Evelyn sat on the cold floor of a small dark cell. Her hands and ankles bound in iron chains.
Tear stains marked her dirt covered face as the horrors from the past two days continued to assault her mind.
Evelyn had lived in a modest cottage with her parents in the small village of Oak hollow. Her father had been a leather worker while Evelyn and her mother kept the house and mended clothing for the village men.
It was a simple and peaceful life that Evelyn lived in Oak hollow and soon she would be old enough to be courted by the young men of the village. Or at least that is what Evelyn thought until the raid that had torn through not just her village but also the neighboring as well.
They had come swiftly in the pre dawn light, cutting down anyone that barred their path.
Evelyn woke to the sounds of fighting outside her window. Not knowing what was going on she quickly crossed the cold wooden floor of her room, grabbed her robe and opened the door to her sleepy eyed mother and worried father.
"What is happening?" Evelyn asked in a hushed tone as she pulled her robe closer to protect her from the cool morning air.
Evelyn's father silently made his way over to the front window and peered out. The once sleepy streets of Oak hollow were now a blaze of chaos as men had rallied from their homes to protect their families from the invading attackers.
Most of the men carried tools to use as makeshift weapons while the rest had only their fists.
"Quicky to the basement." Evelyn's father ordered as he grabbed the iron rod used to stoke the fires in the now cold hearth. "Do not come out until I say."
Evelyn pulled open the heavy wooden trap door that revealed old stone steps that disappeared into the dark musty cellar below their home. She slowly made her way down into the small space and felt along the stone walls until she found what she was looking for.
Evelyn lit the small oil lamp then walked over to help her mother down the steps and close the door behind them.
Both women huddled together for warmth as they listened to the sounds of battle around them.
Evelyn let out a squeak as she heard the door of their cottage open with a bang followed by the sounds of heavy boots walking across the floor. He mother quickly extinguished the light and pulled her daughter closer into the dark corner of the basement.
Evelyn held her breath as she silently willed the strangers to pass them by. Luck however was not on her side that morning as the door to the basement was suddenly ripped from its hinges and a large figure depended to stairs. The figure stopped in the darkness for a moment and lifted his head as he scented the air around him.
Evelyn had thought that maybe he would not see them hidden in the shadows of the basement but then let out a gasp as she saw the inhuman amber glow of the creatures eyes.
What Evelyn had originally thought was a human bandit had turned out to be something even worse.
"Beastmen." Evelyn breathed as she hugged her now weeping mother tightly.
The hulking creature let out a low growl as he approached them.
A strong hand that was tipped with long claw like nails then wrapped around Evelyn's wrist and roughly pulled her away from her mother and up the stairs.
"No!" Evelyn heard her mother cry as she was shoved out into the street and the waiting hands of her captors.
The next moment Evelyn found herself in chains as she was lead to a wagon that had at least six other young people already chained up inside including a small child that was sobbing into her brother's shirt as he held her.
"Where are you taking us?" Asked with a confidence she didnt actually feel.
The large beastman barely glanced down at her before he shoved her into the cart with the others and locked the door.
Evelyn sat on the dirty bench with a huff as the cart lurched forward.
They traveled for what seemed like hours. As the cries and sobs from the other captives started to quiet Evelyn looked over at their solemn faces. Other than herself and the young girl there was one other female who looked to be around the same age as Evelyn. The rest were young men she had seen many times in the village. They were all of age to marry but had not yet started to court any of the elegable girls in the village and now may never get that chance.