Evayne Potter |
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Background
Evayne or Evie, as her friends like to call her, is the third child of Desmund, the potter of Kingsgrove, and his wife Gabryella, a former handmaiden at Braeburn House. She was born into the potter trade, where all her siblings started learning the basics of the trade from a very early age - five more siblings were born after her, so all in all the Potters are a very lively househould of eight children.
At the age of seven Evayne would regularly accompany her mother to Braeburn House, where Gabryella was helping in instructing a couple of newly acquired handmaidens over the course of a month. It was there that Evie got acquainted with Dyonne Groves, the niece to the Lord of Kingsgrove and only a year younger than herself. They would often play together both inside and outside of Braeburn House. These games would sometimes culminate in dressing up games in Dyonne's chamber. Evayne tried several dresses on that had already been passed on by Adelina, Dyonne's cousin, much to both girls' amusement. They even played having tea together, like real noble ladies, and once she was allowed to take part in a lesson of needlework because Dyonne had insisted upon it. Those extravagant games were merely tolerated by Dyonne's family as this episode would be of a short duration anyway. So when the new handmaidens had been sufficiently instructed the regular visits to Braeburn House were over, even moreso as Gabryella was – again – heavy with child, the birth of Evie's new sibling only a month away.
However, that episode in her life put a spark into Evayne's imagination and gave her a dream she hoped would become reality one day: That she would somehow be able to enter that world of nobility, fancy dresses and wealth. Through the years to come that very thought was haunting her more and more, and it became clear she would not find her happiness in working in her father's trade. So her mother reactivated her connections to Braeburn House and established her there as a kitchen maid. Evayne took up her new duty at the age of 13, six years had passed since her aunt's unsuccesful ploy, and noone seemed to remember. She had to learn everything, from the rules of how to attend to nobles to the art of cooking and organizing work in the kitchens. And she proved most eager to learn. She hardly encountered Lady Dyonne, and when she once did, the noble maiden did not even seem to recall who she was.
There was another incident however, which occured four years later. Evayne, now blessed with the charms and curves of a seventeen-year-old, was courted by one of the guardsmen, a merry lad with the name Gedyon. At a local feast in Kingsgrove there was a dance both attended, and as Evayne felt flattered and had taken a liking to the lad they finally became intimate, with Evayne becoming pregnant as a consequence. As soon as her state began to show there was no denying of the facts, and both were married in the course of a mere week. There was a short period of happiness until Gedyon had to leave with the Groves levy sent out to fight against the Ironborn Invasion. He would neither come back nor live to see his child being born, as he died during the battle that led to breaking the Siege of Seagard in January 289.
Suddenly widowed, Evayne's grief was perhaps not as deep as expected, given that her feelings for Gedyon were but a passing reverie. She had held him in great esteem for his willingness to show responsibility and to marry her, however. On the other hand, the new life growing inside of her raised her spirits and did leave little room for any sadness on her part. She stayed in service until her belly became too big and returned to her family a few weeks before she gave birth to a healthy son on March 3rd, 289. She called him Rychard after her grandfather and stayed with the Potters for 9 months.
When another kitchen maid left Braeburn House quite unexpectedly, the kitchens were desperately in need of an experienced helping hand and Evayne was asked to come back to the household, given how well she had acquitted herself before her departure. And so Evayne has returned finally to Braeburn House, in the company of her younger sister Carys to take care of little Rychard when she is too busy with her duties. Her grief about the loss of her husband seems to be mended by her little son's cheerful presence, and when the situation in the kitchens allows it he is often there, either on her arm or on a comfortable little bed of straw in the corner, keeping her mother company.
Talents and Character
Evayne is very proficient at cooking, very efficient at cutting vegetables into small pieces, very skilled at cutting beef into slices – abilities she usually is asked to instruct kitchen maids in that are new to the service. Her other talents include Singing (she often does during her daily routine in the kitchen, when the schedule is not too tight), Dancing (Evie is very fond of the more robust dances of the common folk) and Folklore (she loves listening to stories as much as she likes to tell them to others).
As she is familiar with all kinds of edible plants and vegetables she also knows a bit about herblore. From her experiences with her siblings she picked up a basic knowledge of what to do about common illnesses. And at Braeburn House it has proven quite useful to know how to treat cuts as well – which can occur if an inexperienced maid tries her luck in the kitchens.
As for her character: She is rather shy and naive, her greatest dream being that one of the nobles at Braeburn House might fall in love with her and marry her – which won't ever happen of course. But that doesn't keep her from admiring the young lords from afar, sometimes blushing and feeling awkward when she is addressed by them.
And she retreats to the innermost part of the kitchens whenever there is a hunt to be held, ever since she was attacked by a hunting dog during her first visits to Braeburn House as a child, a traumatizing experience that has marked her for life. A rather unremarkable scar on her left lower arm and a profound fear of dogs are permanent reminders of that incident.
Family
Her father: Desmund, the potter at Kingsgrove
Her mother: Gabryella, a former handmaiden at Braeburn House
Her sister Carys, three years younger than she is
Six other siblings
Her son Rychard, one year old
Physical Features
Evayne is a maid of almost twenty, although her very youthful complexion and look of natural innocence make her appear much younger. Standing tall at about 5'7', her modest attire of grey wool, well kept and usually clean, fits nicely around her womanly shape. Her hair of light brown colour with a touch of red is usually secured in a braid falling down her back, with an additional bonnet of white linen that prevents any hair from falling into the meals she has to prepare. Her light grey eyes have often a dreamy expression to them, especially when a particularly handsome nobleman passes her by. Sometimes on those occasions her pale skin takes on a rosy colour from a blush as well. Her short fingered hands have a faint smell of onions and garlic to them.
Recent Developments / Plot Hooks
Recently, Evayne's infant son has breached the invisible barrier between nobles and their household, when he slipped through under the eyes of vigilant guards and managed to crawl on his hands and legs under the table of the Grand Hall, where he was discovered during dinner - happily snoring and unaware of the racket surrounding him.
There seems to be something evolving between Evayne and Ser Leon Undyl, brother to the handmaiden Samphire. On one occasion he defended her honour, brawling with another knight in the courtyard after some ambiguous remark. And then he has taken her to the Masquerade at Stonebridge, a trip both seem to have enjoyed.
The tourney at Kingsgrove, held to celebrate the wedding of Young Lord Stafford Groves and Lady Aeliana Ashwood, was the first one ever Evayne has ever witnessed. It has left a deep impression on her. Even though her knight couldn't ride in this one, being away on some errand.
Her sister Carys had been absent as well, returned with Evie's son Rychard to their family at Kingsgrove over the wedding festivities. Although the news of Carys having exchanged some kisses with a servant had grave consequences, their mother denying her to return. So it was Evie in the company of Ser Leon Undyl who took Rychard back to Braeburn House, with Evie having to look after her child on her own in the future.
Allies and Foes
Recent Logs
(aeliana aemy alric arabella catryn erik evayne event logs lyanna maldred martyn nathaniel nedra ozric robben stafford)