The Last Healer (A Witch's Tale)

Chapter 13: They Meet Again

Chapter 13

Days past, servants have been very busy with the preparations for the Perino royal family's arrival. Lord James and his new wife, Lady Mia, are expected to arrive in Cellis tomorrow before lunch. While Lord Thomas and Lady Melinda are busy with the preparation as well, Valen has been panicking on how she will be able to further hide her identity. She has already been using the contents of the vial twice a day, as she does not want to eat dinner with them with a cloak. Now she was left with one vial and she estimated that she will only have enough for three more days.

Since Valen was also expected in the mansion the next day for the Perino royal family's arrival, she decided to go out today and gather some plants and herbs that she can plant on the orchard. It was also a great timing that Edward was also busy with something, so she can escape from him without him tagging along with her.

Lately, Edward seemed to talk with her much and found herself more with his company, but she thought that it was not good as Lady Meredith will certainly feel more infuriated with her. Edward even went along with her yesterday to Algom to heal the townspeople making Lady Meredith fuming with jealousy.

It was already late in the morning so she hurriedly puts on her cloak over her head hiding her black hair and headed straight to the forest carrying her basket and her bow and arrows.

She took off her hood as she gathered some plants upon arrival in the forest. She even visited her old shack and everything still looked the same. Afternoon came and she decided to catch some fish to eat together with the bread that she brought with her. Making use of her bow and arrow, she successfully hit two fish in a single strike. She decided not to cook it inside her shack, so she created a small bonfire near the stream and cooked her fish.

Edward saw smoke in the air somewhere in the forest. He hurriedly goes to where the smoke is coming from to see who made a fire in the forest. With little noise as possible, he was able to reach the stream and saw the black, straight-haired lady sitting on the dirt, cooking some fish. Edward no longer wasted more time, he walked towards the lady carefully and silently. Upon reaching her, he cleared his throat to let her know that someone is just behind her. The lady immediately stands and even tried to run away, but Edward halted her by gripping her left arm.

"Let go of me." Valen struggled as she tried her best to change her voice by making it a bit deeper. She was so shocked that Edward was here in the forest when she was so sure that he was also busy with the preparations.

"Don't be scared lady. I mean no harm. I just wanted to talk to you and to know you...please." Edward said slowly releasing her arm so as not to scare her so much, but he stayed cautious to make sure that the lady will not be able run away from him. "I am Edward Windsen, son of Lord Thomas and Lady Melinda of..." Edward was cut off by the black-haired lady.

"I know who you are, but we have nothing to talk about Lord Edward." Valen replied.

Suddenly, Edward's stomach growled in hunger. Valen found it very amusing but controlled herself not to laugh.

"Apologies, I remember I have not eaten a breakfast." Edward said timidly as his face turned red. Valen did not know that Edward did not eat breakfast as she also has not eaten something before she left the mansion. She just told Abby that she will be out to gather plants and will be back before dinner. Valen no longer hesitated and offered Edward her two fish and a piece of bread.

"No, it's yours and I brought a piece of bread with me." Edward declined her offer as he showed her his bread.

"That will not be enough for lunch. The fish I caught was too small; one will surely not be enough so take them. I will just catch some for me."

Edward's stomach growled once more and took her offer. "Sorry about that again, I'll just take one fish and you eat the other. Sorry if you have to share your food with me. I honestly never plan to go deeper in the forest but I saw the smoke, decided to go here and saw you."

Valen's eyes widened upon the realization that the reason why Edward was here was because of the bonfire she created. 'How stupid of me', Valen thought.

"Wait, you said you caught these fish?" Edward asked.

"Yes...I do. Let's just eat and I'll catch some more." Valen said as she ate her fish and bread in silence.

"Wow! I have not done fishing for quite some time now. My father and I used to fish before."

As the two finished eating, Valen prepared her bow and arrow to catch more.

"Since you have given me one of your fish, I'll do the fishing. Where is your rod, Lady.........?"

"I apologize, I do not want to give my name. I also do not own a fishing rod; I only use my bow and arrows to catch fish." Valen answered.

"Bow....and arrows?"

"Yes. Is there any problem in using a bow and arrow to catch fish?"

"No, there's none. However, I haven't seen someone catch a fish with a bow and arrow. I know how to use one but I guess my skill in archery is not enough to catch a fish."

Having that said, Valen observed the fish in the stream while Edward observed her.

"Catching a fish with a bow and arrow is not a problem if you are catching them in shallow water, like stream." Valen said then she threw some bait in a perfect place where she thought she will be able to target a fish easily. Some fish swarmed towards the bait she threw, she positioned herself and posed her striking stance. After seeing a perfect angle and timing, she releases the arrow striking two fish bigger than the previous two that she caught.

Edward's mouth hung open in astonishment; he thought that this lady really is something. She really has an outstanding...no, the term seemed to be not quite right, she really has a perfect skill in archery, and he admitted that she was better than he is.

Valen left him there standing, his look still bewildered as she started cooking the freshly caught fish. Edward snapped from his astounded look, became a bit panicky but immediately felt relieved as the lady with a black hair was there, cooking the fish and did not run away from him.

"How in the world were you able to do that? That was excellent! I was not able to continue practicing my archery as I have love practicing and mastering my sword-fighting, but seeing you catch a fish, not just one but two fish in a single strike with a bow and arrow makes me want to further learn and practice my archery. You are an archery-genius!"

Valen was so surprised by Edward's comments that she made a mistake. She looked at Edward straight in the eye as she raised one of her eyebrow, in disbelief that Edward just highly praised her archery.

"Valen?" Edward uttered in surprise as the two pairs of emerald eyes staring at him looked exactly the same as Valen's.

=======

A/N: sorry that it took me veeeerrryy long to update and that the chapter is a bit short, and I wanted to say sorry again as the next update will also probably take long. I'm so busy that I can't even read stories lately (Well, honestly, my past time lately is playing Zelda :). Let's hope that I'll be able to update soon and chapter will be longer. Hope you still vote and/or comment. Thanks! :)

"Random thanks" to these wattpaders who just recently:

>Georgia_040 for voting chapters and adding story to her library

>UnspokenOne for voting chapters and adding the story to her 'Read Soon' reading list.

and these wonderful people who also added this story to either their library, reading list, or soon to read list: BeeBoo95, vampirelove253, Rawrlaurasaurus, rainblu13, rhianlmk and DreamingAlways. Thanks.