She could feel the connection dawn upon her, and suddenly, Pan’s earlier hesitance to speak about Galdre or the lake made sense. It seemed as if their cheer at her waking abruptly came to a halt upon knowledge of her lack of memory. Connections she was unaware of made plain chilled her to the bone. Could it be? She cast a stricken look over her shoulder at the lake, innocently present despite the ominous shadow hanging over their heads. A part of her wanted to say that it was preposterous because memories couldn’t just disappear like that. Then another part of her, quiet in its thought but loud in the soundness of its argument, said that she didn’t honestly know that. How could she when she could hardly recall anything at all?

Taking words at their first glance was all she could do in hopes to piece together some semblance of a then and there, or here and now. Worriedly, she curled her fingers against her trembling lips. Words seeming beyond her grasp yet again, and just as before, Pan was there to fill the silence.

“There’s stories about it.” They inhaled deeply, closing their eyes. With rapt attention, she tucked her knuckles under her chin and listened. Pan’s eyes opened, but the light in them faded, replaced with a far-off, distant stare that almost made her feel as if they were looking through her to another time. “Awhile ago, it was a place people would visit when there was something they wished to forget. They would scoop handfuls of the water and drink it. As the water refreshed their mind, it would take away the memory they regretted most.”

She couldn’t tell if she was more horrified or sympathetic that someone would willingly rid themselves of their memory. Aghast, she questioned even the thought of it, whispering under her breath, “Who would want to do such a thing?”

“Some memories aren’t so kind.” Pan shrugged, but the gesture wasn’t as lazy as it’d been when she first laid eyes on them. Their shoulders were lined with tension, eyes half-mast as they fell to the fire. Around and around, they shuffled until their back was firmly to the lake, knee almost brushing against her gown. “I can only imagine what would push someone that far.”

She had to agree, but at the same time, she insisted, “I doubt that I would have done such a thing.”

Pan huffed, plucking a blade of grass from behind them without looking. “Not saying you would,” they tucked it between their lips, and she was surprised it didn’t wither with how cold those words were. “But it is peculiar.”

She eyed them in stupefied silence. Did Pan truly think she would do something like that? Her memories were all that she craved, and nothing short of knowing would fill this pit in her stomach. However, what if there was something in her past that she’d been trying to forget. That much was possible as well, but nothing could come to mind. Still, she shuddered at the thought that something had made her want to forget everything and succumb to a dream.

The voice she heard whilst lost in the lake, its honeyed promises sickeningly sweet as she was dragged down with silken ties cocooning her body. Her breath quickened into short, ragged pants, and it wasn’t until she felt a light pat to the ground beside her that she snapped a quivering glance at Pan.

Their eyes were filled with that gentle warmth again, smile strained but genuine. “Don’t jump to conclusions, though.” She could hear the warning underneath their quip, and somehow her lungs found it possible to draw in more than a short puff of air. After she’d gulped down a few lungfuls, she cast a glance in Pan’s direction and found their expression pleasantly relieved. “Could be just as much possible that you fell in. Bumps on the heads often happen, believe me.”

They knocked their fist to the side of their head a few times, curls bunched together, springing out with a little wave like the leaves on the trees.

“But what of your legend…?” She asked, hating how small her voice sounded.“This Lady of the Lake.”

Pan hesitated for a brief second, then rolled their shoulders back, pushing the blade of grass to the corner of their mouth. “People come up with things all the time, and it could be that you were in the right place at the right time…” She winced as they hastily added, “Or wrong place in this case.”

She closed her eyes, willing herself to come together. “Right, there are….” She sighed shakily, words rattling against the back of her teeth til she forced her lips into a grimace and spoke behind clenched teeth. “There must be a reason for this.”

Opening her eyes, it was Pan’s nod and determined look that gave her a bit of hope. “Well, if there’s anyone who would know anything about the lake, they’d be in Galdre..” They spread their legs out, patting their thighs a few times. The scuffed fabric of their trousers looked lovingly worn, and she wondered how long they’d been crawling around in the dirt while trying to help her. Before she could think of it, their voice drew her attention up to their eyes. “And if you’re looking to figure out about a bump on the head, I know someone.”

She tipped her head to one side. “You do?”

Pan winked at her, then tapped their thumb against the rumpled white collar of their shirt. “An old friend of mine,” their lips pursed and the blade of grass bobbed. “She’s likely waiting on me too now that I think about it.”

It was an odd turn of fate. That the one who was waiting for her also had another person waiting for them. In a way, she was envious of Pan but also immensely grateful for their continued presence. Just as they went to say something else, a strong groan roared between them, and she looked down at her stomach where the offending sound emerged. Lifting her head, she caught the stunned look on Pan’s face. Their jaw slackened, and lips parted, allowing the blade of grass to tumble down their chin. Her cheeks warmed when their shoulders trembled, and she could have burst into flames at how loudly they laughed.

It was a long, mortifying time before Pan gathered themselves enough to speak. Wiping at the corner of their eyes where beaded tears threatened to roll down their cheeks. “Ah well,” they chortled, reaching into their vest. “She’ll understand if I have a quick snack break.”

She glanced down at the offering of a small pouch, reaching out her left hand for it. The pouch was big enough to fit in the center of her palm and was made out of some relatively thin cloth. Enough so that she could feel the tough texture of what was inside and smell a nutty aroma wafting through its tied opening. Slipping the stone into her lap, she undid the ties, and the nutty aroma wafted up to her nose in a thick cloud. Strong enough to elicit another rumbling groan from her stomach as well as an ache that prompted her to delve inside, pinching one of the cup-shaped nuts to toss in her mouth.

Only after she’d eaten her way through at least ten of them did she look up at Pan only to find them watching her. She swallowed her mouthful and muttered sheepishly, “Thank you.”

Pan’s eyes crinkled at their corners, knuckles hiding the extent of their smile. “No trouble, Lady.”