The Last Healer (A Witch's Tale)

Chapter 17: Reconciliation

Chapter 17

Edward kept her company the whole day, telling Valen stories, having some tea, accompanying and helping her tend to her planted herbs and plants. Valen was aware that this is how Edward wanted to help and she was very grateful to him.

Evening came the next day, Valen joined them at dinner for the first time as a black-haired healer. Lord Thomas and Lady Melinda were very delighted to see her join them. Lord James and Lady Meredith were very quiet eating their meal while Lady Mia stated her interest in speaking with Valen as soon as Valen is ready to speak about herself which Valen accepted.

During the entire dinner, Lord Thomas updated Valen about some plans. He was speaking about a banquet that will be held at the mansion the coming Sunday to celebrate two things. First is being Edward's twenty-fourth birthday, the second is, if Valen will permit, just to celebrate the fact that a black-haired healer from Yel survived.

Lady Melinda initially planned to have a masquerade ball but Edward declined as he thought that Valen would want it simpler and would want to invite all the townspeople of Cellis and celebrate the occasion with them, that was why the plan was change and a banquet will therefore be held. Valen accepted as she realized how Lord Thomas and Lady Melinda wanted to celebrate it and the fact that Edward also thought about her feelings, he was right to think that she would want the local people to celebrate with them, she was really grateful. The royal couple was overjoyed that Valen accepted.

Lord Thomas also mentioned that servants and knights were not allowed to discuss about her being a black-haired healer to the townspeople of Helena and Algom, she was also not permitted to go to town to heal the townsfolk or go outside of the mansion until the banquet as Lady Melinda wanted to announce her being a true-blooded healer during the celebration. To make Valen more at ease, Lord Thomas mentioned that he will ask for doctors to go to town to heal the townspeople and of course, it will be for a very low fee if not free of charge, and this will not be during this time only, it will be for good; and then Edward added that security will be tightened to make sure that no intruder will enter the mansion to prevent anyone hurting her, as they still do not have an idea who killed the healers yet.

Lord Thomas also mentioned that Lord James and his family will further stay to join the celebration and will be back to Perino the next day. What surprises Valen more was that, it seemed that Lady Meredith easily accepted the fact that engagement between her and Edward no longer resumed. Lady Meredith was very quiet during the entire dinner and she did not eat much. She felt sorry for the lady but she was surprised that she felt happy and relieved at the same time.

The next day, Valen did not notice Edward during breakfast and found herself wanting to see him. Lady Melinda mentioned that Edward left the mansion early to go to Helena to collect taxes from the townspeople and at the same time, to personally give each family an invitation to the banquet. Valen felt weird that she felt sadness of not seeing him so for her not to think this unusual feeling, she just decided to go and see her planted herbs where along the way, she saw Lady Meredith under a tree looking far away, she seemed sad and was deep in her thoughts. She sympathize her so she thought of greeting her at least.

"Good morning, Lady Meredith." Valen greeted her and then she saw a glimpsed of Lady Meredith's face and saw her brown eyes. Valen was puzzled, she was sure that she saw them as an unusual red before that even though Lady Mia and her were not truly related by blood, they have the same eye color.

"Ugh, it's just you." Lady Meredith replied.

"I just noticed you're alone here, I just thought of greeting you."