Chapter 22: The Past (part 1)

Chapter 22: The Past (part 1)

“Don’t be like that my niece. You’re making my heart ache. You’re just like my sister, Elen...I just miss her so much. I just wanted to see you up close, you have the very same eyes as her, vibrant like emerald, though I know that yours have something more to it.” Mia snickered. “Come here dear and let me...... take them off.” Then she loudly laughed.

Valen, Edward, Abby and Andy just stood for a moment motionlessly, surprised by the way Mia spoke, stunned by the certainty that she was behind all this.

Valen finally was able to asked the lady, “W-why are you doing this?” Though that was the only thing that Valen was able to asked.

Mia smiled widely, wickedly, “Finally, you asked me something. I thought you do not wish to know anything.” Mia opened her arms, held her head high and started whispering, chanting something. A slight breeze can be felt and suddenly, the motionless and some hallucinating knights and servants stood up.

“I would definitely tell you lots of things...so whether you wanted to ask or not...or whether you wished to know or not, I would tell you anyway...oh....I just love story telling, I never get tired reminiscing my past – oh how I hated my life...but now, no one can look down on me; now, anyone will listen, I am now more powerful to even be able to control anyone...but Valen, oh Valen, who would have thought that there’s yet another healer alive, you’re the only one hindering my path towards my dreams. I would tell you everything, but first, let us see if you will survive!” Mia stretched her arms and shouted.

“Move my inferiors, kill them!” Mia ordered, then the servants and knights who were not able to drink the liquid started to move swayingly towards them, like some heavily drunk person. Knights were holding their weapons, while the servants held scissors or knives.

“Valen, survive this, and I will tell you things you probably desire to know...I will give you that chance to know the truth before your life ends...but for now, I’ll enjoy this show.” Mia’s evil laugh echoed through the entire grand hall and she sat on a near lavishly crafted chair, crossing her legs.

“What should we do Edward? It will be hard not to hurt them. They are too many, we would need to act quickly.” Andy asked as he prepared himself to attack anyone who will get close to them.

“I know Andy, just be sure not to accidentally kill anyone, but perhaps the best way is again, to tie them up, we still have meters of ropes remaining, so Abby, I know this is going to be tough, I want you and Valen to tie them immediately once we try and knock each of them unconscious.” Edward instructed as he tried the knock down the first knight who reached him.

There were a total of twelve knights and servants left, a few of them were still swaying side to side moving towards them, but some of them are already moving faster than before and were no longer swaying, and it will no longer be a surprise if they will be moving swiftly over time. Andy and Edward were already able to knocked down five, as Valen and Abby hastily tied each of them.

Seven were still remaining to be knocked down, but as minutes passed by, Edward and Andy started to have a hard time knocking them unconscious, as the knights and servants movements improved - no more swaying, they now move faster, knights held their weapons properly, and their postures already seemed like normal. The three servants surrounded them, as the four knights incessantly attacked. Blow by blow it seemed that Edward and Andy could only be able to defend with their swords. No one noticed that one female servant moved...the only thing that snapped Edward, Andy and Valen out of their attention towards the knights was a scream...in pain.

“Abby!” Andy shouted and started to move out of control with no more restraint as he attacked the two knights attacking him. Andy slashed his sword and it hit the knight to his right, then he pierced to the left and it hit the other one. Lady Mia laughed darkly as she enjoyed the sight.

They did not paid any attention to Lady Mia as Andy hurriedly moved towards Abby who was already attended by Valen. Edward has already knocked down the two knights and started to face the remaining two servants.

“A-a knife...she was stabbed...h-her s-s-stomach...I’m sorry Andy, I d-didn’t noticed....” Valen panicked as she tried to explain.

“It was no ones fault but Mia’s.” Andy gritted. “I’ll take her to a room, I’ll try to stop her bleeding.” Andy gently carried Abby and spoke again to the two. “ Edward, Valen, take care of the rest, and make sure that Mia will be caught and be paid for what she has done.” Then Andy hurriedly went out the grand hall carrying Abby.

There were only three standing in the big, elegant Grand Hall – Valen, Edward and Mia. The rest were lying down unconscious except for the two knights who were laying down on the floor, unmistakably conscious but can no longer fight due to the unintentional slashed and pierced they got from Andy’s sword. Edward stopped Valen to tend the two knights, Edward knew how Valen felt, as much as he also wanted to help the knights, they cannot, not yet...he thought that they should get a hold of Mia first, make sure that there will be no more people that will be hurt - which means getting ahold of the one that is controlling.

Valen and Edward looked at Mia’s direction. The lady’s eyes seemed sad... “The show is over...I’m not pleased yet...the show shouldn’t be over yet...” Then Mia looked at Valen with fierce, then immediately changed to sadness, afterwards...she laughed! “Well, well...I thought everything’s going to be easier but I guessed I am mistaken.” Mia said as she stood up, then walked elegantly towards Valen and Edward.

Edward placed himself in front of Valen, a gesture of trying to protect her. “You may rest easy for the meantime, it is story telling time.”

Lady Mia walked and went back to the near elegantly crafted chair and sat. Valen and Edward are still on alert, making themselves stay vigilant as Mia started telling a story.

“I will only tell most of the important things but making it sure that it is detailed as possible. Hope you would not mind Valen. I have not spoken this story to anyone, even to James. Most of the things I told him were lies. This time, I would not be making up stories, I wanted to relive the memories.” Mia paused, trying to see if Valen is still interested to listen, she did not get any reaction, she continued.

“Dark, straight-haired people like us - yes, we have the innate ability to heal. We understand an illness and its cure, we understand plants and such, how to prepare a medicine, what and where to find it...however, not all of us have special skills and abilities.” Valen’s eyes widen in disbelief as she heard what Mia said. “From your reaction, Valen – you understand what I mean. You may not have been informed because I am thinking that perhaps Elen thought that there was no need. I certainly knew that you already discerned something. Do not worry, I will tell you everything before I...take your life.” Mia smirked.

Edward was about to moved and lunged at Mia but Valen halted him. Deep inside her, Valen knew she wanted to know more about them, about herself, about her family. Her childhood revolves around knowing and learning about ingredients which for her, has been one of the usual, yet happiest moment of her life, it was her passion ...and most of it have memories of her parents as she was guided by them about rare plants.

“Where are your manners Edward? Calm down. You should let a lady finish her talking.” Mia said. Edward was furious, but he somehow understand that Valen wanted to hear what this dark witch is about to say. He tried to composed himself but stayed cautious and alert at the same time. Mia sensed that Valen’s attention was already on her, she started to speak.

“Milen, where great and talented “healers” lived, is where Elen and I were born. Our father, Daveed was a king of Milen. I am three years older than Elen. I am a full-blooded “witch”, she was not. We’re half-sisters....we have different mothers.” Mia stated as a matter of fact, Valen has no changed in her reaction even after hearing Mia’s introduction. Valen wanted more, wanted to know more.

“My mother was a great witch but she died giving birth to me. Father married an ordinary healer two years later. I did not like father marrying someone normal, or perhaps, I did not want him to marry anyone.” Mia paused for a while, she seemed to focus on thinking what to tell next.

“They said that every 100 years or so, an exceptional healer is going to be born. Normally, special healers have one or two distinct abilities which usually start to appear at the age of ten. However, Elen’s talent started to appear at the age of seven! Just the same time as me!” Mia’s face slightly became to look enraged but continued her story.

“At the age of ten, she already had a full control of her special talents but I knew she was not the exceptional healer because she only have two useful skills. I knew I was not the exceptional healer, I was so glad it was not her!” Mia’s face brighten up a bit but there still was her scornful look. Valen continued to listen attentively. Edward also listened to the story but he stayed vigilant.

“I lost my mother giving birth to me, which led father to hate me. Father and the people of Milen only see the brilliant, gentle, beautiful Elen.” Mia said emphasizing the adjectives with a disdain tone.

For the first time, Valen spoke. “How can you be sure that...grandfather hated you? Don’t you think it was all in your mind?”

“All in my mind? I don’t think so. He never once been proud of me...who would anyway? With the kind of “extraordinary” skill that I have, no parents would have been proud!”

=====

(A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys. Hope you're still reading the story. If you have an idea how busy I am, i think that idea isn’t enough ;p

Anyways please vote/comment to know if someone is still reading/liking the story! Thanks!

As promised, chapted dedicated to Readingfirce!

RANDOM THANKS to the following for their votes/comment:

shineelula

diblybob

Brittany666

deathqueen0323

Ecrivaintobe

soulhuntress (thanks for voting every chapter! Cheers!)

Hanstory_Writee (for the votes, comments, messages! I’ll be dedicating to you the next chapter! I won’t be making any promises this time as to when the next chapter will be. There has been some changes on my plot for some reason that the initial plan was no longer followed! So writing it has been a challenged! (not a great writer here :). Hope you continue to read the story until its end! Thanks so much!)

...and of course...to thebunnyhops! I didn't forget you this time ;)