Many thoughts were rushing through her mind after he had left her house. She had managed to keep her composure long enough for him to leave without suspecting her. " Is he undercover to track and kill witches in another country? They rarely operate alone so where are his allies? Did someone in town suspect me and contacted hunters to get rid of me? What if he was already watching the house and was stalking me many times already? ". She started obsessing over it, fearing for her safety. She was now in a constant danger that he would approach her at any time and take her out without having the time to react. Feeling exhausted by all this mental stress, she went to bed, a ball of stress in her belly.

  There he was, standing in the middle of the forest pass, she was running as fast as she could. He was chasing after her, his usual charming smile still on his face. As she arrived into a clearing she tried to gain back control of her heartbeat. She turned around only to be tackled to the ground just a second later. Richard was standing over her, his hand was big enough to immobilise both her wrists, she was completely at his mercy, he leaned closer to her.

  " You thought you could outrun me? Now I've got you just where I wanted. "

  She closed her eyes, strangely she wasn't afraid, why wasn't she afraid? The next thing she knew, his lips were touching her lips, she wasn't resisting him, her hands were still restrained while his free hand was unbuttoning the top of her dress and uncovering her shoulders. He started going down from her lips to her neck, down her chest to her breasts. Suddenly she felt a burning sensation in her lower belly followed by a freezing sensation. She was afraid to move, when she finally mustered the courage to look, her white dress was as red as her hair, tainted by her blood. She looked at Richard in disbelief.

  " Rich- "

  Was all she could say before he sliced her throat in the most swift and elegant gesture.

  She woke up screaming and in sweat. What a horrible nightmare. She had been having this nightmare and fear of Richard ever since that day. Four days had passed with no incident yet she was still feeling uneasy. She wasn't going outside further than her own garden but she couldn't prepare all the required products if she didn't venture into the forest. Her livelihood was at risk if she didn't get the right ingredients but it wasn't worth losing her life. She thought to herself " It's not living, i'm just surviving this current predicament ". She had a few options, she could lay low and try to disappear far away from here, going way north near the demi-human country of Elzerath. Or go among the witches in Tzungstat. But she knew that living as a witch over there meant either be used for the war like a tool or be seen as a goddess and worshipped and she just wanted to be left alone. She could try to fight him but what if there were multiple hunters all as stealthy and fast as Richard? She barely escaped the werewolf a few weeks back and she only defeated it because it had an actual weakness. Killing someone like a witch hunter was already known to be the most difficult task to the point that witch hunters were often recruited as mercenaries when their countries weren't at war and were known to be the most amazing of swordsmen. A sudden knocking on her door got her out of her own head. She didn't have any appointment, who could this be? She feared the worst. What if behind this door was Richard or another witch hunter she hasn't seen yet? What if straight after opening the door she would receive a crossbow bolt straight between the eyes? The knocking got more intense, the person on the other side was clearly getting impatient. She grabbed a knife and stood behind the door trying to see through the cracks who it was. All she could see was a large dark shape that looked like a dark armor plate. Suddenly the shape moved, the person behind the door turned around, she could see big burly hands while the man was putting his hands on his hips and tapping his heavy boot on the ground out of annoyance.

  " Is that bitch asleep or what? "

  It definitely wasn't Richard. The man's voice was low, gravely and sounded as if he had something stuck in his throat when speaking. A second voice, smoother, responded to him.

  " Maybe she just isn't home. Look through the windows to check, do I need to remind you what will happen to us if the lady can't see the herborist? ''

  The man was fidgeting nervously with a pendant hanging from his neck.

  " No I don't want a reminder nor do I need one. My hands remember the last time she was mad and it was your fault by the way. "

  " We are not gonna start this conversation again Markok. YOU opened the door! YOU startled me and YOU made me drop the wine on the new carpet! "

  " If you weren't such a wimp Felix that would not have happened. And why was I the only one punished for this?! "

  " Because the lady prefers me. I'm nicer, I can sing and I have success with the ladies. Not like a brute like you. "

  " You know a real brute would simply crush your tiny head like a grape right now, don't tempt me. "

  Over the sound of their bickering, Isabella could hear a faint tapping approaching. The voice of a woman broke the argument between the two.

  " What are both of you doing when I ask you something simple and easy!? How long does it take to knock on someone's door?! "

  All that Isabella could see was a red dress that looked way too rich to be a common woman. The hands of the woman were full of jewelry. She seemed to be their boss and she wasn't pleased with them. The one named Markok was nervous but still tried calming her down.

  " Well, mylady we knocked but - "

  " Silence! " screamed the lady cutting him in his tracks. '' I'll simply do it myself since it seems so complicated " she sighed and knocked rapidly on the door. Since the situation didn't seem that dangerous, Isabella decided to finally open. The lady seemed in her mid thirties. She had long curly blonde hair stringed with a silver shroud. She appeared to be a little bit taller than Isabella. As Isabella guessed she seemed to be of importance. She had this straight back stance all the nobles had. She was gauging the herborist, looking her up and down and then she turned to Markok.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  " See? was that so hard? "

  " But I knock- "

  " SILENCE! I'm surrounded by idiots to the point that even a cripple without hands could be more useful than you! Except you Felix '' She said as she turned to the second man that simply answered by bowing his head.

  The woman was staring at the herborist straight in the eye, the silence was heavy.

  " So? Are you gonna let me here in the dirt or are you gonna move aside so I can come inside? " said the woman visibly irritated.

  " Well I was surprised, I wasn't waiting for anyone and I don't let people inside my house unless they have any business with me. And I still don't know what you want or who you are."

  The eyes of the woman had this calm anger but she clearly didn't like this answer.

  " You speak in a way too familiar to my liking, young women these days lack complete respect. My name is Olivia Elppa, duchess of the town of Ciscera, these 2 are my personal guards Felix and Markok ". The 2 guards bowed their heads in respect. " And you are? " said the duchess still looking at Bella from above.

  " My name is Isabella Tsorf, what business do you have with me? " said the herborist in a very nonchalant fashion.

  This attitude of not knowing how to respect nobles was getting to the duchess's nerves.

  " I heard of you as the 'miraculous healer secluded in the forest' so I came to you for an ... issue of mine ".

  By the way she was speaking and lowering her voice, it clearly was something private and uncomfortable that she didn't want her guard to know. Bella decided to step aside and let her inside. The duchess had a slight sigh and walked inside, she snapped her finger at the face of her guards that were coming along

  " You two stay outside, we ladies need to talk in private! "

  She then proceeded to roam inside the herborist living room with a constant look of disgust on her face. Bella was watching her, waiting for her to state the reason for her intrusion. The duchess pulled out a small piece of cloth that she spread on a chair before sitting down. Isabella also sat down and inquire as to why she was here.

  " So what gives me the pleasure of meeting you today? "

  " Is this how you recieve everyone? No tea? No biscuits? You really ought to learn proper manners. "

  The venom in the duchess's words was making Isabella want to send it back in her face.

  " I would have prepared something if I knew I would receive someone but you didn't seem to think it wasn't appropriate to come unannounced so it seems we both equally lack manners. "

  It seemed the duchess wasn't used to people answering back as she had a sudden look of utter disbelief as if she had a foul smell in her nose.

  " Oh! How dare you?! I could walk out of the door right now and you would lose a valuable customer! " Said the queen while crossing her right leg over her knee.

  " Well since you came here, you obviously need me more than I need you so state your business or walk away. " Said the herborist clearly annoyed too.

  Calming down, the duchess thought she would get what she needed then find a way to make this bratty redhaired hermit pay for her insolence.

  " Well, as you may know, I am married to the Duke of Ellpa and I have been for 12 years now but we never managed to ... conceive a child. And I heard you could cure anything so I come to you for this matter. "

  " Interesting, does your husband seed lack vitality? Does his privates work? Does your husband have any mistress and if so did any of them have a bastard from him? Have you tried having intercourse with another man in order to get a child from him? "

  The duchess was astonished by such questions.

  " How dare you even ask such things!? "

  " I am trying to find where the fault lies, if it's the seed or who receives it, so which is it? "

  The duchess lowered her head almost in shame.

  " My husband is ... well he just hasn't touched me since our wedding night. It lasted a minute and nothing since. He has no interest in having children although he looks at other women ... "

  " So the problem is lack in his drive to actually conceive. ". Isabella layed back in her chair and crossed her arms on her chest. " So you want something that will make him desire you? "

  A gleam of hope shined in the eyes of the duchess.

  " Yes! Yes that's it! Have you heard of such a thing? "

  " I do but the ingredients are not easy to get. It will take a few weeks for me to collect everything, if not months. "

  " MONTHS?! " exploded the duchess ." Look at me! I'm getting less able to bear a child by the second! I need this now! And why does it take so long!? "

  Isabella simply got up and walked toward the bookshelf behind Olivia. She took out one of the largest books that had a golden rose embroidered on it. She dropped the manuscript on the table and started turning the pages. The duchess was silent during the whole process. Bella finished turning the pages and pointed at the recipie.

  " I'm gonna need a drop of your blood, your husband's blood too, some vanilla, nettle, ginseng , sage, some Spirit water that you can only get from Tsungstat and a strand of hair from both. The hair and blood is easy but the problem is the spirit water. The person I know that brings me most of my rarest ingredients can only provide those monthly and I already made a list for them a few days ago. So unless you want to send yourself someone to the Tsungstat capital to get water from the holy fountain, you will have to wait."

  Defeated, the duchess resigned herself to wait.

  " Alright, I'll wait for your remedy, how much is it gonna cost me? "

  " Well, considering the price of the water alone and the process of distilling it, nothing less than ten gold pieces, the rest is free since I can grow it or harvest it around."

  " Ten gold pieces is a small price to pay for something this important. "

  " I'll take 5 now, 5 when the job is completed. " said Bella as she put the book back on the shelf.

  The duchess just pulled gold from a small pouch she had hanging on her dress. As she knew their business was done, she started walking towards the exist. She opened the door and turned back one last time.

  " Next time 'Bella', you better have proper manners when you receive me " said the duchess as she walked carefully lifting her dress in order for it to not be dirtied by the ground.

  " Yes of course Oli' ''

  To punctuate her use of a surname, she answered her while doing a reverence. Upon seeing the young lady twist herself, Markok could not repress a slight laugh only for it to be instantly cut by the furious look of the duchess. Isabella closed her door and went back to reading. "What an insolent brat" though the duchess as she was walking toward her coach. Just before entering it she saw a shape move to her right. A tall man was walking on the forest path, he was in a black leather armor covered in knives with a bow on his shoulder. He was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes upon. She was frozen in place admiring this man walking while he was making no sound. He looked at her, up close he was even more handsome, to the point that her heart missed a beat.

  " Well hello good sir. " she said, putting on her most charming smile.

  The man obviously deep in his thought lightly lifted his head to look at her.

  " Hello mylady."

  His tone was dry. She was getting tired of people not bowing to her and being insolent but he was so handsome she thought best not to make a fuss of it. He seemed cold and wasn't smiling at all. He kept on walking without giving her a second look. He was heading for the house of the herborist. " Well she is gonna have trouble with a person like that if she acts so insolent with him too, would serve her right! " though the duchess as she climbed inside her coach.

  " To the castle. " she ordered.

  "Yes Mylady Olivia. " answered Felix.

  As the horse started pulling the coach, the duchess thought about the last time she felt what she was feeling now. This feeling that she never even had for her own husband. This hot sensation in her belly, this tingling she was feeling into her deepest part was her womanly instinct telling her she was still a woman ripe for the taking. The coach started going down the forest paths as the duchess's only thought in her head wasn't her husband anymore, but that man that she needed for herself.