Chapter 13

Chapter 13: A Dangerous Journey (Part 1)

Edward the healer is in the middle of arranging the equipment and medicine in the cabinet. He feels so relieved to see his daughter already in a good health, not only that she is healthy, a silver pass has been given to her.

There are three kinds of passes to become a civil servant, the first one, is the golden pass, which has been given to nobles and royalty, and there’s a bronze pass, for civilians or peasants. The silver pass is a bit different than the bronze pass, the silver pass is bestowed by high-ranked nobles or royalty to a civilian with a great accomplishment to the kingdom.

There are so many benefits to a golden and silver pass, as for Ed, for her daughter who can’t even qualify to get a bronze pass, having a silver pass is a blessing for them.

“Father, would you like some help?”

He turn his head, to see Anne peeking from the window, it reminds him of when she was just a little girl, he smile and nodded. Anne rushed inside the clinic, she took some of the wooden boxes in the upper cabinet.

“Careful, sweety.”

“I’m alright, father, don’t worry.”

.....

“Oh, it’s not about you, it was precious salamander tears and lelefish mucus, rare ingredients, hard to get.”

She looks in disbelief at her father, while Ed smiles at her, “Ugh you’re teasing me, right?”

“Uhm... half joking, half serious, just be careful, okay?”

“I will don’t worry.”

They worked together, arranging the medicine, and even treated an emergency injury that came into the clinic. The father and daughter duo. Anne looks up to her parent so much, for the last seven years, she learn everything from them, not just the knowledge of the medical ability in this new world, but also, how to care about patients’ welfare.

In the new world, there are no nurses, there is only a healer, who has to do all the work by themselves. Lack of references is the main problem also, Anne knew, as the uncertified healer, her parents don’t have an array of books about medicine and herbology. The only way for her to learn more is to become a civil servant and get a license as a healer.

The sun already set, and she could hear all of the people outside getting ready for the solstice moon festival, tomorrow. The solstice moon festival is when the moon came out for one day and never lets the sun rises. The festival then being held to appease the Moon God, to let the Sun God, appear once more.

“Come on, you two, let us eat dinner and then we go outside to help.” Said her mother.

“Good idea, I was so hungry, but our daughter doesn’t even let me take a short break.”

Anne gasped and look at her father, “I did not, you even go out, buying a charred panfish!”

“Hey, I bought one for you, and told you not to tell your mother.”

“Too late, I’m already aware, no rice for the two of you, tonight.” Giggled Martha to Anne and Ed.

The three of them have a warm and hearty dinner, full of laughter. Afterward, Anne and her mother, are busy helping with the decoration for the big table while Ed, staying at the clinic, in case of an emergency. One of the village aunties pokes at Anne’s shoulder.

“Anne, I’ve heard from your mother, you got a pass for the civil exam, isn’t right?”

“Yes, aunty, I’ll be leaving for the kingdom’s capital, tomorrow after the festivities.”

“Oh, congratulation, Anne, it wasn’t easy to obtain the pass, let alone the silver pass.” Said the aunty to Anne.

The other villagers heard their conversation and the place abrupted with excitement, everyone is so happy for Martha and Ed, the villagers know, how hard Martha and Ed worked for them all of these years. They always took pity on them, two kind people, who never get a blessing from the birth Goddess. Until Anne came into their lives, a ten-year-old orphan, that sadly lost her memory.

Martha and Ed, made up some stories for the villagers, they don’t want the little River Anne to be taken away, just because she doesn’t want to reveal her identity to everyone. They maintained the amnesia story for the sake of Anne.

“It seems, tomorrow, we have another thing to celebrate!” Said one of the villagers.

“I’ll bake you the tastiest cakes, so you will miss us here.” Said the village baker.

The craftsman of the village then holds Anne’s arm. “Come to my shop, tomorrow morning, I have a perfect travel bag, for you.”

Tears came running down Anne’s eyes, she loves everyone in Viora village, they are the nicest and the most caring community, even compared to Anne’s old world. The village elder wipes her tears and begins to sing for her, the others followed her, and together they sing about the story of their village, while they work together to adorn the village center with flowers and lanterns.

The next morning, the moon stayed, the sign of the moon solstice, Anne goes to the bathroom in a hurry, while Martha instructed her to wear the new dress that she prepared. Every moon solstice, they need to wear new clothes, for the moon soul to be at ease.

“Remind me again, why do we need to wear a new dress at moon soultice?” Asked Anne at her mother, she felt a tad uncomfortable with the new cotton on her new dress.

“The moon solstice is when the Moon God, wanted to be the superior God because people close their eyes whenever the Moon God appears, the Moon God makes a promise to prevent the Sun God rises. That way, people need to be in their slumber for eternity.”

“Yes, that’s the legend, but, the new dress?”

“Well, we need to appease the Moon God by looking at our best, right?”

“Right, shall we go, now?”

Martha put her hands on her hips, “Did you forget about something?”

“Uhm... what?”

“Janice, is waiting for you to pick up the travel bag, and also do not forget about the cake from the bakery, you need to go there, helping.”

“Oh yes, I won’t forget.”

Anne smiling at her mother and in a hurry to go to the market, she waves at her mother, who looks at her from the front door. She tried to hide her sadness, at dusk, Anne will be leaving for the capital, and she will never know when her daughter will come back to the village.

Unbeknown to her, there’s more danger lurking in a shadow, waiting for Anne.