Elara’s POV

The autumn breeze hit my face as I walked back home after selling my herbs to Paul this morning. I spent the last three weeks weeding out plants and roaming around the forest, looking for more unique herbs to sell before winter hits. Normally, during winter, it gets harder to find certain plants to make medicine from. I made sure no one was following me back home.

I walked to my front door and gently unlocked it with the spare key I had, and the smell of freshly baked bread welcomed me. My grandmother was sitting on her wooden rocking chair across from the fireplace, reading a book. She had her white hair pulled back into a bun and was wearing her reading glasses. She was wearing a white wool shirt with a black skirt. She noticed my presence, placed a bookmark in her book, and greeted me with a warm smile.

“Welcome back, dear.”

I smiled back at her, then took off my boots by the door, placed my dark leather pouch on the coat hanger, and walked up to her. She opened her arms, and I hugged her back.

She laughed gently as she wrapped her arms around me. “Having a tough day?” She asked. I nodded softly. I sighed and closed my eyes. I locked my mind away from this world for a second in the warmth of my grandmother’s hug. 

In truth, I was having a hard time finding herbs as it was. And to make it worse, I tripped down a hill a little closer to the village after selling the last bit of my herbs to Paul. So I twisted my ankle during that fall, but I pushed myself to walk around to get through the day.

I need to look for more herbs nearby. I used up the remaining herbs that I had on the gentleman I took care of three weeks ago. I wonder how he is…

I still remember the fear I felt when I woke up from my sleep to soft knocks in the middle of the night. And a bleeding, injured man greeted me when I opened my house door. The poor man collapsed, and I dragged him into our home, then tended to his wounds. I used up all of my Yarrow herbs to stop the bleeding on his shoulder and thigh.

My grandmother patted me gently on my back and asked, “What are you thinking about?” 

I was thinking about the man from before. Of course I am not telling her that. She was opposed to the idea of letting a stranger into our home, but after seeing him in a fragile state, she helped me tend to his wounds. 

“Nothing really… Just annoyed that it is getting harder to find herbs during this season.” I sighed as I got out of her hug. 

She gently chuckled and opened her book again. 

“You can rest assured… You made enough money to last us until spring of this coming year, child.” My grandmother smiled. 

I want to think this is true, but I can never stay still or do nothing. Since childhood, I always wandered around the forest here to find plants. My grandmother knew about my interest in plants, so she gave me a book about herbs, and I learned from it. Eventually, I became the well- known herbalist of the nearby village. 

My grandmother suddenly looked up at me in realization. “Did you make sure that no one followed you here?” She asked. 

“Yes, after all, no one can find our hideout,” I said as I let my hair out of my braid and combed through my chestnut strands to untangle anything on the way. 

“I still can’t believe someone found our place.” She must be talking about that man.

“Are you sure no one followed you one day, and he somehow knew about our place?” My grandmother has always been nervous about the outside world. I don’t blame her, though; being a mage such as we are can get us arrested - even killed. 

“I can’t tell for sure how he was able to find our cabin, but I made sure to cast an illusion spell with paths leading to the village. He kept asking why we lived in the forest. He was suspicious. I remembered him being persistent in finding out why we lived in the forest. However, we can never let anyone find our cabin or know who we are because it’ll put our lives at risk. 

My grandmother sighed and looked back at the book she was reading. “Whatever, at least he made it out alive.”

That’s true… 

It was a miracle that he survived that night, with all that bleeding. When I checked his wounds, the surrounding skin was purplish-green. I thought it was poison, so I cast a healing spell on him to stop the poison from spreading. 

I brought my hands closer to the fireplace to warm myself up until my gaze wandered to the piece of cloth on top of the shelf above the fireplace. No…

My eyes widened in realization. How could I forget this herb lying around! Now I need to go back to Paul and sell it before nightfall. 

I groaned as I got up, took the herbs off the shelf, and walked towards the coat hanger where my leather pouch was.

“What is it, dear?” My grandmother asked.

“I forgot to sell these herbs,” I sighed as I placed the herbs in my pouch and wrapped the bag around my waist.

“Please don’t tell me that you will go out and sell these, Elara.” My grandmother looked at me.

“It’s okay, Grandma, nothing will happen. I am a mage and can protect myself.” I reassured her as I tied the last ribbon on my shoes. 

“Fine… But make sure to stay out of trouble!” She sighed.

“Okay!” I smiled at her, then walked out of the cabin.

I’ve been living here with my grandmother for as long as I can remember. Since childhood, we have always stayed here and avoided any interactions with others from the village so as not to mingle with anyone. However, the forest is dangerous because of monsters. But my grandmother cast a protection spell that prevents monsters from finding us.

I walked towards the village. It is not that far from here, but there is a river that separates our land from the village. I like to jump over it. 

I got near the river and cast magic to allow myself to jump over it, ignoring the stinging pain in my twisted ankle, and then landed on the other side of the river. 

I continued walking down the path that led to the village, and slowly the village’s marketplace came into view.

As usual, the village was always full of life. Kids were running around playing with each other, merchants yelling out their prices to attract customers.

As I walked deep into the marketplace, I saw Paul in clear view. He appeared to be talking to two men, but that was not my problem. I thought they were just customers. 

I stood by one tall man, waiting to be noticed by Paul, then said, “Paul! Sorry for coming back again. I forgot to sell these to you.”

Paul greeted me, but the greeting lasted for a few seconds as I realized who the man next to me was - the guy from before - Evren, I think his name?

My green eyes widened in realization, then I immediately ran away from him and his friend.