I sat back in a comfortable if gaudy chair as the “Healer” Bartak had summoned checked at my neck. From what I could tell he was just a doctor like many others I had seen. Though he was no secret Mage with elixirs up his sleeves like many Doctors were in my past life. No, he was just a normal human thankfully. I didn’t need him testing any experimental potions on me without me knowing. Thankfully to dissuade any such ideas I also had been dressed finally. I only accepted some under garments and slacks with a cotton button up shirt. A nice way to protect my modesty. “Well, you got lucky. Had your windpipe been crushed, I doubt you would be able to even speak let alone breath.” The Doctor spoke his wrinkly old face appearing before mine as he asked me to open my mouth wide to check the back of my throat. “There still is some blood in your throat, I can’t do anything about that but give you some root that may make you puke up any water or blood that may have settled in your stomach.” He said as he turned back and rummaged in a bag beside him. “I listened to your lungs and thankfully I heard no crackling of fluids inside them. So, you need not fear phenomena from this. Truly a miracle that you even regained consciousness.” The doctor turned back a slightly skeptical look on his face as he held out a root for me to take. Gingerly I took it in hand but didn’t move to eat it. not sure if that was how this worked to say the least.

“You did say you woke up under the water in the bath, right?” The Doctor asked as he checked me over once me. my head bobbed in a nod, speaking still painful for me. I heard Bartak shuffle uncomfortably behind me. the Doctor just chuckled at me as pointed at the root. “Then you are truly lucky. You will need to grind this into a powder. Only a little just take some of the root’s end and shave it into a bowl to do so before swallowing it with water. I think the fact you had been strangled saved you from drowning. No small miracle I might add.” I looked at the root and twisted it between my fingers. Such a simple instruction for something with such a volatile reaction in someone. Bartak spoke up at that as stomped a foot angrily making the room shake.

“Can you not do something about his memories!” Bartak boomed. The doctor took his outburst in strides though. An impressive feet if you ask me. the doctor just rose and faced the bear of a man. “I am a doctor.” He said flatly. “Do not go confusing me for that’s Faith Sayers who pray to make everything better. I have no such medical skills to treat memory loss. If that is what this even is.” The Doctor shot as he looked down at me ignoring the desperate groan of frustration from Bartak. “Come now you wonobite. Tell me anything you remember.” My brow scrunched in confusion as he looked back towards Bartak for help. “What is a wonobite?” I asked getting two pairs of shocked looks from the doctor and Bartak. The doctor simply slumped and gave a small curse. Bartak whimpered. Not a good sign to say the least. Slowly I looked back to the doctor and took out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and whipped his face.

“Well, that proves his memory lose for you to not even remember a wonobite. No wonder you can’t remember your own name.” I cocked a brow at the man hoping for clarification. But he didn’t seem to want to give any as he turned to Bartak. “I can’t help with his memory loss. I don’t know anyone who can. Hopefully it is only temporary. I have seen it before in some farmers who took head injuries so maybe just give him time.” Bartak could only nod sadly at the doctor as he waved him into the corridor and into the hands of another guard to take him away. I waved my thanks as I heard Bartak whisper to the guard to pay the doctor appropriately. I looked down at the root the doctor gave me and tossed it onto the table beside me. I would take it later, no point in hurting my throat any more by throwing up whatever was in me. Not yet anyways. I leaned forward bracing my elbows on my knees as my face fell into my hands.

I let out a frustrated groan as Bartak approached falling to one knee beside me. he placed a hand on my back. The action was obviously done to be reassuring. Instead, it had me flinching back from the man. I saw from between my fingers the pained look that flashed on his face as he pulled his hand away from me. He didn’t deserve this. But he didn’t know what was happening. I, however, was piecing it together. I, one Deacon Frow had died and experienced the afterlife. It could have been for only minutes or those minutes I remember experiencing were centuries or even longer. But in death I seemed to have some how reincarnated. Not a proper one though seeing as instead of being born anew with no memories of who I was, I had awakened in the body of some poor teen Lord or Noble who had gotten himself killed. Assassinated even. Honestly why this boy was assassinated was beyond me now. That however wasn’t my main issue. Not yet anyways.

Carefully I turned to Bartak, sitting straight as I shuffled my chair to face him. I wanted to curse this bodies previous owner seeing as the chair was almost to heavy for me to move. Such a weak frame, did this boy never try to exercise? I thought in frustration. Bartak faced me though shrinking a little under may gaze. Not in fear, no I doubt I could scare the bear of a man with these soft features I now had. No, he shrank back because he didn’t want to see my lost gaze on him. I still remember how hurt he looked when I asked him who I was. He looked like he had been run through with a sword. His pain so deep I never knew I could hurt someone so badly. All done with three words too. He so desperately tried to question me. To tell me I knew who I was. Sadly, who I was and who I am is not the same. So, in his final desperation Bartak told me my name. He acted as if it was some sort of spell that would make everything better. I wish it had, because I didn’t know the name. my placid response almost broke the man. He truly cared about me… no about the boy I was now, so the fact I now bore that child’s name and body made me sick. Made me feel like a monster spitting in the face of this kind giant.

I took a breath and prepared myself. I wish this had never happened, but it did, and I needed to figure out why. Failing that I needed to try and make a life for myself in this new world as Rook Talark. The second son and third child to Duke Jamar Talark, one of the ruling nobles of the Kingdom Tirith. I didn’t recognize the name, but it didn’t matter. As Jamar’s second son I was a noble myself and seemed to have been left to govern the small fiefdom of Cal’sar. I knew very little of where I was so I made sure I didn’t forget to look into my new home. I checked my thoughts and made sure to hold Bartak’s gaze, so he listened to me. his gaze was still so hurt, so sad that I hesitated. I wanted to ask him about the world about where we were. But I couldn’t I didn’t want to hurt him anymore. I never was the biggest fan of hurting people in my last life, no reason to change that now. “Can you tell me if I have anything I can use to remember myself.” I asked him instead. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before answering. “I have but my memories of our time together. Of the days I spent looking after you for your father. Of… of raising you.” I winced at that. Hearing stories of who this bodies previous owner was, was nice… ok it wasn’t. In fact, it was cruel and unusual. To both of us. However, I would need to understand who this bodies previous owner was if I wanted to try and make a life here as him.

But baring stealing this boy’s life I needed to learn about what made him who he was. To understand what life, he lived. Sure, tales of Bartak’s memories of Rook would be nice, but I fear they may be painted in rose tents. From how deeply this man cared about Rook I didn’t want to make him suffer when he realized I could never be anything Rook was in those memories of his. So, while I dreaded what I was going to say I held a hand and stopped Bartak before he could recount any memories he had of Rook. “Did I not keep a journal or log of my activities. Something physical I could use?” Bartak looked so hurt at my dismissal of his memories. If I couldn’t figure out what brought this situation on, I would need to make it up to the man. He had already shown me more kindness in the last hour than many people had shown me in my whole last life. I refused to not return that kindness to the man. Bartak rose from his position and stocked towards the door of the room stopping to gesture for me to follow him. I rose and made after the man. I had more control of my body now, and while I still stumbled some Bartak didn’t move to catch me.

Small graces and what not.