A Healer's Destiny



  A Healer’s Destiny

  Copyright 2014 Katherine J. Sinclair

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  About the Author

  Other Books

  Chapter 1

  The day had been long and hot but the youngsters still found the energy to run around. They ran after each other through the trees of the thick forest that surrounded their house, covering it from prying eyes or at least making it difficult for anyone to come near the house without taking the main route.

  The family had built the home from the ground up and had sustained a viable lively hood from it. King Ceawlin had allowed Jabin to take the land as his own after he had helped the king in a great battle. They had taken in young boys sent from the king to be trained as elite warriors. Their parents were proud of their boys to have been selected for training, it was a great honour, especially since their sons would be chosen for higher positions straight after their training.

  Jabin and his wife Ebele only took in three students at a time but currently only had two. Each boy was at a different stage in his training making it easier for Jabin to concentrate on his students. He would take advantage of the advanced students training, by making them help train the newer students. With only two students he worried that his system would fail new comers but was glad for his two sons, Talib his youngest son and middle child, and River the eldest of his children. Jabin had been training them since they had started to walk and were both quite skilled, although River seemed to gain new skills faster.

  While Jabin loved all his children he had a special place in his heart for his youngest Elah. Girls were forbidden from fighting but she was a master archer at a young age but lacked the strength to advance in close combat techniques. Jabin felt satisfied that she could defend herself at her young age and tried his best to be secretive about it but she enjoyed training with her brothers and gained so much from doing so, so he allowed it but only once he knew he could trust his students.

  The five children were out of site when Ebele suddenly stood straight up from the chair she had been sitting in. Jabin could see the worry in her face and they both started running to where their children had last been seen, under a large tree. At their age, their children didn’t play much anymore but when they did, they mostly chased each other around the property.

  It wasn't until they reached the tree that Jabin heard shouting coming from deeper in the forest. With his heart pounding in his chest, Jabin ran faster and faster drawing from his large strong legs to carry him closer and closer to where he could hear the children. Ebele trailed behind but would not stop, the only thing carrying her forward was the desperation she felt in her heart.

  Jabin ran up to see Talib with a look of shock on his face. Varg and Lavi stood with the same look of shock on their faces a couple of feet away from Talib, Lavi was shouting for help but was not sure what else to do. Jabin slowly turned his head in an attempt to find what was wrong. His blood ran cold when he saw River laying unconscious under a large tree. Blood covered his handsome face and trickled down to the bare earth beneath him. Elah sat on her knees next to him with her back to Talib and the two students.

  Jabin rushed forward as his wife came up behind him, the frantic look on her face made him fear the worse. Ebele fell to her knees when she saw a glow of white light coming from Elah’s hands. They covered River’s chest above his heart and Elah looked to be completely focused and unaware of what was happening around her.

  As tears started to roll down Ebele’s face, she reached out for Elah’s hand. Jabin quickly took her hand in his and looked deeply into her eyes. There was nothing anyone could do. Jabin knew what Elah was doing and knew he would have to try his best to keep her safe and secret. He had seen others die for less then what she was giving River.

  Once Ebele had calmed enough he looked over to Talib, who looked straight at his father for direction, hoping he would know what to do. While Talib was very bright, he always looked to his father for direction because he had never steered him wrong.

  “Take your mother and the boys back to the house” Jabin told him, with a commanding tone in his voice.

  Talib struggled to get his mother to her feet but with the help of Varg and Lavi he managed to get her up. As they walked off Talib keep her mind occupied by telling her about the new book he had received but she didn't appear to be listening.

  Jabin looked at his daughter in amazement, her long golden hair covering most of her beautiful face but he dared not touch her, not even to move the hair from her face. He had only seen this once before when he was in the kings company and if he was right about what he was seeing, he knew he had to keep her safe from almost everyone.

  Jabin had fought to keep King Ceawlin safe from an attack but the king had not come out without injury. The battle was long and bloody and many lives were lost. He had helped the king to safety where some of the king’s men came for them and took them back to their camp.

  The king’s tent was comfortable, filled with fine materials, with furs coving his bed and large couches. It was here that he had meet a nameless man who touched his hands to the king’s chest and healed the king of all his injuries. At the time Jabin had simply been amazed at the sight and remained silent about it for years, just like he promised he would.

  Although Jabin had never seen that man again, he always wondered what had happened to him. He figured that King Ceawlin had kept the man close and away from others to protect him but Jabin never dared to ask.

  Jabin could see the blood flow slow and then come to a complete stop. He hoped that Varg and Lavi did not see too much or know what Elah was doing. Healers were rare and many would go through a life time and never meet one. He watched helplessly, as River wounds slowly closed to revel his soft olive skin. If it wasn't for the drying blood on River’s skin and shirt, Jabin would think that nothing had happened to River.

  It was not long before Jabin saw River start to move and his breathing became stronger. Elah looked up to her father and stared into his green eyes before hers rolled back and she fell unconscious, her head landing on River’s strong, large chest.

  Jabin quickly pulled Elah into his arms, not sure if River was still in pain. Jabin remembered the king’s healer had rested on one of the large couches for quite some time after healing the King Ceawlin but the king himself was able to get back to business once he had taken a short time to refocus.

  River moaned as he slowly opened his eyes revealing his bright purple eyes. River and Elah were the only members of his family with purple eyes and he often found himself wondering where in their family they had got them but couldn't figure it out.

  To Jabin, River was everything Jabin had wanted to be, strong, kind and bright but he was glad to see his son possess these traits. When they went into the city to pick up a new student or some supplies, Jabin always noticed the way the ladies looked at River, like him River was tall and had golden hair, which glistened in the sun.

  Jabin weakly smiled down at his son, letting him know that everything was okay but could g
ive River the reassurance he wanted to because he couldn't stop worrying about Elah.

  It was not until River propped himself up that he was able to see Elah. He gasped in shock as he looked at his little sister in his father’s strong arms. “What happened?” River asked confused.

  “We’ll figure that out in good time River” Jabin said, patting River’s leg to reassure him.

  Jabin looked down at his daughter resting in his arms. Her breathing was steady and her body was relaxed against his, it look as through she was sleeping.

  Jabin looked over to River and searched his eyes for focus and found more strength than he thought he would find. “River can you stand?” he asked, searching his son for anything that may weaken him but found nothing.

  River looked himself over in disbelief and confusion. He felt strong, in fact he felt stronger than he ever had. As he looked up at his father he pushed himself slowly to his feet and found that he felt as if nothing had happened and this confused him more.

  Cautiously, River walked around the tree, brushing his hand along the truck as he went, ensuring he was strong enough to walk. He felt strong enough to run but didn’t want to worry his father and once he felt confident enough, he helped his father to his feet ensuring the safety of his sister.

  “River we must talk once we get back to the house in private” Jabin said as they slowly walked back to the house.

  As they walked back to the house, they noticed the forest getting darker as the sun started to make its way passed the horizon and the birds started to quite, as they perched for the night. River could sense his fathers worry and knew he could not talk about what had happened in the forest, even though he wasn't sure what had happened himself. He laid his hand on his father’s shoulder and smiled at him but he too was worried about his sister and couldn't hide the concern from his eyes.

  As they reached the clearing that surrounded the house, they could see the lights in the house brighten in the dimming light. The house was made from fine timber and other materials found within the forest, with a verandah surrounding the house and a second floor making it large enough for their family and students.

  River loved this house with all the wonderful memories. His favourite was the first time he had meet his little sister, she was so small and helpless. His mother had let him holder her not long after her birth and he sat in the kitchen for quite some time looking into her eyes, smiling at her, she was the reason he prayed he would have children of his own one day. He loved that every time he laughed she would smile at him and even now he could easily get her to smile. He now wished he could help her so he could see her smile, at least once more.

  River did not remember the birth of his brother. as he was too small but nonetheless, he did love his brother. Being closer in age they had played together and River had trained Talib but Talib loved to read more than anything else, while River loved to build. He had built most of the furniture in their house in his spare time.

  Because of his love of books, Talib excelled in his schooling and while River did well he was nothing in comparison to his brother. Talib would even sneak books out on the hunting trips Jabin would take them on and River would sometimes catch him reading when he was supposed to be tracking animals.

  Talib had taken it upon himself to teach Elah to read and write. He did well with her and shared most of his books with her, although he did have favourites he didn't want anyone to touch. While Elah loved Talib, she took to River. She would follow him around and would show interest in anything he was doing, Talib really couldn't understand why no one else seemed to share his love of books but figured they gave him all the enjoyment he needed anyway. River had figured that he and Elah had created a close bond from the first time he held her and vowed to try and hold his own children as long as he could.

  As River opened the door he was greeted by four worried faces, which turned to surprise and confusion when it dawned on them that River, who was unconscious in the forest not long ago, was walking through the door as if nothing had happened. Ebele rushed up to him holding his arms, as she looked him over before noticing Jabin walk through the door with Elah in his arms.

  Jabin had tried to sneak through unseen but the look on Ebele’s face told him that he had failed. He hoped he hadn't failed so terribly with the others but something told him that they knew more than they were letting on.

  “I’m going to go and clean up” River told his mother, laying a kiss on her forehead before heading out.

  Ebele looked at Jabin with worry in her eyes that seemed to be reflected in his. “Ebele, she will be fine, she just needs rest” he told her, as he walked up the stairs trying not to draw too much attention to Elah and trying to hide the how concerned he was really feeling.

  Jabin laid Elah in the bed River had made her and gently covered her with a blanket Ebele had knitted. He stood watching her sleep for a moment before going down to his worried wife.

  Talib sat in the kitchen trying to comfort his mother as the two students prepared the evening meal. Ebele was confused about what had happened and was not sure if she should feel joy about River’s recovery or worried about Elah and felt frustrated that she had no idea what was going on with Elah. She was not sure as to what had happened in the first place and was not getting much out of Talib except ‘Don’t worry mother everyone will be back to their normal selves in the morning’.

  She was far from convinced and wanted nothing more than to scream in frustration. It wasn't until she saw her husband enter the room, that she felt better. He smiled at her weakly and sighed before saying, "They are both going to be fine but we have a lot to discuss." She smiled up at him and with that he left the room to find River. 

  River was found in the work shed, working on his latest creation. He had already cleaned himself and changed his clothes. Jabin stood watching his boy, so proud of whom he was becoming and over whelmed with relief that he was okay.  

  It wasn't until Jabin cleared his throat that River broke his focus. He smiled at his father but Jabin could see he was still worried about his sister.

  Jabin walk slowly over to River, proudly inspecting his son’s work as he went. He gently placed his hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling River?” he asked softly.

  “I’m so sorry father, I didn’t mean for any harm to come to anyone” River said, feeling guilty by what had happened, which he still was confused about.

  Jabin sighed and lead River over to a garden bench River had integrity carved and waited for River to sit next to him. “Tell me what you know” Jabin said, watching his son nervously play with his fingers.

  “We were playing hide and seek and Elah, as usual hid herself well. I found her when she sneezed and I didn’t want her to run away and hide again, so I ran as fast as I could to get to her, when I slipped on some loose dirt and fell into a tree, I guess I must have hit my head. The next thing I knew you were next to me holding Elah. That’s all I know.” River was sincere in what he told his father and Jabin knew this by River looked at him.

  Jabin sat in thought for a few minutes and River felt more guilty for his actions and wished his father would at least yell at him or do something, anything. He even started questioning what had happened and if it really was the truth he had told his father. Did he not hit a tree but Elah instead he thought.

  “Is Elah hurt?” River asked breaking the silence.

  “I don’t think she is but I can’t be certain” Jabin answered, looking into his son’s eyes. “River you must not talk of this to anyone, not even your brother”.

  River nodded at his father understanding his request but not sure why. “I think your sister is more special than we could have ever imagined. I can’t know for sure until she wakes and I can talk to her” Jabin told River, ensuring not to reveal to much about what he thought had happened.

  “I’m here for you if you need me” River told his father, still confused about the situation but understanding that his father may not hav
e the answers to his many questions.

  “I know you are River. Come on dinner must be nearly ready” Jabin said, getting up. River smiled at him and silently followed Jabin back to the house. Neither of them could stop trying to figure out what had happened.