Good intentions is the mother of all screw ups (attn sylos)

[Nynaeve]

“You did WHAT?” Evelyn’s eyes were just about ready to jump out of their sockets. “You work yourself too hard, Eve. You need something to distract you. Or rather, someone…”  Sikozu smiled mischievously and winked. Evelyn shook her head.  Sikozu was one of the few friends she had in the fortress.  They both enlisted at approximately the same time and roomed together for quite a while as recruits. There were many memories there and a solid friendship. It was too bad she’d eventually need to resort to killing her for trying to meddle in her life so often.

 

“He’s good looking, I promise. I wouldn’t set you up with just anyone.” Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Go get washed up. I’ll help you get ready.” Evelyn spun around, her impression pure shock. “Today!?!?” Sikozu Laughed. LAUGHED! “Yes, I figured I wouldn’t leave you the room to squirm out of this. Don’t worry, I have the perfect dress to loan you and we’ll find something lovely to do with your hair.”

 

“A DRESS?!?!” Sikozu laughed again and pushed Evelyn out of the room. More pushes followed as she ushered her to a tub filled with perfumed soap water. That part, at least, was pleasant. The water was just in the right temperature and she enjoyed luxuriating in it until Sikozu showed up and dragged her back to her room. She kept making fun of Evelyn’s pouting and constantly reminded her that she’d end up wrinkled like an acorn if she kept exaggerating her facial expressions.

 

There was a very stunned Evelyn standing in front of a mirror by the time Sikozu was done. She was wearing a red velvet dress that displayed just a bit too skin for comfort. Normally, Evelyn would protest but she suspected that an alternative would be much worse, seeing as she knew Sikozu’s civilian wardrobe all too well. Sometime she swore the woman had no shame.

 

Evelyn’s hair was up in a small bun, held by a dragonfly shaped pin, and her black curls spilled to the sides evenly. Her friend tried putting  some sort of red powder on her cheeks but she washed it off hurriedly. She took comfort in at least winning that battle. Soon enough, though, she was led away to the gates and was escorted by Sikozu all the way to the inn she were to meet Lucas. All out of courtesy, of course, and not to make sure she didn’t mysteriously disappear. Naturally.

 

 

 

Evelyn

CotL

[Erathian Avenger]

Out of uniform, Sylos still remembered how to blend in with a normal crowd, a fact which he prided himself on. At the end of one of his off days from working as a Child of the Light, he found himself in a rather nicer inn than he had ever been willing to pay to stay in, but which certainly had better food than most. Although given his rather thrifty nature, that might not have been saying much. He was sitting alone at a table near one of the inn's fireplaces, looking for all the world like another tradesman in the city stopping for a drink.

 

He had noticed a slight hitch in his plan not to be recognized when he spotted Lucas, another Child he had been introduced to at the fortress, though he had never spoken to the man again after their first meeting. He appeared to be waiting for someone, which made Sylos smile. It was nice to know that the Children were still human, after all. Shifting slightly to another position at the table so that he could watch how Lucas' night went; nothing else of any interest had presented itself, after all, and his ale was still mostly untouched.

 

Thus he had a full view when Lucas' company for the evening arrived. He recognized Evelyn in an instant after his recent experiences under instruction, though the dress did throw him for a moment. He had never been able to imagine the stern instructor wearing anything but her uniform, but he had to admit that the dress definitely flattered her form. He didn't recognize the woman with her, but he did recognize from the way both of them were standing that Evelyn did not want to be at the inn, and the other woman was responsible for her unwilling presence. He grinned as he mentally tripled the projected amusement value of the evening.

[Nynaeve]

"You can leave now, Sikozu. I am here, aren't I?". Sikozu didn't reply and only stared back flatly. "I think I'm too old for a chaperon, wouldn't you agree?" Sikozu just smiled, but the stubborn glint in her eyes remained. Evelyn sighed and entered the inn with her friend closely behind her. No, this was good. A whole night out of the Fortress would provide Evelyn with enough time to think up the best way to to dispose of her nosy friend. She would make it something slow and violent. She earned that much.

 

When they got in Sikozu practically pushed her in the direction of a specific table. And there he was. Lucas. She remembered him in passing. Never spoke to him, of course, because that would have made her a social person, which she clearly wasn't. At least her insane friend didn't exaggerate when it came to his physics but looks wasn't everything. She didn't need a pretty face. She needed someone to challenge her. An equal. Though, really, she didn't need anyone. No. She was always on her own and she has managed to gain everything she desired by hard work. She had everything she needed.

 

"Evelyn?". His voice sure was enticing. "I sure hope so! Otherwise, boy, color my mother red." Lucas favored her with a dry chuckle and pulled a chair for her. She sat down, rolling her eyes. This was going to be extremely painful, she suspected. Sikozu had already manged to vanish. Despite her nosy ways she wasn't the sort to stick around to snoop. No, not her. It would, after all, ruin the fun of grilling her about it later. Something told Evelyn it would take a long while before she'd manage to see her bed. Her precious comfy bed.

 

Idle chat commenced. A little about family and a little about inspirations and goals. He didn't ask about her much, though, so Evelyn cut him off occasionally and volunteered the information. Looking the way he did he probably never had to be considerate, but he had something else coming with Evelyn. If he wanted to be listened to he had to extend the same courtesy. He was cocky. Having confidence was a good thing but too much of it was like pouring too much wine into a glass. Foolish and wasteful.

 

Along the conversation he extended his hand to place it on top of hers and she pulled away. "Mmmm....I think I will go get me some more wine. Do you want me to bring you a glass as well, Lucas?". He shook his head. "Well, I will be right back then." Evelyn walked towards the serving bar and almost stumbled when she noticed Sylos sitting in a secluded corner on his own. It took her a great deal of self control to look away. She ordered a glass of wine, forcing her gaze to stay on the serving man.

 

 

 

 

Evelyn

CotL

 

[Erathian Avenger]

Sylos had always been a troublemaker. His recent experiences with Evelyn had, all in all, not actually been as bad as some of the consequences this particular personality trait had evoked. He expected she might yet regret not actually killing him, as that would certainly have prevented his participation in the evening's events. As Evelyn went up to the bar to request more wine he smirked, and when she returned to the table, looking rather martyred, he quietly got up and snuck into the back of the inn, unnoticed by the other two Children. He knew going to get more wine had been an excuse to escape Lucas, since the inn sent servers about to tend to these requests periodically. However, he suspected that Lucas, not precisely interested in the actions of others, might have missed it.

 

They continued talking for a good half an hour -considerably longer, to Sylos' chagrin, than he had expected it would take- before ordering food. Nonetheless, he felt a certain immutable satisfaction when one of the wandering servers came and requested their food. Dressed in a serving uniform he had borrowed from a man all too happy to take the night off and still collect full pay, he quickly collected the food prepared by the inn's cook and deftly maneuvered through the tables to deposit it in front of the rather chilly couple. Though he supposed the chill was all the more remarkable for only coming from one of the two. "Your food, sir and madam." He said, fairly certain they had not caught the brief hitch in his voice where he had been forced to turn 'sirs' into 'sir and madam', catching himself on the military protocol which made all officers 'sir' regardless of sex. He waited a few moments longer than a server might usually be expected to do- but then, of the two only Evelyn would notice that, and that -of course- was the point.

[Nynaeve]

Evelyn choked on her wine when she realized who's voice it was. She raised her eyes to meet Sylos' and froze. What under the light are you doing, you bloody fool? She didn't realize that Lucas was by her side, patting her back gently, if a bit too familiarly for comfort. "However pleasing consumption of wine might be, do be careful my dear." Evelyn's lips thinned as she fought the urge to give Lucas the rougher side of her tongue. Drinking wine seemed to dull the irritation in her and the constant need to just get up and leave. She wasn't favoring Lucas with her presence to spare his feelings though. She just knew that if she came back to the Fortress early she'd find herself on the next day in the very same situation, only with a different person sitting across her. Sikozu was relentless.

 

"Thank you.", Evelyn said in a flat tone. Her glance lingered on Sylos as he turned around and left with the empty tray, a wide grin decorating his face. Insufferable git. I will have you under my training again some day and you will regret this moment. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go wash my hands. I will be back shortly." Evelyn walked away from the common room and into a side room. It was a small room with an empty basin standing atop an ordinary table. A slightly cracked mirror stood, propped against the wall. Evelyn eyed herself and shook her head. She felt ridiculous.

 

Grabbing a bucket that stood next to the table, she poured fresh water into the basin. She let her hands soak in the water and then brushed them across her face. What was he trying to prove, she wondered. Dressing up that way. Showing up by our table. Is he mocking me? Does he think I can't attract a man's attention? I very well can! I can keep a man happy, damn it. "I'm sure you can. Apologies for interrupting you", the old man bobbed his head and closed the door behind him. Evelyn's cheeks reddened. She must have said that last bit out loud. "Humiliating myself in front of a complete stranger like a mindless babe." She shook her head. It was time to go back, though. However reluctant she felt about it.

 

Raising her chin high, she exited the room, determined to have a pleasant moment even if it killed her. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed a woman sitting in her table, whispering in Lucas' hear. She giggled and he smiled widely. So wide, that had he tried to make it wider, it would have split his face in two. I knew he was a flirt, but this?

 

Lucas gave a start when he saw her approaching. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the ear ringing slap she applied to his left cheek. Without pause she grabbed her cloak, gave the woman a sharp stare and left the common room, not quite sure why she was really mad.

 

 

 

Evelyn

Child of the Light

[Erathian Avenger]

Sylos left quickly after Evelyn nearly drowned in her wine upon seeing him, feeling quite satisfied with his work for the evening. He retreated to the kitchens and deposited the tray, quickly changing out of his borrowed clothes and into his own. He was mostly done when he heard giggling behind him, and dragged his shirt down over his head in time to whirl about and spot one of the serving maids, who blushed and smiled at him. Sylos was somewhat embarrassed himself, but this was quickly eliminated by the onset of a fiendishly clever plan that would leave both of his fellow Children with better company- albeit one of them with only her own. He smirked at the maid and began whispering quietly into her ear. She continued blushing, but set out to follow the plan he had offered immediately. Sylos wandered back into the hall to watch his work unfold again, sitting down behind his drink and discovering that in his absence someone had finished it for him. He made a note not to return to the place.

 

He noted that Evelyn appeared to be in a foul mood from the moment she returned; he was unsurprised when, irritated already, she became very angry indeed at the sight of the serving maid he had dispatched to flirt Lucas out of the danger zone of Evelyn's ire. The slap was unexpected, however, though as he thought about he supposed being ignored in favor of the serving woman might be an insult to someone with Evelyn's pride. Nonetheless, as she stormed out the maid quickly recaptured Lucas' attention, and Sylos decided that all in all it was a job well done. He left a few coins on the table to pay for his drink, and then walked out the door into the night, whistling cheerfully at the evening's escapades until he noticed Evelyn standing just outside the inn and stopped dead, hoping he hadn't been spotted.

[Nynaeve]

Evelyn paused outside of the inn. Was she too hasty in her actions? No, of course not! The man was out of line. Not that she cared for Lucas at all. Just another self entitled pretty face. No, he deserved that slap. He probably didn't get slapped often and the deed would do him well. But it was too early to go back to the Fortress. Especially with Sikozu likely waiting in her room to hear ALL about her night. Wretched woman. Evelyn loved her friend but sometimes she liked to test her boundaries. Too much as of late.

 

What of Sylos? He was still in there. But she couldn't go back inside to give him the ear boxing he deserved. No, that could wait for another day. After all, she knew where to find him if she wished to. She nodded to herself and turned to leave just as she saw someone walking out of the inn. The shadow quickly turned into Sylos himself. He was about to turn the other way the second he spotted her. "Don't you dare move." Evelyn spoke coolly, rather proud of herself for managing to keep her irritation from her tone.

 

She faced Sylos, staring at him unblinkingly as he smirked at her. "You think everything is a big joke, don't you? You keep sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. One day it might just be snuffed out." Her irritation seemed to diminish as she looked at him, which only made her angrier. She should want to tear his head off! "I realize we share the same displeasure in being in each other's presence", she lied. "But I promise you this. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours. It's quite easy to make enemies in the Fortress. If you agree to my term, you have one less enemy to worry about." She folded her arms under her breasts and frowned at him. "Have we reached an understanding?".

 

 

 

Evelyn

CotL