Author's Note: The picture to the right (or above, if you're reading on the mobile app) is of Eva. I drew it using charcoals. Does she look like you imagined? 

Closing the door behind her with a soft click, Eva turned to face the main room of her home and was greeted by the sound and smells of her mother cooking supper. She took a moment to relish the delicious aromas drifting around her before setting her two new tabards in a chair and heading into the kitchen. "Mmm, something smells wonderful," she said from the doorway. "Is that honeyed chicken?"

"Yes," Eileen answered, angling herself toward her, "with fresh goat cheese, warm bread from Margareta's bakery, and buttered onions."

"Truly?" she asked excitedly.

"Mhm," her mother replied while returning her gaze to the dough she was rolling flat on the counter. "I thought we'd have our own celebratory dinner tonight with all of your favorite foods."

"That sounds great, Mother! Thank you."

"You're very welcome, my dear. Oh, and I'm making spiced apple pie for dessert."

Eva's eyes lit up in childish delight. "You are without a doubt the best mother in all the lands," she praised enthusiastically.

"Well, I don't know about that," Eileen chuckled, "but I do try."

"And you put everyone else to shame," Eva stated matter-of-factly while planting a kiss on her flour-dusted cheek.

Eileen gave her daughter a loving smile before proceeding to place the prepared piecrust in the bottom of a cast-iron pan.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd appreciate it if you rotated the chicken a half turn on the spit and then stirred the onions. After that, you can set our places at the table."

Turning swiftly, Eva set about doing as instructed. While performing the requested chores, her mind began to wander to her planned rendezvous for the evening, and her gut began to church with nerves. The thought of bringing up the topic with her mother caused her cheeks to burn slightly. She had promised William she would, however, and Eva wasn't one to hide things form her only parent. So, after clearing her throat, she turned her head towards her mother and began shyly, "Umm, mum?"

"Yes?" Eileen responded without looking up.

"I've made plans to meet someone at the Mother Tree at dusk."

"Oh? With Rissa?"

"Umm... no. It's with a young man named Caden," she replied as she pulled her braid around to the front and stroked it nervously.

This caused Eileen to pause in her work and look up questioningly. "I don't believe I know anyone by that name."

"Well, he goes by Cade," Eva began to explain, her words spilling out faster now. "He's about my age. I met him on the roof at the banquet last night..."

"On the roof?" her mother interrupted with a higher pitch in her voice than normal. "What were you doing on the roof?"

"I was on the balcony to get some air, you see, and I felt someone watching me. When I turned around, he went up onto the roof." At this point, Eva slung her braid back over her shoulder and began gesturing with her hands as she told her story. "So, I followed him. That's when he told me his name was Cade and he asked me to meet him at the Mother Tree because he wants to show me something in the Faerie Woods."

By this time, Eileen's eyebrows had shot up on her forehead with a mixture of surprise at how flustered her daughter seemed and of concern for her willingness to meet a stranger by herself at night. Seeing her mother's reaction to her tale, Eva quickly added an important detail that, until that moment, had slipped her mind. "Oh, and he's a member of the Boundary Patrol."

Some of the apprehension dissipated from her mother's eyes and her features relaxed slightly. "Oh, so he is an Ataran Warrior?"

"Yes, ma'am," Eva confirmed with a small nod.

"Well that makes me feel better, but I'd be much more at ease if you went armed. Why don't you take your knives in case you run into any trouble?"

"Don't worry, Mother. I've already promised William I would."

"He gave you the protective older brother treatment?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"If by that you mean did he interrogate me like a criminal, then yes. Yes, he did."

Eileen's smile turned into a soft laugh that bounced around the little kitchen, filling it with lighthearted cheer. "I'm glad you have someone to look after you that way. It's good for you."

"I suppose...," Eva responded with a sigh. Her mother's laughter was contagious, though, and very quickly, she felt a smile of her own pulling at the corners of her mouth.

After a few seconds passed, Eileen's laughter subsided slowly and she returned her focus on the unfinished pie in front of her. As she began pouring the apple filling she had made earlier into the waiting piecrust, she commented, "Well, I think everything is about ready. Why don't you put the food on the table while I finish this pie?"

"Sounds good. I'm famished."

While Eva worked at getting their dinner to the table, her mother carefully spread the top layer of crust over the pie and placed it in the brick oven to bake. Then after wiping the flour off her hands, Eileen settled herself at the table beside Eva for supper. The two ladies spent most of the meal talking about their day and various bits of news they had heard from others in the city. Like her daughter, Eileen had also heard of the attack on the Keepers division. Her only reaction was to let out a long sigh while commenting on how sad it was.

Conversation turned to more cheerful topics after that, and once they had finished eating, Eva helped wash the dishes and clean the kitchen before glancing out the window. "Oh no, the sun is setting! I have to hurry," she said before throwing down the towel she had been holding and dashing out of the kitchen.

"Oh, alright," Eileen responded without looking up from her task. "Well, I'll just keep the pie...," she had began to say while turning around to face her daughter but paused when she realized she was alone, "...warm." Raising an eyebrow, she returned her attention to the countertop she was wiping off with a shake of her head and a small smile growing on her lips.

In her room, Eva quickly exchanged her white shirt for a powder blue one and strapped on her weapons belt. After making sure her two knives were secure and could be easily pulled free, she took her dagger down from the shelf and tucked it into the top of her left boot, adjusting it until the blade was safely nestled against the inside of her calf. Moving to her small mirror, the young woman gave a loud groan when she caught sight of her hair. Strands hung loose haphazardly all around her head giving her an unkempt, frazzled look. Without wasting any time, she pulled her tresses free and brushed her hair smooth before weaving it back into the single braid.

After only ten minutes, the Eva was ready and heading out the door. "Goodbye, Mother," she called hurriedly.

"Goodbye," Eileen answered, stepping into the main room. "Remember to behave like a lady and be sure he behaves like a gentleman. Keep alert and on guard."

"Yes, Mother. I'll see you shortly." With that, she pulled the door firmly closed behind her and headed off at a run toward the northwest corner of the city where the Mother Tree was located.