A Story No One Knows

Strange as it sounded to Benedict that his daughter, who held the beauty of many women, saw Laban as a suitor, Benedict sent a letter to him. In the letter, Benedict asked him to stop by the house to officially ask for Missy's hand in marriage.

'Laban, you must tell me why you have visited. But first, we must sit.' Benedict pretended to not know what his mission was, and he walked to an empty chair in the room and sat.

So did everyone else. When Benedict saw that everyone was settled, he signalled to Laban to begin speaking.

'I believe you received my letter well, Benedict. I have come here today to ask Missy, your daughter, to be my bride.' Laban's voice was coarse like he spoke at the top of his voice all the time.

'Me? You have come here to call on me?' At that moment, Missy understood what her father had done.

She remembered her brother mentioning Laban's name after she recounted her stranger at the bar story. She knew that her father had a hand in Laban's visit and that angered her.

'You shall not get too excited now, Missy. I reckon you have met the man before us once.' Benedict laughed for he thought he had solved his daughter's problems.

'I have set eyes on him many times over. He is a patron at the bar.' Missy wanted to leave, but she could not disrespect her father or his visitor.

'Missy, dear child, is this man not the stranger you served that fine Saturday noon?' Donna asked her daughter.

'Mother, this is not he.'

Those words reminded Benedict that he had failed, and Missy was sure to question him even more. But alas, that was a problem for another moment.

Just when Laban was about to stand up from the chair that sucked him in, Thomas the vintner, who had told Gina when Richard called on her many dawns ago walked in.

You see, Benedict had built the vintner's workroom close to the entrance of his house. Whenever word came, they went to the vintners first and so they relayed those words to Benedict.

That afternoon, Thomas the vintner held a letter for Benedict. It was from Edmund, and it was a reply to the letter Benedict had sent.

'You may leave.' Benedict said after receiving the letter.

Gina was curious to know what her father had written and so was Benedict. But the letter could not be read until Laban left the house.

'I must be on my way then. I had no intentions to marry a valueless woman.' Laban stood up hurriedly.

'You shall not speak of my daughter in that manner!' Benedict rose to his feet too.

'You can only deceive yourself, Benedict. But no man shall seek her hand!' Laban pointed to Missy and walked out of the house in anger.

He had been humiliated by a girl half his age. Missy had not shown any signs of excitement when Laban stated his mission in the house and that hurt his feelings.

Laban saw that another person was judging his looks. That was the problem he faced in the town. Most of the time, no woman wanted to know who he was, they just judged him by his looks, hence his unmarried status.

'Father, whatever does he mean by 'valueless woman'?' Missy questioned.

'I am in no mood to reply to you. Donna, we must go to read Edmund's letter.' Benedict walked out of the room.

'Mother, surely, you have an answer for my question.' Missy walked to where her mother sat.

But Donna could not say anything to her daughter. She simply got up and went after Benedict to read the letter Gina's father had sent.

While the Delves were finding problems in their relationships, Ansley was trying to solve his problem with Tripp, the town money lender.

Ansley had travelled from the north to the south to honour Tripp's request for his presence. The south of Garld was not at all what Ansley was accustomed to.

The people there looked hungry, the houses were small and clustered together, and there were many children dressed in rags. Indeed, he was in the unwanted's territory.

The unwanted were the descendants of people who fled the war front when Garld went to war. A majority of them settled in the south so they could be away from the other people of Garld. It was not a very clever decision because poverty just multiplied as quickly as their population.

Tripp's house was one of the best in the town. It was painted white and although the ceilings were not so high, it was elegant. Ansley was welcomed to Tripp's house warmly. It was shocking to him because he had expected Tripp to act hostile considering there was a thousand gold coins at stake.

'We must sit and talk, Ansley.' Tripp said.

He took Ansley to a room that was empty, save for two chairs and a table right in the middle of it.

'We shall sit here and drink together.' Tripp pulled out a chair and sat.

Ansley was petrified. He too had heard word about people dying if they did not pay Tripp what they owed him.

'I have here thirty pieces of gold coins, I shall pay all I owe!' Ansley declared.

But that was not enough for Tripp. How could Ansley provide only thirty gold coins out of a thousand?

'You must forget the money at this time. I desire to speak with you. Let us discuss, as friends would.' Tripp grinned.

He had seen that look on Ansley's face many times over. It was the look of absolute surrender. It was the look of fear. It was the look one had when they knew their end was near. That was the look Tripp loved to see.

'You have called me here for your money, yes?' Ansley asked.

'Ansley, you must take a seat now.' Tripp tapped the table.

'Tell me, whatever is the reason for this meeting?' Ansley did as Tripp requested and sat.

'I shall tell you a story now, one that no one in Garld or outside knows of. It is a story I tell people before taking their lives.' Tripp grinned.

And that look of fear was still on Ansley's face. Ansley wondered if the man before him had lost his mind or if what he said was true.

'Whatever do you mean, Tripp? Have you called me here to play pranks?' Ansley queried.

'You must listen to me Ansley, for I shall not repeat a word of whatever I say.' Tripp continued to grin.