Let's Not Forget

After the short discussion regarding Eaton's vision, the prodigals began their venture towards the silver mine to complete their end of the agreement. Even though it was barely noon, they had already uncovered several strange goings ons from the past and present here in Natchitoches. Regarding what he had just seen, Eaton thought it would be best to maybe find something else to distract him; he'd seen enough of that tainted bile to last him awhile. He walked alongside Zoe, her expression distant as she too thought about what they had learned. Finally deciding how to say what he wanted, he began, "So, I know it's been a bit of a crazy mornin' with everythin' we've found, but I wanted to see how, well, how yer doin'. The rest of us might think this is interestin' and wanna get to the bottom of this, but . . . are ya doin' alright? I think yer feelin' more than just curiosity."

Zoe was lost in deep thought as they traveled to meet Yates. They weren't likely to learn anything about her mother here, but it gave them something to do to kill time before nightfall. It took a moment for the Theurge to realize that Eaton was speaking to her. She briefly replayed the last few seconds in her short-term memory.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm doing okay, I guess. I feel like we're getting closer to finding my mother, but the more we find out, the more I fear I won't like what I find. So much death and sickness surrounds this town and if your vision is accurate, this isn't anything new for this town."

Zoe sighed deeply and shook her head.

"The riddled answers I received from the memory spirit all those months ago seem to be pointing us here. The city of Natchitoches, obviously, but now to find evidence of the Stranglehold organization and the painting of the nymph bringing someone across the river of forgetfulness. Like I said, I feel like we're making progress, but I just don't know how all the pieces fit together."

Zoe smiled weakly. "Any ideas?"

Eaton seemed contemplative and replied, "Eh, I ain't sure if yer mother and this sickness tie together in anyway. At least, I hope not. I really hopin' we're able to get the bottom of this fever. Forget the wyrm, I hate to watch people sufferin'."

He returned the frail smile with one of his own, "I was hopin' ya weren't feelin' upset over what's goin' on. Actually, this whole river of forgetfulness thing upset me a little bit. And not just 'cause it's my job to remember our heroic deeds. I'm still curious of it's nature- it that really just a place ya go for a swim if ya wanna forget- or 'cause someone shoves ya under?"

Zoe shook her head in great frustration.

"I don't know, Eaton. I just don't know and that upsets me to no end! What does my mother have to do with any of this? Who is this Arnaud character other than an obviously Wyrm-interested character? The way the girl described him makes me suspicious that he's manipulating them in some way. No Wyrm follower is genuinely kind to others. It's just not the nature of the Destroyer."

She scratched her head and narrowed her eyes.

"The River of Forgetfulness intrigues me, actually. It's the first real lead I feel like I've found concerning why everyone has forgotten my parents. If the spirit can wipe away ones memories of everything, why couldn't there be a spirit that can wipe away everyone's memory of an individual or two?"

Eaton actually tilted his head in response to Zoe's mention of the wyrm, "He sure sounded like he was manipulatin' her. She was lettin' him off on the notion that he was payin' his tab. How much business does she get anymore? I think it's a wise guess that he's usin' the privacy of her hotel 'cause she don't know when her next guests are gonna show. Now the wyrm doesn't care if your happy or not as long as you plays into its coils."

Eaton held up a finger for his next point, "Actually, from the sound o' it, folks remember your folks but no what happened to 'em. Either this spirit wasn't good enough at it's job to wipe 'em completely, or it allowed 'em to keep some of their memories on purpose, like they wanted to leave a trail of crumbs."

"One of the things that troubles me most about Arnaud is the appearance that he left his room through some way other than the door but Delfine seems to think he hasn't left the room in over a week. And the eerie Wyrm goop is bad enough without the room being trashed and there being blood on the wall and bed."

Zoe tilted her head as she considered the room. "Some of the clothing was damp. I wonder if he'd been in the river or in the swamps. If so, what would a supposedly wealthy European man be doing out there."

She nodded as Eaton ended his thoughts. "You're right. Lots of people know of them, but hardly anyone knows much about them. Sometimes I wonder if that was intentional. Perhaps others' memories about me from that time were completely erased for my own protection."

The young woman thinks back to the first time she'd met Red and Harriet. Had she told them she was the daughter of Tycheros or did they already know he'd had a daughter? At the moment she couldn't remember, so she would have to inquire when they returned to Nacogdoches.

"It's comforting and terrifying to think my parents caused the memory loss to protect themselves Comforting because a malevolent force did not viciously remove their memories, yet terrifying to think what they may have been hiding from."

Eaton perked up slighty as he said, "Ya placin' your bets on your parents erased their own memories? In that painting that guy mighta wanted to forget, but that don't necessarily mean your parents did. The idea of messin with memoires is a pretty sick business. I mean, who are ya without your memories? Every bit of who ya are is because of your trials and tribulations. If ya lose everythin' ya ever learned and lost, who exactly would ya be? And you don't know your friends, your enemies, your . . ."

Stopping his ramble he clears his throat and changed course, " Point is, someone wanted these memories lost. I dunno if your parents willin'ly brought it on themselves for your protection, or someone else didn't want ya findin' out for their own reasons. Heck, why are we assumin' it's some shameful thing yer parents did? You could be a legendary lost princess for all we know!"

He shrugged, giving a sly smile, "Either way, lucky for us, the truth has a way of comin' out one way or another."