Evelyn, The Red Moon

-First Encounter of Fate-

………………………………

The sun set over the ridge. The evening mist began to creep up and the dusk began to fall.

Evelyn carried Rasmania who could not walk any longer even when Evelyn was supporting her, clenched her teeth. Every step felt like she could fall in any minute.

Fortunately, I will have a new life soon. 

The slope wasn’t that much but Evelyn still moved slowly and cautiously since she was exhausted from carrying Rasmania.

“When will we arrive?”

“We’re almost there.”

“You’re serious this time, right?”

“Just down this slope then the village will be on sight.”

But, as soon as her foot slid a little, Evelyn fell.

“Ahh!”

With Rasmania’s low scream, they rolled down the slope and got covered with dirt.

“Are you all right?”

Evelyn got up and ran to Rasmania who was lying on her back. She helped Rasmania to get up, and saw that Rasmania’s appearance was disastrous.

“I’m glad you didn’t hurt yourself.”

Evelyn checked Rasmania’s condition. The soil on the ground where her head landed had lost its grass.

“After getting out of this path and taking the main road, there will be a village.”

“Good, let’s go.”

Evelyn suddenly stopped walking.

“What, what’s wrong?”

Evelyn grabbed Rasmania’s wrist and hid themselves behind a big tree.

“There are masked men!”

It was Theodore and his knights that were riding their horses from the top of the mountain to the village path where Evelyn and Rasmania were located.

“Those are the people who tried to hurt me!”

They’ve been through so much trouble going over Blanch mountain yet it was still of no use. The fault was on Evelyn.

“What do we do now? It’s your fault!”

Rasmania cried out from anger and frustration.

Evelyn took a deep breath.

She could still vividly remember her previous life, in which she was abandoned to her death in a valley with blood all over. With the sight of the red moon in her eyes.

And when she was reborned, she was immediately abandoned by her parents. This showed how luck was never on Evelyn’s side but she was alive now and she had to fix the situation. She could not give up now since she had to protect this noble!

Evelyn, who was determined, remained calm.

“Calm down. If you act like this, the situation will worsen.”

“Is there… a way?”

“You go on your own. I’m going to lure those guys.”

“Is that possible?”

“Take off your dress. You have to change with me.”

As soon as she finished, Evelyn took off her clothes.

“With me?”

“Since I have to look like a noble!”

Rasmania immediately took off her dress since she didn’t want to take the risk of being the target.

“Survive and come to the Bavela Palace in Antimar. I am the lord of the Palace, Rasmania Travitt.”

Evelyn’s heart skipped at that moment.

Lord of Bavela! You rule over the king?

Evelyn opened her trembling lips and spoke as if she was making a promise to herself.

“The princess will return safely, and I’ll come back alive.”

Evelyn, who changed her clothes, grabbed a handful of dirt and spit a mouth full of saliva to the soil. She then mixed the dough and applied it on her face.

In the meantime, Theodore’s party got closer. As their torches lit up in the darkness, Evelyn prepared herself.

“I’ll lure them to the mountain. That way, the princess can run away safely.”

“Okay, be careful.”

Evelyn kept a close eye on Theodore’s party and looked for an opportunity.

“Now!”

Silently murmuring, Evelyn lowered herself and moved up the slope, when they just came down. Rasmania crouched behind the tree observing the scene with utmost attention.

Evelyn, who was climbing the slope stealthily, looked back to confirm that she got quite far from the tree Rasmania was hiding.

Then purposely rolled a stone with her feet. A large rock, along with a piece of dirt, rolled.

“She’s there! Get her.”

A loud cry was heard. Evelyn clenched the hem of the dress with both hands, gritted her teeth and climbed the slope as fast as she could.

Theodore, who jumped off of his horse, withdrew his sword and began to chase her with his knights.

Evelyn climbed the slope and ran into the forest. She bumped somewhere, scratched herself and almost fell but she quickly found her balance.

At the sight of the fancy dress, Theodore was certain that it was Rasmania. She was a woman who needed to die.

The moon rose in the evening while the chase continued.

Evelyn had to lure Theodore and his knights as far as she could. She risked her life for the princess and now she’s frantically hoping for Rasmania’s safe escape.

“Ha, hah, ha…”

Evelyn, who was running breathlessly, heard a faint sound of water flowing and remembered that there’s a river that flows on one side of Blanch Mountain.

If she ran without a plan like this, she could get caught anytime. Evelyn bit her lower lip with determination.

“That’s the only way!”

She forced herself to go faster and started running towards the sound of water. Her breathing was becoming unsteady from the running.

The leaves she wrapped around her feet were already long gone.

Running barefoot scratched her feet and opened wounds yet she couldn’t feel anything because of the numbing pain.

Theodore, who was chasing after, suddenly felt that something was strange. Rasmania couldn’t have been this fast.

But one could never know. Since, human beings can act totally different when they are faced with unforeseen situations. One might be able to use their hidden abilities in times when their life’s on the line.

Evelyn stopped at the edge of the cliff. The river meandered down on where she was standing as she stood close to the edge.

Theodore and his knights approached Evelyn with their swords as if they were driving a rat to a corner. As their distances gradually shortened, Evelyn noticed that Theodore was getting closer.

The moon gleamed. His eyes, which were the only part of his face that wasn’t covered by the mask, were so deep and cool. That Evelyn felt like it was impossible to look elsewhere.

Oh, I’ve never seen a man with a gaze like that. I can’t seem to forget it now that I have seen it.

It was for a short period of time, but Theodore’s eyes met with Evelyn’s.

Theodore couldn’t recognize Evelyn because of the mud on her face and he was slowly struck by realization that she was not Rasmania.

Being overwhelmed with the feeling of deception. He slowly approached Evelyn with his sword, getting closer to her until there was no gap left.

Am I gonna die here? With that man’s sword? No, I am going to live. I have to survive!

Evelyn turned to the river.

“Stop!”

As soon as Theodore shouted, she dropped herself from the cliff.

“Wait!”

The river that caused the blizzard with the loud sound of water swallowed Evelyn at once. The swirling waves subsided.

Theodore’s eyes, which were looking from on top of the cliff, only saw the flowing river.

“She won’t survive.”

One of the knights said.

“She wasn’t Princess Rasmania. She just changed her clothes with her and lured us.”

Theodore looked up at the night sky. It was so lamentable that he missed his chance.

Why won’t God help me?

Perhaps Rasmania had already fled in the meantime. Even so, he couldn’t give up. Theodore urged the knights.

“Go back and find Princess Rasmania.”

His expression saddened while giving out orders because of that possibility.

***

After Evelyn lured the men and ran towards the opposite direction, Rasmania then came out from where she was hiding. She observed her surroundings to ensure that no one was around and started running.

She was in a miserable situation but now was not the time to complain or think about it. She ran with short breaths and finally arrived on a farm road.

Right at that moment, a wagon pulled by a horse passed through the darkness and began to move farther away.

“Stop! Slow down!”

Rasmania waved her arms and shouted. The farmer who noticed her slowed down the wagon and stopped.

“What’s the matter?”

A middle-aged farmer curiously asked and scanned Rasmania’s appearance under the moonlight.

Rasmania’s messy hair and shabby clothes made the farmer very wary and suspicious of her.

She drew closer to the farmer then suddenly showed her hand. All her fingers were studded with big jeweled rings that caught the farmer’s attention.

“Ride as fast as you can and take me to Bavela Palace in Antimar. If you do that I’ll give all these rings to you.”

The farmer’s eyes rapidly widened at the sight. Looking closely, she did not only have rings but also earrings and necklaces.

“Who are you?”

“You don’t have to know that. I’ll give you more if you do as I say. How is it?”

“The ring… really?”

Rasmenia pulled a ring from her finger and stuck it out in front of the farmer’s nose.

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“Does this look fake to you?”

The farmer, who received the ring, scrupulously observed it and then nodded his head.

“But, it’ll take a while to get to Antimar. As you can also see, this is a cart…”

“I don’t care. I’ll ride with the luggage.”

With the help of a farmer, Rasmania got into the cart. After he lifted her, he swung his horse with all his might, wondering why this woman was in this appearance.