Chapter 02 – Page 01/06
Evienne: Memories…
As Evienne’s horse carried her through the winding forest path, a cascade of memories tumbled through her mind like leaves caught in a whirlwind. The gentle rustling of leaves seemed to echo with the laughter of her childhood, and the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy felt like the warm embrace of long-lost friends. The horse moved with a steady grace, its hooves tapping out a rhythm that harmonized with the beat of her heart. Even though years have passed, she can remember exactly the same path that the carriage that took her away from her childhood followed.
“I remember this place, old friend” Evienne murmured softly, her voice a gentle caress for the creature beneath her. The horse’s ears twitched, and it neighed softly as if in agreement.
Emerging from the woods, the village lay before her like a hallowed relic of her past. Thatched roofs and cobblestone streets greeted her with open arms, and her eyes traced the contours of each familiar building with an ache that resonated deep within her soul. Dismounting with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, she reached out to touch the rough texture of a cottage wall, as if seeking solace in its timeless embrace.
“Time may have marched on, but this village remains untouched,” she whispered, her words a quiet affirmation of the unbreakable connection she felt.
The village square stretched out like a canvas of memories, and at its heart stood the ancient oak tree. Its branches, gnarled and wise, reached upward as if seeking to bridge the gap between past and present. Evienne’s steps quickened as she approached, her heart pounding to the rhythm of nostalgia.
With a soft smile, she closed her eyes, surrendering to the memories that flooded her senses. “This tree was my castle, my refuge,” she mused aloud, the words laden with both fondness and a tinge of sorrow. “Little did I know, it was preparing me for battles yet to come.”
Her father’s house stood resolute, a monument to the passage of time and the echoes of unresolved emotions. Evienne’s steps faltered as she approached, the weight of years of hurt and longing pressing heavily upon her chest.
He stood there, at the threshold, his eyes widening with disbelief. “Evienne?” The word escaped his lips in a breathless whisper, carrying a mixture of surprise and an undercurrent of regret.
The conversation that followed was an intricate dance of words and emotions, a symphony of pain and unspoken truths. “You handed me over like a discarded doll,” Evienne’s voice trembled, the wounds of the past laid bare. “To serve a family that cared more for power than people.”
Her father’s gaze wavered, a mixture of remorse and defensiveness contorting his features. “You look so much like her, Evie. It was a constant reminder of what I had lost.”
Her anger surged, a tempest of emotions swirling within her. The air crackled with tension as the room seemed to tremble in response. Objects vibrated on their surfaces, and a vase shattered into a thousand pieces, the shards a metaphor for the fragments of her fractured relationship with her father.
“Evie, please!” His voice held a desperate plea, a reflection of his helplessness in the face of her unleashed power.
And then, as if recognizing the extent of her fury, the storm within her began to abate. The room slowly stilled, the wreckage a testament to her struggle to contain the torrent of emotions that had consumed her.