Somanca ( The Healer)

Chapter Eleven

" Thank you, your highness. It would mean the world to me to meet another like myself. For many years I've lived thinking that I was the only healer in existence and I'm thankful that I'm not the only one. And thank you for your hospitality." I stared gratefully at her, fighting the urge to jump sky high with the knowledge of the orb in her hold.

And all I had to do was stay a few days. Should be easy.

" I'll be seeing you at dinner. Enjoy your day," she said dismissively.

Amanti led me out the court and to the gardens. I was surprised to see Eron and Ranthel chatting with three lassies. As for Venerus he was in the pond with another lad engaged in a deep conversation. Venerus' tail swished back and forth creating mini waves around him.

" Should we go to them?" asked Amanti surveying the activity going on in the gardens with furrowed brows.

" No, I'll see them later. How about you take me to the healer?"

She grinned, eyes gleaming with amusement. " He's already here." She pointed in the direction of the pond, where Venerus was in the company of another. " He's over there flirting with your friend. "

I chuckled at her words. It would be unwise to disturb them. Maybe Venerus would get his prince charming in the healer.

I turned to Amanti. " Well in that case you must show me around." She nodded and began taking me to different parts of the palace. She went as far as to take me outside the palace and to parts of the kingdom.

It was the most fun I've ever had in my life. Amanti was truly the best company I've ever had. She was just so friendly yet had an intensity to her that for some reason triggered something akin to infatuation in me. She radiated warmth and comfort and I couldn't help basking in the attention she was giving me.

For a long time people only needed me when they needed to be healed and after that I'd just be forgotten. That really stung. To think of the all the pain I endured to get them back to their healthy self only to be ignored afterward really hurt to the core. Elmorans seemed to forget that I was a person too and while I had a gift to possibly lessen the chances of them ever suffering to the brunt of illness I suffered most.

Maybe meeting healer Kymil would be good for me.

After a very long day of being shown the wondrous spots of Saëna Plutron we went back to the palace and we were immediately ushered to the grand dinning hall for dinner.

A long mahogany table with patterns carved into it dominated the room with equally elaborate mahogany chairs with soft velvet sitting pads and arched backs were around the table. The chair on the left end of the table was more a throne which told me who it belonged to.

I took a sit beside Amanti and we were joined by other nobles, royal bloods and high ranking warriors. The Queen made a grand entrance as expected with her entourage. She wore a different gown from the one one she'd worm earlier on.

The gown she was wearing now was midnight blue encrusted with royal blue stones and frost like patterns embroidered on it. It was tight fitting from the bodice down to her thighs then flared out in layers upon layers of torn chiffon. She paired the dress up with a cloak that was made especially for that dress. A branched crown fitted with blue crystals was around her intricately braided hair.

To be honest I thought it tiring being her. Having to appear perfect everywhere you went seemed exhausting. Gods, I didn't envy her one bit. The title fitted her ofcourse. I couldn't think of anyone taking her place.

We had all risen the minute the doors were pushed open. And when she sat she motioned for everyone to do the same, of which we did.

Not a minute later the servants littered in with gold trays of artful arranged meals that tickled my senses. They placed the gold trays on the table then they dished the food for us.

With every bite of my food I resisted the urge to moan out in satisfaction. The thought of embarrassing myself really ground me up and I was thankfully able to finish dinner without drawing attention.

Eron, Ranthel and Venerus were there and they kept throwing glances of relief at me. It had really felt like an eternity since talking to them and I just wanted this dinner to be over so that I could catch up with them.

My gaze fell on the gentleman sitting beside Venerus, so poise and graceful in the way he handled himself. He had long pastel honey hair that was braided to the side. His face was chiselled, complete with high cheekbones, plumb pink lips and a long narrow nose. His gold eyes were framed with long lashes and they seemed to glow with knowledge and warmth.

He must be the healer. I thought to myself.

From the little I'd observed earlier on I doubted he'd leave Venerus' side. The lad was enraptured by the merman. It was so romantic. Venerus truly deserved a second chance at love. As for the Prince of merpeople and his father, I hoped the flames of Berheimia would consume them.

After dinner the Queen and her entourage left. Eron, Ranthel and Venerus took that moment to attack me with bear hugs. I squeezed them back pouring as much love into the hugs as I would to my family. We were a family, afterall.

" You're okay?" It was Eron who first spoke.

I shook my head. " No, I should be asking you that question. "

" You had us worried there, healer Somanca. Out of all of us you took the longest to heal," said Venerus.

" Yes I guess, trying so hard to heal all of you when I was already weakened took its toll on me," I explained. They all looked guiltily at the floor.

" Hey, I'm fine," I said reassuringly, "I would have done it again if time was reversed to that moment. I needed all of you to make it. "

" And what about you, healer Somanca? What about your own health? " asked Amanti, angrily.

I looked away from her piercing gaze in shame. There was just something so intense about her. She made me nervous. She made me question a lot of things about myself including my life choices. I was well aware that I was mindlessly reckless. It was all because of my inability to say ' no '.

I was not strong enough to resist healing even if I was asked to heal a very silly injury.

I hand squeezing my shoulder brought me out of my train of thought. I stared, startled, at Amanti's golden orbs.

" You are more than just a healer. You are elmoran and you are not immune to death. Stop trying to let your gift run your life," she said sternly, her words laced with frustration.

" Do you think we go to healer Kymil for every little wound or injury? No, " she shook her head then continued, " We bite back our whimpers and endure. We only ask to be healed in very serious life threatening cases. "

Everything she said made me feel like I was the most foolish elmoran to ever live on Earthelona Eris. Why had I let my people drain me so much? It was terrifying how many times I could've died being exposed to so much pain and all. How could I be so foolish as to think I was invincible?

I really needed healer Kymil's guidance. That was the only way I could live to see generations of my people. Now I knew why I suffered all my life. It was my doing. I drew all the pain and the suffering of others and it was I who would be my undoing.

That was the truth, though bitter. Unless I changed. At this point I would welcome the change and I would embrace it.

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There you have it, lovelies. I'm sorry I took so long to update this story. I've been very busy. Even now I'm tired as hell and I'd like more than anything to sleep but I chose to complete this chapter. I'm grateful to those who are reading this book and voting for it. It wouldn't hurt to tell me what you think of the book so far. Havens, I'm rambling. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it and do vote and comment. Might give me the energy to update every week.

MARTHA STREAMS