Reunion

The sunset was the most beautiful one Eva had ever seen. Red and orange sparkles massaged her hair. She and Axis, while riding on Margery and Despereaux, held hands as they walked through their celebrating village.

"Go, Eva! Go, Eva!" the villagers cheered.

Gawain, also in the crowd, rubbed tears from his eyes. He grabbed a woman's shoulder and shook it. "That's my girl. That's my Eva."

Eva waved at her fans, grinning, but deep down, she feared for her mother's reaction when she returned home. It had been one year since she last saw her. She and Axis parked their horses next to a burnt-down bakery.

A middle-aged woman, who had red hair like Eva and wore a white apron over her light gray dress, rummaged through its remains. She pulled out chunks of wood and tossed them off to the side. The intense sunset blocked out her face a little. She heard an, "Ahem!" behind her and turned her head. Her jaw dropped so far, it looked like something in an anime.

Eva took a deep breath. Her flames dimmed since she was nervous. Nevertheless, she built up her confidence and came within reach of her mother.

Still shocked, her mom rose to her feet. A piece of the bakery fell from her hand.

In the light of the sunset, Eva reached behind her. She unhooked a bag of gold coins from her belt and held it out to her mother. The scent of bread from another bakery in the village reminded her of her childhood, when she and her mother baked together.

Her mother retrieved the bag. She stared at it for a good while, but then she dropped it. She grasped Eva's shoulders and peered into her face. For a long while, there was silence, but then she managed to choke out one word: "Evangeline?"

"It's me, Mother." Eva tried to hold back tears, but it was difficult. She forgot how much she loved her mom. They wrapped their arms around each other. The second they did, Eva's hair sprang to life.

Axis, who stayed with the horses, closed his eyes against the intense light, but then he opened them again. He rested his hand on his injured arm, which he wore in a sling, and watched the reunion. Who knew evenings could feel so magical?

Behind him, a figure stepped out of the shadows. Elaine joined him. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.

Axis rubbed his eyes. He continued to watch Eva. "I love her, Elaine."

"I know you do." Elaine wrapped her arm around his neck. She pulled his head down and rubbed her fist on it. "Maybe one day, Big Brother."

"Hey, hey!" Axis said, laughing.

Elaine released him. She grinned and showed off her white teeth. "I think it's safe to say the plan worked."

"Me, too." Axis got his revenge. He lightly punched Elaine in her arm. "That's for giving me a head wedgie."

"It's okay. I deserve it," Elaine chuckled.

Eva and her mother let each other go. They compared hand sizes, like what they did in the past. "Eva," her mother demanded, "tell me everything that happened."

"Mother, I did it," Eva excitedly said. "I discovered my infrared. Evangeline's Flame."

Final Word Count: 6,737