Jake and I are walking through the same village as last time. This time, I brought my dagger, and both he and I are wearing disguises so we won’t be recognized. The village is as lively as last time. Merchants are yelling out their prices in their stalls. Kids are playing around by the bread stall.

Two young ladies caught my attention; they are giggling and fangirling over Jake beside me. I pulled my hood down to cover my face even more, but Jake is walking with charisma beside me without his hood covering his face. He was a heartbreaker in his early twenties. But now, as he grew older, he started to focus on knight training more than his love life. 

We decided to investigate the rumors again since magic is forbidden in this kingdom. If it is indeed true that there is a mage here, we need to take action and arrest them. But first, we need to find out how the rumor spread.

“Your Highness, how are you feeling? Tired?” Jake asked, walking beside me.

“No.” I shook my head. 

“We need to keep our eyes on us and watch out for any harm here. In case the assassins are back here.” I scanned the area again; nothing is suspicious here. Only people living their lives. As simple as their lives might be, and however hard it can be, you can see their friendliness with each other. Everything is warm here. Unlike the castle, where a servant will serve you but despise you at the same time. 

“Your Highness, look!” Jake pointed to the same man from last time who had spoken to Elara.

Jake walked towards him, and I followed after. “Excuse me, sir.”

The man got intimidated by Jake’s large frame. “We just have a question for you.” 

“Yes, gentlemen. Please ask right away…” The man laughed awkwardly. He appeared to be in his thirties with blonde hair and blue eyes. A little on the lean side, but almost as tall as me.

“By any chance, do you know of any mage who lives here?” Jake asked.

The blonde man’s eyes shook as he nervously replied, “No, sir!” 

Jake turned to give me a knowing look and nodded.

“We happen to hear that there is a mage who heals here…” I said.

The man didn’t say anything as he rubbed his hands together shakily. Saying the word mage is forbidden. That itself can get someone in prison. My uncle and his soldiers arrest anyone suspected of magic or of practicing it. So I understand his fear.

“You see, I got injured on my way here to this village, and I was hoping to get something to help me recover quicker.” I lied. But the man still refused to say anything.

Until light came back to his eyes in realization. “There is no one with magic here in this village, sir. But- I have herbs that just hit the market this morning!” 

Herbs… 

An image of Elara selling herbs to this man, from the last time I saw her, came to mind. 

“Yes! Let me sell those to you. You will feel better once you put those herbs on your injury!” The man walked behind his stall and looked around for the herbs in question. 

Jake and I looked at each other. As we could read each other’s minds, we thought of one person - Elara. 

“Can I ask how good these herbs are? We can’t just put anything on wounds.” Jake asked the blonde merchant. 

“Trust me! These herbs were brought in by the herbalist herself!” He smiled as he brought out the herbs and placed them on the table in front of us.

Female herbalist? I thought to myself.

“I see… Where can I see that herbalist? I would like to have her check on my friend here.” Jake said. 

“To be honest with you, no one can tell where her home is. However, every morning she comes, sells herbs to me, and leaves.” The man said as he accepted the three gold coins I gave him.

“Then can you at least tell us what she looks like? We were hoping to see her for more herbs.” Jake gave him a smile.

The merchant thought to himself for a moment, then explained her appearance. “She is a young lady in her twenties. She has brown chestnut hair, green eyes, and is on the shorter end.” He pointed to his shoulders when he described her height.

“Is there another person who comes with her here?” I asked. I am starting to think I might have already met the herbalist, but I can’t jump to conclusions right away.

“No, she always comes alone to the market. I can’t say much about her since she doesn’t like to talk about anything personal to her.” Jake and I stayed silent, listening to the merchant. 

I felt a presence next to me and turned to the source. “Paul! Sorry for coming back again. I forgot to sell these to you.” A young woman with brown chestnut hair stood right next to me.

My eyes widened in recognition; this is the exact woman that I needed to see. 

Elara…

As if on cue, she turned her head in our direction, and we made eye contact with her green eyes. 

Her eyes widened in realization of who I am, and she immediately left the herbs on the merchant’s table and ran away from us. Jake and I looked at each other and ran after her. 

People parted ways to let us through the crowd, and we continued to run after her. 

“Your Highness! She is going towards the forest!” Jake yelled as we ran. 

Indeed she is. She is running very fast towards the same path I took the night I was here - to the forest.

But as I recalled, she said she doesn’t live in the forest. Was this her way of making us lose her? I remembered what Jake said when he came back, saying the cabin was nowhere to be found.

We came to a dead end- a river- the exact same river I came across that night. She looked back at us, and she cursed under her breath. She then took us by surprise when she jumped high from the ground to the other side of the river and continued running on the other side of the river.

“What the- how did she jump that high?!” Jake asked in shock. 

“No time to waste; we need to swim here and follow her!” I jumped into the river and swam across, and Jake did the same thing. I remembered the path to her home. We continued running until we reached the old oak tree and a nearby cliff. And there was the cabin we were looking for. 

“Who the hell are you?!” Elara shouted from behind us. She held a dagger in her right hand, ready to plunge it at anyone who dared to get closer to her. 

Jake also put his hand on the dagger attached to his hip, ready to pull it out, but I put my arm in front of him, signaling him to not pull his dagger. Jake grunted in response.

“I should ask you the same thing… mage.” Her green eyes narrowed at me as I called her a mage.