As I come too, I see some strangers around me. I sit up. My head is killing me. I hear the flow of the river behind me. One of the strangers, a sweet lady, comes over to me with some rags. "Here. To cover yourself."

"Thanks. Got any water? Or food? I'm exhausted..." I begin wrapping myself up.

"Soup should be just about ready. Are you hurt?" one of the men asks.

"I... I don't think so..." I slowly begin to stand up. I'm escorted to a simple bed, clearly prepared for me.

"Are you sure you're not hurt? That mark looks painful" the lady replies. I look to my wrist where she's indicating. Something suddenly feels off... like I should know what it is... but...

"It doesn't hurt. May be an old injury or something." I slowly lay down, thinking, before sitting up again, my legs still stretched out. "I... I think I have amnesia... does anyone know who I am?"

"Couldn't tell you" a particularly energetic teenage girl says as she passes me a bowl of soup. "We were all trying to figure it out just as you began to wake up. Truth be told... I wish you were someone else."

"Someone... else?" I inquire, unsure what that could mean.

"The king" a slightly older boy states. "He was killed a while ago. News normally takes a while to reach our little settlement, but this was big stuff. Some guy just announced that the king was murdered and he'd be our new king. The king was really kind and fair, always making sure everyone has what they need. It was often said he'd starve himself to protect his people. No-one trusts this new guy."

Why does that sound familiar...? "But if the king is dead, then how could I have been him?"

"It's a case of hope" a lady sitting with a baby comments. "We're scared of the future... but if our king were alive, and he were found..." I nod in understanding.

As the evening progresses, I settle in for the night. I have some horrid nightmares. Some people cast a spell at me... my entire face changed in an instant... none of my soldiers believe me when I tell them who I am and that I didn't kill the king. I have to flee. I escape through the hidden passageways, diving into the water. I'm a pretty good swimmer, so I'll be fine... I'll be fine... I'll be... fine...

I wake with a gasp. I remember everything now! I look at the people who were so kind and generous to me. Could I tell them? I have the royal birthmark... the very mark that's on my wrist... but would they know? Would they believe me? Even my own men turned on me. I have no choice... I must leave...

I gather some supplies and begin to sneak out, when I overhear something. "Do you think that killer could have washed up so far?" "We have to check. At the very least, put up wanted photos."

I gulp, when I feel a hand pull at my arm. The teenage girl. "Why are you leaving?"

I need to think of an answer, stat. "Some bad men are after me. Do me a favour and distract them for me. I believe there are some just around the corner there."

"I don't know... will they hurt me? Why are they bad?"

"Look, you'll probably hear more tomorrow. Please, just do me this one favour. I promise you'll be ok."

"...Ok." She goes over to where I pointed and begins chatting away. Now's my chance! I slip away as quickly and quietly as I can. I overhear the conversation. "So he's not here?" "I didn't say that. I just said I'm no good at matching faces. I may have seen someone like him..." "Where would it have been?" "Well, earlier we found this ma-" "HEY!"

I've just been spotted, but I'm far too far away now. In the distance I hear ^("Oh, that's the guy? Yeah, he wasn't drawn well, I could have otherwise told you that we found him!")

Clever girl... covering herself like that... I just keep running. Though, I begin to realise I have nowhere to go... what do I do?"

=WARPER=

"I really need to get out into the field more often! I'm in my office way too much!" I smile at Purge. Ever since I admitted my feelings for her, we've been spending time together.

"It's fun! It was quite thrilling when I teamed up with Morpha!" We both laugh, then I spot something.

"Hold on, Purge, I think..." I run over. A man, clearly dehydrated and exhausted. "SIR! Please, tell me, what happened to you?" The man looks at me blankly. Purge joins us and gasps.

"Tha... that mark..."

"What is it, dear?" I ask.

"I had a friend a while ago... this was before I became Purge... she worked for the royals in a kingdom... she knew everything about the royal family... she told me about this mark... this mark is a royal birthmark! Sir, why are you so far from your kingdom?"

The man blinks. "I was chased out. Damn spellcasters changed my appearance. I was the king... now the traitors have all my men thinking I killed the king, and the mastermind took over the kingdom. Been running for my life. I don't know if I can even reclaim the throne..."

Just before I can respond, two more men, dressed as soldiers, turn up. "HAND HIM OVER! He is to be executed for treason against the kingdom!"

"For the love of- show them your wrist, your majesty!" Purge commands. Startled, the man does so. The soldiers, confused at first, recoil in shock and shame.

"Don't bother asking for forgiveness" the man says. "You all lost my trust the moment you listened to the real traitors. It's not like I can go back anyway..."

"Actually" I jump in, "maybe you can... magic changed your face, magic can change it back! I'm sure we have-" the man looks at me.

"I've just been running from the very kingdom I worked hard to support. I feel really bad leaving my people like this... but as far as I'm concerned, everyone who threatened me is a traitor. I don't want to go back to ruling over the very people who just threatened to kill me." He turns back to the soldiers. "Remember: a kingdom's might is only as powerful as its people. Do right by the people, you do right by the kingdom."

We escort the man back with us. After some well needed R&R, I present a client for him, considering his life is at risk and that he doesn't even have anywhere to go. Much more humble than his previous occupation, but he seems ready and willing to be the cleaner for a household. "I have one request" the man says. "I've heard from visitors about things called 'tattoos'... I want to cover up this mark. I want no reminder of this horrid part of my life."

I nod. I call over a former villain, Spill, known for using ink as his weapon and defence. He had said once before if he wasn't a villain he'd be a tattoo artist, so he'll be able to do this.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

This story is a part of my series, It's Not Just Business. Please check it out!

"Where am I?" I asked.

"Please just cover up! Bloody beggars have no decency! Here take these rags and go beg somewhere else!" An angry older man was yelling at me while throwing some rags at me.

Disorientated I looked down and gasped in shock, I had no clothes on! Feeling around in terror I confirmed my fears. Quickly grabbing the rags like a drowning animal trying to get air I put them on as fast as I could.

"I am so sorry! Listen, do you know who I am? Do you know how I got here? The coup! Did it succeed?" I was shaking the old man.

"Get off me, you filthy beggar! Guards, guards! Help! He's crazy! A right raving lunatic!" The old man knocked my hands away and ran off screaming for the guards.

What in the chaos was going on? I was still disorientated but I understood one thing without question. If I stayed around things wouldn't end well for me.

"You there! Halt!" 2 guards were running down the street at me.

Instinctually I reached for my broad sword...it wasn't there...of course not, I had just been naked a few moments ago. I decided my only option was to talk this out.

"I assure you there is a misunderstanding! Your uniforms, what house do you support? I don't recognize the colors." I said as I wondered why the guards had their swords out. Surely this was a bit of an overreaction. I just needed to...before I could finish my thought the lankier of the two guards smacked me on my head, hard, with the flat end of his sword. My knees buckled. I heard a loud ringing in my ears and everything started to go black. Was that my blood?

I woke up with a pounding headache. Where was I now, I wondered furiously. Looking around it seemed I was in a dungeon. I tried to steady myself as I felt like I may lose whatever food I had in me if I moved my head too fast.

I wasn't one to use my power for personal things, but being a king did have its advantages...and when I found out who these people were, there would be severe consequences!

"Hey! I need someone here now! You have no idea who you just threw in a dungeon! Someone come here, now!" The more I screamed the more my head pounded but I was in a rage and more concerned with getting out of this dungeon.

"Shut up!" A guard screamed from down the corridor.

"I am king Edward and demand to speak with whoever is in charge! Now!" Enough being diplomatic. Actually, considering I was in the middle of a war, maybe I should tread slightly more carefully. I still didn't know if my captive was an ally or foe.

"Ha! You hear that Bruth! King Edward! Dressed as a beggar! Oh, that's grand! Now shut up before I go over and give you a good smack!" the guard was laughing at me.

I needed to take a different approach. It was obvious threats had no power considering my circumstances "Have either of you ever studied the great houses?" I asked.

"A little, why?" One of the guards asked.

"I will show you. Come here...please." I said.

"If you are wasting my time you are going to regret it, beggar." It was the lanky guard that hit me speaking.

"Calm, Edward." I thought to myself as I felt my face getting red.

"Do you know the birthmark of the Darnian kingdom?" I asked plainly. Trying to hide my rage.

"Ha! Yeah, I do! It's the dragon-shaped thingy on their necks! All their rulers have one! What in chaos has that have to do with you though, beggar?" The guard asked angrily.

Without speaking I turned my head so he could see my neck better, to see the mark of the dragon.

"Bloody hells...I...I...bloody hell!" The guard ran off without another word.

"Finally, some results." I thought to myself. I wasn't out of the fire yet though, still had to figure out if this realm's ruler was friend or foe.

What seemed like several hours later a beautiful woman in her middle years dressed exquisitely came to my cell followed by a company of guards. She paused at the gate and looked me over.

"Strange, this is not king Edward...but he does bear the mark. Guards, open the cell and hold him." The woman said.

"I assure you...I'm sorry, I don't know how to refer to you, my lady." I said.

"Viscountess Emerald." She said. "Normally I would ask that you show better respect for my station but until I learn if that mark on your neck is real or not I shall restrain. You are no king Edward though. I have seen his pictures before in books, and he is not you nor you him." She sounded so confident.

The guards pulled me out of my cell and held me. I fought off the urge to push them away, once again controlling my rage. In all my years as a king, I had never been treated this way, it was humiliating and infuriating.

The viscountess took a handkerchief out and dabbed it on an old stone wall that had some water dripping from it. She then took it to my neck and scrubbed it rather harshly. I fought back the urge to grimace. I would show no more weakness to these people.

There was a slight gasp from her. Well, that was satisfying.

"Who are you, really?" She asked her eyes narrowing.

"I have told you, I am king Edward! Lord of all Darnian and its lesser parts! I demand to be released immediately and escorted back to my kingdom! We are in the middle of a war and I have no time for this!" I could hold my rage no longer.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. While you do bear the mark that only Darnian royalty bear you are not king Edward. Guards, escort him as a guest to my house. Keep him close, and allow him no weapons, and for all that is organized in the world get him a bath and clothes. We will talk further on this matter and I will learn who you are. I will be sending a carrier pigeon to Darnian as well." Emerald said as she spun on her heel and walked off.

(Part 2 to follow...this one got away from me)

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