H.M. Van Fleet - Healers Apprentice

Healers Apprentice

A novella by H.M. VanFleet

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Published by H.M. Van Fleet at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 H.M. Van Fleet

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This bookremains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not beredistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes.If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to downloadtheir own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank youfor your support.

Dedicated to Rebecca F. Wells for encouraging me towrite. To my parents for their support all along the way. And to myhusband for putting up with me through the best and worst oftimes.

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Insurrection is the most sacred of the rightsand the most indispensable of duties.

Marquis de LaFayette

Table of Contents

ChapterOne

I swung my legs out of bed, feeling slightlynauseous. Today was my fifteenth birthday; the day I chose mycraft. I already knew what I wanted to do, but the thought ofrejection made my stomach clench with dread.

After getting dressed, I made my way to thekitchen. I ate a rather tasteless bowl of porridge, then followedmy father as he exited the house and walked to the healers houseat the other end of the town.

I stepped up to the door, glancing back atFather. He nodded encouragingly, so I took a deep breath andknocked. After a moment, the door was opened by the towns healer,Cameron. Cameron was a kind, widowed man in his late thirties. Hislight brown hair, dark blue eyes, and cheerful disposition made himquite popular with the residents of my town. I still wasntaltogether sure about him; the only time I had talked to him waswhen he had straightened my broken arm. It had hurt.

Cameron smiled at me. Hello. What can I dofor you?

I licked my lips nervously, glancing atFather again. I would like to be your apprentice.

Come in, then. Cameron waved goodbye to myfather, shutting the door behind me. What is your name?

Max. I glanced around the healers home.What do you want me to do?

I knew you were coming, so I put togethersome things for you to do to see if you really want to be myapprentice. Cameron led me to his kitchen, where there were pilesof different types of plant leaves.

What are these? I asked, fingering one ofthe leaves.

Herbs that are used to make medicines andsalves. Cameron named all of the herbs, then picked up what lookedlike a wooden peg. Putting some leaves together, Cameron started tocrush them with the wooden tool. He turned to me, holding out thetool. You try.

After wielding the tool awkwardly for a fewseconds, I started getting faster, and turned to smile at Cameron.This is fun.

Good. Cameron walked over to another door,beckoning. Come. The books you will study are in here.

I groaned quietly before following. I hatedstudying, but knew that it was one of the only ways I couldlearn.

Max! my mother called. Suppersready!

I sighed and shouted back, Coming! Gently,I washed the wound on the dogs leg with a wet cloth. When it wasclean, I smeared an herbal poultice on the cut, then bandaged it. Istroked the dog and fondled its ears, then went inside our smallhome to wash my hands.

Father smiled at me. How was your day?

My mother sat next to Father after placingfood on the table. She looked at me. Do you like the healer?

I nodded, dishing myself some food. Yes. Ilove being his apprentice. I love helping people. I had been hisapprentice for a few weeks, and had helped Cameron with several ofhis patients.

Mother smiled. Thats good. You will make agreat healer someday.

I ducked my head to hide my embarrassment,stuffing a forkful of food in my mouth to avoid talking. The mealprogressed in silence, then Mother asked Father, How is Elladoing?

Father wiped his mouth with a napkin andshrugged. Fine. She really enjoys being lady-in-waiting to thequeen.

She would, I thought, concentrating onmy food. Ella was nineteen, four years older than me. She lovedpink bows and dresses, flowers and make-up. Fathers voice jerkedme back to the present.

unrest in the kingdom. Father looked grim.There is talk of a civil war, a revolt to throw down themonarchy.

Why would people do that? I asked.

Father shrugged. Who knows?

The king has done some things that thepeople dont like, Mother said, reaching over the table to take myhand.

Father glanced at her. I dont think weshould talk about this with him. He is only fifteen.

I glanced from one parent to the other. Imnot a child. I think I can handle it. My parents shared a glance,and my eyes narrowed. You arent thinking of joining, areyou?

Of course not, Mother said with a smile. Itlooked forced.

Shes lying, I thought, but nodded andreturned my attention to my food. What are theyplanning?

Several months later, pounding came from thedoor. Father frowned, putting away the knife he was honing. Motherlooked up from her sewing, frowning as well. I put down the bookthe healer had loaned me and opened the door.

Four soldiers wearing the kings colors stoodon the doorstep. Can I help you? I asked, perplexed.

The soldiers glanced at each other, then onesaid, Your family is accused of treason, and will be executedimmediately.

I frowned, but before I could do anything,the soldiers rushed into the house and grabbed Father and Mother.One of them grabbed me, and we were all dragged out onto thestreet. Father struggled in his captors arms, but it did no good.Mother was screaming.

We were dragged to the castles courtyardwhere there were more soldiers and weeping citizens. A hooded mancarrying an axe was at one end of the courtyard, and posts were inthe other. There was a gallows in the center.

The king himself stood on the castle walls,looking down on the courtyard. His deep voice boomed in the hushthat only the womens weeping broke. You have been arrested foryour treasonous actions, and will be executed immediately.

I watched in horror as the soldiers dividedeveryone into three groups. Some went to the axman, others went tothe gallows, and the group I was in went to the poles. Men, women,and children were tied to the poles, and wood was piled at theirfeet before being doused with coal tar. A soldier touched a flamingtorch to the tar-covered wood, and it burst into flames.

I doubled over, vomiting. The king was goingto kill everyone here, even the children. How does a child committreason? Behind me, I could hear the trap doors swinging and theaxe whistling down, and dared not look. Closing my eyes, I jammedmy fingers into my ears to block out the terrible screams of thepeople being burned alive. When the screams stopped, the fires wereput out and new people were tied to the poles.

I sobbed, trying to block out their screams,but it was no use. When my familys turn came, Mother cried formercy but was ignored. Glancing over, I saw a young woman clutchinga baby. She screamed as flames licked her skin, clutching her babycloser.

I looked away, nauseated. What kind ofdespicable beast would murder a baby?

On either side of me, Mother and Father criedout and writhed as the wood at their feet was set ablaze. A soldierstepped in front of me, holding a torch, and I knew it was myturn.

The soldier started to lower the torch, thenhesitated. He glanced at me, and I saw deep self-loathing anddisgust in his gaze. He hesitated, then quickly scooped up a dollopof tar, smearing it on the ropes that bound me. Then he touched thetorch to the wood.

Every muscle in my body went rigid, and Icried out, tears streaming down my face. The acrid smoke made myeyes burn, and the heat dried the tears. The tar that the soldierhad smeared on the ropes caught on fire, and I struggled. Theropes, weakened by the flames, snapped, and I lurched forward. Myfoot caught on the wood, making it roll on top of me. Burning tarfell on my neck and face. I frantically wiped it off, screaming,not caring that it burned my hands further.