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She was headed to a small cottage, at the end of town. It had a small vegetable garden in the back, and a flower pot hung in the window. When Akaira came near, a gentle, old woman appeared at the door. The woman was known as Healer Audrie. She had tanned, leathery skin. Her face was lined with wrinkles, and had a large smile on it. Akaira was her apprentice. Though tonight she would become a full Healer.
“Is your dress ready, Akaira?” “Yes Ma’am,” replied Akaira.” Well then, let me see it.” Akaira took out a light blue dress. It had a dark blue ribbon around the waist, and long sleeves that hung over her hands. “It’s beautiful,” Audrie said sighing. ”I remember when I wore dresses like that, I used to be quite nice looking. Akaira and Audrie both laughed. “Well let’s get you into it,” Audrie said smiling.
A few hours later Akaira sat by the stream. She was worried. Audrie had told her to be ready in case anything happened. “But why,” she had asked Audrie. “Just to be on the safe side dear. You have heard of all the tails of the soldiers asking for us healers and us. You also have heard of what happens to the villages that refuse.” She was right. Akaira had heard these stories. “It can’t happen here. Nothing ever happens here. The greatest excitement we had in years had been when Mrs. Martlet had kicked her husband out of the house for three days, and that had happened two years ago,” Akaira thought her self. That still didn’t calm her. The truth was it had been bothering her for months. She just couldn’t get it out of her mind. It was a shadow in her every thought.
“I should be happy for my self. Today I am becoming a full healer,” but some how that didn’t sound quite right. She was different from other healers. She had been taught how to use weapons, and she was an orphan. No one new who her parents were. She looked different from every one else. She had brown eyes and hair. Every one around Ravenswill had hair, and blue eyes. The only other time she had seen a different hair color had been when a lady had ridden in past Ravenswill to marry her future husband. Her hair had been red. She also ate meat. She had tried it once on a festival night. She had loved it. From then on she started hunting. Audrie and the other Healers didn’t eat the meat though.
On one of these hunting trips Akaira had discovered her special ability as a healer. She could hear animals thoughts. She could also talk to them. She nearly stopped eating meat because it, but she loved the taste of meat to much. Because many Healers had that gift she was taught how to ignore her power while hunting.
Right then Riata came out and gave Akira a kiss. Akira smiled. There she was little Riata, always there. Riata looked at her in her calm way. It always seemed like she could hear your every thought. “Don’t worry so much Akaira it is your one day, but be careful. I do not want you to die out of carelessness,” said Riata sternling. Well it’s time to go. She touched her shoulder. After this day she would have a Healer Mark on that shoulder. The symbol was from the ancient language. Sadly no one knew what it ment. Akira sighed, she had always been interested in what symbols meant.
She knew her branding would hurt. The apprentices master would brand them. Each Healer had a ring. On the ring was the symbol. The Healer would press it to their apprentice’s shoulder. The magic in the ring would leave an irremovable mark on the persons shoulder. It was said to be extremely painful. It was also said to give you a horrible shock of pain when you strayed from your path. Luckily, only Healers have the brand.
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