiled at her to put her at ease

"Stay out of trouble" she told them and left them alone again.

A quick look through the clothes they were given revealed a loose tunic and pants and two silver coins

'Coins? A mistake?' They wondered 'or a gift?'

They shrugged, there were more important things to worry about, where they were was one, getting out of this place was another.