Princess Callie

Chapter 4: The Palace

"Hello... Princess? Can you hear me? It's time to wake up." I heard someone say. I yawned and slowly opened my eyes to see Octavio standing at the foot of my bed. With him was the doctor and the nurses who were watching over me earlier.

"How are you feeling Callie? Did you sleep well?" Octavio asked.

"Yes, I had a good night." I answered.

The doctor came forward. "We have finished our tests. All that's left is to make sure you can walk. Please try to get up."

I leaned forward and turned to face my right. Surprisingly, I was able to hop off the bed without any help. "So what now? I still don't really remember anything or anyone."

"There is nothing we can do about your amnesia right now. So you are free to go. If you have any other questions, now is the time to ask." the doctor answered.

I thought about that inkling I dreamt about. Although I didn't know who she was, it felt like I already had some kind of connection with her. I decided to keep that to myself for the time being. "You all said I was injured but how did that happen?" I asked.

Octavio decided to answer. "You decided to sneak into Inkopolis one night. I sent search parties to look for you and they found you beaten and unconscious in the sewers underneath Inkopolis."

I was unconscious? That would explain why I lost my memories. But why was I attacked? Did someone want me dead? "Thank you." I said, I was nearly in tears. "I don't remember any of this but I'm sorry I ran away. I almost died out there."

Octavio pulled me close to him. "It's okay. You're safe now, that's all that matters to me." He held me for a few minutes before letting go and clearing his throat. "Alright, come with me Callie. Maybe a walk around the palace will trigger something. After that we can get something to eat." Octavio said in a soft and caring voice.

I put on my shades, waved goodbye to the hospital staff and followed Octavio outside. The palace was designed more like a walled village rather than one massive building. The hospital was just one building among many. We passed by a barracks for the royal guard. There was a garden filled with all sorts of beautiful plants and even had a small beautiful pond in the center. The greatest part was the royal household which looked like a large mansion. Even though I was a princess, I didn't feel like a part of any royal family.

"Does any of this remind you of anything?" Octavio asked me.

"No, for some reason it feels weird being a part of the royal family." I answered.

Octavio frowned. "I'm sure the amnesia is making everything seem weird. How about some food? Then I'll reintroduce you to your best friend. Maybe he can help."

My best friend? I searched my memories for anything about him. I just couldn't come up with anything, not even his name or face. I really wished I could remember something.

"You coming?" I snapped back into reality and saw Octavio holding the main door open.

I ran over and went through the door first. Octavio closed the door behind us. The foyer was huge. There were a few doors on the sides. One large staircase that went to a second floor where there were even more doors. The place was huge, maybe I need a map. I followed Octavio to the left and into a large dining room. There was a huge table with lots of chairs on it. On the opposite end of the room was a lit fireplace. The table itself was currently empty but I could see servants bringing some plates and setting them on the table. Octavio sat at the end of the table and I sat in the chair closest to him. One of the servants came with two large burgers and place them in front of us. I picked the burger up and ate it like it was a contest. When I finished, I noticed Octavio had eaten his burger slightly faster than me.

"You feeling better Callie?" Octavio asked.

I swallowed the last piece of my burger. "Yeah, it's just... when I heard I was a princess, I thought things would be different."

"What do you mean? Did you not like the food?" Octavio was concerned.

"No, the food was great. It's just, I didn't expect to be given a burger. I thought it would be something bigger." I thought there was going to be many different choices of food all laid out in front of me. Just getting a burger was unexpected.

He could tell what I meant. "You were expecting it to be more like the movies? Grand feasts, a life of luxury, proper etiquette at all times. I'm sure when we figure out some way to restore your memories, everything would make a lot more sense to you. For now, all you need to know is times are hard even for us. Now come on. It's time to reintroduce you to your best friend."

I followed Octavio back to the foyer then up some stairs. The place was a confusing maze. Luckily Octavio knew where we were going. If I had to navigate the hallways by myself I probably would have gotten lost. We stopped outside a door that was labelled "Princess Callie's Room" I could hear angry voices on the other side. Sounds like there was an argument going on.

"There are two people waiting for you inside your room right now. Your best friend and a new personal bodyguard for you. Your bodyguard is one of my best and most loyal soldiers. He will defend you with his life. Are you ready to meet them?"

I nodded to Octavio. For some reason, I was feeling nervous which was weird. I was going to see my best friend again. That alone should be cause for celebration. Maybe it was just angst caused by my amnesia, this was all unfamiliar to me even though I've lived here my entire life. Octavio grabbed the door knob and opened the door to my room.