Chapter Text
This is not the grand narrative of a legendary heroine’s chronicle nor the retelling of a story with a demonized villainess. This is but a simple tale of an individual who resides within the Emerald Forest. A humbling tale of a powerful witch that lives in her stone cottage that finds her mundane routine life changing drastically. The events that unfolded got the witch who never cared about anyone else aside from her spouse, to begin caring for another living being.
Here is how it all began…
The Emerald Forest is home to many, it’s thick forestry and abundant resources provides shelter for the monsters, spirits, animals, fairies, and elderwood living there. Such are the residents of the dense forest, however there are a few who seem out of place among the rest. There lives a witch by the name of Evelynn together with her witch spouse, where they have built a small stone cottage, deep within the woods.
Over the centuries, that cottage has become a landmark for the other creatures in the forest, often using the witches’ residence as a guide for their travels. Just as the building has become a landmark, the witches’ presence became a protective charm that kept outsiders from venturing into the Emerald Forest. Knowledge that witches lived there turned into a ward to keep adventures at bay and scare away anyone who’d ever dare to travel through.
Since the pair of witches are seen as the protective guardian of the forest by it’s varying residents. Some would leave gifts out of goodwill or as a request for protection by their door and windows whenever they came across the witches’ abode. Neither of the witches minded that they are treated as such by those around them, it isn’t anything that will inconvenience them.
Whereas the gifts left behind are often forage and materials that they could use in their crafts and potions, which benefited them so they just went with the flow. Though not all days are blessed with gifts, as today ended up being one of the days where the witch, Evelynn, couldn’t find the blood red feather of a Fiery Hawk in her collection or among the things from the forest creatures that she needed to step outside to look for one herself.
Before the sun even rises over the horizon, Evelynn is already out and about in the chilly dark forest. The only thing keeping her from feeling the cold air against her skin is the layer of shadows created with her magic, clinging to every inch of her body.
These shadows covering the witch’s form coupled with the luminous purple flame on her forehead, make her look more like a humanoid monster than an actual witch. But why would Evelynn care about her appearances when she feels comfortable with it and there’s no one there to judge her looks.
On her extremely long walk along the trees in search of the nest of the flaming bird, she suddenly caught the faint scent of smoke when she neared the southern end of the forest. Evelynn halts in her steps, she whispers softly and casts a spell onto her senses. With her heightened hearing she could hear several voices in the distance, shouting about burning something.
Immediately understanding that something devious is about to happen, Evelynn casts another spell, drawing the magic circle in the air with a pointed finger. The spell is able to pinpoint the location of the voices and it is a little ways from where she is. However, instead of making the journey there on foot, the witch teleports herself to the destination due to the urgency.
Upon arriving slightly off from the exact spot, Evelynn is able to conceal herself behind the tall trees and inspects the situation from her cover. She spots a dozen elves with torches in their raised hands, furiously yelling.
“Burn that cursed thing!!”
“That thing is forsaken by the heavens!”
“We must get rid of it!”
The witch ignores the shouting and cursing to locate the target that the elves are so enraged by. And there, in the middle of the group of elves, lay an infant, just a few months old, wailing amongst the chaos.
Evelynn did not understand the reason those hateful words are targeted at the child but she felt pity for the young one. She clearly did not wish for anything tragic to befall such a young one and decided she needed to interfere. Just as one of the elves threw the burning torch in their grasp towards the child, it froze in mid air right in front of them, seemingly caught by an invisible force.
The elves began screaming in hysterics when the torch was unable to land on it’s target. To them, the scene only further proves to their deluded minds that the infant is a cursed existence. In the heated moment, every elf threw their torches simultaneously, thinking that maybe one of them would hit. But each and every one of the flames got suspended in midair by the unseen witch’s magic.
“Cursed!! Cursed I say!!!”
While the crazed group tried reaching for other things to throw, something that has been waiting in the coverage of the bushes, lunges at them. The creature tackles an elf to the ground and sinks their fangs into their flesh, those who tried to run are chased down and mauled.
The witch watches as elves are attacked by a pack of Blue Maned wolves. Seeing as the noise attracted the pack of predatory beasts, Evelynn thinks it’s about time she takes her leave. She extinguishes the flames on the torches with her magic before releasing the wooden sticks from their stasis in the air.
Though when turning to leave, the abrupt sharp cry of the child stopped the witch from making any other movements. Evelynn is reminded that there’s a defenseless infant in the midst of this gruesome situation. She quickly runs onto the scene to gather the child in her arms while around her are a pack of beasts feeding on their freshly caught prey.
Due to her actions, all the wolves halt in their feast to watch the witch with their keen eyes, as they are all of a sudden interested in whatever the witch is doing. They have already noticed Evelynn’s presence from the start, when they were readying themselves to pounce on the group of loud elves.
All creatures that lived in the Emerald Forest knew that the witches will protect the forest when needed and that they did not interfere with other matters. So the blue beasts with bloodied maws did not expect the witch to involve herself with their meal. Their curious gazes are locked onto the shadow clad form of the witch that hastily rushed forward to cradle something in her arms.
When their eyes caught the warning in Evelynn’s sharp gaze, the pack bowed their heads as a promise to their guardian that everyone got the spoils that they wanted and would thus refrain from any quarrels.
With the crying infant in her arms, Evelynn teleports herself back to her cottage. The thoughts of seeking the feather of a Fiery Hawk long forgotten. As soon as Evelynn enters her home, she moves to the bedroom and sits on the side of the bed. She looks down at the elf child cradled in her arms and tries her best to soothe them. It took quite a long time for the inexperienced witch but she managed to comfort the elf.
Once the baby ceases their weeping, Evelynn is able to focus on the features of the child. She instantly coos at their visage. Unlike any other elf she’s encountered, this child has light orange eyes. 'Is it the color of this child’s eyes that got the adults trying to kill them? That is absolutely nonsensical!', the witch thought with disdain clear across her face.
When the infant reached out with their flailing arms, landing quite some harsh slaps and punches on Evelynn’s face before being able to place a few less violent pats on the witch’s face, letting out a gleeful giggle at the sight of a shadow covered face watching over them.
Evelynn closes her eyes, thinking reasonably and logically about what just transpired. The child in her arms is most likely going to be an orphan that’s rejected by her kind. An unwanted child that doesn’t seem to be afraid of her terrifying appearance.
Releasing a heavy sigh, Evelynn decides to unwrap the thin fabric that the elf is bundled in and takes a look at what she has to take care of, 'oh good, it’s a girl.'
Raising a child is going to take a lot of energy and Evelynn is already dreading everything that will unfold yet she can’t help but let a small smile creep over her face. Slowly the shadows that embrace every part of her body, move and change, their form changes into clothes more befitting a witch.
A short top with long open sleeves, a long flowing skirt with a slit on the left side, one personalized witch hat with the purple flame previously atop her forehead, now hanging off the tip of it.
Evelynn’s beautiful silver hair with pinkish tips flow elegantly, framing her gorgeous face. Her flawless skin is once again able to sense the air around her and feel the warmth of sunshine.
It has been a long time since the witch took on this appearance, as she much preferred when her shadow magic protected every part of her. But now, a less intimidating appearance would be a better fit when raising a child so young even though the elf did not seem to fear it.
Since Evelynn’s face is now free from the obscuring shadows, the elf seems to be smiling more. Letting out more laughter and giggles as they swing their limbs around with little to no motor control. The witch shakes her head at the energetic infant, knowing that she’s in for a lot of stress and trouble.
How will she explain the adoption of this child to her wife who is currently away from home and what does she need to take care of another race’s child?
Evelynn will have to figure out everything by herself for now.