Dearest Evelyn

-chapter 8-

(to the right is Evelyn now grown up)

It was too fast before my birthday was coming again. Only a month left until I turned 16, the age of womanhood. Well, the age was actually fourteen, but no one really considered a girl a woman until her sixteenth birthday.

Father was more persistent now about finding me a suitable partner for marriage. I was still indifferent to it, but only slightly.

I had already turned down three men that father picked for me. I wanted to play my cards right. I wanted to avoid marriage just until I turned seventeen- the age I knew the war would be over by.

I had explained to Father that if I married now, that poor soul would just be sent off to war, and surely die. He only took this is slight consideration. Since he was going to the battle himself, he figured it best to go ahead and get my heritage ensured. Both Mother and I were able to talk him down a bit. He even agreed to let me pick out suitors, so long as he approved of them.

Being an only child, he was happy to oblige to many of my desires, which suited me, because I didn’t ask for much- but when I did, I was sure to get it.

~

I ran into Hector on my way to see Joanna.

“Oh, hello Hector.” I smiled to my friend.

He bowed his head. “Hello, Evelyn. Say, would you mind taking a stroll with me?”

I figured I could always see Joanna later, so I agreed. I took his offered arm and he headed in our normal direction- towards the orchard hill.

We sat in our normal spot- under the ash tree. We could see everything up here.

“I wanted to speak with you before we all left for encampment.” Hector said.

I had heard about this, so Joanna and I prepared plenty of herbs, medicines, extra cloth and anything we might need.

I nodded, still holding his arm gracefully.

We were close to each other.

“I wanted your grace before I left. And I know how you like to tag along, but I want you to promise me something.”

“Yes?” I asked, afraid for the worse. He had already figured my actions.

“Stay here.”

“I will not.”

“War is no place for a woman.”

“Neither is being cooped up in a house all day- not this woman!” I pointed out.

He grinned. “Seriously, Eve. I want you here, safe.”

“I am only safe next to my brothers.” I argued. I would win this round. I think he knew that.

He looked at me in a way I hadn’t seen before. I had noticed plenty of boys staring at me in a new way- probably due to my body becoming more curvy- as well as my bosom. Mother had told me I was now more becoming towards boy’s attention.

“You’re so beautiful.” Hector said, absentminded.

I wasn’t sure if he meant to say that or not. He had told me that before- when we were little and some other boys had picked on me. Gwindire and Terrin both backed Hector’s opinion up.

I smiled anyways. “Thank you, Hector.”

He wasn’t listening. He turned back to face the view over the hill.

I leaned onto his shoulder.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to find you next to me in a few weeks.”

I said nothing, but a smug smile crept over my face.

I knew I could only fulfill his expectations.