20 years earlier...
"Prince Septimus...I want to thank you for showing me kindness when I have needed it most" Evora told the Prince as she sat next to him by the campfire.
"Please, call me Septimus" he offered "You have no need to thank me. How are you feeling?"
Evora puffed her cheeks "Now that's a question I haven't got an answer to. My thoughts and feelings are all over the place"
"I can't begin to imagine" mumbled Septimus as he lowered his eyes. He wanted to help her but he didn't know how.
"Funnily enough, the biggest thing weighing on my mind at the moment is saying goodbye to you tomorrow" remarked Evora then realising what she had said out loud thinking she had only told herself, feeling redness rising in her cheeks. Septimus met her gaze, surprised by what she had told him.
"Evora, its not goodbye. I will find a way to help you. Think of it has a temporary placement" he tried to reassure her.
"Please, I'm not looking for charity. I'll be fine once I'm there" Evora tried to convince herself "But promise to come and see me often. I could use a friendly face"
"Evora, you do not even need to ask. I'll be there for you" he smiled at her as she in turn smiled for the first time since that dreadful night.
The young Prince looked at though he might have a hint of red in his cheeks also then added "We should get some sleep. I'll be out here if you need me"
"Septimus...please would you hold my hand again?" Evora whispered, she didn't want to be alone when the intense nightmares came.
"Of course I will..." he agreed as he followed her to the small tent.
Later that night...
Evora eyes shot open, it was still the middle of the night but she felt she had been asleep for hours. It was like her body had woken her up before her mind had the chance to brew the nightmares.
Evora noticed that she had let go of Septimus's hand in her sleep as he laid in a deep sleep next to her. She smiled for a moment, in these past few days, the toughest she would ever live through it seemed the universe had been kind enough to offer her a friend. There wasn't anyone close to her age in her village except her siblings so the feeling of having a friend who wasn't related to her seemed so fresh.
A noise from outside caught Evora's attention, some rustling nearby. She thought to herself it was probably nothing to worry about, they were in a forest after all with many different types of creatures lurking through the darkness.
Again she heard the noise. Evora shrugged and went to investigate. Maybe she could catch something for breakfast she thought as she stepped outside the tent to follow the noise, quietly stepping over the guard who was also in a deep sleep.
Evora was moving further away from the tent than she realised and found herself by a slow moving stream lit up the moonlight. It was there Evora jumped as she made out a figure of someone sitting close by.
"Help me..." the voice whispered. The voice sounded so hoarse but she was sure it was an elderly female.
"What's the matter?" asked Evora who still seemed so innocent to this land, growing up knowing everyone and not having to fret about strangers.
"I can't get up, please can you help me up?" The lady asked tearfully. Evora found it to be a reasonable enough request as she moved closer to her. The old lady had a cape round her so she was warm at least.
"Please, don't get upset. Here, take my hand..." Evora reach her hand out to the old lady when all of a sudden she snatched Evora's arm and stood up. The stranger than put a silver chain around the arm she was holding as Evora looked in confusion as she cried "What are you doing?"
The old lady pulled the hood of her cape down and smiled at Evora with a sinister look in her eyes and replied "I've been after a slave girl ever since my sister got one of her own. You belong to me now, girl"
"I belong to no one!" Growled Evora as she pulled the chain towards her as she tried to remove the chain from her wrist.
"Correction, you are now no one" the lady smiled "And to struggle would be pointless, there is magic in that chain that will bind you to me forever"
"You're a witch?" Questioned Evora
"Of course, my dear" the lady smiled "You may call me mistress Zorina. Be a good girl and I might show some kindness every so often. Be disobedient and you will pay the price"
"I've already paid a high price from your wretched kind" spat Evora as she tried to back away towards the direction she came, back to where the sleeping Prince was nearby.
"Septimus" Evora whispered to herself and she screamed "SEPTIMUS! HELP ME!"
Zorina frowned at her "Be quiet, girl!"
Evora ignored the witch and continued to shout the Prince's name, desperately hoping he would hear her.
Septimus shot up from his sleep, at first he thought the screams were from Evora's nightmares but then he realised she was not next to him and she was calling his name for help. He grabbed his sword and ran out the tent, kicking his guard to wake up to attend him. Septimus ran towards the screams, his chest tight with tension of what possibly could be the problem. Deep down he was hoping she was perhaps just sleep walking but the urgency in her screams filled him with dread.
Zorina grabbed Evora by the throat and pressed her against the tree, trying to suppress her screams but she wouldn't give up. Zorina had lost her patience and held her finger hard against Evora's head as she snarled "You will forget this Septimus, you will forget his name"
"No, please" Cried Evora and then all she felt was a sharp pain in her head and then nothing but darkness.
Septimus kept running in the same direction though the screams had stopped. He came to a stream where he could see signs of a struggle, he looked towards the other side of the running water but couldn't make out anything.
"Evora!' He shouted as he kept racing through the forest "Evora!"
The longer he ran, the more darkness begin to flood his thoughts. First he had let down his sister and now he has let down this girl he had promised to look after. He was beginning to realise that perhaps he was a monster and everything he cared about always fell into ruin.