Disclaimer: I would love to own The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy, but alas, I cannot.

A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first Hollow Kingdom fan fiction and I'm basically excited about it. I've been working on it for a while and I finally think it's time to post it. It's not my best considering I think I've been working on this most of the year and I've improved a lot since then. Oh and just in case you're wondering the year is 1944, a year before WWII ended. I actually kind of just decided that, since it was really supposed to be Victorian period and then it was after the Titanic sank. So yeah, it's changed a lot.. But I don't think it'll change again and I'm very much taken with the idea of this time period since no known women were taken at this time. Next chapter I'll try and post a cast list. Now then, please do enjoy!

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Imogen Fairesilver stared at the monster's hideous face. She could not help but panic. She was being taken away. She screamed and began to hyperventilate. Her tears came hard and quick and yet…she was not afraid of the monster that was carrying her quickly through the woods.

No. She did not fear him. She knew that in his hands, she was safe. She'd known it since they day they'd met. It had only been a few days ago, but it felt like ages…

Imogen was the kind of girl who loved to read. Give her a good book and she could read for hours. She was becoming quite a literary fanatic and was even trying her hand at writing. However when she had tried her hand at writing a few times, she found no success. She was also a thorough lover of nature and music. She had beautiful cropped, brown, curly hair and almost black eyes.

As for her parents, she had no father. He had died fighting in the slowly dying embers of World War II. He had been a quiet, yet appraising sort of fellow. He was tall, but still very robust. He was often away on trips or working vigorously at work. She'd never known him well (their relationship was full of quiet dinners and occasional hugs before bed) but soon wished she had.

At first, when he went off to war it was surreal; in fact, she remembered watching him, from her large bedroom window, drive away and feeling as though he was only going for a few days. But when rationing and death came into play, it was frightening. Suddenly, Imogen's life was full of fear and worry for her father. But when the news came, Imogen was devastated.

Her mother, who was still in grief, was a rather plump woman named Lydia. She waddled around in a rather comical manner. She tended to be a gossiper which was one of the reasons why she loved the parties and social events that made Imogen's head spin. She always taught Imogen that manners and feminity were the most important things for a girl Imogen's age to learn and master. As her only child, Imogen had been a little hard to handle after her father's death.

Imogen had been engaged, from birth, to handsome fellow named Paul Fitzgerald. He was studying to be a doctor of medicine. She couldn't love him. He was much too serious and far too smart for his own good. From the moment she was told about the betrothal, she decided that betrothals were horrid and untoward things that did not encourage true love.

After her father had died, Imogen's mother announced that they could no longer stay in their quaint house in Berkshire, England. Instead they went back to the estate that their father managed: Hallow Manor.

Hallow Manor was the place that Imogen could get lost in. She felt that way about it often. It was almost too big. She was used to the cottage she used to have for a home. Something about this place didn't feel safe. Not safe at all. However, it did have a nice big library. That was Imogen's location when the problem started.

She was trying in vain to read a literature classic as her mother skittered about nervously. "Oh my! Oh my!" She was exclaiming. Imogen tried hard to concentrate but the image of her mother running back and forth with a feather duster in her hand was far too distracting.

"They'll be here any minute!" Her mother exclaimed still skittering about and not getting anything accomplished because she would change her mind every few seconds.. It was a wonder that she didn't hit anything.

"Calm down." Imogen commanded in an annoyed voice.

Her mother stopped, giving her an angry look. "Now, Imogen, you know that they'll show up and this whole mansion will be horridly dirty and unpleasant. Why, Paul's parents won't even want to sit down." She protested.

"They can stand up for all I care," Imogen thought, she rolling her eyes. Yes, Paul and his parents were coming to visit for the next few days. A big party was going to be held in honor of the wedding. Imogen sighed, it would be only three days now until the ball and on the forth was her wedding.

Her mother passed by again. She stopped, looking puzzled. "Well don't just stand there. Help me clean!" She insisted, handing Imogen a rag with which to dust.

Imogen placed her rag sadly along the wooden surfaces of the library's shelves. Married! She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to marry Paul. Sure he was handsome and polite, but she needed someone to be there to hold her in the bad times. Her father had been that person. After losing him, she couldn't accept another man in that role. She knew this and admitted it to herself often, although she never admitted it to anyone else.

As she brushed over the wood, barely dusting the bookshelves, she couldn't help but glance in a melancholy manner at the titles on the bindings: A History of the Modern Pioneers, The Dragon's sword, How to Sew a Quilt, Fish and Other Sea Creatures, The History of Hallow Hill and the Legends that Surround it, Medical advances in the- The History of Hallow Hill? Imogen stopped. She examined it carefully.

Just then there was a knock on the door. She saw her mother rush past the library doorway and exclaimed cheerily to the whole house, "They're here!"

Imogen heard the door open. She walked slowly towards the entryway while her mother and Paul's parents exchanging greetings: "Well hello Margaret, hello Lloyd!" Lydia exclaimed.

She heard Lloyd say in his deep, serious voice "Good day Lydia. It is only a few days left until the wedding. How are the plans going?" He was obviously the source of Paul's seriousness.

"Oh lovely!" Lydia lied. Imogen knew that her mother had been stressed to every extent throughout the week and the next few days would only get worse.

"That's wonderful!" Margaret said happily. "I'm so proud of my dear Paul." If there was one thing Paul's mother liked to talk about it was Paul. "Say Lydia, have you lost some weight?"

The conversation went on very politely, very cheerfully. Imogen knew that normally exchanges between parents were often full of lies or false flattery.

She walked into the entryway solemnly, making sure to put on a fake smile. Everyone's face lit up, from Mr. Fitzgerald's tall, straight, gray haired face to Mrs. Fitzgerald's medium, kind face. Even Paul, who stood between his parents, smiled slightly.

"Well hello Imogen!" Margaret went over to hug her. Margaret was very kind and quite understanding. She had her gossiping tendencies, but Imogen thought that she was the most sincere out of all three parents.

"G'day Mrs. Fitzgerald." Imogen curtsied.

"Oh please, call me mum. Or at least Margaret." She smiled as they walked into the tea room.

As Paul, Lydia, and Mr. Fitzgerald started another conversation, Margaret asked "Are you excited about getting married?"

"Kind of nervous actually." She admitted.

Mrs. Fitzgerald smiled "I remember the day I got married. I was so worried. Mr. Fitzgerald was all dressed up. He looked so handsome." She continued talking and Imogen zoned out. She sighed softly and fought with her conflicting feelings inside her mind. It was her heart verses her head: "Why do I have to marry him? This isn't fair.

No, I should marry him. Father would want me to and it would break mother's heart.

But I don't want to. He may love me, but he doesn't know me. He hasn't seen the real me!

But he's kind!

So? Kindness should not be the only reason to marry him. Besides, who knows if he even loves me! He hasn't spoken a word to me since I got here.

Maybe he's overwhelmed like you are!

If that's true then we can cancel the- Imogen was interrupted by the brisk finish of Mrs. Fitzgerald's story. "So see dear, it'll be alright."

Imogen pretended to hear. "Thank you Mrs. Fitzgerald."

"Imogen!" Lydia called, pausing from her conversation from Lloyd. "Imogen, do get the tea."

Imogen nodded, thankful for this chance to get away and breathe for a moment before plunging back into the shallow pool of fake proper attitudes.

The night moved on. Imogen liked having a few extra people in the house, even if they were her future in-laws.

However she knew it was only about to get worse…

The next day, the door opened to reveal two aunts, two uncles, seven cousins, two sets of grandparents and one very angry neighbor. Imogen was constantly having to put on the 'fake Imogen' mask. She feared that she might have to keep it on for the remainder of the next few days.

She now realized that after the next few days she would be married. She might never get to be herself again! Imogen loved being herself and the thought that marriage would make her permanently turn into the polite, quiet, perfect house wife.

No longer could she take this. She had to get away for at least an hour. She had asked her mother if she could go out into the fields and woods for a while. Her mother had reluctantly agreed.

The breeze played with her hair as she sat alone in the field. Imogen could not have asked for a more peaceful place.

Slowly, very slowly, she fell into a peaceful, deep sleep.

When she awoke, she yawned and opened her eyes slightly. She screamed. A horrible looking creature was standing over her.

He had wolf-like eyes and fur swirled over half of his body. Part of his face had fur on it but the other had silvery, paper-like skin. His hair was black with sliver streaks in it. He had hands but one arm and one foot was completely wolf. The same went for his arms. One was just skin but the other had fur twirling down on it. He wore a black cape and trousers, no shirt.

She pushed him away, making him fall in the grass. Caught off guard, he growled which frightened her more. She stood up shakily.

"Who-oo-o on earth are yo-ou…" She asked terrified.

He grinned, showing a mouth full of fangs "Your future husband."

A/N: I LOVE this ending. Love it. haha. Well then, if you've read the author notes say "Hermione Granger" who is staring in my new Harry Potter fan fiction that will be coming out pretty soon!