Cadeym trotted at a steady pace through the dense forest. Adelaide had tried to follow the ogres beaten path, but it had rained the day before and all signs of the tracks were gone. As frustrating as it was, Addy kept going. The tracks were her only hope of finding the beasts that murdered her family,  and now her hope seemed to be gone.

After looking over her map once more, Addie decided to stop in the small village of Onder and get a few provisions. She needed another rope and a few food items.

The small village was untouched by the ogre raid and it seemed very peaceful. Children scampered about and played with wooden swords, pretending to be knights. The innocence and whimsicality of the children made her smile sadly. If only they knew what laid beyond their small village.

"Girl!"

Adelaide looked around and her eyes landed on an old man in front of a cottage. "Yes? What do you want?"

"What are ye doin in this small village? I have'no recollection of ye bein 'ere b'fore."

"Stand down, old man. I am simply passing through." Adelaide tied up Cadeym in front of a small pub and store. "I will only be visiting."

He grunted and glared at her intently, watching her every move. 

Adelaide rolled her eyes and pulled her small money pouch from her dress pocket. She tried to avoid the revolting stares from the men loitering outside of the pub. Their hungry eyes made her feel naked and she shuddered with every step.

A dirty man propped his leg across the doorway and looked down at her. " 'ello there, darlin'. Might I be of service to ye?" He said with a wink.

Adelaide sneered. "No thank, you. Vile creature."

The man dropped his leg and stood in the door. "What was that, lass?" He growled at her and grabbed her arms between his beefy hands. "I know you did'na just say somethin' disrespectful to me."

Adelaide let out a small whimper as the brute squeezed her arms tighter. He was surely going to bruise her tender flesh.

"Let her go."

Addy looked over to where the voice came from. A hooded figure stood at the corner of the building and had his right hand over a silver sword at his hip.

~~~

Philip looked at the maiden in the grips of the filthy man. Her red hair flowed down her back in curls and went to the middle of her back in crimson waves. Her dark brown eyes locked on his, her pupils huge.

"What was that?" The man glared at him.

"I said, let her go. She is not your property." Philip traced the outline of the handle of his sword with his thumb.

"I will do what I want with 'er. It's none o y'er business!" The man gripped Adelaide's arms tighter and she let out another whimper, her eyes begging Philip to help her.

He knew that her arms had to be bruising and he could only imagine how painful it was to have the pig's fingers gripped around them. Philip sighed and pulled out the silver sword at his hip. He pointed it at the man. "Let her go. This is your last warning."

The man looked at the sparkling silver sword and his fingers slowly loosened their grip. After Philip swished the blade through the air a few times, the man let go completely.  He stepped away slowly and disappeared.

To be continued...