A Healer's Touch

Chapter 1

A young girl ran down the dirt path, mud caking her feet. A boy and his little sister chased after her, their laughter carrying through the quiet marketplace.

"Theodred!" The first girl cried out, startling a Rider as he dismounted from his horse.

"Anneth! What are you doing up so early?" The Rider admonished as Anneth jumped into his arms.

"We're here to welcome you back Theodred!" She replied as the two other children raced up to them, nearly knocking over the young prince.

Theodred laughed as they latched onto his waist, but he eventually shook them off so that he could take Brego to his stall. "I will meet you three back at the Hall. Go get yourselves cleaned up in the meantime; you know Gamling will have a fit when he sees you, Anneth."

Laughing, the trio raced back to the Golden Hall. Waiting for them was a Rider, his arms crossed and a disapproving frown on his face. Anneth halted in front of him and clasped her hands behind her back, lifting her head up until she was the picture of poise - save the dirt all over her feet and skirts.

"Anneth, you were needed by Nelda almost an hour ago," Gamling scolded.

Anneth bowed her head, kicking herself for her negligence. Nelda, the head healer in Edoras, had requested her assistance in the healing rooms, as the girl had shown great promise in the craft, and the woman needed a successor. "I'm sorry, Papa. We just wanted to welcome Theo back."

"I know, but now that he is back, you must return to your duties. It isn't fitting that a girl of your age be running around like a child anymore," Gamling reminded his daughter, who had just turned thirteen summers two moons ago. "Besides," Gamling continued, a gentler smile breaking his stern countenance, "Nelda needs the extra help. Her age seems to finally be catching up with her."

Anneth nodded, and with a quick hug from her father, she hurried inside to change into a clean dress before heading over to Nelda's healing house. It was located across the path from the stables, so she had a perfect view of all the commotion filling Edoras with the eored's return.

"There you are! I was beginning to worry you had forgotten!" A raspy voice called out from the house, and Nelda's bright white hair flashed outside the door for a moment before the old woman dashed back in. "There's quite a bit to do today, so pay attention! Never forget, my dear, that a mistake in our craft could be the difference between life and death."

~.~

"Anneth! He's losing blood quickly!"

The young woman rushed over to the cot the soldier was lying in, pulling back her golden curls as she did so. The Rider's side was caked in dried blood, and more was seeping out of the jagged hole, soaking the cloths through.

"I need boiled water and more rags! Maddlyn, grab me the kingsfoil and lavender!" Anneth directed, and she swiftly began forming a paste from the herbs.

"Forgive me, but this will sting," she told the Rider gently, before applying the paste to the cleaned wound. He jerked at her touch, but several others helped hold him down. Once the wound was wrapped and the man sedated, Anneth shooed the others out and began cleaning up the supplies, salvaging what was still usable from her precious stores of kingsfoil.

Nelda has passed away nearly five summers ago, and Anneth was made the head healer, even though she was only twenty-two years of age. The young woman was well suited for the responsibility, however, and she quickly gained the respect of those who had doubted her ability. That her skills were needed more often as of late helped her prove her skill, but she despised it. War was brewing, and she'd be damned if more Riders died under her watch.

"And you have saved the life of yet another one of my Riders," a familiar voice said from behind her, shaking her from her thoughts and causing her to drop the rags she had been cleaning to the ground.

"Theo! We talked about this! Announce yourself when I'm working please!" She replied, ignoring his comment and turning back to the pile of bloody - and now dirtstained rags.

Theodred stepped closer, helping to move the bloodied rags into the wash basin. Her dismissing of his comment hadn't gone unnoticed. "And here we go again. Your ability to ignore compliments is unmatched, An, but you must take credit for your work eventually. Nearly half my eored owes you their life, or at least a limb, including myself."

Anneth rolled her eyes. "Well if you and your riders would take more care on the field of battle, then we wouldn't keep having this issue, would we?"

Theodred turned to her, his mouth open to give a smart reply, when he saw the teasing smirk on her face. "Of course, I'll make sure to let them know. Not that I can fault them for wanting to visit the wise and beautiful healer. However, I am not just here to thank you for saving Holdfel's life."

Anneth, after giving herself a satisfied nod at the appearance of the room - again ignoring his compliments - turned back to the prince. "And what else would call the Prince to my lowly hovel? Surely you are not simply here for my company?"

"While I would wish to spend the day in your company, you and I both know that today is not the day for lounging," he replied with a wink. "No, I came to ask if you would accompany me to the celebration feast tonight?"

"You mean as I do every feast?" She teased, though her cheeks tinted pink, just like every other time. "You're going to have a very difficult time finding a bride if you don't talk to the other women, Theo."

Theodred rolled his eyes, pushing his tangled hair back out of his face. "I'll keep that in mind, An. But I'm going to take your answer as a yes?"

"Yes, I'll accompany you. But only if you promise to dance with at least two others tonight, no matter how insufferable you may find them."

Theodred stuck out his hand. "It's a price I'm willing to pay."

"Until tonight then," Anneth said, the rosy blush still on her cheeks that Theodred found rather becoming, not that he would tell her that just yet. One day she would come around; until then, he just had to be patient.

"Until tonight."