• Chapter 1: The beginning

    Evelyn walked around the grand hall of hers and Creed's home. Each way she turned she was greeted by another face that was covered with a mask. It had been Creed's idea to hold a masqurade ball party at their home to celebrate their news of their first child on the way. Evelyn lifted her ruby red dress slightly with each step she took as she began to look for Creed. With each masked face she saw irration began to arrise in her mind. Why did it have to be so hard to find her husband? All she wanted to do was to speak to him and ask him to meet her in private. After a little while the irration was too much so she passed the masked people and headed into the grand hall way. On each side of the hallway was a stair case made from marble.

    Evelyn was the only one stood in the cool hallway. She closed her eyes a little as she put her fingers to the bridge of her nose as she felt a headache coming from the strain of so many people in a single place. As she stood there she heard the familiar clattering of foot falls across the the marbled flooring in the hallway. Instantly she opened her eyes expecting to see yet another masked face before her congratulating her or commenting on the party. As she turned she saw an unmasked man before her. A smile crept across her face as she looked at the man who stood before her. His face was rounded and full of colour. His eyes were a deep emerald green that glistened under the light of the chandellier. His eyes were set into his face at the perfect angle in Evelyn's mind. His lips were a red rose colour which were also beautiful in Evelyn's mind. Her eyes looked up to see how his hair looked under such gentle but beautiful light. His golden brown hair glistened under the light.

    Blinking she turned her attention away from him to catch her breath for a moment. She knew her feelings for him were wrong, she was married to Creed but yet every ounce of her body yarned for the man who stood before her. She looked back at him and smiled as she saw him wearing his black and white usual gentleman clothes. On the side of his shoulder was his half cloak. The pair stood there looking at each other for a little while before offering his hand to her.

    Evelyn blushed deeply as she looked at him but held her hand out to her esteemed guest and secret lover. The pair walked side by side. If Creed was to see them then the story would be that she wished for a walk around the grounds however she couldn't see her esteemed husband to ask if he would be willing, so his best friend Kalas offered to take her.

    In silence the pair walked together around the grounds until they were away from the house and close to the pond that was hidden by the trees. Evelyn looked up at the sky and smiled at the gentle glow of the night stars. The breeze ruffled and threw the little of her deep brown hair that Evelyn hadn't pinned back around her face making her keep pushing it back and away from her face.

    "Evelyn, you truely look beautiful tonight." Kalas said as he let go of her hand. His voice was deep but had a ring of emotion to it. He looked over Evelyn. The dress she wore was a deep ruby red dress that was tight as a corset around the top but then began to fan out into a skirt at the bottom that ran right to the ground. He noticed that her arms were bare and that goosebumps had began to rise on her arms. In his gentleman tradition he took his jacket off showing his white shirt under it and gently put it over her shoulders to keep the chill from her.

    "How do you do it Evelyn? You wear so little make up unlike many other woman at the party and yet you still look beautiful." He asked as he let his hands linger at her shoulders from putting the jacket over her.

    Evelyn blushed deeply at his comment and turned her attention to him as if she was hungry to see his face again. She made no secret of letting her blush on her face being seen.

    "Because you have always said that you love seeing me without make up. So for you tonight I decided to wear no make up only the lipstick on my lips." She answered as she looked up at him. Kalas was a little taller than Evelyn even with her high heels shoes on so she was always looking up at him which was part of the attraction of him unlike Creed who was the same height as her when she wore her high shoes.

    Kalas smiled bright at her as his hand then began to wonder to her cheek while his other hand kept its position on her shoulder. Gently his hand laid on her cheek as she tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes enjoying the warmth of his touch against her skin unlike Creed's often cold touch to her skin that usually made her skin feel like it was crawling.

    "Why did you do it Evelyn? Why did you marry him when your not happy there with him?" Kalas asked as he dropped his head to her ear so that he was whispering to her ear for only her to hear. Kalas noticed after his words that the ruby smile that she wore for him had vanished into more of a sad look. Even her glow had seemed to fade.

    Evelyn opened her eyes and looked deeply into Kalas' eyes as he'd lowered his head to look into her face to try and read every emotion that was dancing across her face in those few moments. Pain, anger, fear and sadness. She closed her eyes again for a split second to try and contain all her emotions she was feeling once again and looked to Kalas.

    "Because Creed was never the cold hearted man he use to be. He use to be a wonderful husband who wished only for the happiness of his friends and his family. Now he wishes only for wealth and my ignorance to how he obtains his wealth. I can't take it no more Kalas. I know he is wary of who I now spend time with and he is always asking questions. He knows I have been seeing another Kalas." The fear began to creep into her voice as she spoke of their affair to each other out loud and where Creed stood in the equalisation.

    Kalas nodded as he understood the things she was speaking of. Creed and him had been good friends for a number of years, even before he had became the powerful magician he had became with time. Kalas had always thought of Creed as his brother and would never have done anything to hurt him, but even with recent times he'd also noticed Creed's obsession with wanting more all the time. He'd also seen what it was doing to his wife and after a number of talks together their feelings began to grown. Kalas often doubted that it was because of him, he more questioned was it because he was like Creed had been once upon a time. Never asking the question to Evelyn he always left it unanswered and unsaid.

    "Then what are you planning to do? And is the baby really Creeds?" He asked slightly on edge as if asking if it could be his child. The thought unnerved him as he wasn't as lucky as what Creed had been. His own wife had died while she was giving birth to their child. He had also died also a few hours after his mother. Holding back the tears he looked at Evelyn but there was slight hope in his eyes.

    Evelyn pulled away from his touch as she looked deep into his eyes again knowing what she was about to say would break his heart but he had to know. "I wish more than anything in this world it was your baby Kalas. Atleast then there would be a chance for it to know happiness and not be plagued by the thought that he may come and find us at some point, but atlast it is Creed's baby.' She confirmed. She saw the doubt in his eyes. "It happened when you were away for your wife's birthday." She told him quietly as she closed her eyes again fighting back the tears of her wish.

    Nodding Kalas let the subject drop. He was about to open his mouth when he heard footsteps heading towards their location he took the jacket from her shoulders and quickly put it on before he offered his arm to her and nodded signaling someone was coming so she took his arm as the pair began their walk back in silence. As they walked on to the main path way Creed stood a little further down. Evelyn stole a quick glance up at Kalas and let go of his arm and walked down a little faster to Creed with a smile.

    "I've been looking for you inside my love." She told him trying to muster up as much excitement at seeing him as she could. "I wanted to know if you wanted to come on a walk with me into the gardens but I couldn't find you so Kalas offered his company so we came out into the night. I thought I heard some children saying they were going to go to the pond and throw rocks at the birds."

    Creed smiled at his wife and nodded his thanks to his best friend. "Ah, well it's a good job you came with Kalas then. Did you find the children?" His tone was challenging as if he already knew the answer to the question and could see through the pair. Yet he never implied it to his wife.

    Evelyn looked at Creed and smiled at him. Creed wore a mask also that was in the style of a helmet, however it only covered the top half of his face. At the back of the helmet was a pure white feather. He'd kept it on while he was talking to his wife. He was also dressed in a pure white outfit much like Kalas'. "No my love I never found them. Unless they had been caught by their parents and told off. I wanted to check though with some of the birds on the pond having young ones."

    Creed laughed as he offered his arm to his wife and walked next to Kalas. "That is my wife I love, always worrying about the animals who live in our garden and always keen to protect them however she can." His tone was much colder as he spoke.

    The three of them continued inside to the house in silence. Evelyn kept her thoughts focused on her husband the best she could as she had to think of how she would end up getting out of the situation. It was hard enough as it was leaving her lover behind, but trying to figure out how she would mange to leave without Creed knowing was the hardest part of the plan, but she had to decide soon otherwise it would be too late to try and leave.

    Once they reached the marbled hallway Evelyn let go of Creed's arm. She noticed that he glance at her giving her a curious look as if asking what she was doing but she never answered, she wanted him to ask her rather than her explaining herself like she usually did. She began to walk towards the marbled stairs when she heard the echo of Creed's voice around the hallway.

    "Where are you going my precious Evelyn?" His tone had a hint of suspection but like usually he never implied it as he looked from his wife who had her hand on the banster and a foot on the first step back to his best friend who had stuffed his hands into his pocket of his trousers.

    "I'm going to head up to my room. I am getting slightly tired as it feels like it has been a long day here after helping to get everything ready for this." She turned and looked at him knowing what was coming next. He would just walk away and leave her to go up on her own like usual.

    Creed nodded and did what she'd expected him to do. Evelyn sighed a little but saw Kalas move next to her as the pair walked up the stairs together. Usually when Creed didn't want to do something Kalas usually picked up the slack and did it for him. That was one reason the pair had spent so much time together. The pair quickly reached the top of the stairs and went into the bed room. Kalas shut the door behind him and looked at Evelyn.

    "I don't know what the plan is in all honesty. I haven't really thought it through, I just know for the sake of my health and for the sake of this baby I have to get out of here and fast. You've seen the way he looks at me. He knows something is going on but he can't see beyond all his power." Evelyn told Kalas sadly as she sat on the bed. She let her gaze stay down on the floor for a little while before looking back up at Kalas. Under the normal light of the room it was easy to see his worry lines on his face as if he was truely worried for his secret lover.

    "Then give me a few hours and I will sort out an escape route for you. With the ball on down stairs it should be easy to get you out of here." Kalas went and sat next to Evelyn as he took her hand tenderly in his and looked at her as he smiled. "Your worried about me aren't you? You shouldn't worry. Creed is blinded like you said to see what is going on. Besides once you have left I will go and see Creed and tell him I have to leave. I know it will look strange but if I tell him I have urgent business to attend to he will understand and then I will vanish and he won't find me. You know my background." He smiled secretively at her and then winked. "You know how easy it is for me to vanish. I've done it on Creed a number of times. So when he comes and looks for me he won't find me. Even when he goes to the guild they won't even know where I am. So please don't worry about me. I'll come and see you when I can as you know I'll be able to track you down as well."

    Evelyn laughed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I really don't know what I would do without you Kalas." Her smiled faded once again as the sadness began to sweep through her body once again. She let out a small sigh once again and then turned her head to Kalas. "I guess when you come back it will be goodbye until we meet again." She whispered the words softly so that they were barely audio to anyone but Kalas. She had wanted to say the words with more strength but found she couldn't as the words hurt too much.

    "It won't be goodbye Evelyn, it will be a new adventure for you and your baby. I will be there to help you. Just a call away and always in the shadows watching and protecting you the best I can my love." His words were softly spoken to comfort her and to make her feel safe and secure. Kalas turned his head to look at her the warmth he always gave her.

    Evelyn let her smile reappear as she looked at him again and slowly lent in. Her red lipsticked lips gently touched his soft tender lips as she closed her eyes enjoying the moment and making sure she remembered the moment as she didn't know when she'd next feel his lips against her again.

    Kalas pulled away as he heard footsteps against the marbled hallway outside her room and bowed and went over to the bookcase where he slipped into the secret passage way that would take him back down to the ground floor.

    A gentle knock at the door came not long after Kalas had left. Quickly wiping her lipstick she stood up and answered the door. Stood in the door way was Creed. Slightly startled she moved to the side to let Creed in. He walked in and looked around as if expecting to find someone in the room with her.

    "Do you think I'm an idiot?" He asked as she shut the door. He turned and looked at her. His face was cool and calm as if he was trying to keep his temper and restrain himself.

    Evelyn went and sat back down on the bed and looked at Creed waiting for him to continue to see where it left her standing. She hoped and prayed inside her head that he didn't see the obvious that she had been having an affair with Kalas as that would have caused more problems for him rather than her.

    "You've been seeing someone behind my back and don't say you haven't because you've been sneaking off at times when you think I've been busy or whatever. Just answer me why Evelyn. I'm trying to give you everything, a happy life and a something for you to be proud of." His tone was tender as if he truely cared about his wife who had hurt him.

    "Because your not you anymore Creed. What happened to my husband who use to be tender and would keep me close and at night would actually sleep in the same bed as me. And when men would look at me or make hints to you would stand up and protect me. What have you done this evening, offered me to anyone with any type of power. It feels like I'm just a trophy and that you only keep me around to show the world that you are human and that you do have a life, when the truth is that you don't. You lock yourself away in your private room studying your dark arts. When your away your always with others who want to achieve the same thing. You use to be about family and love, now you just about power and wealth." Evelyn stood up and looked him straight in the eyes.

    Creed looked at her as his anger began to rise. Without any second though he hit her across the face making her fall back into the bed. He looked down at his wife who held her cheek with a red hand print across her face looking up at him fearful. He looked as if he was about to speak but didn't. He simply turned and walked out the room slamming the door shut behind him. Behind the door his yells could be heard as he ordered a maid to lock her room so that there was no way she could get out until he freed her from the room.

    Evelyn sat up as she began to silently cry keeping her hand over her cheek that he had slapped. She was shocked that he had laid a finger on her and she was angry with him and the way he had taken so quickly to acting out against her. Please hurry Kalas. I don't want to be here another moment. Not if he's like that. He's going to get drunk at the party and tell everyone I'm just sleeping. She shivered as she realised what he would do to her when he returned to her later.

    After the stinging in her cheek began to subside she set about the task of getting some of her clothes and some money she'd saved up for this reason and began to get herself ready for leaving. Just as she put the last thing in her bag the bookcase moved slightly and Kalas returned with a small smile on his face but it quickly subsidded when he saw the mark on her cheek. Anger began to burn in his eyes but Evelyn just shook her head and put a finger on his lip signalling that they had to be quiet. Kalas nodded a little at her and pulled something free from his arm that that had wrapped around it. When he was finally untangled he pulled the pitch black cloak free and wrapped it around her and smiled lightly before going to her ear and whispering.

    "My trusted friend who hates Creed and the way he treats you will take you to my second home Creed doesn't know about. For tonight you'll stay there. I'll join you tomorrow where we will sort out what your going to do. He'll meet you where we usually meet away from prying eyes, so when you get in just keep yourself covered as far as anyone knows I've sent him to do a small job for me to pick up a friend from a bar, he'll come back for me later. He knows what to do so please just trust him." His tone was urgent as he whispered to her ear. He almost sounded breathless as if he'd ran around doing alot in such a short time.

    Evelyn nodded as she grasped his hand with her free hand and looked up at him. Tears began to fill her eyes again, she quickly gave him a light kiss on the cheek as a thank you and then went into the hidden pathway behind the bookcase and out towards the place she was going to meet her get away carrige.

    When she got down to where it was she saw Kalas looking through the window in the ball room. He gave her a quick nod along with a quick flash of a smile before turning back to the world in the ball room. Evelyn smiled to herself before climbing into the carrige and shutting the door and sitting down. It was done. The hardest part of her marriage was over and all that was left was the long struggle to keep hidden from Creed and to raise the baby with the human morals and to keep the secret from the baby about its father and the trials she went through while she had lived with him.