Snippet #2769065

Everley took the announcement as a sign to finally go and see her parents- they were likely to cause a fuss if she didn't see them at least once that evening, and her mother was highly excited to see her off to the new recruit desk. It had been her mother, Haeden's, dream since she gave birth to have a daughter to hunt with; and seeing it finally come to fruition absolutely thrilled the woman.

Everley weaved through the crowed, eyes glued to her mother, when she noticed her step-father begin to glare at her in her peripherals. My gods, could he be any more obnoxious?! Keeping her smile, she continued over, ignoring the negative energy seeping out from her mother's awful husband. Everley anxiously patted at the clasp on her bag, making sure it was secure and her energy was positive. The last thing she needed was to have her pesky little friends escape during the most important part of the night.

"Mother!" She called out, arms open for an embrace. Haeden looked up at her daughter in surprise, as if she hadn't demanded her daughter attend that evening. As if they hadn't argued for months about whether or not the young girl should attend.

"My sweet child, you look lovely," Kind but tired green eyes looked her over, stopping at her hair to investigate the hay protruding out from her strawberry curls. "...What in the world have you been up to tonight?" She asked, disappointment dipping from her mouth.

This further caught her step-father's attention, which was the last thing Everley needed, or wanted. Colin came in close, blocking out any potential onlookers. "Must you always be such a mess, Everley? Why must you do this to your poor mother..." He growled, glaring with intent to kill. He was always the first to attack- this was probably why he was such an excellent hunter with an abnormally high kill rate.

Everley visibly shrank, as if she intended to disappear entirely. "I- I'm sorry." She stammered, gaze dropping to her feet.

"And that atrocious bag. I thought your mother bought you something more appropriate for this evening!" He hissed, putting his arm out as if he intended to take it. "Let's check your awful things and hope that nobody has seen the mess that you are. The Macrae name shall not be tarnished!" Everley's eyes widened, and she shook her head violently. "And then, your mother will take you to the bathroom, and you will make yourself look a bit more... presentable!"

Everley started to shake. Only she knew that the second the bag left her sight, the locking mechanism would fail. She couldn't, wouldn't, let this happen. She looked desperately at her mother, who seemed to also cower in fear, but Everley knew the woman would say nothing. She never stood up to her husband. I'm the only one who will stand up for myself... She remembered the wise words of a witch she once met in passing, and this filled her with courage.

"No. I like the way I look tonight. We are hunters, this isn't a debutante ball." She stuttered a bit, but gained confidence as she continued. "I will not go to the bathroom to be freshened up like some toddler, and I will not check by bag!" Had she the gall, she would have stomped to punctuate the last sentence.

Alas, this did not work, and Colin immediately grabbed her bad. The second he touched it, his negative energy seeped into the lock, dismantling the mechanism and riling up the faeries. Immediately, four faeries, all about the length of a pencil and an inch thick, sprung out, soaring high above their heads.

Their presence immediately caught the attention of every hunter nearby, and Everley felt her eyes begin to well up with tears.

"Please... don't kill them..." She cried out, as the faeries began to wreck as much havoc as their small bodies could possibly allow.