Bléumond 1.1

The first part of the 1st chapter

Near the city of Chandelion lived a landlord with his wife peacefully ruling a small town in the middle of Khoysu. After four years of marriage the landlord finally had a child, a daughter named Bléumond. A beautiful daughter she grew up to be under their love and guidance, that is until she reached the age of 10 years old. It was a stormy night and thunder clapped through the darkness as lightning tore through the sky. Bléumond was afraid of the sound, so she called for her mother but she received no reply. Thinking that her mother didn't hear her due to all the sounds, Bléumond went cowering back to sleep, crying believing that her mother didn't loved anymore. How wrong she was, as she woke up the next morning by the scream of the house servants. Bléumond ran to see what the racket was all about, only to be prevented from entering her mother's bedroom and his father's study room. It was soon however clear that her parents were killed the nights before by robbers and only by luck that they missed her room.

Thus Bléumond was orphaned at that day. The funeral was silently done and Bléumond continued to live alone under the care of the servants as her distant relatives were far away and were still on their way to pick her. On the first day, Bléumond sat alone and was in grief but she never cried, a thing she could not explain. So she sat all day long alone, except that is when she went to the market in the morning, for it was a custom for the peasants there that when a parent dies, the people at the market would give food to their children. Every morning for a week normally, the newly-orphaned would circle the market collecting offerings. Although Bléumond didn't exactly need the consoling gifts, it was a tradition she had to upkeep as the daughter of landlord, or so she was taught to think.

With a black scarf on her head, Bleumond dragged herself through the market, carrying a basket in her hand, while following behind her back was a donkey-cart. Fruits and vegetables, potatoes and many more were put into the cart by the town-people, while Bléumond collected flowers ahead of it. So she walked through the marketplace until she arrived to a little stall selling not the usuals but instead handicrafts put together from leaves and stones. hats more the seller was a man, a peculiarity in the market. Thus Bléumond stopped and peered at the seller while waiting for his offerings, in which she had to wait a little while, until that is she was impatient and could not wait anymore, she coughed.
The man turned around and faced Bléumond.
"Hello there. I’m sorry I was busy making a new piece," said the man pointing to a stone arranged to resemble a grazing goat."And what can I help you?"
"I'm the daughter of the landlord."Bléumond paused.
"Yes, I knew that. With your scarf and all. I’m sorry for your lost. My greatest condolence. However I was asking if you were interested in any of the pieces and would like to buy them."
"My parents had just died,“ she said and waited.
"Yes, I knew. My condolence. Now, would you like to buy anything?"
"But..I. You haven't given me anything."
"Must I? I’m afraid I won't give anything."Clearly his cordial voice was no impatient for a second, before he kept it back in check, „Would you like to buy anything, may I ask?"
Bléumond was lost of words and was about to move on when she spoke in such a calm manner, „It is the custom here when a parent dies, the seller in the market to help ease the burden."

Expecting to receive gifts from the man, Bléumond was disappointed as she turned and discovered the man preening at his handicraft obliviously. Then he said, „It is the custom here when a peasant dies. My condolence for you, but even as a stranger to this town, I know the custom and I will not give you any gifts."He added, "Now if you would move as the lovely madams behind you would like to buy my piece."

Bléumond was stunned thus continued walking as prompted, bringing with her the curious women observing the scene. After a full round through the market, Bléumond headed home. As if under a spell, only when she put her foot on the doorstep did Bléumond felt angry towards the man at the market. She felt a sudden surge of contempt that she began to utter comments and retorts she wanted to say before to the man, all in a single breath. She spoke so fast that the servants thought the young child had lost her mind to grief and began to console her. Bléumond finally settled outside on the lawn, scorning the man in her thoughts. All day long she was with her thoughts and thus she passed the night without thinking of her dead parents that day.

Prepared to confront the man, Bléumond went to the market the next day eagerly but to her disappointment the man was not to be seen. She went around the marketplace but only in vain. All the while however she noticed some of the other sellers also began to not give any gifts and some of them were whispering behind her back. Bléumond was intrigued and was about to command them to speak up when she noticed the handicraft man, arguing with another seller. Quickly Bléumond walked towards them but suddenly a crowd of people blocked her way.
"Excuse me peasants, let me through."
The crowd began to close upon her slowly as she muttered those words.