Evelyn

Four hours had passed and Edwin, the traveller, hadn't spoken a word. Evelyn was getting restless, and was alerted of a wave of boredom, assuming this went on. The only noise was the trotting of the horses, and the occasional whistling of the trees. She didn't have any topic to talk with Edwin.

"So you didn't ask my name."

"Does it matter?"

"What?" asked Evelyn in a confused tone.

"How does it matter if I know or don't know your name?"

"Well it does."

Why would a name not matter?

"OK then. What is your name?" asked Edwin in a disinterested tone.

"Rose," she replied abruptly.

"No it isn't," said Edwin.

A smile mischievous crossed Evelyn's face.

"Betty."

"No. It's obvious you are lying, you know?"

"Ava."

Edwin shook his head in disapproval.

"Well it is Fiona."

Edwin looked her, "It doesn't matter if you don't want to tell me your name. I wasn't asking for it, if you recall."

Then she laughed. "It's Evelyn. No more jokes Mister."

"Okay Evelyn."

Edwin really seemed different than he was at the town, to Evelyn. He seemed more quiet, contemplative and a bit stiffer. In the town he was a completely different person, mingled easily with everyone with his casual attitude.

Suddenly Evelyn screamed," Wait, wait, wait!"

Evelyn stopped her horse as did Edwin. She got off and ran to the side of the road. She plucked a flower from the side and kept staring at it for what seemed like an eternity. The flower had a blue shade which changed to pale white as the petals merged.

How beautiful! Only if I knew its name!

She tucked the flower in her curly hair as she leapt on her horse, "Let's go Edwin! What a find you see? Never seen such a flower in Andlenore or the surrounding forest. Aha! That shade is perfect!"

Edwin's expressionless face didn't deter Evelyn from boasting the rarity of her find.

"What did you name your horse?" asked Evelyn, just to keep the conversation going.

"Why would I want to name the horse?"

"You should name your horse. Do you really not value him even as much?" Evelyn asked, confused.

"The reason I don't need a name for him is that I value him. It is the work that counts. Naming it won't change anything."

How Edwin thought so little of names was beyond Evelyn's comprehension.

"You must name him."

Edwin looked at her with disinterested eyes.

"Come on! Name him something. Like I have named mine Wind."

"Okay. I just named my horse."

Evelyn's eyes lit up.

"Nameless."

"What?"

"The horse will be called Nameless."

Evelyn found it difficult to laugh when she saw Edwin's serious expression. She did nonetheless.

"You can't name a horse Nameless!"

"And enlighten me, what law prohibits that."

Evelyn burst, laughing. Edwin smiled.

"So where are we going?"

"And you ask that now?" Edwin retorted, hastening his horse.

"Well I guessed Wheatbridge?" said Evelyn as she tried to keep up.

"Your guess doesn't betray you." It was as if Edwin was trying to make up for the time lost in her 'flower picking' routine.

"You know right? That's the town you should avoid. There are frequent raids." Now that was one town she didn't want to visit.

"Yes. The blacksmith in Andlenore did inform me of some such, though he added that one night stay wouldn't hurt much."

"Well yeah, not that it has raids everyday after all. But we get out first thing in the morning," said Evelyn, still unconvinced.

"As you command, milady," mocked Edwin.

****

Four uneventful days passed. They would occasionally meet people going towards Andlenore, traders, priests, and carts. Some would stop to greet them while others gave a cold reception. Throughout the journey one thing remained constant, Evelyn chattering. Edwin had gotten used to it eventually. At the end of each day Evelyn would have a crown of flowers and each morning she would start her search afresh. Evelyn frequently stopped to pluck every new flower she saw. Initially Edwin voiced his concerns about how their travel was unnecessarily being lengthened. Evelyn met him with a long explanation about how collecting flowers were also an essential part of the travels.

The third time that day, Evelyn got down from Wind. The flower she saw was crushed. But the colours spoke of its lost glory. Evelyn's eyes grieved the loss and just at the next instant started searching curiously for more of such similar flowers.

She left the road to enter the forest. She had been in the forest around Andlenore and so was sure she wouldn't get lost. Her search for the flower proved unfruitful as all she saw was crushed shrubbery everywhere around.

Had Evelyn been an experienced traveller or a hunter, she would have noted this instinctively to be a sign of danger. Unfortunately she was neither.

And the danger did come.

It had the form of an eight foot creature with skin that looked more like stone and arms, thicker than most tree trunks around. The uneven large teeth were coated with layers of saliva. Its head looked all but bashed in. The eyes were almost human, and that looked odd as the creature had a much larger body frame.

Only when the troll gave a low groan did Evelyn come to know of its presence.

****