Legends of Belariath

Evita

Evita was born at region known as Valencia some close to thirty years ago as second daughter of a farmers household. She inherited her fathers headstrong attitude along the raven black hair and green eyes, a stark contrast to her two years elder sister who was born fair haired. From young age it became apparent that Evita would not be a lady, turning out rowdy kid, playing with boys, almost as if a son her father never got. Valencia was a peaceful place for a child to grow, the prosperous land leaving the family short of nothing and the blissful existence seemed as guaranteed. In this ideal situation the family would go on for years, living happily as the two daughters grew, both of them considered beautiful in their own ways, the elder sister a model woman and Evita a tomboyish charmer with red cheeks and cheeky smile.

She would not stay brat forever however, the rascal growing into a young woman with headstrong demeanor, enough to butt heads with a bull the villagers joked about. Evita was on her nineteenth summer when her sister would marry, a celebrated union between two families. It was even talked about that one day Evita would marry, many laughing at the idea as impossible, her along these people and yet the joke would turn reality the next spring. People were amazed that *that* Evita had found a man that could tame her and yet she was like different person when with the youth named Jonas, her lover first and the next winter announced to be her betrothed. However this bonding never took place.

For it was the next year that the newly formed Illifran empire invaded the peaceful Valencia, throwing the land in chaos as the new, militaristic might started to conquer the feeble defended vale. Jonas, Evita's betrothed, proved to be bolder than he was strong for as the invaders came to the village he joined the villagers who chose to resist only to fall under the far better equipped and organized troops of the empire. This was when the young peasant woman, struck with grief and fury for losing her love took the makeshift spear, driving it through the officer who had taken Jonas from her, then wrenching the mans own sword from his hands and in one anger fuelled strike beheading him. The village was lost and Evita quickly realized that she could not stay any longer, risking execution had she done so and all she could do was fare her family a quick farewell before leaving her life behind.

Evita joined the Valencian resistance, mere ragtag group of peasants, hunters and craftsmen with little more than iron will to defend their land. Some battles were won, some lost but the war was a lost cause. Valencia would fall, that much became obvious in mere months since the first invasion, the resistance fighting with guerrilla tactics, Evita and her comrades zealously fighting, many of them to bitter last breath. Yet there came time that they simply had to admit it; Valencia was lost, the resistance disbanding slowly, more and more losing the will to fight and Evita would have to swallow her pride and lust for vengeance. However there was no longer life for her at her home village, her betrothed long lost, her hands drenched in blood. She would send them occasional letters, paying visit perhaps once or twice a year but she would not settle down for the next few years, the life of mercenary was only option she saw for herself.

For almost five years she lived by blade, wielding the very same sword that had once taken Jonas away from her as reminder of her bitterness while taking on tasks of taking lives, catching escaped slaves, almost anything really without morals, doing it for valencians and empire's citizens alike while drinking and living carefree life. She had long lost count on how many she had killed but there was yet perhaps a slight sliver of light ahead for her. Her sister had moved to Nanthalion with her husband and by mere coincidence was Evita reunited with them, her sister now mother of three and Evita finding herself an aunt. This was second turning point for her, doing the mercenary work more seldomly, staying with her sisters family, having found a bit of peace for herself at long last.

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