All characters belong to SM... I'm just giving them a new identity.

The Healer

Chapter 1

"This will only hurt a little bit", I told her as I applied a small dose of the Ganoderma Lucidum herb to the cut on Anna's leg. It would burn just a little but it would definitely rid of the infection. She had gone to the river to gather some fresh water for her mother when she slipped and a tree limb sliced through her thigh. Her mother had tried to keep it clean but sometimes it just wasn't enough.

"Thank you Miss Swan, thank you so much." Her mother Angela praised for the medicine. She thanked me again before gathering her daughter and heading back to their home.

It seemed the people of Forks were coming to me more often now for different maladies. I had been studying how different herbs affected various ailments on the body since I was twelve. My father and I traveled a lot after my mother passed away and he always had a fascination on how nature affected other factors of life and the body. I found the herbs rather helpful when he decided to be a little too adventurous and ended up getting hurt.

I moved to Forks about a year ago after my father passed away. It broke my heart to lose my best friend but I know he was suffering so much I just could not bring myself to hope he held on to life any longer. His kidney's had failed him and he was so sick. The swelling in his body and the pain he was in was just too much to endure. I struggled hard to find a cure for this ailment but there simply wasn't one. Right after his death I decided to make it my mission to share the remedies I had discovered in order to help others. Most people found my unorthodox ideas rather strange but once they realized healing was involved, they suddenly became more accepting of me.

I was only eighteen but it was old enough to raise concerns about my marital status. It was uncommon for a young orphaned woman to remain unwed but I simply could not find any interest in the young men in the community. That certainly did not mean they did not show an interest in me. I was becoming really good at avoiding the subject with most of the ladies in the town. Some wanted to get too involved and would make up reasons to visit in order to try and set me up. I was running out of excuses to get out of dinners involving said single men.

A major turn of events took place on a warm Friday evening. A new young man moved into the town of Forks. While I had not seen him as of yet, the girls in town were not shy of expressing their opinions on the young man. It seems he was the epitome of perfection. I knew it would only be a matter of time before he would be coming to me for an ailment of some sort. It seemed the men in town were more prone to accidents because of work than the women.

After a week passed, I still had not seen this young man and after all the talk in town, my curiosity was getting the better of me. Apparently he was the new teacher for the students in town. I listened to the gossip about how Jessica, Lauren, and Tanya had relentlessly thrown themselves at the poor soul and how he had kindly rejected them over and over again. You would think they were getting the hint by now, but I knew better. Once those three had it in their minds to do something, nothing could stop them. They were only sixteen, but in this community, it was the prime age to be wed and the poor man did not stand a chance.

The Friday after the young man moved into town I found myself needing to go to town to stock up on some food items and fabric for new clothes. I rarely ventured out but with all the gossip, I was mainly curious as to what I would discover. As I walked into the General Store, Mr. Crowley immediately greeted me. His son Tyler had been pinning for my attention for quite some time and I had politely rejected him more than once.

"How are you today, Miss Swan? It's so nice to see you out today. Is there something particular you are looking for?" he asked.

"Yes sir, I am low on sugar, tea, flour, and candles. I would also like to look at your fabric please." I replied.

"Absolutely Miss Swan, please take your time while I gather your other items" he said.

"Thank you Mr. Crowley."

I decided on some light blue fabric and added some basic white and a small amount of lace embroidery for accent and added that to my small pile of items. I was about to ask how Tyler was doing when I heard the bell ring on the door. I didn't want whomever was standing behind me to get the wrong idea by hearing me ask about another man so I paid for my items, gathered my things and turned around and was met with the most gorgeous green eyes I had ever seen. I simply could not take my eyes off of this man. He was beautiful. His tall stature with chiseled jaw, slightly unshaven, bronze unruly hair that I had to fight myself not to reach up and touch it. He wore a light green sweater and black slacks and looked like a God from a painting.

"Excuse me Miss, I do not believe I have had the pleasure of meeting you. I am Edward Cullen."

He reached his hand out to take mine and I mindlessly gave it to him while he kissed my hand. At that very moment I knew, without a doubt, what all the women were talking about. And I could not agree more with their opinions. His smile, his voice, his smell, simply drew me in. I knew I was done for.

I hope to update every few days or sooner...Just be patient. I have great ideas for this story.