Chapter 18: Present

Chapter 18

"Please forgive me for ma' sudden visit, Valen. A juz want to speak with you. We hav no' spoken since we discovered you're like me...tha' we're the same." Lady Mia stated apologetically.

"It's fine, Lady Mia. I apologize that I have not spoken with you yet, besides we're the last healers, but I plan to speak with you together with Lord Thomas and Lady Melinda."

"W-we're the last healers...please, do no' tell me we're the only one left. Are you telling me tha' no one else survived?" Lady Mia asked with horror.

"It really is sad Lady Mia. It has already been four years, I haven't met or found any healers except you milady."

Valen fell silent as she let Lady Mia cry in silence and Valen saw tears started to fall down from the eyes of the healer in front of her. Valen felt the sadness and emptiness once more, but she was a bit surprised that she no longer wept unlike before. This topic is definitely still sensitive to her, but perhaps, the company of Edward during the past few days helped. Little by little, she felt that probably, she is already accepting this fact and that the sorrow and grief are already starting to fade.

"Valen, A think a should already take some rest, but a juz' have one more question before a go, am juz' really curious. Your eyes resembled a person a knew. May a ask for the name of your mother."

"My mother's name is Elen Graham, Elen Berlise Graham." Valen answered.

After answering her question, Lady Mia thanked her and bid her goodnight. Valen never received any reaction from the lady if she knew her mother or not. She wondered why she asked but no longer thought about it that much as her mind suddenly thought about Edward then finally asleep.

The next day, Edward once again left the mansion early to go to Algom together with Andy. After breakfast, Valen spoke with Lady Melinda and Lord Thomas - Lady Mia, Lord James and Meredith were also present. She told them that she does not know any other healer who survived. Valen also found out that the royal couple knew her parents. Her parents were one of those healers that were being summoned whenever serious illnesses arise in Helena or Algom.

After lunch, Valen found herself in Lady Meredith's company. They just talk about different things the entire afternoon and Valen reach into a conclusion that Meredith was indeed vain and a narcissist, but what she liked about her was the fact that Meredith love his father so much. Lady Meredith was a bit depressed that Lord James has not realized yet that her beloved daughter is going on through something.

"Father seems to not realize that something is bothering me. It's so depressing. Before, he always asks me if everything is fine, but lately...he just always thinks about my stepmother. Sounds like I'm jealous don't you think? But I don't have anything against my stepmother, my father seems to love and adore her so much." Meredith said and sighed. Valen did not make any comment as she only wanted to listen.

"Another thing that bothered me was your comment, well actually it's not just your comment but Edward also asked me about it...it's about my eyes being crimson in color. I don't know what you mean by it because it has always been brown..." Meredith sighed then she continued. "It bothered me because it might be somehow connected to my main concern. There were times that I cannot remember what happened..." Lady Meredith was not able to finish what she about to say as Lady Mia came.

"Hello there, young ladies. Meredith, a have been looking everywhere for you. A mentioned before tha' we'll be going to town to buy new accessories for the upcoming banquet." Lady Mia said. She's elegantly dressed in white and red silk dress.

"You did? I can't remember you mentioned that to me. Well, but I think that will be a great idea. I'll just get my hat mother." With that, Lady Meredith went to go to her room to grab her hat leaving Valen and Lady Mia.

"Please forgive me Valen, a heard a few of your conversation with Meredith." Lady Mia said. Valen became a bit nervous, did she hear Meredith sounding like a jealous daughter over her stepmother about her father's attention.

"Lately, Meredith sometimes can't seem to remember the things happened in a particular moment. It bothers her as much as it bothers me." Lady Mia face saddened as she mentioned about it. "Because of it, she sometimes feels lost. Am worried for her. A know am not her real mother, but a love her like a real mother would."

A few seconds later, Lady Meredith returned wearing her elegant brown feathery hat. A carriage arrived in front of them and the two ladies went off to go to Helena town leaving Valen in deep thought. She wondered if Lady Mia also noticed Lady Meredith's eyes being red in color often times, same hue as Lady Mia's eyes, though lately, Valen has never seen Meredith's eye in red again.

The next following days, everyone in the mansion is getting busy making preparations for the upcoming banquet. The townspeople of Helena and Algom are starting to get excited as it has been a long time that the mansion celebrated an occasion that big. They wonder why the celebration is also for Valen. They have not seen their compassionate healer for quite some time now. Though there are several doctors in town who treat and take care of them for free or for a very low cost, the townspeople, especially the elderly folks, have already missed Valen a lot. Her sincerity, her kindness, she is very passionate in healing them that they cannot even compare her from other doctors.

On the other hand, Valen was starting to get bored. She missed going to town, she missed healing the townsfolk and having a small talk with them, she missed the forest and the stream; she missed everything beyond the mansion. Boredom made her think of different things. She even thought of Edward countless times. She even tried to think of something to give him for his birthday, but she has never given a man a present aside from his father, moreover, a royal prince! What can you give someone if the recipient already has everything? Valen also realized they have not talked lately; everyone has been very busy including him. Edward's been going to town more lately. She felt a bit depress of not being able to at least see him smile at her and she felt awful feeling that way.

Therefore, to ease her boredom, she already have made several types of medicines out of the herbs that she planted just outside the mansion, but she can't just harvest and prepare all the plants available...of course, she will have to leave at least a few behind to let them grow and get more in the future. Since she can no longer prepare more medicines, she started to help servants with their tasks - cleaning, dusting, scrubbing, washing, and doing all kinds of chores. The servants have been constantly declining her offer to help but Valen has been very stubborn. Lady Melinda even tried to stop her from doing the chores, telling her that there's no need for her to do those things and besides, the occasion was also for her. However, Valen was so determined to help and she was actually enjoying herself. She was also able to converse with the servants.

Abby on the other hand also returned to her usual tasks before she became Valen's personal "helper". Valen does not want to call Abby her personal maid or servant as she was not of royal blood and besides, Abby has been helping her with different things including the care for her plants.

The night before the much awaited banquet came; Edward was not able to eat dinner with the rest of them. He was still outside the mansion and probably on his way to go back home. And now it was already late at night, Valen cannot seem to sleep. Everyone has already resigned for the night to take their rest to have enough energy for tomorrow's event. Valen does not have any idea what time it is when someone knocked on her door. She thought that it was already late to disturb someone, what if she was already sleeping, but she thought it could probably be Lady Mia. She wondered what Lady Mia need this late at night.

Valen went out of her bed, grabbed her cloak and wore it over her nightdress. She went over her door and opened it but she was not able to see who was it who knocked as she was suddenly grabbed in a very tight embrace. It surprised her but in just a few seconds; she recognized the familiar masculine scent, the hard muscular chest, the broad shoulders, the warmth that embraced her, there was only one.

"I missed you, Valen." The sound of him saying her name was mesmerizing. Edward's embrace tightened. She felt that his embrace was a need, she never felt needed for a long time now. Now she realized that she felt the same way, she embraced him back. They were just like that for a few more moments and afterwards, Edward released her from his embrace which somehow made Valen feel a bit disappointed. Edward led Valen near the balcony and there, up in the sky is a beautiful, bright moon, the only light they have to be able to see each other.

"Please forgive me for my action Valen, though it's true I have missed you so much." Edward said as they both looked at each other. Valen missed him too, though she does not have the courage and will to tell him that. "I have something to tell you and I also have something to give you." Edward grabbed a small box from his pocket, opened it and revealed a fine gold chain with a nice, green-stoned pendant. "This is for you Valen, please accept it. I saw this in town a while ago and in an instant, I know that this will look good on you. It is an emerald stone; it will compliment your beautiful emerald eyes." Valen looked closely at the necklace and saw how beautiful and precious it was.

"I-I can't accept such precious thing, Edward. I-I..."

"Valen, I want you to have it. The moment I saw this made me missed you so terribly that I don't know what to do with this feeling. Valen, can't you feel that this feeling is already too strong? It's something new for me but I knew what it is. It is the feeling I never thought I would feel for someone." Edward said sincerely as he looked at Valen straight in her eyes.

"I can't think of anyone else than you Valen and I don't want anyone else but you, I know that it is sudden but Valen..................I love you." Edward tightly embraced Valen once more. Tears started to fall from Valen's eyes. The feeling started to flood over her that it was overwhelming, she now understood how she felt. She tightened her grip on Edward's as he embraced her. Edward was right; the feeling was so strong that one will not be able to know what to do. Edward released her from his embraced and he wiped her tears away. He put the necklace around her neck and looked at her affectionately. They heard a faint sound of the grandfather clock signaling that it was already midnight.

"Thank you, Edward, it is a very lovely...and a happy twenty fourth birthday to you. I should be the one giving you present but I am sorry, I don't have much and I cannot think of anything to give you. I had a hard time thinking of something but ended with nothing, bu-but I think I can just tell you...how I feel, I-I just realized it, it is something new, I don't know what.............I-I....I love you..." Valen has not finished what she was about to say, her eyes suddenly shut closed as she felt the most wondrous feeling she has ever felt as his lips met hers.

=======