The healer emerges from our small shack, and I trot behind him like a good little assistant. Momma couldn't bear seeing Jill's blood the man drew for testing, so she waited outside with Jenny and Hans. Jack stayed beside Jill the entire time, holding her hand. He has a heart of gold, and I still feel bad about snapping at him for something as little as spilt tea. I will have to make it up to the little man when I have time.

The healer made Jill laugh to ease her through his questions with a wit Ran would be hard pressed to match. I like the man. Before leaving, he gave Jill something to help her rest, seeing as she was still having pain and had not slept the previous night. Which broke my heart, knowing I left Momma alone to deal with it. But the past is the past, and I need to leave my mistakes there, too, even as I make a pact to be there more for my family moving forward.

Momma gets up from where she was sitting on a rock beside her little flower garden. "What do you think, sir?" Momma holds a stoic face, but I see the tightening of her brows and the way her left hand rubs over the ring Father gave her, betraying her nerves.

Hans and Jenny politely excuse themselves to give us space for what the healer will say.

The healer gives Momma a small, compassionate smile. I'm thankful this healer is the one Jenny chose, as he hasn't once complained about having to travel on a house call for commoners.

"I will have to do more tests to be sure. The cause could be many things, even multiple things. And yet, from what I am seeing here today, I would say it is an allergic reaction to a certain family of foods."

Momma rings her hands. "Then you have seen this before?"

"Oh, yes. Many times. I volunteered when I heard of her symptoms, as I am a specialist for the gastrointestinal system and the treatment thereof." He sees Momma's look and takes pity on her. "It is more often called the stomach, as many ailments begin there and spread if not addressed. With her age, this can be easily corrected. There are many remedies I would wish to try, one being Arsenicum right away. Aconite in a two hundred degree potency may also be helpful, along with Sepia and a possible dose of Belladonna for now, until the diet can be changed." He rubs his chin in thought, his eyes unfocused, as if he is only speaking to himself.

Knowing I was on the right track with Jill makes me feel better. If only I could've gotten the Belladonna made sooner, but such is life and now I have no need, since this man has access to things made under professional hands.

"Is Jill going to be ok?" Jack asks in a small voice, breaking half-way through.

The healer gets down on a knee and smiles gently at my little brother, ignoring the grass stains on his robe. "From what I have seen, young man, she's going to be just fine."

Jack smiles, and I can tell he's trying to keep calm even as his eyes grow moist and he bounces on his toes. I pull him to me, the little squirt already almost as tall as I am. He's going to outgrow me someday, and it's probably going to be sooner than later.

"The King's answered us, squirt," I say in his ear.

His shoulders shake with pent-up emotion, and Momma and I share a smile over his head.

Her smile is bright and serene, even as tears of relief trail down her face. "Thank you, healer. Oh, my King, thank you."

She wraps her arms around Jack and I, Jack smashed in the middle, the boy wiggling but without hope of escaping the two huggers in the family.

For once, someone knows what's going on. We have hope. We finally have hope.

"Oh, erm, this is highly unusual!" the healer says as Momma ropes him into the group hug.

I catch Jenny watching us, and I squeeze Momma and Jack one last time before detangling myself and jogging over. I wrap the lady tight, joy near to bursting in my heart. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," I say, my voice choked with the emotions roiling in my breast much too big to contain in a few mere words.

She nods, pulling back to cup my face. "Dear one, it was the least I could do. We will be with you all and provide our support until Jill is back on her feet. You all deserve a break."

"You are an angel sent by The King, Jenny. I can never repay you."

She smiles softly, her eyes wet. "You already have, my dear. You already have."

"What about me?" Hans asks, mock affront puckering his brow.

I laugh. "You ambushed me. No, Jenny gets the blame for this one."

He shakes his head and rests his hand on his sword in a relaxed grip, a smile in his eyes even if it shows not on his face. "This is what I get for being nice. Alas, look! I even brought gifts."

"That was Jenny's idea. I know better than to think you'd bring cows and chickens. You'd be more likely to gift a sword."

Jenny snorts in unladylike amusement, and I look at her askance. "Oh, dear. Was that me?" She bats her eyes in innocence, bringing a hand to her chest.

Hans looks at his wife, then turns those piercing eyes on me. "Is there anything else we can do?"

I shake my head. "Thank you both, but no. You've done so much already..." I trail off, looking back at my family. Jack is pestering the healer with questions, and they might not be entirely proper if the man's wide eyes are any indication. Jack is... well, he's Jack, and I love him to death, but he doesn't know when to shut up.

"Would you like to stay with us tonight? Tomorrow is the last day for entering the competition, and you are welcome to stay with us to prevent the need of you traveling in the early morning." Jenny folds her hands before her, but her eyes watch me with a keen hope I am sorry to deny. But my family needs me here.

I open my mouth to decline, but a hand settles on my shoulder and squeezes, stalling me. "She would be grateful to accept," Momma says, looking at me. I communicate with my eyes how I should stay. She firmly tells me to go with a twist of her lips and a slight shake of her head. There's a glint in her eye I dare not disobey.

So I nod to Jenny, cowed by my mother.

Jenny's face softens into a relieved smile. She gives a little laugh. "It was my hope you would accept. You are a delight to have, my dear." Jenny turns to Momma. "We would be delighted to have you all tonight, if you would prefer?"

Momma shakes her head. "The healer is sending someone to care for Jill, and I would rather get them all settled in my home, if it's all the same to you."

"I understand. Please, send a message should you need anything further. We are overjoyed to be of help."

Momma's eyes grow wet, but she blinks back the tears, unlike me. I'm not as strong as her, and the tears fall. Even Hans' eyes grow wet, the stoic man biting his cheek to keep from crying. I'd laugh if I wasn't so touched by their concern and help for near strangers.

Momma grabs Jenny's hand and squeezes. No words are needed to express the gratitude shining from her eyes.