THE MERCHANT’S DAUGHTER -Chapter One (Patreon)

THE MERCHANT’S DAUGHTER, OR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST A RETELLING

CHAPTER ONE:

Dunstan of Careth was a very blessed man. He had started his life as the son of a miller but chance had it that he grew up to eventually find his trade in the mercantile world. By the young age of twenty four, he was rather wealthy for a man his age having found much success in his choice of business.

Anyone who had the privilege of doing business with Dunstan could easily describe why it was he was so successful and profitable. He was charming, easy to talk to, fair in business and in all honesty was quite handsome in his features. Many a time people had commented that he had a trustworthy face and that they had not been wrong in their findings later on when they got to know him some.

By the time he was nearing his twenty-fifth birthday, Dunstan had already met his wife-to-be Catherine and the two had grown rather fond of one another in a very short period of time. One rather hasty betrothal later, the two soon married and less than a year from then had shared in the joy of welcoming their first child; a girl they named Annaliese. The couple’s joys continued over time; Dunstan’s business and trade only increased in wealth and his bride welcomed two more children separately into their lives: both girls whom they named Celene and Linnette.

But then, tragedy struck. Upon giving birth to their fourth daughter, Catherine fell ill and died. Heartbroken, Dunstan treasured the child with even more affection than his other daughters. His wife had given her life so that this “little beauty” could live and so the name was given to the child in memory of Dunstan’s first words about his youngest.

Beauty grew with her sisters to become a sightly young woman. With her dark hair the colour of the coffee sold by the traders from the west and her brown-hazel eyes, she was no plainer and no more beautiful than any of her other three sisters. Yet despite this, she was much different in comparison. Where her sisters were proud and conceited about their looks, Beauty was humble and modest. Where her sisters were boastful and pompous in their airs about being wealthy, their youngest sister was indifferent and quite thankful for what she had.

Each girl had her own talents that she excelled in however. Annaliese had quite an aptitude with stringed instruments. Celene had a wonderful singing voice. Linette was a talented artist; able to create things with charcoal, ink or other mediums simply from memory. Beauty’s forte was that of charisma; much similar to her father in this manner.

All of Dunstan’s daughters were equally and exceptionally skilled at embroidery. Upon occasion, they would offer their works up to their father to be traded and sold for beautiful wares that he might not be able to attain otherwise with certain merchants from the west who took great value in embroidered pieces originating from the east.

When the oldest had already turned twenty four and Beauty was but entering her twentieth year, their father’s mercantile business took a sharp turn into a downward spiral. It began when a deal went sour with traders of the northwest. They refused to trade with Dunstan suddenly; claiming the price that had been previously set was no longer in their interest to pay. This was a hard blow to Dunstan who had planned to use the goods he would obtain through the deal to sell off to merchants of the south who sought such riches (and were willing to pay Dunstan’s agreed price in gold). With no other options, he then had to back out of such a transaction and the reputation of Dunstan of Careth with those merchants of the south went down in esteem some from then on.

Remember everyone feedback is always welcome on anything I post whether it be praise, constructive criticism or questions of any nature! I look forward to hearing from you and interacting with you! -Brittany