Annifer

Chapter 8: Gerda

"Annifer!" she exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise.

I stood on the doorstep with my mouth open, frozen with shock. She stared back at me for a few seconds, then blinked and shook her head as if rousing herself from a trance. Taking me gently by the arm, she led me into a small kitchen, where a pot heated on the fire. She sat me down on a wooden chair and knelt on the stone floor beside me.

"Mother!" It was the only word I could say. I reached out and touched her face, her cheek was cool. The woman's lips curled into a smile, her deep blue eyes softened, warm with affection — eyes I knew so well but had not seen for so long. I drank her in — the long dark hair braided into a single plait, the green cotton tunic, so like my own, it was uncanny. My heart swelled up as if it would burst.

"No, Annifer. I'm your mother's elder sister, Gerda. I'm your aunt."

"But . . . but," I stammered, confusion wrinkling my forehead. "But she never mentioned having a sister. I knew about her brother Artem, who's king in Moonrun now. But she never said anything about having a sister." The woman put her hand on my knee.

"She wasn't allowed to. It's a long story but I'll try to tell it as briefly as I can. Here, drink this to steady your nerves." She ladled a yellow liquid from the pot on the fire into an earthenware mug and handed it to me. It smelt of flowers. She knelt back down in front of me.

"Growing up in Moonrun, your mother and I were very close but very different. Sophia loved being a princess: the elaborate dresses, the jewellery, the admiration of the courtiers. She was every inch the princess and everyone loved her for it.

"I was different. From an early age I was fascinated by the Wise Women, who worshipped the Goddess and came to court to cure us when we were ill. Sometimes I would even pretend to be ill so father would summon them. I loved everything about them: their serene smiles, the mysterious words they chanted, the smell of their herbal concoctions, the warm tingly feeling that ran through my body when they laid their hands on my head. It felt like stars were running through my veins, I could still feel it days later. I wanted to be just like them. I longed to learn the language of herbs and to learn how to cure people by sending energy through my hands."

Steam curled around my face as I sipped my tea. My new-found aunt's voice was soothing. It made me feel safe.

"But my parents wouldn't hear of it. I was their eldest daughter. I was supposed to marry a foreign prince and form a favourable alliance for Moonrun. When King Edwin of Quain revived the Old Law, banning Goddess worship and all the Wise Women went into hiding, I knew what I had to do. My parents had united with the queen and king of Frailing and planned to marry me to their eldest son, Prince Narin." I started, slopping the tea on my tunic.

"My father?"

"Yes, Annie," she produced a cloth from her pocket and blotted my tunic. "But I couldn't go through with it. I knew deep in my bones that my destiny was different. A week before the wedding was due to take place, a Wise Woman who was living in the city in secret, helped me escape. We ran away to the forest where she taught me everything I'd been dying to know since I was little.

"My parents were horrified. They were furious with me for embarrassing them and forbade anyone from even mentioning my name ever again. It was as if I'd never existed. They offered Sophia to the Prince of Frailing in my place and he accepted, so your mother travelled to Frailing to marry your father.

"When my training in the forest was complete, I set up home here to be close to Sophia. Shortly afterwards I met Castle Merlax's Stable Master in the forest. He had a lame horse, which I healed. He was a good man and I trusted him straightaway. I told him who I was and he agreed to take a letter to Sophia from me. She was overjoyed that I was in Frailing but it was too dangerous for us to meet, so we wrote to each other and Starling delivered the letters in secret."

I leaned in close, soaking up every word.

"When you were three years old, your mother wrote to me that you were gravely ill and told me to come immediately to heal you. Starling sneaked me in in his hay cart. I had my dog, Blanco and my cat, Perdita with me. They're my animal helpers. They help to channel the healing energy into the patient during the healing ceremony.

"You were at death's door. We tried as hard as we could but we couldn't heal you. Then your mother wanted to try. I wouldn't let her at first. She had no training and healing magic is powerful magic. But she insisted. She poured everything she had into you. Just when she was about to drop with exhaustion, you came back! Sophia was weakened though. She couldn't survive the birth of your brother."

"Oh no!" I cried, heart-stricken. My mother had died because of me! Gerda knelt up and laid a finger under my chin.

"Your mother would have had it no other way. She would gladly have died ten times over so you could live. Don't give way to guilt. It will weaken you and you need all your strength now." This reminded me of why I had come.

"I need your help, Gerda. Aunt Gerda, I mean."

"Gerda will do just fine," she smiled.

"It's Lord Skarp, Beatrice's brother. He's trying to poison Kriston so Ivan can become king." Everything that had happened over the last two days poured out of me in a torrent of words. Gerda's face scrunched with concern. "You have to come to the castle and heal my brother." I finished, my voice high and choked, my eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"No Annie." My aunt pursed her lips and shook her head. "I'd never get inside the castle gates and even if I did I'd never get past the guards into Kriston's room. There's only one person who can heal your brother now and that's you."

"Me?" I blurted. "But I haven't been trained . . ."

"How long before you need to be back at the castle?"

"Maybe two hours?"

"Come into the garden, Annifer. Your training starts now."

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