An: Evelyn is a character introduced in chapter 10, the man in the moon.
Rags? No. She wore shining armor and under it flowed dark blue wizard's robes. In them she was tall, magical. A wooden stick? No—a sword, sharpened to an edge that could cut through stone. And the twig in her pocket? Her wand. And she was a Master with it. She could cast fire and levitate anything out of her way or destroy whatever would not yield to her. She was Evelyn Clearwater, Warrior Princess. And she was unstoppable—feared by enemies and admired by friends.
Her comrade, a tall, dark shadow, always watched her back. His warrior skills surpassed all—almost all. But not hers.
Today, the Warrior Princess and her comrade hunted goblins in the forest. She would bring the head of the largest goblin in the world to the king, and the prince would soil his pants in fear at the sight because that head belonged to a goblin as big as a mountain—the Troll King—one of the man in the moon's many generals. And that man, sitting so proudly on his silvery throne, kept such a tight hold of her, but if she destroyed his minions—one by one—she could defeat him too.
"Hiya!" Evelyn's sword arched wide. "Take that, Troll King! I'm not afraid of you!" She slashed the air with vigor. "Take that! And That!" Attack, parry, attack, parry. Then she tripped and thumped into the moss-covered ground, dropping her stick—sword.
She scrambled up and faced her enemy again, head high. "Don't think you can defeat me that easily, Troll King." She drew her twig-wand. "Exploding Hex!" She leaped to the side, rolled, scooped up her sword. "Not so imposing now, are you, Troll King?" She smirked, blade in hand, knowing she struck an impressive sight—beautiful, armor glinting in the trickles of sunlight shifting through overhead boughs, sword pointed at the whimpering Troll King. "What's that you say?" Evelyn inched forward as if to listen. "Begging for mercy? Why, yes, I am rather dangerous." She lowered her sword. "No one can defeat me, and if you want to keep your precious head, you'd better run. Run! Or I'll use it to scare the prince!"
A loud crash pulled Evelyn out of the fantasy. Running feet approached. Evelyn dropped her stick. "W-who's there?" Someone was close—too close for this secluded wood beside her and her mother's old shed. No one came out this way—ever.
"Mum?" Evelyn bit back guilt. She'd sneaked out without asking again. Her mother got so worried—and sometimes cried—when Evelyn did that. She hated seeing her mother that way. But the nearer the full moon came, the more her mother worried and cried. "Mum?" Still no response. It has to be Mum. Who else would be out here? Why isn't she answering?
Now, the wood was too quiet.
Bushes rustled, divided.
Evelyn jerked toward the noise and shrank away from a filthy man surrounded by an air so threatening Evelyn knew he meant her harm. He hunched like his back had caught on something. Greasy hair fell in his face and giant knots lumped both shoulders. Gnarled hands and yellowed nails—which looked like claws—completed his grotesqueness. He stank of sweat, dirt and raw meat. Yellowed teeth bared in a perverted grin. Amber pupils glowed in black eyes like coals in a dark fireplace.
"I'm not your mum." He regarded her like a fresh ham hock. "But, in a way, one could call me your father."
Disgust curdled Evelyn's stomach. "You're lying! My dad was tall, thin and always clean. Besides, you look nothing like him."
"But I helped make you the way you are." He grinned so widely Evelyn though his face might split. "That, at least, must make me a second father of sorts, daughter of mine."
"Who are you?" Evelyn raised her twig-wand only to drop the useless thing a second later and assume a defensive stance, fists raised and ready.
"Oh, a temper. And not the least bit afraid. I like that. How fortunate. It's so hard to tell how most children will turn out."
"Who are you?" Evelyn grew impatient. "What do you have to do with me?"
The man quirked his head like a curious bird. "Almost everything." His tone turned revoltingly happy. "I've come to collect you, to take you home where you belong."
"But… I am home. And Mum is probably worried. She always is."
"You aren't home. This isn't a home. It's a prison—to keep you away from the world that will never accept you." His eyes smoldered in anticipation then ignited. "I've come to set you free."
"What if I don't want to be set free?" Evelyn stepped away from him, fists still raised. "Mum needs me. I want to stay with her."
In three strides the man grabbed Evelyn's shoulders. "Your mother doesn't need you. She wants to get rid of you! Why do you think you're all the way out here? Because she doesn't want anyone to see her taking care of you."
"You're lying!" Merlin! This is getting scary. The Dark Warrior. Think of him. He'll look out for you and Mum. "Let me go! I want to see my mum!" She struggled in his grip as both filthy hands smeared dirt and grime on her worn sleeves. Warrior, where are you? I could really use some help!
"You might not see it now, but it's for your own good," the man sneered.
What would the Warrior say if I gave in? He'd be disappointed… "No!" Evelyn stomped on the man's foot so hard he let go.
"Little brat!" he hissed as Evelyn dashed for the shed.
"Mum! Mum, where are you?"
"Evelyn! Run! Don't come back!" Her mother's voice. But where was it coming from?
"What? Mum, where are you?" If her mother was scared or crying, it meant she needed Evelyn. Her mother always tried to hide it, but Evelyn knew that only she could banish her mother's fear and sadness. After a good hug she would tell her mother about the Warrior and how great a fighter Evelyn was too, and her mother would smile again, at least for a while.
Evelyn burst through the shed door and stopped. More filthy, stinky people held her mother tight.
"I told you to run!" her mother snapped. But her anger stemmed from fear—so much fear…
"Leave her alone!" Evelyn rushed them, intending to claw and bite her way through if she had to. "I'm warning you." She expected them to draw back, afraid. People usually did—even when her mother stepped in front of Evelyn to hide her. Evelyn had always supposed she was just an impressive sight. But these people didn't flinch. They grinned.
"I said, leave her alone!" Evelyn threw every shred of anger into the demand only to be grabbed from behind and thrown over another dirty shoulder. "Hey! Let me down! Let me down!" She hammered both fists into her captor's back. "I'm warning you! I'm a warrior!"
"Good. You got her." The man from the woods stepped inside. "When she learns her priorities, I foresee quite the beast in her."
The others laughed as Evelyn kept up her one-sided fight. "Let me go!"
"Please, let her go," her mother begged. "Greyback, haven't you done enough damage already?" Her mother's eyes teared, sending a jolt of anguish through Evelyn.
"I'm not trying to damage her," said Greyback. "I just want to show her the truth."
"Evelyn, don't listen to him." Her mother pulled against the two men holding her back. "Remember all the monsters you were fighting? He's one of them. But you're not, no matter what he tells you, you're not!"
"Shut up, woman!" A man with skin darker than fresh coffee grounds slapped her cheek. "You're calling us monsters?"
Her mother's eyes turned sad but stern. "No, not you. Just him." She nodded to Greyback.
"Shut it!" Greyback snarled. "We got what we came for. Let's go. We don't want another Lupin accident. That child already thinks he's accepted by the world."
"No! Mum!" Evelyn struggled harder. "Mum, don't cry! I'll be fine! Sev will come find me. He always looks out for us. I know he does!"
"Please…" Her mother looked to the man who'd slapped her. "Do what you want with me but take care of my daughter."
Evelyn's screams rose. "LET ME GO!"
"For Merlin's sake, shut her up!" Greyback grimaced. "For someone so small, she makes a lot of noise."
"I'm not small. I'm big!" Evelyn retorted. "And if you don't let me go, I'll make you pay!"
"Somnus," said someone Evelyn couldn't see.
Dizziness closed over her. She tried to shake it away, but her eyes drooped, weighed heavier than bricks. The world darkened, and the last thing she heard was her mother's voice.
"Evelyn, always remember I love you! No matter what. I will always love you!"
Then the world went black.
Edited by Dtill359