Rose the Healer

**Rose the Healer**, a mysterious travelling healer from the Pastures and mentor to Rebecca in healing.

Spoiler warningThis article contains detailed information about the *Duncton* series. Please read with caution if you do not want the story spoiled for you!

## History

### Duncton Wood

#### Part One: Duncton Wood

At dawn, Rose the Healer felt an impulse to journey over to Duncton Wood and pick ramsons, feeling there was somemole in the system that was deep in trouble and needed her help. She was not surprised when another mole, Rebecca, came to join her, though she could feel this was not the mole that was in need of her healing. Rose took an instant liking to Rebecca, who seemed to instinctively know a lot about plants and their uses, although the young mole was unaware of it herself. She held back on elaborating when Rebecca asked certain questions, however, not wanting to jeopardise the young mole's "innocent wisdom."

Having parted with Rebecca to continue her search for the mole in need of her help, Rose follows her impulse to the Ancient System. It is there she finds a dying Bracken, who is too ill and starving to take notice of her. The healing process takes time and a lot of her energy, as she must constantly keep an eye on Bracken to make sure his recovery is going well. Once she sees him making good progress, she leaves him, knowing the rest of his recovery must be done on his own. The journey to the Ancient System and the stress of healing Bracken had taken a lot out of old Rose, and her passage back to the Pastures is a slow and arduous one.

#### Part Two: Rebecca

Rose the Healer visited Mekkins in the Marsh End in mid-October, claiming she wished to see him. She warned him of danger, of which the system would need his help. That she had foreseen this for many years from before even Mandrake arrived, from before Mekkins was born. Rose spoke of Bracken holding a secret, unknown what it was exactly, but aware it was a heavy burden on him. Explaining that when she went to heal him, she felt the secret's darkness sapping her of strength. "There is such fear about, Mekkins, of a kind you perhaps do not know. May the Stone help you never to know it." After, she asked him how well he knew of Rebecca, and Mekkins told her how fond he grew of Rebecca. Rose explained that Mekkins would have to watch over both Bracken and Rebecca for her.

#### Part Three: Bracken

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### Duncton Stone

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## Appearance

She is an old, solid, small mole with sturdy shoulders and wrinkled eyes.

## Personality

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## Quotes

> You'll often find in a clump of plants that one or two flower very late, or their flowers stay longer after the others have developed towards seed. Perhaps the sun doesn't reach them, perhaps, as with this one, they are stunted by accident; or perhaps, like some moles, they just naturally take a long time to develop. Never ever pick these ones, my love, never ever. They're very special. Their spirit has a special beauty.
>
> — Rose the Healer to Rebecca,

> Wild flower, kind flower,
> Petals for the sick;
> Wild plant, kind plant,
> A healing for the ill.
>
> Leaves for the sorrowful
> And stem for the sad,
> Bless them with your essence
> And their bodies will be glad.
>
> — Rose's song to the ramsons,

> Germander and marjoram,
> Basil, meadowsweet,
> Daisy-tops and tansies,
> Fennel with burnet;
> Roses in August,
> Lavender in June,
> Maudlin and red mint—
> None will go too soon.
>
> — Rose’s flower rhyme,

## Relationships

### Rebecca

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### Mekkins

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