Charlotte's Memory

     Days went by—countless hours of seemingly endless travel by foot that would likely have worn down even the most prepared of men, were they to have traveled alone. Charlotte was certainly feeling the toll such travel takes upon a person following her abrupt and emotionally charged departure from town. She could no longer abide Will's absurd behavior after all he had done during the joint expedition to slay the vampire wolf. He put both of their lives at risk all for the sake of his own foolish pride, and it was a miracle that he had managed to actually defeat the beast despite the severe disadvantage they had found themselves at. It was nothing but an exercise in idiocy, a pointless attempt to satisfy his own selfish desire to appear strong and independent despite the fact that the two of them were supposed to be working together. He completely ignored her repeated warnings in favor of recklessly continuing to do battle with the wolf as if he had not been seriously hurt already. Fortunately, fate seemed to smile upon them in the moment, allowing them to narrowly avoid the horrible end that would have befallen them had Will not managed to defeat it before falling unconscious himself. However, if he had been just a bit slower, or if Charlotte had failed to remain conscious for as long as she did, they would not have been so lucky.     It should have been a wakeup call for him. He should have realized that his behavior leading up to that point was ignorant at best and purposely self-destructive at worst, but he did not come to that conclusion. Instead, he continued pushing, relishing his fluke of a victory and basking in the praise of others without acknowledging the undeniable fact that the two of them nearly perished due to his own negligence. Worse still was the fact that he immediately got out of bed upon his awakening despite the severity of his injuries and the resulting fatigue his body was clearly showing. He could not even manage to walk on his own without clutching the wall for support, yet he still thought it wise to get up as if nothing was wrong. He had infuriated her to no end, and she thought him a fool through and through. It was true that the creature was slain by his own miraculous power—she was not denying that. Regardless, his inconsiderate behavior was ill-befitting a hero tasked with saving the world from destruction. If things were to continue on the path he was treading, Charlotte felt that they would surely perish long before they ever arrived at their goal. She had saved him and covered for his ridiculous mistakes time and again, and his attitude following the nearly two weeks he had spent unconscious and bedridden were the final straw. She was through with the thankless job of working alongside him, thus she resumed her travels alone.     Charlotte traveled a long way, trekking along a dirt road bound for the northeast with all the rations and other supplies she could reasonably carry with her. They amounted to quite a lot overall, but not so much as to hinder her movement by a significant margin. She had to remain alert, after all. Traveling alone in a foreign region, in a world so different from her own, was surely unadvisable to say the least. She would need to be ready to defend herself at any time, both from wild monsters, and other people as well. There was no telling whether she might encounter any less-than-savory individuals along her way. It was certainly risky, but she deemed it a great deal better than continuing to journey with Will and being forced to cover for his reckless actions. Will seemed to feel the same before their separation, likely even more strongly than she had, so she was not hesitant in the slightest.     Following an especially long stretch of travel, about five days into her journey, Charlotte saw fit to set up camp and rest at last. The sun hung low in the sky, and she had already made significant progress toward what she believed to be the next major town, so she saw no issue with settling down for a time. She found a somewhat secluded spot off the beaten path and situated her things before settling down to rest. She had purchased a small tent, as well as what was essentially a sleeping bag made of leather and animal hide, from the Hunter's Guild before leaving town. She had all that she needed to get a good night's rest. But, strangely, she chose to gather wood and light a small fire instead. Once the fire was lit, she sat before it and gazed deeply into the crackling flames, her mind stirring in a way it had not once done in days previous. The striking, near rhythmic sound of kindling burning away served as a sort of uniquely calming soundtrack to her thoughts as she stared into the fire.     Her mind was calm, truly calm. For the first time since she and Will had arrived in the fantastical world they were now tasked with protecting, Charlotte felt something akin to peace within herself. She was no longer plagued with worry over Will's constant disregard for safety and preparation in favor of succeeding with brute strength alone, no longer forced to tolerate his inane behavior for the sake of their joint mission. Now that he had forced them apart with his own deluded sense of pride and accomplishment, she was no longer required to play the role of his ever-present caretaker. However, as she would soon realize herself, the peace she felt at that moment was merely the calm before a storm she had not anticipated. A storm that was long overdue indeed.     As Charlotte gazed almost longingly into the fire, the warm light reflecting in her eyes as the flames danced about the air before her, her mind began to wander to other things. With the disarming quiet of the night as her guide, she found herself in deep thought before she could register the fact herself. Her thoughts began to drift far away, far from the stresses of the fantastical world in which she was now located and back to a place and time that was no longer hers. Allowing herself to become immersed in her thoughts, she closed her eyes and began to picture that long lost place in detail. She envisioned an indoor space—her old bedroom—plainly furnished and complete with only the bare necessities she required to get by as a sixteen year old girl. A simple bed, average both in appearance and comfort, with a wooden bedside table close beside it. A small closet containing her clothes and few other belongings. A plain wooden desk, holding nothing but a cheap desk lamp, with a fairly sturdy wooden chair in front of it. The desk itself was of fairly old make, having been previously used in her father's office before being handed down to her for use in her studies. It was quite worn from extensive use over several years, causing evident splintering in some of the wood. She could vividly remember the few times she had unintentionally brushed against the desk and gotten awful splinters. It was not the nicest desk to say the least, and it certainly was not ideal for Charlotte at the time, but it was all that had been afforded to her by her parents. The remainder of her room was almost entirely devoid of any personality, with nary a colorful thing in sight. The only spot of color in the entire room was a small poster of Charlotte's favorite band that she had received as a gift from a friend. It should have been so close in her memories, yet she could not recall what it looked like. She was a fan of soft rock music, though it was not something anyone knew, save for her friend. Her parents certainly did not care to know.     Charlotte spent nearly all of her days the same way back in her world, rarely breaking the monotony that seemed to envelope the whole of her life as she went. Her mother and father were both very successful people, quite affluent to say the least. However, while they succeeded in their professional lives, their way of life at home certainly left much to be desired, especially in the eyes of Charlotte and her two siblings. She was not an only child, but rather the eldest of three. She had a younger brother, nearly ten years old at the time she had been summoned by Lahstus, and a younger sister who was no more than an adorable little girl at five years of age. They were both wonderfully sweet children, making it all the more unfortunate that their parents neglected to treat them with nearly as much care as they should have. Charlotte's parents, important as they were as far as their careers were concerned, were almost entirely absent from the lives of their children. They never once took charge to provide the love and care required to raise a child, not since Charlotte's adolescent years came about and their corporate careers took off. It would be far too lenient to call their deliberate neglect a simple mistake in priorities, as the fact of the matter was they simply cared little for their children.     This unfortunately left Charlotte in quite the precarious position indeed, as she quickly found the nanny that had been hired to care for them lacking in almost every regard. It was clear she was not hired for her credentials or expertise in childcare, but rather for the sole purpose of keeping up appearances. That much was made painfully evident by the lackluster manner in which she cared for the three children. From her repeated refusal to prepare anything substantial for the children to eat, to the way in which she ignored their desire for affection as if they were nothing more than bothersome pets—all of it spoke volumes to the severe lack of responsibility she felt for those left in her care, and Charlotte refused to stand by and watch as things continued that way. In the absence of her parents, she took it upon herself to care for her two siblings on her own, despite the fact that she was already solely responsible for her studies. Doing so meant that her already limited time had to be limited even further until she had none left to spare. She worked day in and day out to continue flourishing in her academic endeavors while also caring for her two siblings. She began getting them ready for school in the mornings, preparing their meals daily, and watching over them constantly while juggling her schoolwork. It was immensely difficult at first, but Charlotte soon found her rhythm, working tirelessly each and every day to give her siblings a life better than that which they would have led had she not stepped up. Fortunately, her parents did the bare minimum of providing food for them to sustain themselves at home with all their money. If not for that, taking on all those responsibilities at once would not have been possible.     Things went on that way for a time. The nanny had been quickly dismissed by Charlotte's parents upon their discovery that she was doing nothing but lazing about for some time, though it would not be unreasonable to assume she did not care. She had already made quite a sum while Charlotte was taking care of the work she should have been doing herself. The way things stood, Charlotte had not the time for friends or leisure of any kind, drifting apart from those she knew and cared for as she worked herself to the bone day and night. The only reminder of that which she was now missing was the quaint little poster of her favorite band, the first and only present her greatest friend had ever given her plastered above her bed. It began as a symbol of hope, a reminder of all she had been fortunate enough to enjoy in her life. But, with time, it became nothing but a painful glimpse at what she had lost and would likely never get back. She looked at it less and less, until she hardly remembered it was there at all, and time continued to pass. That is, until one fateful day.     It appeared to be a day like any other at first, beginning with Charlotte getting her two siblings ready for the day while she got ready herself. She prepared breakfast and sat the children down to eat. All the while, she began preparing lunch for them to eat while at school. Once the children had eaten, she proceeded to get them dressed. She assisted her five year old sister directly since she would be unable to dress herself otherwise, leaving her younger brother to dress himself on his own. Upon finishing with her sister, she at last began eating herself while her brother finished getting ready. She did not have much time, but it was enough as long as she ate quickly. It always was. All was normal.     Just a few minutes more, and they were all ready for the day. Charlotte stepped outside with her two siblings, ensuring the door was locked behind them, and walked them to school before going off to class herself. Then, following hours of study, class was dismissed, and she quickly ran to pick up her siblings before walking them home. She could not allow herself to be late and keep the two of them waiting, so off she ran, and off they went once she picked the two of them up. There was a smile on her face, just as there always was. It was a tired smile, but that much was expected. They arrived home in short order after a brisk walk, and the day continued. All was normal.     She continued to look after her siblings all day long. Assisting with homework when needed, preparing snacks for the children so they would not go hungry while waiting for dinner, and only after that was taken care of did she finally attend to her own assignments for the day. Charlotte could feel the fatigue building as she grappled with the complex work she had been assigned that day, her consciousness slipping. Still, she pushed forward, finishing her work just a bit later than she would have liked. With that, it was time to prepare dinner.     She decided to prepare a pasta dish for her siblings that evening, as she knew just how much they adored pasta in all its forms. They had done a very good job in school that day, and their behavior at home was wonderful, so a reward was certainly in order. They had made her job just a bit easier, after all, and she was grateful. She felt so very tired, the day's events clearly weighing on her, but it would be time to rest soon enough. She simply had to wait until then. All was normal.     In time, dinner was ready and the children began eating. Charlotte ate alongside them, basking in the joy and accomplishment brought about by seeing their smiling faces as they ate the food she had so lovingly prepared. The children ate with gusto, and she surely would have as well if not for the immense fatigue she felt. But, regardless of how she was feeling, she was simply glad the two of them were enjoying themselves. That was the life they deserved, the life they should have had from the beginning, but that no longer mattered. She was doing what was necessary to provide it for them herself.     Night soon came, and the children were ushered off to bed once she ensured that their teeth had been brushed as instructed. The two of them retreated to the room they shared, leaving Charlotte alone with the day's events now behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief and contentment as she looked about their home. The dishes had already been washed and put away. There was no mess to be taken care of. All that remained was the matter of her own rest. However, for some reason or another, she felt inclined to step out onto the balcony before going off to bed herself. Something about the gentle aroma of the night air had called to her, so she quickly put on her favorite jacket before stepping outside. The slight chill of the night hit her first, causing her to shiver as she approached the short and sleek metal guardrail separating her from what was likely just under a two-story drop to the pavement below. Looking out into the night, the intense stresses of everyday life no longer propelling her forward, she smiled. It was only a brief moment, but she felt at peace. Her mind slowly but surely began to drift, relaxing for the first time all day, and her body followed suit. She felt heavy, her eyes falling shut, and she began to lean forward as her own weight carried her. She leaned, and she leaned, and she caught herself. She shot back up, alarmed by her brief moment of weakness. She had let her guard down, nearly relaxing too much. There was no telling what could have happened had she fallen completely unconscious. She took a step back, thinking it best to go to bed, when she heard a squeak… A toy? Suddenly, she was looking at the ground below. She had barely blinked, and the pavement was fast approaching. Her time came, her world crumbled—all turned to white.     Charlotte shot up and jumped to her feet with a shout, looking around frantically as her breathing grew heavy. She scanned the area, but all she saw was forest. There was no house, there was no guardrail, and there was no pavement. There was only Charlotte, and the soothing quiet of the forest that surrounded her, though it was not so soothing anymore. Charlotte caught her breath, wiping sweat from her brow, and decided that it would be best to retire at last. She extinguished the fire, took one last look around at the greenery, and entered her tent for the night. Tomorrow would come soon enough. At least, that was what she had hoped.