The Art of the Corset (2017)

Chapter Twenty Nine- The Burning Village

The first night without Marth and Evelyn was unable to sleep in the oversized bed with his scent looming around her. Although attempting to use the pillow in place of him, she found no easy sleep as she tossed and turned until finally giving up on sleep. Withdrawing herself from the bed, she slid her feet onto the floor before being fully awoken by the cold temperature of the stones at her feet. Continuing her steps until she made it to the fireplace across the room, she closed her eyes as she envisioned his hands upon her body with his forceful yet sexual kisses upon her neck as he pulled her waist against him. Taking this chance to become nosy to his room, she observed several of his personal belongings. Finding his clothing first, she had pulled it up against her and found how it could be warn completely over her own figure, appearing obviously too large to belong to her. Sliding another drawer open, she found several maps and compasses, several that had been either unfinished or broken. Nothing else of great note to discover, she then focused her attention on the opposite side of the room. Pulling the candles from their still position beside where she had been sleeping, she took the light to see several paintings of men all wearing uniform, each one looking older than the one beside it. Aside from normalcy among his room, she decided to look out her window as it always seemed to soothe her. Awaiting the beautiful stars that lit the sky overhead, she was horrified to find a red blaze on the other side of the castle. Far enough to be a safe distance, she saw how there had been an entire village engulfed in flames.

Calling for nearby guards, she alerted them of her findings before they sent a messenger to discover news of the burning village. Growing increasingly anxious by the second, Evelyn found her only peace was that in which she found while pacing back and forth in front of Marth's fireplace. Although the fire had been dying, she knew it was a moment she shared with Marth, and that in itself, relaxed her.

"M'lady." A young boy spoke before disappearing from her sight after delivering a rolled up piece of parchment that had been hurriedly written. Difficult to read at some points, she learned that the fire had been started by rogues-otherwise known as thieves or bandits. They would use whatever force necessary to gain respect and belongings of others. It had appeared that the King's men had been vacant from the area, which applied a slight relief to Evelyn.

Feeling ridden with guilt as she found herself in luxurious accommodations as others were now without shelter, she placed a request for a readied horse. While being glared at in a funny manner, she took the horse near the village just in time to see most of the homes destroyed with children screaming in fear as parents looked at one another with a complete loss on what to do next. Evelyn saw the great destruction of the people and counted them in her head before turning to the guard that was assigned by Marth to protect her.

"How many chambers are there within the castle?"

"Enough for them, if that is what you are suggesting."

"They must not be left to starve or grow cold due to a fault that is not their own. We possess enough to care for them. Would you assist in helping me?"

"Of course, m'lady." He said as he gave a gentle bow before standing high on a barrel that was placed by himself beforehand. Clearing his throat, he spoke as loudly and boldly as possible, without yelling.

"Princess Evelyn has issued you a warm meal tonight, along with shelter due to your tragedy. You will each be given rooms as well as anything to help you in further months." Whispers came among them as Evelyn froze at the title. "Princess?" Asking herself within her thoughts, she was then approached by an elderly man who gave her a trembling yet respectful kiss upon her hand.

"You are an angel to us." He spoke with a shaky voice before being led out of the burned village and towards the castle which had been just over half a mile in distance. Watching as the tears subsided and the screams became silent, Evelyn felt more than accomplished-but truly light. Out of intuition and a fierce pull to check a specific house that was still smoking from the inside, Evelyn came across a young girl who was incapacitated upon the floor. It appeared she had been weighed down by something heavy-possibly a broken table or stand of some kind, but due to her small frame, she was unable to free herself. That, along with the smoke that was still circulating the house, she saw how the girl was hanging on to dear life. Pushing herself inside, she requested assistance from her guard before helping the girl to safety, to find she suffered several splinters in her leg along with slight dizziness. Bringing her back to the castle, she was placed immediately in the infirmary as Evelyn then found herself immersed in the stories of those she gave rest. Hearing of lost loves and war stories, her heart ached for Marth as she begged to hear anything of him.