Eldwic hid from behind the pile of hay, motionless, for what felt like an eternity. Then, he brought the club down on the beast with all his might, smiling as he felt the crack of its skull reverberate through the wood. One more, and he'd be done for the day. He whistled, eyes roving around for sight of his friend. A quick bark from behind him made him spin.

"Larder! Good girl," he said, kneeling to pat his friend's head. "Well, looks like the day's done for us."

The young man took the rat from the wiry dog's mouth and placed it in his bloody pack, all full of dead, or dying vermin. Then, with a playful swing, he rested the club against his shoulder and marched out the barn, faithful little Larder right by his side.

"It's all done now, sir," he called out, eyes meeting the man who'd hired him for the day. "Here's the proof." With a grin, Eldwic held out his bag of kills, before putting it on the ground, at the man's feet. "You're welcome to count them too."

The twins were a true menace today. Evalynn had spent the whole day taking care of the barn and the animals inside and she was tired but the twins were practically running around her the whole time, chanting how she was a servant girl and had nothing better in her future. Evalynn, being a few years older, was responsible for her chores and they were, unfortunately, too young to have any serious chores on the farm that would keep them busy through the whole day. So now they were making her life a living hell just because they were bored.

"You know Dad is never going to let you go." Marcus said with a giggle, leaning on the cow as Evalynn sat next to it, milking it as quickly as she could. Evalynn just rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she was desperate to get married. It was more that she wanted off the farm and when a suiter finally did come to claim her hand, it would mean freedom for her. This was just one of the things the boys teased her about constantly. She was in her early twenties by this point and should be off making her own family but she never got any requests. She figured it was because she just wasn't the most appealing looking woman around. She was average build, with wide hips and broad shoulders. She had long blonde hair that hung around her head in waves and she had figured her face was pleasant enough. She had full lips that sat under a button nose. She had large, brown eyes under thin eyebrows such a pale blonde, it was hard to tell she even had any. At this moment, those eyebrows were bunched in a heap on her forehead as she tried to finish her chores for the day.

"Yeah," Matthew chimed it from behind the cow. Evalynn took a moment to pause and make sure her younger brother wasn't about to startle poor Clover. After she determined he was going to leave the cow alone, she continued milking as he continued talking. "He ain't ever gonna let some guy marry you."

"Yeah sure." Evalynn said as she continued with her chore but Marcus spoke up, shoving his face in front of hers.

"It's true! Dad got a request just the other day and turned it down right then and there." Evalynn paused in the milking, looking up at her brother in disbelief.

"You lie." She said as she shook her head. "Father would not do that to me."

"It's the truth!" Matthew called out as he rounded the cow, leaning against her rump with his arms crossed and a deep smirk on his face. "Told the man no right then. Didn't even let him finish the offer."

Evalynn looked from one to the other, her eyes widening as she realized they weren't lying to her. Her father had indeed turned down a marriage proposal so she would remain on the farm and help. Her mouth fell open as rage began to boil dangerously in her chest.

"You lie." She tried to say again but both twins just shook their heads sadly at her.

"You're stuck here for life, Evie. Dad's never going to let you go." Evalynn stood up then, grabbing the bucket out from under Clover and giving her a firm smack on the behind. The cow let out a moo before it bucked once and scurried off, causing Marcus to fall off and Matthew to fall down into the hay as his support ran off.

She huffed as she turned from her brother, trying to conceal the rage and pain that was bubbling up in her eyes as tears. She clenched her jaw and walked out of the barn, passing by Eldwic on the way. "Give me a moment Eldwic and I'll give you a lift to town." Normally it would be one of the older boys giving Eldwic his ride back to town but it wasn't unheard of for Evalynn to do it and she really needed to do it now. She needed to get off the farm before she did something stupid, like confront her father about what her brothers told her.

She dropped the milk off in the kitchen before grabbing her bag and walking out to meet up with Eldwic again. Her face was flush and her jaw was still clenched tightly but the tears were no where to be seen.

Coins received without much argument, Eldwic gave the man a respectful bow of thanks, before running Evalynn's way. He never bothered to argue with her father, as while he was a hard man, he paid for labor fairly, owing to him knowing its value and hardship well. With sack of rats slung over his shoulder and Larder by his side, he gave his friend a nod and a smile. Nothing like coin to put one in a good mood, after all.

"You look like you're in a hurry," he called out, grinning at her. The grin eventually dimmed, however, as he noticed the stormy look on her face. Larder seemed to smell the sadness on her, too, and she reared up on her legs, pawing at the girl. "I'm not looking to go home earlier than I have to. Father wants me to help him with the carcasses we just received. Fresh kill is one thing, but those things given him... they're foul! I told him so... but he never listens to me. So, take your time."

It was a half-lie; Eldwic found the carcasses fascinating. There was something about bodies and how they worked that captivated the lad, but he couldn't say such things out loud. Not if he didn't want to be drowned, or tried before a group of old, grizzled men who jumped at any chance to see someone hang. No, the lie was for Evalynn's benefit. Perhaps, she hoped for an ear to listen to her, or even just space to breathe.

"If you would like, I could even show you. My father's also preparing the meat we were meant to send your way - he hasn't finished carving it up, so an hour or two should pass before everything is ready." He eyed the tall man in the distance, then turned his attentions back to Evie. "I suppose we should tell him first? In... case he comes running and looking for you again. I guess he worries about you." Eldwic kicked a pebble and laughed, though the sound was mirthless. "That's nice, isn't it?"

He wanted to tell her how lucky she was - once, he'd broken an arm and gotten stuck out in the woods, nearly perishing on account of exposure and starvation. Only Evie had thought to look for him, and only she knew where he'd be, up in the trees, watching the birds.

"Oh! And we'll have to stop halfway along the road, too. I need to pick a fresh place to bury the rats. Too many in one spot brings in the wolves. Then farmer Dunstan will have my hide, when one of his sheep get their insides out again."

Evalynn grunted in response to Eldwic's comment about her being in a hurry. He wasn't wrong. She was very much in a hurry, a hurry to get as far away from this farm once and for all. She sighed as she realized that, that probably wouldn't be happening if her father was declining every marriage proposal she was getting. If her mother was still alive, she wouldn't stand for this. Evalynn would be off, married and starting her own life, not stuck on the stupid farm with her father and brothers. She hated being the only girl with four brothers. She wished her mother was still around.

She bent down to pat Larder on the top of the head with a slight groan. “It's my brothers. You know how the two M's are. They just pester the hell out of me all the time and Dad doesn't care. He's just happy I'm still doing chores and helping keep the farm running,” she grumbled as she lead the way to the back of the far, where the horses were kept and the cart was located.

“Instead of going to see those nasty carcasses your father got delivered, how about we go to the pub?” She picked up the leads and reigns and walked over to the large brown horse with tuffs along his hooves that were a stark white. “I got a little coinage from the other day and I could use a drink, my treat.” She hooked the horse up and lead him over to the cart, giving him plenty of pats and affection along the way. “Come on, Merlin,” she spoke to the horse as she lead the way, “Let's get you hooked up and we can get out of here. Yes we can.” She gave him a good scratch behind the ear before he got situated between the bars of the cart to be properly hooked up. She hitched him to the cart before she climbed into the front seat of it, holding her arms out as she gave a whistle for Larder. “Come on, girl.” She said before the dog jumped up and Evalynn caught her and pulled her into the cart as well.

“We don't need to tell my father anything. Let the man worry.” She huffed as she set her bag into the cart behind her and picked up the reigns. “Did you know what I got a marriage proposal the other day?” She hadn't intended to bring it up but with Eldwic bring up her father, that spark of rage flared in her chest again. She watched Eldwic's face for a moment before she gave a laugh. “Right? Yeah, guess who else didn't know. Me. He declined the marriage and I only learned about it from my brothers. He's controlling every aspect of my life and its all because he wants an extra hand on the farm!” She was almost yelling at this point, her hands rising in the air as she growled out her anger.

“How many times has he declined marriage proposals for me, Eldwic? I just thought I was too ugly for people to be interested in me and this whole time, he's the one doing it!” She sighed as she let her arms drop. “I need a drink.” Once Eldwic had climbed into the cart, she gave the reigns a good shake and Merlin began the memorized trek to the road.

“Where do you want to stop so you can bury that?” She asked as she nodded to his bag of dead rats. “I'm not sure what areas you've used already and which ones are good.”

"The pub? Sure. All right. Sounds like... a wonderful idea," said Eldwic, his voice just as strained as his smile. It wasn't as if he didn't want to go there and have a drink or two, and on Evalynn's coin, too. No, it was her father he feared; he was a hard man. There wasn't much to be said about it, for that was what men had to be. He felt like a boy around him, waiting in fear of his reprimands. Where Evalynn got her fire to stand up to him, Eldwic knew not. Perhaps her frustrations were greater than her fear; the tale of woe she shared was not all that new. "Well, you don't know. Maybe the man looked like an ass with mange. And... and I'm sure you'll get more."

He didn't know what else to say, because he believed what he had said. Evalynn was beautiful, forthright, and strong. She knew how to run a farm, and she didn't smell like rotten cabbages. Eldwic couldn't understand why she was so angry. The lad had a sneaking suspicion that she would be bored, doing nothing all day, sitting on her rump.

"There's fine," he called out, leaping off the cart with a grunt. Larder dug him a few holes, and he put the rats in them, saying a quick little prayer as he did. It wasn't their fault they were born rats, and the least he could do was bless them before the earth turned them into dust. "May the Provider warm your poor souls, and thank you, for filling my cup." Eldwic grasped about his waist, finally finding a small bottle of weak ale. He opened the cork stopper and poured some of the bubbly liquid onto the little burial mounds. That done, he took a swig himself and ran the short distance back to Evalynn.

"Your brothers are a menace, by the way," he choked out, still winded from the run. "I think one of them snuck in a snake once, while I was working. Gave me a fright, but Larder just went for him. She got bitten... but it was just one of those ringed hissers. Harmless."

He wished he could give the two a good talking-to, but if they wouldn't listen to his friend, then they definitely wouldn't listen to him.

"I suppose we should go on then. Have that drink. Then... get back before it's too late. We can use the rats as an excuse, there were plenty today," he offered. Eldwic hated seeing his friend after she'd gotten a nasty reprimand. "If you'll get the ale, then I'll get the stew. Hm... today's Tuesday. It should be fish; I smelled the fishmonger's cart this morning, when I walked my way to your place."

Evalynn could hear in Eldwic's voice that he was not set on going to the pub and his smile was halfhearted at best. She frowned at him a moment but didn't take back what she said. She really, really needed a good drink, or three and with Eldwic essentially defending her father's actions, she really need a good break. Eldwic just didn't understand! She wasn't a daughter to her father. She was just another hand he kept around to keep the farm running. If her mother was alive, she would have stopped her father from denying her a marriage and she would have been off somewhere, doing anything else but the farm work. Maybe she could finally take up painting, or botany. Anything but works from sun up to sun down, being constantly pestered and running a household full of stubborn men. She just let out a quiet huff, giving a small shake to the reigns and speeding Merlin up. The sooner they got the pub, the better.

She watched as he went about his way burying the rats and giving them a small prayer. She never really understood why Eldwic prayed over the rats. They were just rats. All they did was eat their grains, pester the animals, and find their way into the house. One wouldn't ever know how annoying rats could be until you open the cupboard and found one jumping out at you. She shivered at the memory, rubbing her arms idly as if she could just rub the thought away. Rat were just so gross and such a problem.

Evaylnn gave a harsh laugh at the tale about how her brothers had probably snuck in a snake into Elwic's working area and caused Larder to get bitten. “Oh, I know, trust me.” She let out another bark of a laugh as she shook the reigns to get Merlin moving again. “I have to deal with them every day. Dad's too soft on them. They're the last of our mom's kin, he says. They'll grow out of it. Ha! They only get worse every birthday. If mother was alive, those boys would be straight as an arrow and actually be helpful on the farm.”

Evalynn made a grimace when he said that it was Tuesday and the pub would be serving fish. She didn't mind the seafood platter but she would much rather the other meat platters. Rabbit sounded amazing right about now but she wasn't going to be picky. She was going to enjoy the time spent with her friend and the small freedom she got from the farm.

“You've got yourself a deal. A good, hot meal sounds great right about now. Then we can get you home so your father won't beat you black and blue.” She teased as she flashed him a mischievous grin. They continued like that for about two hours, chatting about whatever came to mind before she finally saw the wooden walls of the village. She gave a small wave to the guard that stood by the entrance as she led Merlin into the town.

“Do you think the barb's in tonight today? Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll be at the pub playing some music.” She led Merlin to a grassy spot just next to the stables and unhitched the cart from him. She gave him a good pat on the neck as he got to work on eating the grass, some relatively fresh hay not far off against the stable wall. “We'll be back Merlin. Make sure the cart stays safe.” The large steed neighed at her, tossing his mane as he continued to eat. She smiled and gave him one last pat before she pulled her back from the back of the cart and crossed it over her chest. She patted it against her thigh before she turned to Eldwic. “Okay, ready to go!”

Sometimes, he'd been envious of Evalynn -growing up on his own wasn't very fun, and it pushed him to make more friends with animals than with people- but today wasn't one of those days. Her brothers were dreadful; if he were their brother, he would have left home ages ago. Then, he realized that Evalynn probably didn't have that choice. Girls who did that ended up rather poorly, at least that was what the village gossips and his mother said. He wondered how many rats he'd have to kill, if he had to help her hide away somewhere. The thought fluttered away soon enough, as the bobbing of the cart and the sound of Merlin's hooves against the dirt called him back to the present.

"Oh, when I just stand around, he gets a little more gentle on account of being bored," he laughed back, striving to find humor in his father's little rages. It was easier with her, and at least, it made her smile. "We should get our fathers in a match. Then they'll be too battered to give us trouble, isn't that right?"

The hours passed quickly, whenever they spoke, and it was always a delight to hear what she had to say. For the most part, Eldwic listened more than he spoke, but he didn't mind. There was something about the way Evalynn gave voice to her thoughts that reminded him of the deer or the foxes he watched. She always told the truth, or at least, Eldwic chose to believe she did.

He leapt off the wagon and put Larder in his large pouch, which was now free of the rats. Then, he proceeded to lead the way to the tavern... before slowing his pace and letting her lead instead. Eldwic didn't like how people stared to watch, when one opened the door to enter.

"He should be. My father's staying in because he hates the bard's songs," he replied, snorting in amusement as he spoke. "Says they're too sad. I don't know. I think those are the best kind. Aren't they, Evy?"

When Eldwic said they needed to get their father's in a match, she gave a hearty laugh. “I don't know man. They're both so stubborn. They may never stop fighting until they die.” She never understood why some men were just so damn stubborn. Her father was the perfect example of a man who really just needed to chill at least a bit but he never seemed to settle down. He was always going, always doing something. She even wondered if he kicked in his sleep with how much moving and going he does during the day. And god help you if you're not keeping up.

Evaylnn gave Larder a light pat on the head as she following along side of Eldwic. She was content to just follow along. She found herself always looking at Eldwic as a little, shy brother that she felt she had to nudge in the right direction from time to time. He was so shy and contained, it was almost like pulling a lid off a jam jar, sometimes you really just needed to get a spoon and pop that thing off. She was determined, one of these days, to pop Eldwic's lid off and show him off to the world. He was too good of a boy to be hiding behind people and being so shy. He's never going to find a wife if he's always hiding behind Evalynn's hair.

She pushed the door open to the sound of music and loud chatting in the pub. She smiled broadly as she strolled in confidently. A few patrons stopped to take a peek at them but mostly they were ignored. There was too much merriment and fun to be had now that the barb was in with his musical instruments and tales of adventure.

She paused to take a look around until she found a small, intimate table off in the corner of the room. It seemed to be the only table open for them so she grabbed Eldwic's hand and pulled him along, swerving around the standing and dancing people. “Come on, Wic! Let's get it before someone else does!” Evalynn called him Wic, not just because it was short for his name but because he always reminded her of a candle wick, just waiting for a fire to be put to him to really watch him shine. She squeezed between two large men, tugging Eldwic along behind her. “'Cuse us.” She said as she pushed through and practically dove at the table. There was another couple heading their way to the table and she wanted to make sure they got there first.

A warm pink tongue gave Evalynn a lick; Larder quite liked her little kindnesses. The lively ratter knew to stay quiet though, as they entered the pub. Eldwic wished he had a bag to hide inside, too, as they all entered the rowdy pub. He did his best to look unbothered with the people's attentions, but it felt to him that every single one of them stared at the way he walked, the way he fidgeted, and most especially, the way he turned tomato-red from all the imagined attention. An unbearable amount of heat radiated from his cheeks, and he hadn't even drunk anything yet. It only worsened as they robbed a lovely pair of the best table in the room.

"Oh... we didn't have to go so fast," he whispered to Evalynn, his eyes narrowing in an apologetic manner as his gaze met the eyes of the disappointed woman. "I don't mind standing. Or sitting on the floor."

In the end, his friend's haste gave them quite a good view of everything that was happening within the tavern. The bard was singing a familiar song, one that Eldwic had liked. It was a melancholy tune about how a woman lost her lover because of a misunderstanding. Because of the bard's skill, he began to forget his restraint, and he nodded his head along to the lyrics, quietly mouthing the words. Feeling his stomach's emptiness, he waved down a serving boy to take his and Evalynn's order for the evening.

"Fish stew for me," he said, with a toothy, boyish grin. While he loved the meaty treats his family made, seafood wasn't as common, and he relished their strong, briny scent. "What're you having, Evy? I'll let you call the drinks." Once food and drink was taken care of, he turned his attentions back to the bard, who had taken a quick break.

"I wonder what his life's like. Drifting from town to town... I'm sure he's got lots of friends. Everyone loves good music." There was a wistful envy in his voice, as he spoke. "How did he learn to do all that? It must be nice. Being able to do as you please. Leave when you feel like it."

Evalynn settled into the seat closest to the wall as she looked at the couple she had beaten to the table. "Pish, posh! We got here first. We don't need to sit on the gross floor and I'm sure you would rather sit at a table than stand next to random people." She flashed a sorry look at the couple as they turned away to find another table. She didn't feel bad for taking it. It's a dog eat dog world and she was determined to be the top of the pack, even in meager little things like a place to sit.

She watched Eldwic start to loosen up, a smile crossing her face. She had noticed the blush to his cheeks earlier and couldn't help but feel bad for him. She couldn't imagine being that shy. She hoped that by being a shining example of confidence she could help me grow more forward. He really was a great guy! He was smart and diligent. He knew how to work hard and kept strong standards. Her smile only grew more as she rested her elbow's on the table, cradling her head in the palms of her hands. She watched as he mouthed the words to the song along with the barb.

Evalynn turned to the server when they arrived, giving Eldwic the chance to order first. She flashed a bright smile at the waiter. "I'll have what he's having and can we get two cups of mead please?" The server nodded before heading off to get their food and drinks and Evalynn turned her eyes back on Eldwic.

"He probably has a lot of interesting adventures." She gave a longing sigh as she watched the bard preparing his next instrument. "It must be nice to be able to just up and leave like that. Father would probably track me down if I did such a thing." The server returned quickly with two large bowls of stew and two mugs full of mead. Evalynn thanked her happily as she picked up her cup and took a sip of the mead, letting the sweet honey flavor fill her mouth before swallowing. She closed her eyes at the taste and let out of sigh of pleasure. "I miss mead. I wish father had a batch at home." She set down her drink then pulled her bowl of stew closer as she watched the barb chat with a patron or two. "Maybe one of these days, Eldwic, me and you can run off." She gave a laugh before taking a sip of her stew. "Wouldn't that be great?" She took a spoonful and ate it happily.

As usual, she was right. Eldwic knew she meant well, and he gave her a thankful smile for being brave enough to fight for their seat. He resolved to do the same for her, next time, even if it meant turning into a beet-red, stuttering mess in front of a few toughs. The request for mead was met with an enthusiastic nod, and soon enough, the meals would arrive for them both, the stews piping hot, served with old bread, and the mead, cool and crisp in a wooden tankard.

"We could learn how to make our own mead," he said, his voice louder than he thought, amidst the constant din of conversation around them both. "Running off? That would be difficult, though... what with my pay as a ratter," Eldwic said, with a sigh. Ever the realist, already, his mind was churning through the terrible things such a reality would entail. "You might end up selling your hair. That would be a shame. It's long, and beautiful. Reminds me of the sun," he said, as he looked at her with a calm smile. Eldwic wasn't bashful about telling the truth, at least. "I'd sell my teeth first."

As a faster song started up, some people got up to dance. He stayed rooted to his chair, shrinking a little, while sending a small glare towards the bard. It was a lively, invigorating tune, but no doubt one that someone with two left feet would find difficult to move to. Some struggled, though even in their struggle, they still seemed to have quite the fun - no doubt helped along by liquid courage and a playful spirit.

"No, I'm not going to," he said, his lips straightening into a thin, tense line, in anticipation of what his friend might suggest. "You can go on though. Larder and I will keep your seat warm." Eldwic was certain Evalynn would find a partner right away. He wasn't going to stand in between whatever fun she had, but he resolved to keep close watch. "But just one song. We have to finish up and get out of here soon, before it gets too dark. Your father will have my hide, if you get home too late."

Evalynn grinned broadly when Eldwic suggested they learn to make mead themselves. That was a great idea! They could have mead any time they wanted it if they learned to make it. She could keep the house stocked and they wouldn't have to buy another cup from the tavern ever again. “That's brilliant Eldwic! Perhaps we can stop by the alchemist next time we come to town and ask him what the best process to make mead would be.” She nodded enthusiastically, practically bouncing in her seat at the thought.

Her smile faded from her face as he rationalized the two of them running off together. A frown formed on her face as she stared at him with annoyed eyes. Sometimes Eldwic really got too deep into an idea and killed the mood. She wasn't really thinking too hard about running away. It was just an idea that popped into her head, and ever the impulsive chatter, she spoke it out loud. However, when he said he would sooner sell his teeth over her hair, her smile returned. She leaned toward him, twirling a lock of hair around a finger as she spoke softly. “Oh, you like my hair, huh?” She giggled as she held some of her hair out in front of her. “It's soft too. I use oils to make sure it's nice and shiny whenever I wash it.” She laughed lightly as she fell back into her chair, grabbing her mug of mead up as she did so. She took a nice gulp of it just as the barb began a fast song.

She practically leapt out of her chair as the music picked up and the patrons gathered in the middle of the tavern to dance. “Oh! I love this song!” However, before she could invite Eldwic to come dance with her, he already declined. She frowned at him from the other side of the table, the heat of the mead bringing a flush to her cheeks. “You're not fun Wic!” but she stood up either way, chugging the last of her mead before she slammed the cup down on the table once more. “Fine, I'll find someone else to dance with me! You just watch.” She turned from the table to peer out at the dancing folks, almost all of them paired up and spinning around each other.

Her brown eyes scanned the area until they fell on a rather large man just across the dancing group. His eyes locked on hers and he grinned. It looked like he had almost all his teeth and his beard was nice and trimmed. She shrugged before she flashed him a smile, turning to look back at Eldwic. “You're missing out,” she said as the man made his way across the tavern, pausing just in front of her and offering his hand to her. She gently placed her hand in his, giving a low curtsy before she turned to flick Wic on the forehead, sticking her tongue out at him in a playful manner as the man pulled her out into the dancing crowd.

She paused a moment to order another mug of mead from the waitress before the man planting his large hand on her hip and the two went spinning around in the crowd. In truth, Evalynn would have rathered to be out dancing with Eldwic but she knew how stubborn he could be sometimes and she was just a little too tipsy to try and fight him over it. This man wasn't too bad of a dancer and he caught her each time she stumbled over her own feet, laughing alongside with her as she fumbled to keep her balance in the fast pace.

The waitress walked over to the table a placed a fresh mug of mead on the table as the song finally came to a stop. Evalynn was breathing heavy and laughing happily as she tried to still her racing heart. The man pulled her close to him, close enough she could smell the mead on his breath. “You're an amazing dancer,” he laughed as Evalynn giggled at the compliment.

“Are you kidding? I was terrible but it was fun.” She smiled at the man but then he leaned him for a kiss. Evalynn threw her hand up, planting it directly on his face in rejection. “Woah,” she said with an uncomfortable chuckle, pulling back away from his face, “I don't want you to get any kind of ideas. This was fun but,” his grip on her hips tightened as he pulled away from her hand, his face red with rage. Her words cut off in her throat as she realized she may have just picked the wrong partner. He reached up to grab her wrist before leaning in for another kiss, the smell of his breath almost making her gag. The mixture of the mead and fish stew left quite a rancid smell to his breath. She leaned away from him as best she could with one hand gripping firmly to her hip and the other holding tightly to her wrist, so tight in fact, it rather hurt whenever she went to pull from his grip. “Let go,” she said as she avoided his rancid kiss, the man's lips planting on her jawline instead of her lips.

Her eyes scanned the crowd as she looked around for Eldwic. This drunkard was just not taking no for an answer and she wanted out of this situation as quickly as possible. Eventually her eyes fell on Eldwic and she shot him a pleading look. "Save me please," it begged as the man continued to kiss along her jaw and the curve of her neck. A look of disgust was planted on her face as she struggled against his strong grip. This man was so disgusting!

"Hey!" he called out, a hand rubbing at the spot where she hit him. "I'm fine here. Go on, have your fun."

It wasn't as if she needed to be told how. He watched from a safe distance as everyone seemed to move in tune to the bard's whims. Larder's ears drew back, uncomfortable with the sudden rise in noise and the incessant stomping of prancing, dancing feet. Together, Eldwic and his dog mulled their silence in wary contentment, the former perched at the edge of his seat, ready to shoot out the door. Curious eyes widened as Evelyn quickly found a partner, smiling the right way, saying all the right things, and the man did the same. Sometimes, he wondered there was a day in people's lives where everyone had a gathering to learn all these unwritten rules while he was blissfully asleep. Eldwic gulped down his drink, suddenly all too aware that he was the only one in the room who was sitting alone. Or rather, that was how it felt to him, and he shrunk, slouching into his seat, hoping for the floor to swallow him whole.

But a murmur of disapproval and a rush of unpleasant laughter caught his attention. Once his head turned to catch sight of the trouble, Eldwic felt his ears burn and his chest tighten with pure, raging hate. Teeth bared, he placed Larder on the ground, then rushed at the drunken lout, club at the ready. As far as Eldwic was concerned, the man was worse than the poor rats he crushed day after day - they didn't have a choice. This one, he chose this.

"Let... her... go," he breathed, voice barely above a whisper. But the man wasn't given a chance to answer; with a resounding crack, he brought the thick club's bloody head down upon the man's head. It struck true, and as flesh gave way to wood, blood splattered in all directions, staining even Eldwic's lips. A moment barely passed before he grabbed Evelyn's hand and pulled her towards the door so they could all leave. The veins upon his neck were strained, and his eyes wide with fury, the club pointed at those who might dare to block their way. But the fingers that Evelyn would feel against her own were cold, tightly clenched, and very much afraid.

Things went very silent for a moment as Evalynn saw Eldwic step up towards her and her dance partner with a gleam in his eyes. His teeth were bared and the rage he displayed caused her to look to the man before her in concern. He was still kissing along her neck and crushing his body up against her and in that moment, she didn't care if he was about to be struck by an enraged Eldwic but she didn't want to get banned out of the tavern for life just because her best friend wanted to come to her rescue.

However, before she could say anything aloud, Eldwic had cracked the man across the skull with his club. Evalynn stood there in utter shock, her eyes wide as she watched the man's body fall down to the ground in a heap. She wasn't sure what to think about what had just happened. One moment, that man was crushing her up against him and the next he was practically pulling her down as he collapsed on the ground. She reached up a shaky hand to her cheek where some of his blood had streaked across it before Eldwic reached out and grasped a hold of her wrist and tugged her along. She tried to tug away from him to grab her bag from the table but he had a deathgrip on her arm and was moving them quickly towards the door. Oh well, it didn't have anything too valuable in it and the tavern could use anything in it to pay for the food and the medical bills the man would have for that nasty whack his just took over the head. Good for him. Maybe next time he'll learn to respect women! Assuming, he survived it, of course.

She quickly caught up with his stride and soon overtook his pace, pulling him along and adding her strength of character to his own, backing his actions with her own motions. She narrowed her eyes and passed them over the people, daring them to approach them and challenge them as they made their leave. She gave a whistle for Larder to follow, as if she even had to. The dog had joined them the moment they began to make their leave for the door. No one stopped them as the barrelled through the door and Evalynn practically sprinted down the street with Eldwic, heading for the stables to get Merlin and get as far from the tavern as possible. But her drunken self began to stumble and she practically fell a moment later, laughter leaving her as she turned to face Eldwic with a triumphant grin on her face.

“Who would have known that shy little Eldwic had that in him! My hero! My gods, my heart is racing! Wow, what a rush!” She leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him tightly against her before she crushed her lips against his own. After a moment she pulled back from him, throwing her head back and hooting in to the air before laughing again, breathing heavy but not releasing him from her tight embrace. She laughed once more before looking at him again, locking her eyes on his and smiling. “Thank you, Eldwic. I don't know what that man had intended- fuck it. I know what he wanted. You saved me. Thank you.” She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his for a moment as she took a deep breath to try and calm her racing heart. She laughed just once more before she finally released him from her hold and stepped back.

“We should probably go before they get their pitch forks and torches. You hit him kinda hard. Let's get Merlin and get out of here.” She turned to head back to the stables when a loud crack of thunder sounded just above them. She paused and looked up. Though there wasn't a single cloud to be seen, the sky was pitch black and there wasn't a star to be seen. Another crack of thunder sounded that rattled the very ground they stood on, causing a quite drunk Evalynn to stumble and almost fall down. The animals in the vicinity began to cry out. Barks, neighs, meows, and all different animal cries began to ring out into the night air and Evalynn peered over to Eldwic before a loud crackling sound like lightening sounded.

She looked up to see a sickening crack beginning to streak across the sky, cracking it in two. Another powerful rumble of thunder had her on her bottom in a moment as she watch the crack grow and spread. Her eyes grew wide in horror as she watched what she could only assume to be octopus tentacles snake their way out of the crack and grab a hold of its sides, spreading it wider still. It was when the giant eye opened up behind the giant crack in the sky that Evalynn finally lost herself to her panic and released a blood curdling scream.