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Belated Valentine's to everyone! Here's the new chapter of W&DL. Please read and review.
Chapter 8: stories from their pasts
Kyoko had finished bandaging her wounds and she helped Kanae into a fresh set of clothes. After taking in the third bottle of medicine Kyoko had prepared, Kanae fell asleep. As she slept, the witch had made more of the medicines she needed to cure poisoned girl. Maria helped as much as she could. It was evening already when Kanae woke up and Kyoko handed her a bowl of soup.
"You didn't put anything else in this, apart from the usual ingredients, did you?" she asked, eyeing the broth warily but seeing nothing out of the ordinary.
Kyoko turned with a smile. "No, Kanae-san. I figured you can use a tasty dinner. You fell unconscious after taking the third vial."
"I thought I was going to die," Kanae told her.
With that Kyoko laughed and Maria smiled. "I was trying to help you, not kill you."
"You could have helped me more by improving the taste," Kanae suggested. Seeing the look on the sisters' faces, she said, "You two, seem to enjoy torturing me."
Maria laughed. "I'm glad you're feeling better now, Kanae-san," the little girl expressed.
"Why didn't you stop you older sister from going? You know it was dangerous. Weren't you scared?" she asked, wondering how the little girl could be accompanying her older sister in such a dangerous journey.
Maria shook her head. "I was scared. But Onee-san was there so I know I'm safe."
"How can children be so naïve?" Kanae muttered.
"Maria is young but she's wiser than most of those in her age," Kyoko told her.
They ate in silence. After a while, Kanae asked, "Why are you looking for the Healer, Kyoko?"
It took Kyoko sometime to recover from the shock at being called by Kanae. "Kanae-san, you –"
Kanae quickly waved her hand. "Yes, yes. I know this is the first time I called you by your name. Now, can you answer my question?"
The twinkle in Kyoko's eyes disappeared; replaced by a sadness that Kanae couldn't understand. The girl seemed extremely sad and Kanae didn't know what to say. That's why she never befriended anyone. She didn't know how to deal with people. "If you don't want to answer it's fine."
Kyoko just shook her head and said no more. She took the bowl from Kanae and cleaned their dishes. She gave Kanae medicine and soon Kanae felt drowsy and fell asleep. Later that night she woke up to find Kyoko feeding the fire more wood.
"Are you hurting?" the girl asked when she saw Kanae sit up. She made her way to check on Kanae. Maria was asleep, leaning on one of the trees around them.
"No," Kanae answered. Kyoko had touched her forehead to see if she had a fever. Fortunately, she did not.
"You have to sleep more, Kanae-san. It will help you recover faster," Kyoko told her and Kanae suddenly felt sleepy.
She knew this feeling, like she can't help but agree to her. Alarmed, Kanae asked, "Wait! What are you doing?"
The look on Kyoko's face was one of utter confusion that Kanae had a strong suspicion that the girl was unaware of whatever she was doing. Could it be that this girl had power she didn't even know about?She felt the drowsiness drift away and once again she was completely awake. She didn't mention anything about it because she didn't know what kind of power Kyoko was hiding.
Despite herself, Kanae had begun to trust the girl who had saved her. Unwillingly, she muttered in a voice low enough to hear clearly, "Thank you."
Somehow, Kyoko heard. She smiled at Kanae and said, "You're welcome, Kanae-san. We have to help each other out. We're partners after all."
Kanae thought for a while before finally speaking up. She didn't know what it is that made her want to tell the girl. So she decided she could just blame it at the bitterness of the medicines, the silence of the night, the kindness of the witch before her and her hurting body that placed her in a vulnerable position. "When I was a child, I lived with my mother and siblings in a house in the outskirts of town. Our nearest neighbor was a man, I wouldn't call him old like the others called him. He didn't look that old to me. But even if he lived nearest to us, it was still miles away and we never approached his home. My mother and siblings were scared of him because of the dark rumors that were spreading in town about him.
One evening, I was quite disappointed of the situation in our house that I ran away despite the rain. I was wandering around aimlessly and without knowing it, I reached the cottage where he lived. I was turning back when I found him standing behind me, equally surprised to see a young girl out in the rain, with a silver wolf growling by his feet. He waved his hand and the wolf disappeared. Out of kindness, he invited me in and I, out of fear, was unable to refuse. I didn't know what it was that he saw in me but he decided he would teach me magic and I, eager to learn, agreed. Since then I frequented in his home, finding him a more comforting company than my family. He became my master and I was his diligent student. He taught me all he could about the art of summoning and I looked up to him not only as a teacher but as the father I didn't have. He spoke to me about many wonders and sometimes when he was in a really good mood, he would let slip stories about his journey with his companions. They were people with exceptional skills and powers. But one day, two years ago, I came to his cottage, looking forward to learning more only to find it empty. He was no longer there. And he never came back."
Kyoko, could see the sadness hidden in Kanae's eyes but even before she can speak about her sympathy, the other girl spoke again.
"That is the reason why I was searching for the healer. I believe that she was one of his companions and that she might know where he is," Kanae revealed. She looked at the girl who was staring at her wide-eyed with surprise. Kanae, who didn't know what to say anymore, remained silent.
"Maria and I were orphans," Kyoko began as she sat before Kanae. It only seemed fair for her to talk about her past as Kanae had shared hers. The black-haired girl who was uncertain what to expect from the witch, listened attentively. "Back when we were younger, our mother abandoned us. We waited for her, Maria cried and cried but she never returned. That night, she fell ill and I didn't know what to do. We had no money, I couldn't buy her any medicine. We lived by with what was left in the , the witch-doctor came to town the third day. When I heard of it, I came to her, beg her to cure my little sister. She took pity on me, came and gave us medicine and some money to buy food. I've never been more thankful to anyone in my whole life. When Maria got better I went to look for a way to earn money so that we can survive but no one would accept a child for labor. Disheartened, I went home and found Maria talking to the witch-doctor animatedly. I've never seen her that energetic since our mother left. I wanted to ask the doctor if she would at least come and visit us every time she comes to town but before I could, she turned and asked us if we would want to live with her. I couldn't have been happier. She lived far from the village and since then, we lived with her too. She taught me how to make potions of different kinds, some poisons, some cure, and a bit of magic. She became our mother; we loved her more than we did our real one. But one day, she went to town to get some supplies and she never came back."
Kanae then realized that not only was their goal the same, but as well as their reasons and their past. Kyoko and Maria came here, despite the danger, hoping to find their mother just as she came here hoping to find a clue about her father.
"Amusing, isn't it Kanae-san? That both of us had been led here by the people of our past. We are not so different after all," Kyoko said after the silence.
Kanae simply nodded.
"I didn't know why Obaa-san left but somewhere deep in my heart, I didn't want to believed that she abandoned us like our mother did," Kyoko said, turning to look at her sister who was sleeping peacefully not far from where Kanae lay.
"We'll find that healer," Kane decided. "Until then, we'll be partners," she gave a slight smile to Kyoko before pulling her blanket.
Kyoko returned it, "Good night, Kanae-san." Then she stood and went to sit where her sister lay, watched the fire. It's still long before daybreak.
Author's Note:
I apologize for those who are waiting for Ren as he has not appeared yet. He's quite occupied for the moment, visiting someone. ('',) Please hold on. Thank you...
clauDeath17_
