Chapter Text
Eve was sat at her dresser as her maid was putting the finishing touches on her hair. She was anxious to get out of the house, if she was honest. Her Mother, Catherine Trevelyan, was determined for her to marry a distant cousin, Lord Thomas Albrecht. Eve tried to spend as little time as possible with him. He was a vain, almost snobbish sort of man and Eve just couldn’t see herself spending the rest of her life with him. She had definite views on marriage and she only wanted to marry for love. Eve respected her family values, but she wanted to find her own way. Unfortunately her parents didn’t agree and things were getting rather tense between them all.
Once the maid was finished Eve didn’t waste any time getting her cloak and making her way down to the stables. She hoped she could get out without encountering either of her parents. They had invited Thomas to stay with them, she tried to spend as little time with him as possible. She made her way down the grand staircase and just got to the door that led to the armoury before she heard her mother scream her name. Holding her velvet midnight blue dress up as she hurried down the stairs after her daughter.
“Evelyna! Where do you think your going?” Eve sighed and shook her head. “Out, Mother. I’m taking Francis out. I thought I’d check on some of Fathers tenants for him. I heard they had concerns.” It wasn’t a complete lie, she had heard some grumblings floating around the city.
Her Mother scoffed. “Did you forget Thomas invited you to go to Midday Chant with him? I will not have you disappoint him.”
Eve rolled her eyes. “Mother, I had not forgotten, I just needed a little air, if I could help Father out at the same time I thought it would be beneficial for both of us. I don’t think Thomas would mind. It would give him some extra time to check himself out in his mirror.”
Catherine glared daggers at her youngest daughter. “Evelyna! You will not talk about Thomas in that negative manner. He has paid particular attention to you and I insist you pay him every respect.”
Eve huffed but before she could answer Catherine spoke over the top of her. “You will stay here and go to the Chant with Thomas. You told me you were going out yesterday and you didn’t even return for dinner! Now you will not do this again. Every member of this family have done their duty, now it’s time for you to do yours.”
Eve glared at her Mother. “Fine if you want me to stay, I’ll be in the training yard. I find myself in need to hit something, excuse me.” She pushed past her and went back upstairs to grab her daggers. She couldn’t believe her Mother sometimes, maybe if she spoke to her Father, Bann Ryder Trevelyan, he might talk her into backing off.
She was going to leave for the training yard, when she decided to really annoy her Mother by changing into her black leggings and a loose grey shirt. She always hated Eve looking ‘masculine’. Ryder had always encouraged Eve to learn how to defend herself, Catherine preferred Eve to learn to be the perfect lady. Just the thought of those lessons made Eve cringe. Oh, she knew how to behave properly in company, but she much preferred her weapons training anyday.
Shirt tied, Eve grabbed her belt and sheathed her daggers and made her way to the training yard. She didn’t bump into anyone, they were probably all sat eating breakfast. Eve just wanted to hit something. Her Father had spent a bit of gold setting up a decent training area, so Eve could practice all sorts of attacks, like dummies she could jump from one to the other and sacks that she could spin between. Even stand up dummies she could physically hit, so she didn’t have to rely on her blades. They did have them for Archers but Eve just couldn’t get on with a bow, she never hit the target, just everything else which she did have to laugh at.
Before she started with her blades, she did some drills with her fists and legs first. She loved the feeling of her body burning and it wasn’t long till it was, she couldn’t shake the frustrated feelings in her, so she grabbed her blades, rotating her arms getting her arms loose and comfortable. She looked at the dummies laid out in a random pattern and picked her target. Eve ran up to it and jumped, driving her daggers in hard, using the momentum to spring to the next target. Sweat beaded her brow and she pushed back wisps of hair that had stuck to her face. She hardly stopped and ran at the spun between them effortlessly.
She was so focused on her drills, she didn’t notice her Father was standing watching her. Eve finally stopped when her lungs felt as if they were on fire and her arms were like jelly. She turned to get a drink, when she finally noticed her Father standing there.
“Father, I’m sorry I didn’t know you were there.” Eve said breathlessly
“It’s fine Eve, you’ve improved since I last saw you.” said Ryder with a smile on his face. He was always proud of Eve, she was like him in temperament and she had the stubbornness of Catherine.
Eve sniffed and rolled her eyes slightly. “Well I’ve had more time to practice recently.”
Ryder tried not to laugh. He knew Catherine was desperate for Eve to marry Thomas and he knew Eve was set against the idea. But he had an idea that may be acceptable for everyone. “Come Eve, go and get cleaned up and come to my room. I have something that might interest you.”
Eve was curious and quickly fled to her rooms. A quick wash, another pair of leggings and a pale green shirt and Eve made her way to her Father’s room. She knocked and waited for him to answer before she twisted the handle and went inside. She loved it in here. All the walls were filled with books and she had spent many hours pulling different volumes out and spent just as many hours reading into the early hours of the morning. Ryder looked up from his papers and got up to move in front of his desk.
“Ah, perfect. Sit down my dear.” Eve didn’t say anything she sat on the seat, clasping her hands, resting them on her lap. “I’ve had a letter from Ostwick’s Grand Cleric. Divine Justinia is to hold a Conclave in Ferelden, at The Temple of Sacred Ashes. She hopes to bring peace to the Mage - Templar war. I would like to send you to help the Grand Cleric.”
Eve sat there looking sceptical. “Father as much as I’d love to jump at chance to get away, Mother will not be so pleased at the prospects of me leaving for Ferelden.”
Ryder chuckled. “Your Mother know our first priority is to the Chantry. If things go well with The Conclave,I’ll talk to your Mother about Thomas.”
Eve’s eyes lit up. “I work hard at the Conclave and you’ll talk to Mother?”
Ryder nodded. “Our family have always served The Chantry in some way and that will not change. The Conclave is in a week, I have the travel arrangements organised and you leave the day after tomorrow.”
Eve sprun off the chair and hugged her Father tightly. “Thank you, Father” Ryder patted her back. “Yes, yes. Well off you go.” Eve nodded and practically ran out of the room to pack. She couldn’t wait to leave and to be a part of something as big as this was a real honour, Eve had no intentions on letting anyone down.