It had taken her longer than she’d liked, but Nis had finally located an entrance to the little apartment within the caves that didn’t require her to go swimming. It had taken what felt like ages to pull all the dead weeds that had hidden the remains of a small, ornate gate. Even longer to get the gate repaired enough to allow her entrance with some of the furniture that she’d managed to haul up. And, as she’d expected, the chaise lounge that she’d squirreled away for herself fit the area just as if it had been made for her.

As she sat in the soft glow of battery powered lights, Nis looked around the little apartment proudly. It had taken months to get even this far with making the place feel less ghostly. Why, she’d even found an alcove in the stone that might have once been a little wardrobe. And if it hadn’t been, well…? It was now thanks to a spray painted shower rod and some pretty, gauzy material. She had a robe and a couple of sets of pajamas stored away as well as a few books and a basket of little projects that she could work on at her leisure if she ever decided to stay a while. And one one shelf, near a tiny desk that she’d put together sat the flask that Almadel the Merchant had traded to her. She’d gone through every scrap in the apartment that hadn’t become dust, hoping to understand why she felt the connection she did to the silly thing. Thus far, she hadn’t found a damned thing. If she really wanted to be honest with herself, she didn’t expect to find anything. Too much time had passed for any records past her might have kept. And even if she found anything intact, she wouldn’t be able to read it.

Too much time had passed.

Standing up, Nis scooped the flask into her hand, fingers tracing the symbol and accompanying inscription absently as she wandered over to the edge of the lake that came into the cave. This flask was important. She knew that just like she knew her own name. She just wished that she could remember why.

With a sigh, she sat on the edge of the rock and dangled her feet into the water, letting her eyes lose focus as she became lost in thought.

“It’s not fair,” a soft voice muttered rebelliously, thick with unshed tears. “Why do you have to go with him? Even Pleebie hates him! Animals know about these things!”

“You know as well as I do,” Nis heard herself replying, her hand reaching out to clasp a pale, shaking hand and squeeze it affectionately. “Political alliances must be made to help protect this place. And he’s not so bad. Just… well…”

“Exactly!” the voice replied with a snort as Nis felt a hand on her cheek, forcing her to turn and look into the deepest lilac blue eyes she’d even seen in her life. She could, would and had happily drowned within those eyes at every opportunity. “Don’t marry him. Please? Stay with me. Or I can stay here with you. Pleebie likes me, you know.”

Yes. Nis knew that her charge loved the girl with the lilac blue eyes as well. Even as they both sat dangling their feet in the water. She knew Pleebie (honestly, who had given her charge such a name?) was watching the pair of them, it’s enormous eye glowing softly just under the water.

“I can’t renege,” she said wearily, her own voice cracking. “A knight can’t break an oath given without very bad things happening. And I won’t risk you getting caught in whatever crossfire those bad things might generate. I. Will. Not. Risk. You. Ever.”

A soft, fading sigh as Nis felt something cold and hard slip into her hand.

“I thought you would say that. I had this made just for you. Remember I love you, protector of Nis. And I always will.”

The voice seemed to fade back into the mists of time as Nis glanced down to see what she’d been given. The flask was a small, pretty thing. She knew that she would treasure it the rest of her days…

A soft burble of water snapped Nis from the vision and she felt herself go cold as she stared at the flask in her hand. Had it been a gift to her from a love then? She was unable to shake the memory of those lilac blue eyes and how sad they’d seemed.

Shaking a little, Nis huddled in on herself and let the tears come. She wasn’t sure who or what the tears were for. All she knew was that so much had been lost. So, so much.