Chapter 17

In order to allay his concerns, Heather sought to explain everything clearly and in the right terms. Although she was accustomed to the occurrence which transpired the prior day, and it was nothing unexpected for her, however, the quantum of energy she shed was an entirely different story. That was the first even for her.
It was nearly as bad as she was terrified when the first time she understood that she was susceptible to exhaustion. It was a dreadful experience. Despite this, she was far less worn out than she had been the day before.
“It is quite simple, Alexander. Whenever I try to heal someone, I lose some portion of my energy. It all depends on how much strength I gather to help that specific person. I am not as extraordinary that others in this town portray myself to be. Im just an average woman with some skills."
Heather smiled at the last part of her sentence. The folks in this village regard her as some kind of an incredible woman who can do the impossible, but it is far from the truth. She has her own vulnerability, and she does not like to exhibit it to the world.
On the other hand, Alexander was baffled by the fresh knowledge he had learned about her. It was near terrifying, and his thoughts were no exaggeration. He could not even imagine what would happen to Heather if someone were battling between life and death.
"So every single time you treat someone, this happens?" He couldn't help but confirm the context of her remarks.
“More or less. It is rather simple. Similar to how we lose energy every single nanosecond while we are thinking, moving, or doing any kind of activity, I, too, experience energy loss when I aid people. The effect it produces on me, though, differs from that of others.
“Differs how?” Alexander questioned her in an attempt to understand more.
"Sometimes it is so small that I fail to even notice the loss of my vitality, and other times it is so severe that..."
But Alexander interrupted her in the midst of her speech, completing her sentence.
"It is impossible for you to even stand on your feet or move a muscle. Just like it did the day before."
Heather, however, slightly shook her head.
“Well, that was the first time incident. Usually, what I require is to sleep for a few hours before and after having a warm bath with the liquid you pour into the water. Just as it did to you, I was astounded by what occurred the night before. It was truly a blessing that you were present with me because I do not know what would have happened to me or how I would have managed everything alone.”
“I am glad that I was present, Heather. More than anything, I am still glad I am right here with you. But what I do not understand is what exactly happened yesterday? You were in a precarious state, and I was close to having an attack for myself. I understand that asking you personal questions could be going too far, but I can't help but wonder, and until I find out, I won't be able to go to sleep." Alexander informed her.
His worry lines were still visible on his handsome face, and he had no intention of having them go away until he had his fill with her answers.
"Alexander, you are not overstepping a boundary here. You deserve to know. You already know that Oscars are intelligent creatures, but they also possess a sixth sense for the foreseen future. It all depends on whether it's a vision or a hunch. There have been several occasions when they have been able to detect a serious threat merely an hour before or even a day before. In fact, there are countless instances when we visit their emporium to purchase a herb; they either sell us more than we believe we require or provide us with something different from what we actually intended to purchase. The surprising part is that in each case, the extra items we receive end up being useful. There have also been occasions when they have been able to detect a patient's severity or the herbs they would need for therapy. Junior Oscar, however, has a further talent for perceiving people's emotions. He does not know what other people are thinking, but if one can sense another person's feelings, one may quickly comprehend them and develop an impression about them." Heather explained to him.
“That makes sense. I now fully comprehend what he stated the previous day. But it still doesn't explain precisely what occurred last evening." said Alexander.
Heather smiled slightly at his inquisitiveness. Alexander was not a man with a lot of patients, but she had to commend him on the patience he was having with her.
“You will soon, as it will help you better grasp how everything works.”
Alexander responded with another nod and waited for her to complete her sentence.
"Grandpa Oscar believed that someone was in immediate danger and that they were prepared to ring their doorbell at any moment, even if they were badly harmed. They requested Junior to pick me up for this very reason. They suspected that they would require my assistance to treat the person. During times like this, we do not like to take a risk, particularly when someone’s life is endangered.”
“That is understandable. But who was the person in grave danger? Is he okay now?”
It was nice to see how intently Alexander was listening to Heather as she spoke. She continued despite her growing feelings for him.
“It was she.”
"A woman?" He echoed.
“Yes, a woman. A mother who was extremely pregnant and prepared to deliver not just one kid but two kids." Heather elucidated.
“Twins?” He echoed.
“Yes, but there were complications. I have assisted with births before, but they weren't as challenging as yesterday. It was not only the birth of the twins, but the mother had also suffered from terrible maltreatment, which made her pregnancy much more complicated and increased the burden of treating just one patient to three."
“Good God! Are they doing well?” Alexander could not help but ask her.
“Yes. By God's mercy, they are still alive and living in a cottage close to Oscar's home. They would be able to keep an eye on them and provide them with additional assistance."
Alexander took a few seconds to digest and process every word she spoke. It was nearly after a minute when he finally said,
“So that is why you were in such a vulnerable state? Should you pay her another visit?”
He could tell that Heather was concerned about her, but Heather also knew exactly how to put him at ease. "At the present, no, barring an emergency. My specific instructions from the Oscars are to rest up till further notice."
Alexander sighed in relief. Heather needs all the rest she can get.
“I am relieved that you will be able to rest properly till then. There is one other thing that baffles me.”
“Which is?” A faint smile was sliding across Heather's lips. Today, Alexander was full of questions.
“Why did Oscars leave you alone to tend to yourself?”
Heather gave him a warm glance, “They did not leave me alone as I felt quite fine when I left from there. I did know that I would be extremely worn out by the time I reached home, but until then, I managed to stay strong. Junior felt something was up when he dropped me off through his carriage. He, however, did not come inside because I managed to look fine, and he was confident that you would be able to take care of me, but that did not stop him from offering. I refused him because of also worn out, just like me.
But as you know, he is an empath. Thus he was able to detect my exhaustion even though my veneer was sufficient to pass his test. At the same time, he was also aware that If I was in need of some kind of help, then you would be there to provide it without any qualms. Furthermore, the fluid which you added into the tub is a formula of Oscars. They make it exclusively for me during times like this.”
“Damn,” Alexander exclaimed, speechless.