Chapter 6.

Over the years, Rebekah grew up into the most beautiful maiden of the Kingdom of Meadowland.

Lithe, kind, and gentle, she became a girl that most women wanted their daughters to emulate. Sadly, such young daughters in the village only saw her as a rival rather than as their mothers wanted her to be seen.

She was known by everyone in the village as the most beautiful shepherd girl, who tended to her sheep with admirable love and care.

She helped her mother, Renelda to graze the sheep in the mountains. Sheared their wool. And went about the village selling the sheared wool to people for wool coats. Rebekah was a very hard working girl and her mother was extremely proud of her.

At 18 years of age, other girls her age were married or been courted by eligible suitors. But Rebekah saw her mother’s suffering and only wanted to help her mother become a great sheep farmer. A woman that other kingdoms would come to buy wool from.

With that as her focus, Rebekah had no time to go on village dances and harvest dances with the other girls. Girls who taunted her constantly, even though she was present in a room. Girls who always told her that she smelled of sheep and earth.

Those words usually made her sad. But each time she grew sad, her mother would comfort her with stories of love, bravery and sacrifice, which would raise her spirits up again. Making her appreciate the girls' words as kind compliments.

One morning, she walked by the village market, going to meet one of the traders to sell some wool.

As she drew close to a group of men, she heard one of them saying that he was a servant of King Liam and needed someone to supply wool to the castle. The other men declared that no one was willing to hike the mountainous roads to supply wool to the castle. It was spring and the King's road was muddy at this time of year.

The man was disappointed was about to leave, when Rebekah told him she could do it. The man stared at her, disbelivingly and almost walked past, but Rebekah was relentless and asked he trusted her.

Seeing that she wasn’t ready to give up, the man asked her to supply the wool within three days or face the unbearable consequences.

The other men standing nearby stared at her in awe and pushed all thoughts of Rebekah achieving the goal aside.

In their minds, she was a small, lithe creature that couldn’t even climb a hill. But Rebekah ignored their side comments and hurried home to tell her mother. Her mother was shocked to hear the news and wondered at how they would supply that much wool to King Liam’s castle. But Rebekah wasn’t afraid at all and assured her mother that they will succeed.

So for that whole day, into the following morning before dawn, Rebekah and her mother worked endlessly to prepare the amount of wool that was needed for King Liam’s castle. They worked and gathered all the wool, stopping only to eat and drink.

When they were done the following morning, the whole wool was loaded unto the cart, ready for Rebekah’s trip to King Liam’s castle.

Her mother packed some bread, ale and water for her so that she would have strength for the task. She watched her daughter with sadness in her eyes, knowing that her daughter’s life had been stolen from her, way before she had grown up. In her heart she only wished that someday, the life that had been designed for her daughter could be restored to her strong brave girl, once more.

“Why are you sad, mother?” Rebekah asked her mother, sadly.

Her mother looked at her, sympathy in her eyes. Rebekah recognized that look all too well and stepped forward to hold her mother in an embrace. Her mother broke down in her arms and Rebekah wondered if her mother missed her late father.

She had never known her father. And she had no idea what he looked like. What he smelled like. She had no idea his likes and dislikes. Worse, her mother never spoke of her father. It was like a forbidden topic.

“I wish you hadn’t grown up in these sort of conditions. I wish you had…” She paused meditatively, watching her daughter.

Rebekah waited for her mother to finish her words. Rather than completing her words, Renelda held her tongue and distracted them both with wiping her tears away.

“Mother, sometimes words spoken to others can help heal a broken heart.” Rebekah spoke, ruefully.

She always saw her mother’s suffering. Always wished she could give a good life to her mother. Sadly, all they had was their sheep farm. And she knew how they got taunted by other women around the Kingdom of Meadowland.

Her mother looked at her with such adoration.

“My little Rebekah is all grown up and wise. I bless the day you were given to me.” Renelda smiled, appreciatively.

Rebekah laughed warmly. Happy that she could bring a smile to her mother’s beautiful face. She wiped her mother’s eyes with her cloth and carried her bag, ready to leave.

“I’m on my way mother. Please, take care of yourself. And remember to eat. Our berry juice is still in the small barrel. I’d make some more when I return.” Rebekah smiled, quietly.

She kissed her and went on her way.

Her mother watched her as she left their cottage. The same cottage that Grandmother Cyra had left to them. Pain grilled Renelda’s heart as she recalled all the suffering and shame she had endured, those first few days after she was exiled. She had been forced to accept her new life as a peasant. She had cried every night, asking the heavens to help her restore her lost marriage. She had cried for her broken love. She had cried for her baby.

In the end, she had learned to overcome the pain. In the end, she had learned to breathe again.