บท 26: Chapter - 26
As I stepped out of the keep, I couldn't help but feel thrilled for some reason. Probably because I had just become the proud owner of some prime real estate in this world. It wasn't just a small piece of land either, but an expanse that could be traced on a world map. I couldn't wait to start exploring every inch of it and make it fit what I had in my mind.
Although I still couldn't use my powers to shape plant life, I had a hunch on how I could do it. But for it to work, I would have to use my abilities to scan a "child of the forest." To do that, I would have to go north of the wall. However, that would have to wait for now, and I would have to be content with recreating the animals from my imagination and populating the forest with my creations.
While "Enchanted Forest" was not my first choice of name, I could live with it for now. I was also sure that once enough people started snooping into my business and began disappearing, the locals themselves would come up with a name that better fit the dark aesthetic I was looking for.
As I made my way towards my clinic, I saw the long line of patients waiting outside. I couldn't help but feel a little guilty about dumping all the work on Freya. As a good friend, I decided to take matters into my own hands and started curing patients with my powers. I didn't even need to ask what was wrong with them; I simply approached the end of the line and quickly made my way through the patients.
As I tended to the last patient in line, I couldn't wait to see Freya. I had been away for what felt like an eternity and I hoped to make up for it with a grand entrance. As I knocked on the door, I finally heard her voice from inside the clinic, "Come in".
As I stepped inside, Freya didn't look up from her paperwork and asked, "What seems to be the problem?"
Summoning my best pompous voice, I said, "I heard there was a beautiful maiden slaving away at the hands of a vile sorcerer here, and I have come to rescue her!"
Freya rolled her eyes and said, "I haven't seen you in a moon, and that's the first thing you say to me?"
Feeling a twinge of disappointment, I responded, "I was hoping to surprise you."
Freya finally looked up at me and deadpanned, "It would have been a surprise if you had come straight here instead of an hour after I already saw Fenrir curled up in his favorite spot."
I sighed. I had missed my chance to surprise her. "Aww, I was looking forward to that," I said, dejectedly.
"Anyway, did you miss me?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood with a playful grin.
Freya replied almost immediately, "Of course I did. You have no Idea how busy it gets around here when you're not here healing everyone instantly."
Her response made me feel a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry for leaving you with all the work. I got caught up in some unexpected matters."
"Are those matters taken care of now?" Freya asked, raising an eyebrow.
"For now, yes," I replied. "But… I have a new project that I'm working on."
Freya's frustration was palpable as she spoke. "So, you're going to disappear again?"
"Not really disappear. I'll just be a day's ride away," I explained trying to calm her down.
"You're still going to be gone for weeks," Freya pointed out.
I knew she had a point, but I couldn't help feeling a little defensive. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"How?" Freya demanded.
"Well, you can keep all the money you made from treating the patients, and I'll take over for as long as I can so you can have a break," I suggested.
"I'm already planning to take a break and I have already taken the money. What else are you going to do to compensate me?" Freya asked, her tone still frosty.
I racked my brain for a moment before an idea struck me. "How about a date?"
Freya looked confused. "What's that?"
"Just a chance for us to go out, have fun, and enjoy each other's company, without talking about patients or studies, just, you know, talk and figure out what to do about... us?" I said, hoping she would understand.
Freya's face softened as she considered my proposal.
After an agonizingly long pause she finally answered with a smile "Okay, I'll meet you here early tomorrow morning."
I smiled back at her. "It's a date then,"
As she got ready to leave, she mentioned something that took me by surprise. "I have kept a few dismembered limbs in the freezer, as you instructed. Their owners will probably come by today once they hear you're back."
After that comment, Freya gave me a kiss and said, "I'm glad you're back," before leaving the clinic. I felt grateful for her understanding, and I knew that I had a lot to make up for after being gone for so long.
I spent the next hour going through my lab, checking on ongoing experiments and making notes for future work.
Excitement coursed through me as I created a dedicated section in my lab for integrating magic into small animals. The mere thought of imbuing different creatures with magical properties filled me with an insatiable curiosity, and I eagerly anticipated the experiments to come. With the endless possibilities at my fingertips, I couldn't wait to see what kind of new and unique animals I could create.
That reminded me that now that I had returned, my top priority was to start building pathways that would allow me to harness the full extent of my powers. However, I found myself struggling with a difficult decision. Should I focus on constructing the pathways within the slightly public setting of Winterfell, where I could get started immediately? Or should I take the safer route and venture into my newly acquired forest, where I could work in seclusion and potentially create more animals to guard me? It was a tough call, and I knew that the choice I made could have significant consequences.
As I pondered this dilemma, I knew that I couldn't leave anything to chance. I needed to be prepared for any eventuality, especially during the final stages of creating my dragon heart.
While I was contemplating that, a few of the patients that Freya had mentioned came by the clinic. They were relieved to hear that I was back and eagerly waited to be reunited with their missing limbs.
I quickly got to work, reattaching each limb to its rightful owner and ensuring that they were comfortable before sending them on their way.
After I finished up with the last patient, Skitter flew in and landed on my shoulders. "Hey there, girl. How have you been? Did anything interesting happen while I was away?" I asked her.
I petted her head while also looking through her memories and saw that she had been looking out for Freya and the clinic. She had also dealt with someone trying to break into the clinic at night probably to steal something. But I didn't really give it much thought and continued to work in my lab while feeding Skitter.
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Her life had taken a weird turn, despite having to heal so many patients on a daily basis, she didn't mind the amount of work. Healing people to the best of her ability was her passion now.
However, a few days ago, a group of men had come to the clinic and started demanding that she sell the books El had written for her. She had refused, obviously. She was never going to part with those books unless El asked her to or until she decided to take on an apprentice herself. Even then, she would probably write a copy herself to pass on.
Fortunately, the patients waiting in line had noticed the commotion and chased away the men before they could cause any more problems.
But in this moment, no amount of problems could bring down her joy. Freya couldn't believe how happy she felt.
Her feelings for El had grown beyond admiration she had felt when she first met him, and she had fallen in love with his kind nature and wonderful personality. It had hurt when he seemed to be ignoring her advances, and she had tried to convince herself that she was content with being his friend and student. However, she couldn't keep lying to herself any longer.
Even though he was not a noble, he was the White Mage, so why would he be interested in a lowborn girl like her?
But in the past few months, she knew he was attracted to her. His subtle glances at her were not so subtle, and she finally gathered the courage to ask him out. Unfortunately, that was when he was called to King's Landing, so she held off on asking him until he returned.
As El returned, Freya's heart was full of joy and longing. His absence had only made her feelings for him grow stronger, and she knew that she could finally act on her emotions.
To her surprise, before she could work up the courage to confess, El had asked to court her himself. Her heart leaped with excitement as she imagined what they would do on their upcoming date, and she couldn't help but daydream about what she would wear.
Her mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of El that she failed to notice the group of men who were following her.
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