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An unfortunate bucket was blasted out of existence as Evelyn charged past; she ignored the greetings of her adoptive Aunts and Raoul as she stormed towards her room, her robe swishing angrily behind her.
Alanna felt an involuntary grin spread across her face, Evelyn reminded her strongly of a cat at that moment in time, a cat with a furiously twitching tail. The grin was wiped away when she paused and felt the magic that the air fairly crackled with. Her goddaughter's mannerisms may be funny but something had obviously upset her and if she lost control she'd be a danger to the camp.
Raoul and Buri had flinched at the look on the Healers face as she passed. Her features could have been carved from granite. The only sign that shed indeed been alive were her flashing eyes, indeed those had been over-bright.
Buri swallowed, every now and again Evelyn would do something to remind the Kimri who she was, a Royal Duchess, and an incredibly powerful mage for all her usual unassuming attitude. At the minute said Duchess was upset and on the verge of losing control, words weren't needed, as one the three Commanders turned on their heels and followed.
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Evelyn ignored the knock at her door and resumed flinging her clothes somewhat haphazardly into a pair of magically enlarged saddle bags. The rage that had blinded her before was fading but an overwhelming sense of loss and weakness was overcoming her. She definitely didn't want to explain her rash actions and words to Dom.
Alanna cocked her head sideways at the door as if it were a puzzle she couldn't quite figure out. Then a piece of wire seemed to appear in her hand, she gave a victorious grin and proceeded to attack the lock, in a matter of seconds the door swung open.
The door was pulled closed equally fast when Alanna caught sight of her niece's face. This was a job for women, Raoul would only bluster and make matters worse. "Raoul I think I heard something about Domitan's squad needing you in the Mess…"
Buri to her credit caught on quickly and shooed her husband in the Mess's direction, but not before reaching up and planting a kiss on his cheek. He grinned at her and sticking his hands in his pockets dandered off with a skip in his walk and a tune whistling from his lips.
Then with a collective breath the two aunts opened the door and stepped into the room. Evelyn turned to face them, defiance etched into every move she made her chin rose, daring them to argue.
Alanna felt pity well up inside her, "Oh Evelyn…"
The façade crumbled, gone was the mighty Duchess and Mage, Evelyn looked every inch the nineteen year old girl she was. All except her eyes, they looked like they'd lived ten lifetimes. She let herself fall back onto the bed and burying her head in her hands allowed the tears to fall.
She felt rather then saw the two older women sit down beside her, each slinging an arm around her shoulder and murmuring comforting nonsense in her ears.
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Raoul wasn't a stupid man, he knew when Buri and Alanna harried him in the direction of the Mess Hall that whatever was wrong with Evelyn was best dealt with by a women. However he hadn't expected to enter the Mess and find it like a morgue. He'd thought they'd been joking when they said Sergeant Domitan and Co needed him. Apparently they'd been serious.
The Mess sat in stunned silence, the dense stillness was occasionally broken by Ryrie, a corporal of Osborn's squad slurping his porridge. No one noticed the Knight Commander standing in the doorway.
Neal tried not to wince at the looks Dom kept shooting him. He looked so bewildered and hurt. Like a small child that is being punished for something that they didn't know was wrong.
Neal didn't even want to look at Kel, she had that cursed mask on, it was plain she knew something was going on that both Dom and Neal knew about but had chosen to keep her in the dark. He made a mental note to avoid the practice courts in the near future in case she decided to take out her feelings on him…
Corporals Wolset and Giles were the first to recover. Wolset's eyes scanned the table, surely someone must know what had happened between Dom and Evelyn that had left the pair of them in such a state? He caught sight of Raoul approaching their table with what could only be described as a compassionate look on his face.
"Sir…"
He trialled off suddenly uncertain, he was a soldier, and would follow his sergeant to death and beyond without fear, but he was strangely afraid of what answer he would get from the Knight Commander if he asked what was wrong.
Raoul sensed that no more would be forth coming from the Corporal and considered the squad seriously for a minute. "Perhaps it would be best for all involved parties if it was Aiden's squad that accompanied the Lady Naxen to Carthak…"
"NO!" Dom was on his feet in one smooth movement, his hands resting on the table top his voice strangely rough. Raoul merely regarded his sergeant silently, for a long moment before voicing his question "Why not?"
"Sir with respect the boys and I have been through a lot with Evelyn. We don't always get along but I can speak for all of us when I say we wouldn't ever let any harm come to her. Besides, we need to recruit and while she spends the winter in Corus we could travel to the Desert and train."
It was then that Raoul chose to drop the cat among the pigeons as it were, "Sergeant you do realise that Evelyn can't remain free and unmarried forever? The chances are she'll get betrothed on this trip, perhaps even be asked to remain in Carthak…"
"With respect Sir that has nothing to do with my squad or myself, we would merely be there to ensure that all her suitors were up to the high standard she deserves."
Raoul let out what sounded suspiciously like a sigh, "Alright, if you're sure you can cope, you and your squad will be escorting Evelyn in three days time."
Finally he smiled at the men in front of him, "Mithros you lot and Evelyn alone unsupervised for the entire trip, do try not to kill each other won't you? I do so hate having to train up new members."
Dom relaxed and gave his commander an easy grin, "Of course not Sir, we'll be the perfect gentlemen!"
Neal closed his eyes briefly, this was a recipe for disaster, was he the only one that had noticed Dom's white knuckled grip on the table or the flash of pain in his eyes when Raoul had mentioned Evelyn's supposed betrothal?
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