It has been two years since Aelfric got to wivern’s rest. He had brought to the level where he went for weeks to his routine patient’s visits without Arcus accompanying him. His teacher tagged along with him most times only to check up on patients he hadn’t seen in a very long time or rare cases, and he went with Aelfric if the situation was complicated.
It was an incredible evening, and Aelfric was done with his standard visiting rounds. He reported to Arcus’s compound like he always does at the end of each day’s work. He didn’t bother to knock as he knew Arcus was already expecting him.
Arcus was huddled over a desk in the corner of the room with a reading lantern, and he was scribbling on a piece of paper in front of him.
“Master Arcus, good evening.” At the sound of his voice, Arcus, caught off guard by its sound, almost fell off his chair. Aelfric rushed to him, and he wondered why Arcus behaved that way. He looked more tensed, nervous even than usual.
“Is everything alright, master?”
“Yes, Aelfric, everything is wonderful. I was just caught unawares a little. I see you’re done for the day.”
“Yes, Master, I just want to drop off my types of equipment, and I’ll be on my way.”
“How was the day’s treatment.”
“It was bearable. Nothing too tasking or complicated.”
“That is wonderful news. Please have a seat, my son.” Arcus pointed towards a wooden stool next to him. Aelfric sat, briefly wondering what his teacher wanted to talk to him about.
“You know you just have a year ahead of you, and your years of the apprenticeship will be up.”
“Yes, Master Arcus, I am aware.”
“I want you to use every piece of information you’ve acquired to help as many people as you can, not thinking of what you stand to gain when you do. Use every knowledge at your disposal, every new finding, optimize it and use it to do what you’ve always wanted to do, heal. Do you understand?”
Yes, Master, I understand.”
“That’s all my son, and you can go.” As he was leaving, Arcus stood and embraced him. Aelfric was stunned a moment. Arcus has never hugged him. After a few seconds of apprehension, he hugged his teacher back. Arcus patted him on the cheek, smiled, and waved him away.
“And…” Arcus said stopping Aelfric’s steps abruptly. “you can have the day off tomorrow. You know hang out with friends, go to Melses’ farm and probably get me some herbs. Anything.” Argus shrugged.
Aelfric smiled. He couldn’t help but think that Arcus was acting a bit strange that night on his way home. He wondered what was up. But the highlight of the night was the fact that he was going to Melses farm the next day. With a smile plastered on his face, he headed to his hostel.
***
Aelfric woke up early as usual. But this time not in anticipation of his master Arcus’ lessons or the day’s routine but because he would see her again, Sil. Going to Melses farm twice every week wasn’t enough. Though him and Sil had found a way to see each other and spend time together, the healing routines of the week were so tight that he couldn’t make out enough time to see Sil. He dressed up and went to meet Coldus and his brother at their usual meeting point near the fruit merchant’s house from which he was droven to Melses farm.
Aelfric had to walk the rest of the way to the farm while coldus and his brother headed to their own destination. Sil was standing on the porch in front of the house and at the sight of him, she ran to his embrace.
“What took you so long? I waited everyday the last week for you but you never came.”
“I’m sorry. The routine at the citadel was intense and the times I finish with the routine I go home tired. But guess what?” She listened waiting for his response.
“I’m here now.” She giggled as she slapped his arm and hugged him tightly. He took his time to take in the smell of her hair. It smelt like roses.
“Now for today’s lesson.” She said wearing a serious face. “We check on the progress of the herbs, cultivate and plant more in place of the cultivated herbs.”
He nods and follows her as they both walk to the house.
They finished all they had to do with the day’s lessons and sat down to catch up to the times they missed with each other. They talked and laughed so much that they lost track of time.
“I should be going. I’m running out of day and Master Arcus might worry.” Aelfric said as he looked at Sil’s face. He could see the concealed frown on her face.
He used his fingers to lift her face to look at him. “Hey, tell me? Why the frown on your face?”
She smiled. “It’s nothing. You should go. It’s getting late.” He packed his things and they both walked to the road. They stood by the road for some time waiting for a carriage to come by. As if on cue, it started to rain. They ran into a shed waiting for the rain to stop but it didn’t. The heavens paid no attention to them as it increased its downpour.
“It’s getting darker and cold. It’s not safe for you to be out here. You should go back to the house.” Aelfric said.
“What about you? It doesn’t look like the rain would stop anytime soon.”
“Come, I would follow you back to the house and wait for the rain to stop.” She nodded. Aelfric and Sil ran under the rain back to the house. The rain had no mercy on them as it drenched them. They arrived at the house dripping of water and laughing.
“My hair.” Sil said still laughing. Aelfric watched as her clothes gummed her skin revealing the curves of her breasts and hips. She is perfect. She weaved her hand through her hair in order to drain it of water. Aelfric’s once innocent thoughts shifted to imagine how running his hands over her skin would feel. And wanting to run his fingers through her hair.
Sil looked at him. His clothes were also drenched by the rain and through his clothes she could trace the lines of his chest. She wanted to touch him. Trace those lines with her finger tips. His lips.
Her lips.
They snapped out of their imaginations as their eyes met. Without much thoughts and in a split second, he kissed her, passionately but suddenly, he stopped and drew back. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have… I… I… I’ll go light the furnace. Y… You go change your clothes before you catch a cold.” He stuttered. The kiss took her by surprise but she wanted more. She leaned closer taking his face by her hand and kissing him demandingly and with all she had. He could feel her soft body pressed against his as he began to caress her thighs.
His hands on her delicate skin felt like the cool cotton sheets on a cool morning. She let him worship her body as she moaned his name till her relief.
The world stood still after that leaving only the sounds of their laughter and rapid breaths at the wake of what they just shared. She laid on his chest tracing and playing with his hairless, yet muscular chest. He smiled too and took her hand, kissed it and kissed her forehead.
“I love you sil. I always have and always will.” She moved closer and laid her head even more reassuringly on his chest. He could tell she was smiling against his skin. She didn’t say the word back to him but he was glad she stayed, still in his arms.
Take your time, my love. Take your time.
***
Back at the citadel, Arcus waited for Aelfric as it got dark. He wondered why he was taking so long to come back to the citadel but he was not worried because he knew what to do. He went back into his house, to where his spy-cauldron was. He stirred it and dropped something that looked like a stone into the liquid inside.
“Abbas visique gora.” The liquid in the bowl cleared and he stared into it. He could see Aelfric still at Melses farm laughing with Sil. They seemed to really have taken a liking to each other. His lips curved into a smile as he watched them.
Sil was a passionite. Passionites are the Barron female children of empaths, born under the light of a full moon. Her mother named her Silver-Dew, for the way the early morning moisture had sparkled in the gardens the night she’d gone into labour.
Sil’s mother hadn’t survived long after her birth, and when Arcus had met the young girl and realized her extraordinary abilities, he’d convinced her father to let her study the healing arts. She would never be a mother, and any man who knew she could not bare children would not take her on, a craft was the logical way forward. Arcus knew that her ability to feel and control the passions of others would make her an invaluable asset.
As Sil grew into a lovely young woman, Arcus noticed that she exercised her powers over the feelings of others. She payed attention to the waves of emotion, and used her own actions to put people at ease, to entertain them, and sometimes even to shock them, but either she hadn’t realized her ability to affect them, or she just refused to impose that on them.
Her gentle and playful nature was mesmerizing to all who met her, but as the townsfolk found out that she studied under Arcus, they realized it must be because she was infertile. She received no proposals or declarations of love, as Arcus had foreseen, so he took it upon himself to search for a kind hearted boy who could love and care for her after He and Farmer Melses had passed away.
Aelfric’s letter of application to study as a healer showed him to be a feeling young boy with a selfless nature, and an innocence of spirit that would fit in well with Sil’s Playful nature. Though the boy had no formal training, and likely would not amount to much of a healer, Arcus had a feeeling that he would fall under Sil’s spell easily, and be the loyal sort of man she needed. A healer could not have children, and having a wife would be a blessing he would not have dreamed of.
Yes, Arcus conspired to set the two youngsters together, in hopes that the young apprentice he loved as his own daughter would find someone to care for her and share in her life. He smiled with pride as he realised that his genius of a plan was going to come through.
***
The next morning, The chirping of birds and the crow of the cock woke Aelfric. He sat up to look at Sil. She smiled even in her sleep. He moved a lock of hair that rested on her face to have a clearer look at her face. He knew what they had shared was sacred and he blamed himself. He dressed up, careful not to wake her up and left for the citadel.
***
Days had gone by as Aelfric continued to carry out healing rounds in the citadel earning the respect and love of the people. Though he still could not bring himself to see Sil, he thought of her most of the days. Tired from the day’s work and relieved to have finished with the last house for the day he headed to his hostel. Before long, he arrived at his hostel. As if on cue, his stomach growled loudly. He chuckled privately and headed to the dinning room.
Aelfric looked about the room. There seemed to be more buzz than usual. He wondered what the fuss was all about. His eyes finally landed on his standard table. His four friends Davis, Montgaff, Gill, and Elhern were already seated at their usual spot, each wearing the traditional fur cloaks in fashion. Aelfric joined them.
“Look who finally decided to join us. The great master Aelfric, sovereign healer of the universe.” Davis said with a mock bow. Aelfric dismissed his tease with a wave.
“How was your day, Aelfric?” Montgaff asked him to create space beside him so that Aelfric could sit.
“My day went quite well. What is going on? Why the insistent, loud chattering in this room? Did something happen?”
“You haven’t heard?” It was Gill this time, and he cocked a brow as he asked.
“Heard what?” Aelfric looked at the face of the men around him, and he had no clue what was going on at all.
“Remember the rumor flying around this time last year about some girls that mysteriously went missing?” Davis asked him.
“Yes, I recall that.”
“Well, you know initially it was just in the outlying villages that the event took place, but yesterday three girls went missing again, and one old man claimed it was a beast with three heads that took the girls.” Everyone laughed, everyone except Aelfric. “Why are you laughing? You think the old man jests?”
“You cannot expect us to believe that now, can you? That story is pure bull and cock. And I would know that trust me.” Montgaff voiced
“I’m surprised that you would say that, Montgaff. I remember reading somewhere that an animal called Chimera possessed three heads, am I wrong?”
“Nobody has seen a Chimera in over two hundred years. I would not recommend that we conclude that it is just because an older adult gave a matching description. It seems outrageous to do that.”
“Nonetheless, it is not strange to hear of chimeras circling cities for food and virgins. Although I do not think this is a similar case.” Gill commented.
“I don’t know, and I think we should be alert. Who knows..”
“Well, that’s enough about missing girls,” Elhern announced. “Mrs jolly, please four pints of ale for this table.”
After eating and drinking, Aelfric retreated to his room and studied a while before retiring to bed.
The following day, he automatically prepared and went to get his gears for work. Before he even neared the compound, he could see a group of people gathered there, and he wondered what was going on. As he approached, he heard some women wailing and others shaking their heads. Different individuals were gathered in small groups conversing. Every single one of them wore a foul countenance.
“Oh, Aelfric, you’re finally here.” It was Anna. She walked briskly towards him and enveloped him in a bear hug. “I’m so sorry, my boy.”
“Mrs. Shiba, what is wrong? Why are all these people gathered here? Where is master Arcus?” He asked all at once.
Instead of the answer he expected, Anna broke down in tears. “Can someone please tell me what is going on?” Aelfric yelled at the crowd. They all seemed to be looking at him with what he calculated to be a pity.
“Your Master Arcus is dead,” Anna announced mid tears.