The Last Healer (A Witch's Tale)

Chapter 10: Family Agreement

Chapter 10

"Have you eaten, Edward?" Meredith asked him after waiting for him to go out the conference chamber.

"Uhm, yes I have eaten." Edward lied. He was famished. He ate breakfast a while ago before leaving the mansion but that was before dawn and he has not eaten anything after that - it is already past twelve in the afternoon, probably the people in the mansion has already eaten lunch. However, he does not want to deal with Meredith right now. He has lots of things to discuss with his parents that eating lunch can be done later. He just came from the conference chamber to speak with his father but he is in an important discussion with Sir Friedmore, so he will have to wait until they are finish with their conversation. Meredith has been waiting outside the conference chamber which somehow annoys Edward.

"I do not want to be rude with you Meredith, but I am too tired with the trip I had a while ago. I have some important things that I need to discuss with my parents but I guess it will take a while as father is in a middle of a discussion so I will have to speak first with my mother."

"Lady Melinda is having a tea outside; I did not join her because I was waiting for you to arrive. About the 'important' thing that you need to discuss with your parents, is that regarding about me?" Meredith asked him emphasizing the word important. Edward sighed.

"I am honestly surprised by your sudden appearance here in Cellis and your sudden claim of being my fiancée that I thought it's no longer in effect, after I decline marrying out of agreement and after everything that happened so...yes...you are somehow will be part of the discussion but I have some other things to discuss with them."

"But everything is good now between our lands, between our families. I guess it is really hard to forget everything that has happened."

"Please Meredith; I think this is not the right time to discuss this matter."

"Yes, I understand Edward, sorry. See you at dinner then."

"Yes, see you at dinner. Please also know that I am glad to see you safe. If you will excuse me." Edward takes his leave to find his mother and Meredith takes the path towards her chamber.

Edward finds her mother in the tea spot having some tea. His mother smiles at the sight of him and gives him a hug.

"Glad to see you home son. How's the search?" His mother asked. He almost forgot about Valen because he suddenly became anxious thinking about the situation with Meredith.

"I almost forgot about that. Mother, I think I may have to speak to both of you. Father is speaking with Sir Friedmore so it will take a while. I have some matters that I want to discuss to the both of you and some clarifications."

"It really seems very important. Well, let us go to the conference chamber, I hope his meeting with Sir Friedmore is already over."

The two of them went to the conference chamber and it was a good timing because Sir Friedmore is already about to leave.

"I shall take my leave now Your Highness...Lady Melinda...Lord Edward." Sir Friedmore said bowing his head then takes his leave.

"Melinda, please have a seat here." Lord Thomas offering his wife to sit beside him. Once they have all been seated, Edward already began to speak.

"Father, Mother, I have two major things to discuss with you. Let us start with this news that somehow irritates me. This is regarding Lady Meredith Allen. I did not know that she will arrive here. He suddenly embraced me upon my arrival. She said that she is my fiancée, is she still? I thought that the agreement has already been cancelled; it has already been how many years now. I thought we have discussed about this matter that I will be the one choosing who I want to be as my wife." Edward furiously said and his mother's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What? I have not heard about it Thomas. Is that the reason why Meredith visited us here in Cellis, here in the mansion? Your son is right. He should be the one choosing who he wanted to be with for the rest of his life, we have agreed on it. I have nothing against that lady, I know that the misunderstanding between our lands is already fixed...but...." Lady Melinda seems furious but trying her best to maintain her composure.

"Alright you two...I understand your concern, but please calm down. There has been no agreement agreed yet." Thomas explained. Edward and Lady Melinda fell silent, and then Lord Thomas continued.

"Meredith's father, Lord James, and I have not spoken yet, though Meredith already informed me that his father would like to speak with me regarding the both of you. Meredith still seems to adore you Edward, though I think that you are not interested in her, well, you never seem to take an interest to anyone...except perhaps... lately."

Edward clears his throat and speaks to his father, "I know Meredith is nice but I do not think she adores me, the 'me' without the title. Everyone sees me as the next king, the next lord of the land, which means that any lady I will choose will be the future lady of the land, and that is the thing that they adore to have." Edward said sadly but he continued. "We all know what happened more than three years ago, how they tried to use force just to unite the southern and northern land. It's not that too bad to have the two lands, Cellis and Perino, be united. However, the action Lord James took just shows how he wanted so much power; they even wanted us dead when I declined to marry Meredith, just perhaps to claim this land their own. I even thought that perhaps they have something to do with the Yelian slayings."

"Now, now, Edward. Please be calm. We do not want to have this conversation again, though I know we should always stay vigilant. It is already in the past and they already apologized. So now, we are expecting Lord James and his new wife, Lady Mia, to arrive sometime next week. Meredith does not know the exact day of the arrival but they are supposed to leave their mansion in the weekend, and the fastest travelling time will be two days. Meredith informed me that it took her three days to reach here which is, as we know, the normal travelling time. They will be arriving by carriage so perhaps they will be crossing the mountain to the north. So for the meantime, Meredith will be staying here in the mansion, of course."

"However, just remember Thomas that Edward is to decide who he wants to marry." Lady Melinda clarified.

"Yes, of course. We have already discussed about it before. Oh! I just remembered something...what happened to the search Edward? Did you find the healer?" Lord Thomas asked Edward.

"That is the other thing I wish to discuss with you. Unfortunately, I did not find the black-haired lady. However, I did find someone else, I found Valen there. She lives in a small cabin deep in the forest, alone."

"What?!" Both his parents exclaimed at the same time.

"Care to explain everything son, I do not like what I am hearing." His mother asked him.

"Of course, let me start when I saw this big tree in the middle of the forest and just beside it is a very small cabin. I was about to go there but a big brown grizzly bear attacked me.

"What?" They both exclaimed at the same time once more.

"Sorry for interrupting son. I hope you are not hurt, though I believe in your sword-skills son, but did you kill the bear?" His mother asked.

"I do not want to hurt it mother so I just swung my sword trying to scare it away but it became more irritated. It attacked me with his claw and got me a cut on my left arm." Edward explained and showed them his injury. "It was not too deep though, so you do not have to worry, Valen treated it..."

Edward continued telling them what happened. He told them about Valen's reason why she does not want to leave the forest and almost argued with him, about the repelias planted around her home and the two stems of it that he carried all the way home which amazed his parents.

"I will not allow her to stay there. It is dangerous for anyone to stay in the forest alone, especially for a lady. You shall accompany me Edward. We shall go there early in the morning tomorrow. My decision is for her to stay here in the mansion. I believe there's no objection from the two of you. Melinda, you may decide which room will be Valen's." Lord Thomas said.

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