Ten years ago, when Daisy had gone to take her apprentice test under Florence Elowen, Martha had accompanied her with little Derek.
And though the visit had been all about Daisy, Florence’s sharp eyes had noticed something else entirely.
’She had clearly noticed it back then. Is she also like Father? A demon?’ Derek sank into deep thoughts.
"Sure," Meanwhile, Martha replied in a calm tone. "It really has been a long time. Even though her chamber is not that far, we just haven’t had the chance to visit with everything going on."
"Then let’s visit her today, Mother!" Daisy said excitedly. "We’ll be busy with packing tomorrow anyway."
"Today?" Martha blinked. "But I’ve got so much work left..."
"No problem!" Daisy said with a grin. "I won’t be staying for the whole day there. So I can come back soon and then both Derek and I will help you out."
She then turned to look at Derek. "What do you say, little one?"
But Derek didn’t answer.
He was still lost in thought, completely unaware of the conversation around him.
"Derek?" Daisy called again, a bit more insistently this time when he didn’t answer.
"Huh? Oh... yeah, sure." Derek responded quickly, as if just realizing he was being spoken to.
"See?" Daisy turned to Martha with a grin. "Now don’t say no, Mom. Let’s go!"
Martha let out a sigh and gave in. "Alright, alright. Go get ready, we’ll head out."
"Yay!" Daisy cheered, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Just like everyone else, she too wanted her family to witness how far she had come. She wanted them to see her progress, wanted to make them proud.
After all, she hadn’t gotten that chance before.
Once breakfast was over, they each went into their separate rooms to get ready. Daisy, now a young lady, had a room of her own, and Derek, being the only boy, had his own as well.
It didn’t take long for all three to get dressed and step out again.
"All ready?" Daisy asked, beaming as she saw them emerge one by one.
"Yes. Let’s go quickly so we can return before it gets too late," Martha replied, adjusting her shawl.
Logan didn’t say anything. Many thoughts were circling in his head.
And then, they stepped out of the house.
Martha closed the door behind them and secured it with a lock. Once that was done, the three of them began walking down the path together.
They didn’t have to walk for long.
Soon enough, a passing wagon came into view. They got on after Daisy signaled the wagon to stop. Once everyone had settled in, the wagon rolled ahead, creaking softly as it made its way down the familiar village path.
The journey, though short, carried a subtle weight. These days, it felt a bit lonelier with two people missing from their lives; their absence left a quiet void.
Daisy, however, looked visibly excited. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. Martha wore her usual calm expression. And Logan... he remained silent, lost in his thoughts, as if his mind was elsewhere entirely.
The scenery slowly blurred past on either side, fields and homes shrinking in the distance. Before long, they reached the heart of the village, its bustling market square.
As the wagon entered the marketplace, it began to slow down, navigating through the heavy crowd. The place was as lively as ever, with vendors shouting, children running, and customers haggling. Even though today wasn’t a test day, the footfall outside Florence’s chamber was still surprisingly high.
After all, illness was a typical guest in village life, and Florence was the most trusted healer anyone could turn to.
Eventually, the wagon pulled up in front of a modest yet distinct building marked by the ’Florence’s Chamber’ sign.
Daisy was the first to hop off. She quickly paid the fare before turning around with a smile. Together, the three of them made their way toward the entrance, the familiar wooden doors just ahead.
The moment they entered, they found themselves in the familiar main hall, spacious, with four separate rooms tucked neatly into each corner.
To the left were two rooms bustling with activity. Young apprentices, not much older than Daisy, moved swiftly between patients, administering treatments under quiet guidance. It was clear they were still in training, just like Daisy.
To the right, the near-side room served as the waiting area. Even today, it was crowded with people. But unlike test days, these visitors weren’t here for exams. They were patients, waiting for treatment, either from Florence or one of her apprentices.
And finally, in the far-right corner was the most familiar door of all, Florence Elowen’s chamber.
Without wasting a second, Daisy walked up to it and knocked gently. Martha and Derek followed behind her. The closer Derek got, the more anticipation stirred in his heart.
From inside, a warm, familiar voice called out, "Who is it, dear?"
Daisy responded quickly,
"It’s me, Miss Elowen, Daisy."
There was a pause, then a delighted tone followed. "Ah, Daisy! Come on in."
Daisy pushed open the door, and the three of them stepped inside.
The moment Florence saw Martha, her lips curved into a gentle, knowing smile.
"Well, well, look who it is! You ungrateful lot had completely forgotten about me, hadn’t you?" she teased, though her voice held nothing but warmth.
Martha chuckled apologetically as she walked in with the other two. "I’m sorry, Miss Elowen. So much has happened lately... I just didn’t get the chance."
"Alright, alright... I get it. Come on, sit now," Florence said, gesturing toward the chairs beside her wooden desk.
The three of them quietly pulled out the chairs and sat down, one after another.
Florence’s gaze then shifted to Derek.
"And who’s this handsome kid?" she asked with a playful smile. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
"Oh, that’s Derek, Miss Elowen. Don’t you remember? He was just a few months old when you last saw him, maybe that’s why you don’t remember," Martha replied casually.
But the moment the words left her mouth, Florence’s expression changed. Her smile faded ever so slightly, and her eyes narrowed with sudden focus.
"This is... Derek?" she repeated, her voice tinged with surprise, almost disbelief.