Chapter One: Even and his Mother

"Even, we're here." Even looked past the buildings to see the castle in the back. The castle that Ansem the Wise lived at. Even blinked, tears running from his eyes down his face. He turned, wiping away the streams, to his mother.

"Mommy, I don't wanna come here." No. A five-year-old and his mother should never be separated. But his mother was sick. She couldn't take care of them. Ansem had heard of their plight and offered to let Even live with him and become one of his apprentices along with a few other children, but Even didn't want to.

Even was, like mentioned earlier, just a boy. His hair was a pale dirty blonde color that was barely chin length. His eyes were a bright emerald green, which currently had tears running out of them. It was the middle of winter currently, so Even was wearing a black winter coat with a black scarf around his neck and winter boots. His head was covered by a black woolen hat. Even hated the cold.

His mother had shoulder length reddish-brown hair and the same emerald green eyes as her son. She was crying too, but was hiding it from her son. She had remain strong for him. She was pushing her limits, being outside, because her doctor told her not to be outside in this temperature, so she was bundled up in a bulky white coat that had seven layers of clothing underneath, snow pants with several layers beneath white sparkly boots lined with faux fur, three layers of long socks, and several hats upon her head.

Even's mother gently hugged him. "I know, sweetie. I know. But I can't take care of you now. Ansem's a really nice man and he'll take care of you. Besides, there are other children."

"Will you come and visit me?" Even asked.

His mother knelt down to look him in the eye. "I'll try." She promises. "And when I get better, I can take you back home again. Okay?" Just then, someone walked up to them. He was a man, with somewhat long light blonde hair and a beard and mustache. His eyes were orange and bright and kind. His was in a lab coat that had a light lavender shade, a purple ascot, and a red scarf around his neck.

"Ansem the Wise." Even's mother said, standing back up.

Ansem looked at Even. "I take it this is the boy." Even's mother nodded and Ansem knelt in the snow "Hello." He said, smiling kindly at the boy and trying to make Even more comfortable around his future caretaker.

"Hello." Even wrapped his arms around his mother's arm. He was scared. He didn't want to go with Ansem. He wanted to stay with his mother.

"My name's Ansem. What's your name?"

"Even." Even whispered, still clinging to his mother.

"Do you want to come with me? I'm sure Braig and Dilan would love to have a playmate." Ansem said.

"Can Mommy come to visit sometimes?" Even asked. If Ansem said no, he would never go with that man, no matter what his mother wanted.

But Ansem just smiled. "Of course, my dear. Your mother can come and see you whenever she wants to. And you can go and visit her too. Will you please come with me?"

Even looked up at his mother. "I promise I'll come and see you every week, and you can always visit home." She said. "Will you please go with Ansem?"

Even then moved to hug her. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, Even." His mother returned the hug and kissed his forehead. "Will you go with Ansem?" Her eyes were pretty much begging him to go. Not because she didn't want him, but she wanted him to have a home.

Even nodded silently, wiped tears from his eyes, and walked away from his mother and over to Ansem. Ansem gently smiled and stood up.

"I'll take good care of him. I promise." Even's mother wiped tears from her bright green eyes as she watched her little boy stand near Ansem.

"I know you will." She said.

"Will you come with me, child?" Ansem asked Even.

Before Even left, he turned around and waved at his mother. "Bye, bye. Mommy." He said.

"Goodbye, Even. My dearest son." His mother turned her head so that Even didn't see her tears and walked away.

Even was crying an ocean, no, all the oceans in all the worlds as he watched his mother walk away. Ansem put an arm around Even's shoulders.

"Come, child. Let's get you inside." The two walked away from that spot as the winter wind howled the sorrow and misery that Vexen felt. The snow, the ice, the cold, and the wind seemed to sympathize with the little boy as he walked away from that spot, never to live with his mother again.

(AN: This is for the challenge that Fruity-Fruit-Cups started. It's titled "Needs More Love" check out her profile for information. I hope you all like it so far. It would be really great if someone reading this would like to be my beta reader for this story. I'd love to hear from you. No flames, please.

Love,

Destiny.)