How I edit my own work - Plus a story to read too - 3

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“We are going to your future, Katherine,” he said. “And everything that holds for you.”

“How do you know my name?”

“I know your name, I know how you came to burn your right hand and I know that none are left in your life that would mourn you if you go missing. Your father did not want you and was happy for you to go into service but yesterday, when you had your accident and became useless, he washed his hands of you.”

He hooked a finger under her chin and studied her face, her expression and her reaction to the news.

“He has gone, deserted you and left you in the care of someone else that does not love you. Also, they do not want a crippled girl on their hands, one mouth to feed that is unable to contribute to the household.”

Katherine began to cry. She pulled her face from his hand and turned away. Her heart felt as though it had fallen into the cavity of her chest and was still dropping.

She stopped walking and sat on the dusty road, not caring for the rocks and pebbles that made her seat uncomfortable. Her hand had begun to throb again and although it was less painful because of the salve, it was still close to unbearable.

A small moan of agony and despair started in her throat.

Her companion did not shout at her or try to force her to get up. He stood and watched her for a moment and then knelt beside her, wrapped his arms around her in a gesture that she had not felt for so very long in her short lifetime.

She allowed herself to receive the comfort he offered and gave herself over to the warmth she found in the embrace.

Soon, she stopped crying but he did not let her go. He held her until she fell asleep and then he scooped her up and carried her, careful not to disturb her hand and wake her with fresh agonies.

Katherine awoke in a warm bed; her hand throbbed again but she could smell delicious aromas and her belly rumble-growled and overrode the pain for the moment.

As she stirred, the stranger, who kept an eye on his patient while cooking, noticed and came over to the side of the bed. He knelt on the floor so they were at the same level and could talk.

“Katherine, I am known as Dominic The Healer. I have a craft, and I know that you sometimes have visions. That tells me you are at least part-way to knowing some of the lessons I would like to teach you. If you will agree to become my apprentice, I shall teach you all I know and together we can travel the country and make our living from healing others. Would you like that?”

She looked at him, bemused and perplexed, as though he was talking in a language that she could not understand. He leaned back on his heels, concerned that he had misjudged the situation. He did not speak again. He allowed her to gather her thoughts.

“How did you know my name? How did you know that I would be at the stream? How do you know that my father abandoned me? How do I know that you are telling me the truth? Why should I trust you? Where have I been taken? Where had I been taken? Who was the man in that shack?” Katherine only paused to take a breath after she had delivered all the questions buzzing around in her head.

It was Dominic’s turn to be confused, the bombardment of questions she fired at him overwhelmed his mind and he sat on the floor and looked at her. She began another round of questions but Dominic held up one hand to ask her to stop before she started the next set.

“Katherine please, I cannot answer all of your questions immediately. Take a breath and give me a chance to think on what you asked first.”

She did as he said and sat up in bed.

After a moment, Dominic began to speak.

“I knew that you were going to be at the stream because I too have visions of a similar nature to yours.”

She opened her mouth but Dominic’s expression made her re-think and she lowered her head a little, but not her eyes.

He continued. “I know your name, and I know that your father has gone by using the same method, my visions. You have to decide if you can trust me or not. You are at my home, deep in the woods and the other questions are either of no consequence or will wait until later to be answered. I will not keep anything from you, Katherine, trust has to be mutual.”

He gave her a moment to think and when she didn’t start asking anything else, he again continued.

“Your destiny is entwined with mine and we have to be able to trust each other – even with our lives if necessary. Some of the things that I shall teach you are dangerous and if you do not trust me or I you, we could cause great harm to one or both of us.”

He gave her a moment to think on what he said and when she seemed to have it clear in her mind, he gave her the biggest piece of information.

“I am sometimes known as a Warlock or a male witch…”

Katherine’s eyes grew wide and she became frightened. To her credit, she did not try to get out of the bed or to flee, and Dominic smiled at her for that.

“As I told you earlier, I heal people. I follow the Goddess Morgana in her teachings, and I practice the philosophy of ‘Do no harm’. I think that you would be a good apprentice and that your visions would help you in this chosen field. Would you like to learn all that I have learned - how to heal a sick child or help to heal a broken limb?”