Avelyn grew up with her mother and father, Elise Arderne and Thomas Arderne. She was the second youngest of four children, two brothers, and two sisters; Amaud, firstborn son, Keylien, their second child, Avelyn their third, and finally little Evan. She grew in a loving home for from big modern cities and towns, living the life as simple Highlanders. The children would spend their morning working with their father to learn how to hunt, fish, and collect resources, and in the evening they stayed with their mother inside the house learning how to cook, clean, and prepare to serve the family. All in all, they had a dream life. But when they weren’t working and had extra coin and resources to spare, they would take small adventures to the big cities filled with all the Heartland people.
Avelyn looked up to her oldest brother, Amaud, as did all her siblings. He was four years her senior and the one to inherit the land when he comes of age. He was her hero, even if he occasionally played a joke on her and teased her so. He protected her and always looked out after her.
Her elder sister by two years though was the pure embodiment of tough love. Keylien would always steal her possessions away and hide them, making Avelyn spend hours looking for them. She would take her food, pull her hair, and embarrass her in front of all the young Heartland boys!
With her older siblings slowly being taken by her parents to teach them the ways or maturing and growing older, she would spend most of her time with her youngest brother, Evan. Wherever Evan was, there was Avelyn, wherever Avelyn was, there was even glued to her side. They were inseparable. They had the shortest age difference of a single year and yet they were always together, they were the best of friends.
They were the picture of a happy loving family.
Alas, one night a group of marauders who have been watching the prosperous family closely, crept in and waited for the perfect moment to attack.
Avelyn had just finished her supper while her whole family helped clean up, she was tasked with fetching another pale of water to clean her and her family up before bed. As she happily took the bucket and skipped off, saying her goodbyes and convincing Evan that she will in fact return, she left the door open in her haste.
The Marauders took the perfect timing and slipped in, taking the family by surprise. They hadn’t much time to react and grabbed whatever they could to defend themselves. The mother creamed at Keylien to take Evan and run but the thieves captured them and held them closely.
Both the mother and father grabbed any sharp tool in their reach while Amaud braced himself to try and fight with nothing but his own fists.
Keylien and Evan were given front row seats to their families slaughter.
The leader of this monstrous group was a sadistic creature. He simply walked over to the mortified and broken children smiling. He questioned them for the whereabouts of their riches and most valued resources, but Kaylien spoke for both her and her brother, spitting in the Creatures face that she would never tell and he could just go and rot in hell.
He laughed and ran his eyes over her, sending chills down his spine as the only response he returned to her was the quick slash across her throat.
Evan, tears streaming down his paled face pointed them to where they kept all their valuables.
The Creature thanked him and told his group of marauders to tie him up, that they’ll either take him as one of their own or that the leader can have a new plaything to practice his sadistic and torturous ideas with.
As Evan screamed bloody murder and the bandits robbed the house clean, Avelyn was coming back from her little adventure, full bucket and a heart full of wondrous amazement at the woods that seemed to be dripping with magic and secrets.
Her eyes fell upon her house and the laughing men taking off from it. She grew an uneasy feeling and her heart sank.
She threw down the bucket and sprinted for her home. Once she reached the doorway to the horrendous scene of her murdered family, she lost her stomach and fell to her knees in silence. Fear, pure anger, and sadness oozed throughout her body as tears streamed down her face. Who would ever do such a thing?
Pure hatred filled her heart, she would find the people responsible for taking her brother and slaughtering her family. She would find them, and kill them.
