Several months had passed since the debut ball. Following her debut Violant had been only once in the capital ever since, accompanying her father instead of Mortimer who was in Sulia to visit his fiancée at that time. The occasion was the biannual debut ball in Crystal Hall.

Violant then waged a battle of words with Prince Gervase who seemed to have decided to single her out for some reason. If he thought her accountable for the humiliation he had suffered the last time around, she didn’t know. Fact was that they bickered for the whole evening, hiding daggers behind pleasant words.

Even worse, Prince Gervase was accompanied the whole time by Felicity of Marchester, the very same marquis daughter who had deserted him back in October. Both seemed to be in line with each other this time around though, and Violant found it especially annoying how Felicity openly glanced yearningly at her princely companion but scolded herself for feeling jealous over such a hypocritical and treacherous guy.

Much like at her own debut ball she got assistance from Duchess Adelaide, Prince Edric, and Lady Mafalda. Especially Lady Mafalda’s venomous tongue was a sight to behold. Was that the famous fiery Southern temper?

In the end Gervase retreated like a beaten dog, glaring at his wife of another lifetime with a gaze that promised he would exact vengeance upon her one of those days.

Now it was early May and Violant couldn’t help but rubbing her temples in distress. Avallach’s quinquennial great festival was coming up but her foster father Orderic, the reigning feudal lord, had suddenly left because of urgent business in the other march, leaving all festival preparations up to her and her brother Mortimer without prior warning.

Additionally, Sybil had announced her visit. The official reason was her interest in Avallach’s traditions and customs as the future margravine but in reality she just wanted to spend some quality time with her fiancé. The two lovebirds often came up with superficial reasons to meet up because without they would’ve been denied of this possibility.

The reason of Violant’s current distress was not the arrival of Sybil and her retinue but the presence of several unannounced guests and entourages arriving together with the young lady of Sulia. Because Sybil had appeared weakened from travel sickness and was generally under the weather these days – it was quite muggy for early May – Mortimer had gallantly accompanied her inside to rest, thus dumping the task of dealing with the other guests on his sister.

The first of the unexpected visitors was Prince Wynkin. The boy was now fourteen years old and appeared much more mature than when Violant had last seen him. His still developing berserk body also had undergone further changes. He was now a head taller than an adult man and his muscle mass had further increased. Of course he was still far from being a full-grown berserk but the medicine produced by schrat healer Alarun that got restocked regularly allowed him to keep his sanity. Parcie was among the berserk prince’s entourage and visiting his home for the first time since being assigned as his martial arts tutor. The fairy Dryp was also present, invisible as always.

The second and third unexpected guests were Prince Edric and his mother Lady Mafalda. When Edric had gotten wind of Sybil and Wynkin who had already invited himself heading for Avallach he decided to join them, mainly hoping to be able of consulting denizens of the other march about their successful agricultural methods. Lady Mafalda accompanied him to satisfy her endless curiosity in Yteish culture and tradition.

The fourth uninvited visitor was by far the worst for Violant though. Prince Gervase had decided to visit Avallach simply to annoy the silver-eyed tomboy who he seemed to regard as something like his worst enemy outside the royal family. Wynkin was quite pleased with the third prince’s decision instead because it meant he could directly keep an eye on the most likely candidate for succeeding the throne besides his favored candidate Edric.

“What a delightful surprise your visit is, Your Highnesses.” Violant welcomed them with a twitching smile at risk of derailing and showing her true emotions. Three of the guests weren’t too hard to deal with (although Edric’s and Mafalda’s overflowing enthusiasm could prove to be somewhat challenging – like mother like son indeed) but it was Prince Gervase causing her headaches the most. Which hidden agenda had this devil in human skin for him to personally visit Avallach?

“Long time no see, Lady Violant.” Prince Wynkin replied “I hope you excuse our sudden visit. It is completely understandable if we meet you unprepared just like a bolt from the blue. Please allow me to appeal to your forbearance regarding this matter. My brothers, Lady Mafalda and I definitely won’t cause you any trouble if our accommodation should be hastily prepared and not coming quite up to standard. It is our fault for coming without prior notice after all.”

The berserk boy had become quite eloquent in the eleven months the redhead hadn’t seen him but he couldn’t stay a child forever after all.

Prince Gervase contorted his face when his youngest brother nipped his first chance to seek trouble with his adversary in the bud.

Edric and Mafalda both also expressed their gratitude for Violant’s hospitality despite their sudden arrival.

The host didn’t continue exchanging pleasantries in the sun-filled castle courtyard and invited the royal visitors in, leading them to a tastefully furnished reception room, asking them to stay there and enjoy their refreshments while she would arrange for guest chambers.

The furnishing of the reception room had been carried out following Lady Alse’s instructions, quasi as the parting gift of the governess for her protégé after Orderic had decided that Violant had the right to have not only her own study but also her own reception room like both Orderic and Mortimer did too.

At present, Lady Alse who had taken her leave from Avallach after Violant’s coming-of-age now worked as a governess for the house of Sulia, overseeing the education of the now three years old Petronella, daughter of Jocelyn and Mabel. She also would teach little Nelly’s newly born brother Adelard in the future. Her employment at the house of Sulia was in a way Violant’s last present for the upright governess who never had seen her as a lost cause no matter the lack of talent. During the debut ball Princess Mable had voiced out that she was looking for a capable governess and Violant had taken the chance to warmly recommend the capable Lady Alse whom she was very grateful to despite her inherent dislike for the subjects tutored by the governess.

Later, when the guests had been shown to their rooms, Violant guided Prince Wynkin to the castle’s east wing. The prince had expressed the desire to meet the very person who unfailingly managed to concoct the medicine he consumed daily to stay sane. The young lady agreed that it was a good chance and decided to let him meet with Alarun. It was unreasonable to force the hoary schrat on a travel for this purpose after all.

Alarun was in her chamber and was by chance even currently occupied with the task of making new anti-berserk pills.

Standing face to face with the elderly woman, Wynkin expressed his amazement because even after hearing that the elderly healer was highly advanced in years, he sure as hell hadn’t expected such a curious creature seemingly overgrown with moss and lichens all over.

Alarun was no less surprised seeing her patient for the first time. The medical ingredients in her hands slipped from her grasp an fell down, luckily landing on the worktop and not the floor.

“Heardred?” she asked, rubbing her eyes in disbelieve before continuing to mumble to herself “No, that can’t be. Heardred is long gone, isn’t he? But he and this child are alike like two peas in a pod. No, not exactly. Heardred had blue eyes, not hazel ones, didn’t he?”

Wynkin’s surprise deepened further when hearing this venerable name. With his eyes, he appeared to ask the red-haired girl who had brought him there: Heardred? She can’t really be talking about… Can she?

Violant returned the gaze and nodded.

Exactly.

Wynkin was baffled. The hoary woman really was an acquaintance of the mythical founder king? That was nothing short of an incredible sensation. Nobody would ever dream of meeting someone who had known the esteemed founder king personally and yet here he did.

At this point of time Violant piped up: “No, no. You’re wrong, Alarun. This boy isn’t Heardred. He is one of his descendants, the very same Prince Wynkin whose berserk syndrome you are treating with those pills of yours.”

“Is that so, child?” Alarun asked in amazement, cocking her head in a bizarre way. “Yes, you are right. Heardred is long dead. I have visited his graveside long ago. Well, but what are some measly centuries for someone as old as Alarun here? Nice to meet you, boy. I must say you really look like Heardred did in his younger days, the rascal. But you are both berserks after all, are you not? It is no wonder that two berserks of the same blood look quite alike, isn’t it? You must excuse this old woman if she might speak a little too familiar but I feel very nostalgic seeing someone with the appearance of a friend long gone. How long has it been since Heardred called me Granny Alarun? You may do the same if you want, boy.”

Wynkin was simply left speechless. In front of his eyes there was someone with the audacity to call the great founder king a rascal, even claiming to have been addressed as Granny by the very same king. There was nothing like this in the official chronicles but the earliest surviving accounts of the founder king’s reign were compiled one or two generations after Heardred’s death by people who never had known him personally and who glorified him. The youngest living descendant of the founder king had no reason to doubt the elderly schrat’s words, in particular as she didn’t have a reason to lie.

“Well then, I guess I will take you up on the offer, esteemed healer.” Prince Wynkin said, expressing his veneration for the hoary woman with a short bow which nonetheless appeared quite clumsy with his massive brawny body.

“Nice to meet you too, Granny Alarun. I am very happy to have the chance to meet you here today. Please allow me to express my gratitude for you supplying those wonderful pills. Without your miraculous remedy preserving my sanity and mitigating those indescribable growth pains I likely wouldn’t dwell among the living anymore, slain for being a berserk. I really cannot thank you enough. Lady Violant always spoke to me highly of your medical prowess making this miracle possible. Therefore, again, thank you very much.”

“I don’t need any gratitude, boy.” Alarun declared with a gentle smile – smiling as well as she could with lips looking rather like a crack in some moss-grown tree bark. “For old women like me it is already happiness enough to see the younglings living well and happily. That was once true with Heardred and it is true again with you. If you want to thank me just live to the fullest and show a senile old holzweibel what you will do with your life.”

Violant felt her eyes well up with tears. She knew the wise schrat for one and a half years now and had always thought that the hoary woman was very down-to-earth. How little she needed to be happy and that the luck of others was her greatest luck, the girl felt it to be very moving.

“I promise.” said Wynkin, carefully taking the diminutive old healer’s hands in his huge paws. “I will live my life to the best of my ability. Please witness it yourself. You know what, Granny Alarun? You might be bad with travels and I might be far from Avallach most of the time. That definitely won’t change anytime soon. But you can witness nonetheless what I will do with this life your remedy has saved. I will regularly write you letters. I don’t know if you can read the script of this kingdom but even if not, I believe there will be someone willing to read my letters to you.”

Alarun smiled over her whole face when she heard that.

“What a wonderful idea, boy.” she agreed. “I would like that very much.”

“So it be.” the berserk boy finalized the idea.

Violant, listening in from the sidelines, thought that Doctor Wace and his assistant Ottiwell would be more than happy to read out the letters to Alarun but considering the overenthusiasm of the two men whenever it came to the schrat healer she believed it wiser to do so herself or to leave it to a trusted subordinate instead.

“So that is a schrat. I never knew.” Prince Wynkin murmured, seemingly lost in thought. He was back in his own guest room and sat down on the edge of his bed.

“What do you think, Dryp?” he asked.

The tiny fairy sat down on the headend of the bed. She was visible again because she was alone with the boy.

“Even among the holzleute Ms. Alarun is a particularly hoary one. Her medical prowess is the real deal, no doubt about it. It is common knowledge in the other march that when you are seriously ill, the best you can do is to look for a healer from one of their kind. But the holzleute are very rare, their healers even more so. I can’t quite fathom what great streak of luck it must have been for Ms. Violant to encounter one and even befriend her. She must be blessed by the gods.”

“Intriguing.” the prince said with the same evil smile on his face the fairy so feared because it meant that somebody would be unable to escape his claws forever. “Even befriending a quasi-mythical healer with almost godly abilities. Violant of Avallach, you only get more and more intriguing the more I know about you. Well, but thanks to that I am now friends with that old Alarun too. Don’t mind if I use this new connection to the fullest. Some letters every now and then are a rather cheap price I have to pay for that. Don’t you think so, Dryp?”

The chuckle that followed had no real difference to roaring with a villainous laughter, at least in Dryp’s eyes. The fairy knew that Prince Wynkin had found yet another pawn and victim or – to say it in his words – another person of interest. The only solace was that the hoary schrat would likely outlive the two-faced prince for centuries.