The Herbalist

The Spark that Ignites

-Agneska-

It seemed that half of the party I came with left without us. I was left with only Thaddeus, who was actually not that bad. After I returned from my breakdown, I apologized to Thaddeus for lashing out at him. He has been anything but nice to me and the stress of everything that has been turned upside out in my life in the space of only a few weeks caught up with me. I told him I just wanted to enjoy the trip and learn from the faes. He introduced me to three other faes, Tupan, the forest guardian, Nimatu, the flora whisperer and Kuriman, the beast tamer and also Caioverde’s father. Each one of them welcomed me and was teaching me a bit more about their role and how they interacted with the community. They all spoke of a deep connection to nature. Tupan ‘felt’ the forest, he confided that he felt us coming at least two days before we reached their community, because the forest ‘told’ him. Nimatu shared the same passion of plants than me but her approach was far less scientific, she had a way with plants… she showed me how she could just make a flower bloom by talking or singing to it… It was completely surreal. She also told me that she could sense the same gift in me, but I just thought this was crazy. I learned so much with her. Thaddeus was never far, always acting as a protector and I was more at ease knowing he was nearby. I then spend some time with Kuriman, Caioverde’s father. In his presence, Caioverde was very serious and solemn. He was determined to learn the trade and to do his best. That suited me fine, because he was far less flirty. Kuriman was a hard man, rugged and grumpy, but I could sense a good heart underneath all that hardcore façade. He was teaching me the fae beast, as he called them. I supposed they would translate as pets in human. He was taming a lumiscale, some sort of gecko with a bioluminescent tail that would glow in the dark. Kuriman was saying those creatures were really useful to use as natural lantern in caves or dense forests. Its saliva also had mild healing properties, so they could use it for salve and other ointment. Taming them was apparently not that straightforward and Kuriman was explaining that most of the time, the smaller creatures were the hardest one to tame.

Kuriman then told me that the last whispermane lynel reported in the area was actually as domesticated as a human cat. This creature was some very rare feline with a soft, silken mane that rustles like wind through leaves. It acted as both a guardian and a mode of transport, and its mane could be harvested for strong, magical threads. I was completely mesmerized by the fae universe and culture. So much I didn’t know and so much I yearn to learn. I decided that witch or no witch, this trip was not in vain and I would make the most of it. I was planning an outing with Kuriman to go and see the whispermane lynel when I heard some noise coming our way.

“There she is!” Camille rushed back and gave me a massive hug. “Everything will be ok, I’m sorry we left you” she said softly during our hug. I couldn’t help but feel a strong sisterly bond with her. I nodded to her, my throat too clogged to speak. “We have someone to introduce you to, we found him.” She told me after she broke the hug. I smiled at her, but she could see it was not reaching my eyes. “Oh, maybe we are interrupting?” Camille then became aware of the surroundings and Kuriman.

“Oh yeah, well, Kuriman is the master beast tamer and he was teaching me about fae beasts” I mumbled.

“That would definitely come in handy with your destined” she nodded in approval.

“Oh really? Why?” I enquired despite myself.

“erm… you’ll see for yourself, come with me, they’re by our guest hut” she dragged with away with her. I just managed to mouth a ‘see you later’ to poor Kuriman with a wave of my hand.

When arriving close to our hut, a strong stocky blond guy approached us with a massive smile on his face. Oh god, I felt absolutely no attraction for him… Was he the guy from the vision? I remembered him taller and less… burly.

“Eryndis Falkholm, master spellweaver at your service, mylady.” He offered and I was immediately relieved.

“I’m Agnes….” The words died in my mouth as a taller man stepped forward from behind him. The moment his eyes locked with mine, the air shifted—charged, heavy, and alive. It felt as if the wind had been punched out of my lungs, leaving me gasping for breath. The world around me blurred and dimmed. Camille, Eryndis, other maybe—all their voices, their presence—faded into a distant hum, as though they had never truly existed. It was just him.

He was the man from the vision—the tall, brooding, and impossibly handsome stranger who had already messed up with my sanity during my breakdown not even twenty-four hours ago. Seeing him now, in flesh and blood, was like staring into the sun. My chest tightened, my knees threatened to buckle under me, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to cry or scream. Fate didn’t just tap me on the shoulder—it sucker-punched me, full force, leaving me reeling.

He was breathtaking. No, more than that. His presence was magnetic, overwhelming, as though the very air bent around him. Shadows seemed to cling to him like a second skin, only amplifying the fierce intensity in his eyes. And yet, beneath it all, I felt… recognition. Something ancient and undeniable, as if I had always known him, even before my first breath.

And then it hit me—this was him. My destined. The man the goddess deemed as my other half. But doubt clung to me, sharp and relentless. How could I be the one for him? What if this was a mistake? What if… what if he didn’t want me?

He held my gaze, his expression unreadable, though his eyes seemed to soften with something I couldn’t quite place—wonder? Longing? Fear? It was all too much, too fast. I felt my heart hammering against my ribs, its frantic rhythm echoing in my ears. I hated how vulnerable I felt, like my entire being was unraveling under his gaze. And worse… I hated how much I wanted him to see me.

Someone—Daniel, maybe Tobias—approached him, but he didn’t even glance their way. Instead, his voice cut through the air, low and commanding, a timbre that reverberated through my very bones.

“Leave us.”

They hesitated, but only for a moment. Without a word, they backed away, leaving us alone amidst the cacophony of my emotions. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move or breathe. My hands trembled at my sides. I didn’t even notice when he took a step closer, or the next, until he was standing mere inches away.

“I…” My voice cracked, barely a whisper.

His hand reached out slowly, hesitantly, as though he feared I might vanish if he moved too fast. The moment his fingers brushed against my arm, a blinding surge of energy exploded through me.

I gasped, a sound caught somewhere between shock and a cry, as heat coursed through my veins, wild and untamed. It was as if a thousand storms collided inside me, tearing through every nerve and shattering every thought. My skin burned, my head pounded, and for one horrifying moment, I thought I might come apart entirely.

The ground seemed to tilt beneath me, and I staggered, clutching at my chest as if to keep my heart from bursting out. Images and sensations flooded my mind—flashes of ancient forests, golden light, and him. Always him. His presence was like a beacon, drawing me in, grounding me even as the chaos threatened to swallow me whole.

“What’s… happening…?” I managed to choke out, though the words were barely audible.

His gaze softened, his hand steadying me, grounding me. “You’re awakening,” he murmured, his voice quieter now, almost reverent.

Awakening. The word rattled in my mind, too heavy with meaning to comprehend. My knees gave way, but he caught me, his arms wrapping around me like a lifeline. I wanted to push him away, to demand answers, to scream that this wasn’t fair. But all I could do was cling to him, my face pressed against his chest as tears spilled down my cheeks.

I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand any of it. Why me? Why now? How could I be the girl who was supposed to face ancient prophecies and defeat unimaginable evil when I could barely hold myself together in his arms?

And then, like a cruel twist of fate, the doubt came rushing back. He had been away to Switzerland to meet another woman. I knew that, what I didn’t know was if he liked her, did they kiss, did they... The thought gnawed at me, sharp and bitter, even as his warmth enveloped me. Was I too late? Was I nothing more than an afterthought to the goddess, thrown into this chaos without a choice?

But as his hand brushed against my hair, as his steady heartbeat echoed in my ear, another feeling began to stir beneath the fear and doubt. It was faint, fragile, but it was there—hope.

Perhaps this was the beginning of something neither of us could yet understand. Something terrifying, yes, but also beautiful.

For now, I didn’t need answers. I just needed to breathe. And in his arms, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I did.