The Healer’s Gambit and Deception

Time frame: war time

The arrival of King Reinald's entourage, including Queen Mother Oda and the heavily intoxicated Crown Prince Navarro, coincided with the return of King Valdemar Clementine from Gamaaloth.

The entangled procession of both returning and arriving royalties caused chaos among the crowd gathered at the campsite of Cescil troops.

With grace and kindness, Sophia walked towards her step-brother holding a serving of warming herbal soup. As she approached with a gentle smile, Queen Mother Oda looked at them both with suspicion and a touch of malice.

Knowing the dangerous nature of court politics, Sophia wisely ordered the palace servants to check for poison and taste the soup before allowing Crown Prince Navarro to consume it.

Leading the Healer clan came with many responsibilities for Sophia, even ones that she loathed. She reluctantly arrived at the royal tent, carrying a bowl of herbal soup.

Sophia watched with a sense of discomfort as the soup was carefully inspected and tasted by the palace servants.

Bravely, she stood her ground and met the Queen Mother's disparaging gaze, refusing to let her family, the healer clan, be abused by the monarchy. Sophia's strength and determination as the leader of the Healer clan ensured her sisters' safety.

As the inspection of the soup revealed no signs of poison, Queen Mother Oda accepted the bowl and fed its contents to her wayward and debauched son, who had a penchant for heavy drinking and gambling.

She had bravely fulfilled her duties as the leader of the Healer clan. She departed from the royal tent with a sense of unease, hoping that Queen Mother would stop attacking her and her sisters.

Having fulfilled her duty of delivering the herbal soup, Sophia made her way to the open fields near her tent, where Qedren was being treated by the healers.

The serene setting, with trees swaying in the breeze, offered a much-needed respite from the tense atmosphere of the royal tent.

As Sophia approached the tranquil surroundings of the trees swaying in the gentle breeze, she felt the sudden sense of relief and escape from the stressful environment of the royal tent.

The quietness of the air, interrupted only by the rustlings of the leaves, soothed her countless worries and gave her the necessary respite to recharge her mind and spirit.

To Sophia's surprise, she found Thuriya Shi, a member of her Healer clan, in close conversation with Reeve Bertie, the rider of Qedren.

Sophia felt a jolt of concern and curiosity at what such a meeting could mean.

She approached the pair and, with a polite nod, made her presence known. Thuriya and Reeve separated, and Sophia went straight to Qedren's resting place to check on his condition as the highest priority.

Sophia breathed a sigh of relief at the progress in Qedren's condition, which showed he was responding well to the treatment provided by the Healer clan.

His appetite had significantly improved, and there were no visible signs of his health deteriorating.

Sophia continued to monitor Qedren's healing process and support the healers who were tending to him.

The day when Qedren would leave the Healer tent was getting closer, and Sophia eagerly awaited the moment she could see him play happily with Ragnar once again.

"Lady Sophia," Shi greeted Sophia.

"Yes, Sister Shi, do you have anything to say about Reeve perhaps?" She teased while holding back a smile.

Shi's sense of shame overwhelmed her as she realized that her relationship with Reeve had become common knowledge.

She knew that, as a member of the Healer clan, she had no say in choosing her own partner, as the monarchy had always controlled their bodies and reproductive systems.

Shi's confusion over her feelings for Reeve had caused her distress, as it could cause tensions within their society.

In spite of this internal conflict, Shi gathered the courage to come clean to Sophia and face the consequences of her actions.

"Shi." Sophia said softly as she rubbed Qedren's head. The light green dragon opened his eyes and looked at Sophia with a gentle gaze. Sophia smiled and greeted him. "Hi, sweet boy." She greeted Qedren.

True to Sophia's initial impression, Qedren was a sweet and gentle dragon, who loved to be petted and adored by those around him.

Despite the precautions taken by Gamaaloth, who fitted a metal muzzle around his snout, Qedren never showed signs of aggression towards the healers who treated him. Instead, with a calm and obedient demeanor, he allowed the healers to tend to him with ease.

A brilliant beam of light shone down on Sophia as she began her intricate healing process. With her precision and skill, she delicately cut a fresh wound on Qedren's arm, extracting the deadly Trurian poison from his veins. An eerie mist rose from the wound, dissipating into the air.

Sophia had the ability to control the flow of blood in any open wound, which in turn allowed her to expel the toxins with remarkable efficiency.

As Qedren lay on the wooden floor, Sophia's nimble fingers worked their magic, mending the wound perfectly and leaving barely a trace of the poisonous venom.

Sophia had deceived Ragnar by telling him that the Trurian poison was hindering the healing of his wound, and that she needed to cut away the decaying flesh.

But what she did instead was truly remarkable. With incredible skill and precision, Sophia created a fresh, moist wound on top of his already-healing injury.

The new wound allowed her full access to control the circulation of his blood, granting her the power to use her high-level magic abilities with unparalleled efficacy.

As the wound quickly healed under Sophia's masterful care, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of how she had outsmarted Ragnar.

Sophia spoke softly, her words filled with a sense of wonder and awe. "It is as if, for the first time, God's hand is guiding the healers." She paused for a moment, lost in thought before she continued, "When this war finally comes to an end, I hope that you will find Reeve and ask him to marry you." Sophia's voice held conviction and authority. Despite the ongoing turmoil, Sophia's faith in a brighter future for the healer clan remained unshaken.

"But, my lady, does the King allow marriage for the healer clan? Isn't it most likely that the healer clan will only be a war prize for meritorious people?"

In response to Shi's question, Sophia smiled knowingly. "It may be true that the King does not currently permit marriage among the healers," she began, "but we must never forget that as healers we hold life itself in our hands. Our worth cannot be measured by the spoils of war or the whims of royalty. Our work is sacred, and it should be seen as such." Her words were laced with deep conviction and reminded those around her of the healer's important role in society.

Sophia's eyes glinted with resolve as she spoke again. "I will make sure that this matter is taken care of, Shi," she declared firmly as she closed the scratch on Qedren's arm. "Tell the Reeve that Qedren can return with the Gamaaloth tomorrow. I will check his wounds daily on the same schedule that I checked Ragnar's wounds."

"Yes, my lady." Shi replied.

Her unwavering sense of duty and obligation towards the healer's cause was

  inspiring, even to those who had doubts about the healers and their role in society.

Sophia was determined to see justice done, and to ensure that the healers received the respect and honor they deserved at the end of the war. On the day she promised, she would make sure the Gamaaloth Nation married the healer clan at the end of the war.

"Then, Shi, tell Reeve as well... that there is a possibility that the marriage of the Gamaaloth Nation and the Healer Clan will not produce offspring as they hope to continue the bloodline. If he knows of that possibility and is still willing to marry you, perhaps you will be the first of our clans to marry out of mutual love."

Shi was stunned by Lady Sophia's words. How could Lady Sophia say such a cold thing when her own marriage seemed fine? Did it mean that Lady Sophia and Sir Arthur's marriage was not as good as it appeared?

But Shi was too afraid to question it further.

Sophia's voice was filled with warmth and kindness as she spoke to Shi. "I will keep you and Reeve in my prayers. I hope that luck will always be on your side," she said with a gentle smile. Her words were supportive and reassuring, reminding Shi that she was not alone in her struggle.

"Thank you very much, my lady. Having you as the clan leader, I already feel that God is on my side. I truly feel fortunate and honored to serve you, my lady."

Sophia placed a comforting hand on Shi's shoulder, and spoke with sincerity. "It is an honor to work alongside you as well, Shi, and I consider you to be more than a fellow healer, but a true sister in every sense of the word."

Shi could no longer contain herself, and jumped up to hug Sophia's small body tightly. After honestly conveying her relationship with Reeve Bertie to Sophia, she was truly relieved that Lady Sophia supported her.

She started sobbing with happiness. Sophia smiled as she rubbed Shi's back repeatedly.

After Shi was satisfied crying, Lady Sophia walked out of Qedren's resting place. Shi remained guarding Qedren in the field.

As soon as Sophia came out of the tall bushes and trees, someone was waiting for her at the end of the path.

His large body towered over her. He was not wearing his armor, only a tunic, leather belt, and cloth that covered his entire body and most of his face.

But he still wore armor plates on his shoulders, arms, and chest. Also still slipped the sword around his waist. One large hand rested on the tip of the sword. The luster of the Barsphirine stone in his wrist shone beautifully.

"My Lord." Lady Sophia greeted politely. "Have you been expecting me for long?"

Ragnar only gave a small nod without answering Sophia's question.

*