Once upon a time there was a young girl who was full of fire and vigor and life. She was born to a young farmer named Barry and his wife named Ivy. Barry was the kind of boy who had all the fire and passion a young man would need to conquer the whole world. But Barry learned early in life that his truest passion lay with working the land and growing a good crop. So Barry settled down, built a lovely farm from his own sweat and toil and then married the girl of his dreams. Together, they had a beautiful daughter, who brought light and laughter to the world. Like her father, this little girl had the intelligence and drive to accomplish anything.
Time passed and eventually Barry’s father, became too old to manage his mill alone any longer. So Barry insisted that his father come to live on his farm. But the town needed the mill and there was nobody to run it. I had asked the lord governor to appoint a replacement, but he would have none of it, demanding that our family carry on running the mill. So, to bring honor to his father’s name, Barry decided to give up the work that he loved and travel each day into town to run the mill for the people of his community.
Because Barry was away, it was left to Ivy to tend the farm, which she did very well and spent her days out in the fields surrounding their house. The grandfather was left to the joys of raising their young daughter, who filled the old man’s heart with joy.
Then one day the lord governor was traveling near our home. Like the true knave that he was, he stopped by the fields instead of the house, having seen Ivy hard at work. The lord fancied all of the pretty ladies and had no compunction about his impropriety. He came upon Barry’s lovely wife midday and made demands upon her that she would not honor. So, he had his guard kill her in the field. The grandfather would not have known except that he heard her cry out when they stabbed her.
Of course he ran to her as fast as his old legs would allow, but the lord governor was already away and his son’s beautiful wife lay dead in the field. Perhaps the grandfather should have known better than to go, for their young daughter followed and he could not protect her from the sight of her mother laying there dead.
As if this failure were not enough, when Barry arrived home that evening, happy only to see his wife, he was told of the vile events of the day. Barry flew into a rage which none could not contain. Without pausing to listen to reason, the widower flew from the house and straightaway to the lord governor’s manor. There was murder in his eyes and all warnings went unheeded. The grandfather and granddaughter watched helplessly as Barry charged off to his death at the hands of the lord governor’s guard. And so the grandfather had failed yet again, saving neither mother nor father for the granddaughter's sweet soul.
This was a harsh lesson for a young lady to have to learn and the old man was an inept teacher to guide their girl through the tumult ahead. As much as he could not run the mill alone, he could no more attend his son’s farm. Yet, the lord governor would accept no excuses. He seized the land and left both of the bereaved penniless and homeless besides. What could they do but try their best to run the mill? The grandfather did his best to keep it running lest the lord governor chase them away to starve in the wilderness.
He did his best, but it was never enough. The granddaughter grew up with only his guidance to lead her young heart. She was vexed deeply and in a way that none could not mend. When she came of age, she joined the king’s army and her parting words to her grandfather were simply that she wanted to be there to protect anyone who might fall under the same injustice she had suffered.
She was a good girl, and sent word often to tell how she trained hard and earned her rank in the military. The grandfather was as proud of her as a man could be of anything. She told him she prayed every day to be given the opportunity to protect those who could not protect themselves. And then one day the letters stopped.
When he went to her barracks to inquire what had happened, her commander would say nothing more than that she had deserted. The grandfather knew this could not be. He knew this sweet and faithful little girl would never abandon her responsibilities. When he asked others about it, they all agreed that she simply disappeared one day. Nobody could say where she had gone.
Old and feeble, the grandfather had no better excuses to explain how he lost his son's family. He was cursed to not even remember his granddaughter's name.
Could anyone tell him her name?
Time passed and eventually Barry’s father, became too old to manage his mill alone any longer. So Barry insisted that his father come to live on his farm. But the town needed the mill and there was nobody to run it. I had asked the lord governor to appoint a replacement, but he would have none of it, demanding that our family carry on running the mill. So, to bring honor to his father’s name, Barry decided to give up the work that he loved and travel each day into town to run the mill for the people of his community.
Because Barry was away, it was left to Ivy to tend the farm, which she did very well and spent her days out in the fields surrounding their house. The grandfather was left to the joys of raising their young daughter, who filled the old man’s heart with joy.
Then one day the lord governor was traveling near our home. Like the true knave that he was, he stopped by the fields instead of the house, having seen Ivy hard at work. The lord fancied all of the pretty ladies and had no compunction about his impropriety. He came upon Barry’s lovely wife midday and made demands upon her that she would not honor. So, he had his guard kill her in the field. The grandfather would not have known except that he heard her cry out when they stabbed her.
Of course he ran to her as fast as his old legs would allow, but the lord governor was already away and his son’s beautiful wife lay dead in the field. Perhaps the grandfather should have known better than to go, for their young daughter followed and he could not protect her from the sight of her mother laying there dead.
As if this failure were not enough, when Barry arrived home that evening, happy only to see his wife, he was told of the vile events of the day. Barry flew into a rage which none could not contain. Without pausing to listen to reason, the widower flew from the house and straightaway to the lord governor’s manor. There was murder in his eyes and all warnings went unheeded. The grandfather and granddaughter watched helplessly as Barry charged off to his death at the hands of the lord governor’s guard. And so the grandfather had failed yet again, saving neither mother nor father for the granddaughter's sweet soul.
This was a harsh lesson for a young lady to have to learn and the old man was an inept teacher to guide their girl through the tumult ahead. As much as he could not run the mill alone, he could no more attend his son’s farm. Yet, the lord governor would accept no excuses. He seized the land and left both of the bereaved penniless and homeless besides. What could they do but try their best to run the mill? The grandfather did his best to keep it running lest the lord governor chase them away to starve in the wilderness.
She was a good girl, and sent word often to tell how she trained hard and earned her rank in the military. The grandfather was as proud of her as a man could be of anything. She told him she prayed every day to be given the opportunity to protect those who could not protect themselves. And then one day the letters stopped.
When he went to her barracks to inquire what had happened, her commander would say nothing more than that she had deserted. The grandfather knew this could not be. He knew this sweet and faithful little girl would never abandon her responsibilities. When he asked others about it, they all agreed that she simply disappeared one day. Nobody could say where she had gone.
Old and feeble, the grandfather had no better excuses to explain how he lost his son's family. He was cursed to not even remember his granddaughter's name.
Could anyone tell him her name?