[i][b]Eveline De Ficquelmont, Cartelom  [/b][/i]

A small hand held oil lantern dimly lit the corner of the church hall just enough for Eveline to go through her morning routine. Not long ago it used to consist of her maid Johanna waking her up with idle chat, a pre-heated bath set up by Johanna before the earliest signs of a sunrise, a selection of freshly washed clothes put together with care by Johanna followed by a meal Johanna had prepared. She could remember clearly the words she'd always wake her with in a genuinely cheerful spirit. "Rise and shine", followed by whatever topic she felt a need to ramble on about. To her guilt she couldn't recall the sound of her voice despite being her maid since birth. Over the past weeks as all the pieces of the horrific events fell into place Eveline had concluded she missed Johanna more then the others. She had been with her more than with anyone, and even though they were twenty years apart Johanna had to have been her best friend, if not the only one.

Her morning routine now lacked any of those things. She woke before the nuns and women and children whom had taken refuge in the small church, always at the exact same time as if an inner clock mandated it. Although there was some who never slept. So Many had come to the church there was barely room left to sleep, it was more or less shoulder to shoulder. The beds consisting of just blankets on the stone floor were hard and cold. Most of the warmth was provided by the people alongside one another. With much effort she'd tip toe in between the sleeping mass to the toilets and wash with a rag and a bucket of chillingly cold water. By that time some of the nuns would wake and they'd share some of the bread Eveline had brought for the church the day prior. They rarely exchanged words, neither did they today. By the time the others were waking Eveline was dressed and on her way out, and once out turned and eyed the grim structure before making her way to the military grounds and barracks not too far removed from the small church. 

The church had a sense of solidarity, even though that solidarity was one of a shared bleak hopelessness. Many had experienced horrors much akin to hers if not more gruesome. Most however were spiraling further down in that misery. Their faces, their body language and the sounds of their voices were drenched in it. But she couldn't fault them for it. She understood the sentiment far too well. While there are small rays of hope emitted by the minor successes the military of Cartelom had achieved, many were simply too shaken to the core to register this emotionally. When in the church she felt herself dragged down into that dark abyss by the people there. If it wasn't for the fact it was a safe haven for women she'd find residency elsewhere. Eveline could probably find a better and safer residency using her status and the tiny bit of wealth she had remaining, but having led an easy life prior to all this she chose to have the opposite. For now. An easy life doesn't make for a strong person. And a strong person is what she had to be in this new world. And so with hand tightly gripping onto the hilt of her sheathed blade, she made her way to volunteer for Captain Hannigan's cause.