I know there was some waiting involved for this update, but I wanted to get it exactly right. After all, it is important to me to get this chapter right. But then it started getting a little longer than I expected (which is what I feared would happen), so I have to break it into two updates. I had to do it. The thing was already one of my longer chapters and it was only about halfway through what I wanted to write for this part. Sorry. Hopefully I can live up to my expectations and yours. Please enjoy.

After watching the more thick-headed girls at my school sigh and giggle about the idea of marrying their current crushes, I started thinking about marriage. I mean, I have plenty of reason to think about it after the almost-wedding. But there are just so many different types of marriages.

Half the girls at my school either have divorced parents or should have them. There are some couples who are staying together "for the children," but are only making everyone miserable, including the children themselves. Some marriages can be salvaged, but some are beyond saving and the best thing is to go their separate ways before the couple gives into the urge to murder their spouse and ends up haunted by the upset and nagging ghost.

My dad's marriages were never like that. Mom and dad always seemed happy together. Except for minor arguments, I don't remember them fighting. Of course, I was a lot younger then and might have missed signs of discontent. But Dad still loves mom, even though she's gone. And Dad and Delia might have issues with each other occasionally, especially when she's in her artistic mood or Dad is stressed out, but they're still in love with each other and make it work. Just like they're trying to make things work with me now.

Barbara and Adam are the perfect couple. They love each other, support each other, are loyal to each other, and manage to work things out before they can reach the stage of an actual fight. If anyone ever wants an example of a great marriage, that would be Barbara and Adam.

And if I consider theoretical marriages for a moment, I can't even imagine what my marriage would have been like if the wedding had worked. Beyond creepy, I mean. We all agree it would have been really weird and creepy. I don't want to imagine it because… I hated him then and now he's… Beej. And I just can't picture how we'd end up if the wedding happened.

Of course, since I know you're going to read this anyway, were you ever married before? What was it like?

Nope, never managed to snag myself a proper bride. Sorry, Lyds.

What about that skeletal finger the ring was on during the wedding? She wasn't a past wife?

Afraid not. It was kind of an embarrassing story. She needed some help with her brother. It was a huge mess. Possession, goats, torches, an angry mob, near certain doom, a scullery maid, a river, freaky trees, and something about a cursed coin. Anyway, I made a deal to help her brother for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately she was even worse than you about following through.

What happened?

She was superstitious and worried that she was actually selling her soul or something rather than just marrying a dead guy. But she wanted her brother to be saved, so she agreed. So I did my usual impressive work and got ready to walk her down the aisle. What I didn't know was that she poisoned herself first. She expired just as I was slipping the ring on her finger, before we were properly declared man and wife.

That's terrible.

What's really terrible is that she popped back up as a ghost and wouldn't stop talking about how she outwitted the "evil spirit" that tried to doom her. She would not stop bringing it up to everyone she encountered. It took some time to fix my reputation after that. Of course, this was all before my time as Juno's assistant, so almost everyone has forgotten about it. And those who bring it up tend to regret it.

So you didn't even get married when you were alive?

…

Beej?

No.

-Excerpt from "Lydia Deetz' Journal"

By the time the pestilence finally moved on, the damage was done. Far too many faces were gone from the village. Men, women, and children were dead. Entire families were lost, their bodies only discovered by neighbors long afterwards. Even Sibylla died from the sickness while offering what little help she could. Lovell, who was engaged to Avelyn right before the sickness swept across the countryside, died at some point early on. The local smith and two of his sons were lost along with Cole's entire family. Lord Bayard's daughter and a variety of people working within the manor became ill, but at least a couple of them survived. So many houses were now empty and there was a variety of livestock wandering unclaimed across the countryside even months later. But the loss of Galeren and Agnes was what affected Betelgeuse the most.

It wasn't just the fact that his friend and his wife were gone, buried properly even though Betelgeuse had to literally drag the hiding people out of the church to get it done. He was left with Katelin and Henry. That changed things more than what he'd ever expected to deal with.

Once some of the chaos from the sickness began to die down, he started making arrangements for them. Paying the heriot for their parents' deaths and a further tax necessary for Henry to be allowed to keep control of the land his father farmed took the majority of his meager funds. And then he had to find ways to feed two more mouths. Betelgeuse was forced to adopt a few strategies from the days when Remfrey was around in order to scrounge enough food. But even when struck by sorrow and heartache from the loss, the children were far more help than the old man ever was.

He never expected to care for children. He'd never imagined the possibility since he wouldn't be able to afford such a life. He liked Katelin even before Galeren asked Betelgeuse to take care of them, but that didn't make it easier to take responsibility for her. And her brother didn't even bother hiding his disdain for the man, which did make it a bit more difficult to convince Henry to follow any instructions. How was he supposed to be responsible for these children when he'd only ever needed to be responsible for his own life and that of a drunken old man? And he'd failed at keeping Remfrey alive and whole…

So with those thoughts rattling around his head like dice in a wooden cup, Betelgeuse led Galeren's old plow horse towards the village. The cart was loaded up with several barrels of the stronger brews of beer he intended to sell. He never drank the stronger stuff to the extent that Remfrey did, reveling in his drunkenness. But his brews were rather potent and better quality than most of the neighbors managed. And with Cole and his family gone, there was a greater demand for barrels of stronger beer. Regardless of the reputation of the one who made it. And the money could certainly help him.

"Goodman Betelgeuse," called out a familiar voice as he reached the first building on the edge of the village.

Bringing the horse and cart to a halt, he turned. Carrying her basket of herbs and dressed in drab clothes that did little to conceal her beauty was Avelyn. The chestnut-haired young lady was giving him a friendly and welcoming look that he rarely received, though there was certainly a hint of sadness. With all the deaths, there was plenty of sadness to spread around.

"Hello, Avelyn," he said. "I haven't seen you in some time."

"You would see me more often if you came to church with everyone on Sunday," she said shyly. "You send Henry and Katelin each week."

"Just because everyone in the entire fief calls me a heathen is no reason for Katelin to be treated similarly. And Henry probably deserves better as well," said Betelgeuse with a slight smirk near the end.

Avelyn gave him a smile before glancing down briefly towards her basket, trying to hide her mirth. It probably wasn't the best joke in the world, but the boy's lack of approval of his new guardian was well known. Henry was not a subtle boy. But even if the child did not respect Betelgeuse did not mean he would doom Henry to becoming the next village outcast if he could help it. She knew that and seemed to take the jest as it was meant. Avelyn gradually looked back up at him through her eyelashes, the young woman being nearly a head shorter than him.

"It was a kind thing to do, taking the children in like that," she said. "Not everyone would do such a thing."

Shrugging awkwardly, he muttered, "I made a promise. What else was I supposed to do?"

Her fingers twisted at the end of one of her sleeves as she spoke, Avelyn said, "It is still a kind and generous act. Even if no one else in the village will admit it, you are a good man. If you ever need help caring for them, I offer what little I can do to make that burden easier."

He wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that. He just stood there quietly as she tugged at her sleeve with her free hand and glanced between him and her basket. Normally he would fill the silence with a comment or suggestion towards whichever young lady he was facing at that moment, but not Avelyn. Galeren was right. He just couldn't treat her like any other woman he dealt with.

After the moment of silence stretched on for too long, he coughed and said, "I'm sorry about your mother. I haven't seen you since the pestilence, so I never got to tell you that. Sibylla was a good woman. And… and I'm sorry about Lovell. You were going to marry him, right?"

"Yes, I was. He was a decent man, one that my family approved of and I could see as a good husband," said Avelyn sadly, looking away. "And I miss Mother. She taught me everything she knew in regards to being a wisewoman and she ensured that even after Father died, my brother and I would never want for anything. Disease took many good people. The seasons may change, but their absence still hurts. It'll take time for those wounds to heal."

He may have ended the silence, but Betelgeuse immediately felt bad about causing her mood to darken. He never wanted to see her suffering. Barely noticing the action, he took a step towards her.

"Their loss will grow easier to bear," he assured. "It is a small comfort now, but it does grow easier."

Any further discussion between them was ended by an abrupt and harsh voice saying, "Avelyn."

Startled, the pair sprang apart. Standing not too far away was Derrick and his wife, Evette. While the women looked uncertain and uncomfortable, Derrick glared at them. No, not them. He was just glaring at Betelgeuse.

"Derrick," said Avelyn, a tenseness to her voice. "I finished gathering herbs and was simply greeting a neighbor. It is the polite thing to do and we are in public where no one can claim that we are acting indecently. So do not claim he or I have done anything wrong, brother."

Eyes never leaving Betelgeuse, he said, "Sister, you should hurry home before the plants begin to wilt. Perhaps Evette can help you prepare them properly."

Betelgeuse knew that Derrick was just trying to get rid of her. She knew he was just trying to get rid of her. Avelyn wasn't a fool. He could see the look of frustration in her eyes for a moment. But between the fact that Derrick was the man in the family and that he did have a point about her herbs, there wasn't much that she could do. She could either make a scene that would have the entire village quickly watching or she could go along with the blatant attempt to force her away from the man of ill-repute. Betelgeuse didn't blame her at all when she gave him an apologetic smile and turned away with her sister-in-law.

That left the men alone, glaring at each other. As annoyed as he was by Derrick and regardless of how easy it would be to provoke him into a fight, Betelgeuse knew better. They would be on relatively equal footing one-on-one, though he suspected that he could probably beat Derrick if he managed to get the first hit. But they were in the village and there were people who would notice. And there were those who would interfere in such a fight. Unfortunately, they would only be helping one of them. Any fight would quickly result in Betelgeuse facing several men at the same time, some of them with grudges due to sisters and daughters of their own.

So he waited patiently. Derrick had remained behind for a reason. Betelgeuse knew he should hear him out so that he could properly ignore the man's words later.

"Stay away from my sister," said Derrick, completely predictable and unsurprising.

"If you had arrived sooner, you would have seen that she called out and approached me. And I have been nothing but respectful towards her."

"You?" he spat venomously. "The man who has stared, touched, courted, chased, and slept with every woman who crosses his path? The man who won't set foot in a church and whose soul is probably black as soot? The son of the useless drunk who everyone knows gambled and wasted away everything he owned and then managed to anger the Lord of the Manor enough to be forced to live in the boggy forest with the worst farmland on the entire fief? You wouldn't understand the meaning of being respectful or honest or good. You're a curse upon this village, corrupting and tormenting the women while ignoring and annoying the men."

"You give me far too much credit," said Betelgeuse, smirking at him. "If I really wanted to be a curse on the village, I would be far more impressive about it."

"I know what you have in mind. You want to tempt her to your bed and then break her heart. And then everyone will know that you managed to get another innocent girl to fall for your vile actions. You want to corrupt her and ruin her life. I won't let you do that to my sister."

"Hey, the last thing I want to do is break her heart," he said. "And any 'innocent girl' who ever followed me knew exactly what they were getting into and literally asked for it. If they said 'no,' then I either waited for them to change their minds or I moved on."

"Lies," snarled Derrick. "I know what kind of man you are. I know what kind of foul and twisted serpent you are, lurking in the shadows and tempting innocent maidens with your forked tongue."

"I'm starting to wonder if you're just jealous. Maybe you should have waited and checked out some other girls before marrying Goodwoman Evette."

Stepping closer in an attempt to look intimidating, Derrick said, "You will stay away from Avelyn. You don't deserve her. You don't deserve anyone. You couldn't be worthy of her even if you tried."

Betelgeuse met his gaze without flinching, but his thoughts were already in motion. He'd spent years with the acceptance that he could never be in a position to marry. He knew that he and Avelyn would never have a chance and he'd accepted that truth. She deserved a better life than what he could provide her. It wasn't easy, but he had long since accepted it.

But now Derrick was flat out stating he couldn't marry her even if he tried. He said that that Betelgeuse couldn't do it. And even if he already thought that, Betelgeuse couldn't just let Derrick's words go. His mind was already seeing Derrick's statement as a challenge. He was essentially challenging Betelgeuse to prove him wrong. Even Galeren's support and encouragement wasn't enough to motivate him to take a chance and try, but Derrick boldly saying he couldn't do it…

He wanted to prove Derrick wrong. And he really wanted to marry Avelyn.

Honestly, he'd wanted to marry her for a long time. He just couldn't let himself admit it because it was easier to accept the impossibility if he acted as if he didn't want marriage. But for the first time, he wanted to take the risk and try.

The rest of Derrick's threats and insults were ignored. They weren't anything new anyway. Betelgeuse had more important things on his mind. He would have to work hard. He would have to stabilize everything in regards to taking care of Katelin and Henry. And he would have to earn enough money to both support another person in the household and pay the costs necessary to marry her. But given enough time, he might be able to make it work. And if he could convince Avelyn when it was ready, she might be able to help convince Derrick to agree to the marriage.

All right, that last part would be the real challenge. Hopefully enough paid for the bride-price and some begging from Avelyn would be enough. Otherwise it could get very complicated. But he could figure that part out later. The rest would take plenty of time and energy to accomplish.

He'd find a way. She was worth it.

There was no one at the door even though Avelyn heard someone knocking. There wasn't even someone walking away from her home. Whoever caused the sound was nowhere in sight.

Only when she was about to head back inside did she spot it. A splash of color curled on the ground in front of her door. Hesitantly, the young woman picked it up.

A ribbon, a red ribbon the perfect length to tie in her hair, had been left on her doorstep. Red was her favorite color, but managing to dye that vibrant shade was difficult. The more wealthy people could manage entire outfits of intense colors, but even the bright ribbon was a lovely token that would cost some money unless you were particularly skilled at bargaining. Someone knew it was her favorite color, went to the trouble to obtain the ribbon, and left it for her without taking credit for the generous action.

Avelyn smiled to herself as she coiled the ribbon between her fingers playfully. It was a beautiful accessory. It was always nice to see a little kindness in the world, especially after seeing so much horror and heartache. If she ever discovered the provider of the gift, she would certainly have to thank them.

She waited patiently for the spider to crawl across the edge of her dress before lifting it up and hurrying for the door. Katelin knew that several girls and women expressed disgust with the creeping creatures, but she didn't really mind them. They were interesting to watch, spinning and weaving their webs. They didn't even require as many tools to craft their thread and create something amazing as people did. Besides, all life had a purpose in the world. Even little spiders. But Katelin also knew that the spider would be safer outside the house and she didn't want any more cobwebs to clean away.

Once she'd released the crawly creature, Katelin turned back towards the sturdy house. In the last four years, she was surprised how much it felt like home. To the left was the door to the byre, where the animals lived. The wall between where the people and the animals dwelt was sturdy and well-built. Inside was an open fire pit with a smokehole in the roof above, ensuring that it was always warm. To the far right was a small loft in the rafters where she and her brother slept while Betelgeuse stayed below.

Around the fire was an iron pot-hanger, a tripod, a shovel, large fire-irons, a cauldron and a meat-hook, all of which she knew how to use. At eleven, she did a lot of the cooking for the household. Mother taught her before she died and Betelgeuse knew quite a bit about it too from years of being alone, so Katelin had learned a lot about preparing meals and maintaining the household while everyone else was in the fields. Taking up the rest of the space was a plank table on trestles, a bench, a few stools, a chest, a small cabinet, and Mother's old loom they'd brought over so Katelin could work on weaving cloth. In the chest, they stored a mallet, a mortar, some nails, some gimlets, fishing lines, hooks, baskets, and other assorted useful items. They kept a jug on the table and a few barrels stacked in the corner. Since Betelgeuse had been selling his stronger brews of beer for the last few years and no one had been able to match his quality yet, he liked to keep the barrels in the house in case someone started having ideas.

Everything had their place, giving the house a familiar and comfortable feel to her. Katelin liked living there. She missed her parents and probably always would, but she was happy with Betelgeuse. He was nice and funny sometimes. And he always made sure they were all right. Even during the winter, he always made sure she and Henry had something to eat.

Thinking about Henry made her frown a little. She loved her brother, but he was so suspicious. He never trusted Betelgeuse. She'd tried to talk to him several times, but Henry just didn't like him. And some of the things Henry said was just plain foolish.

He claimed that the only reason Betelgeuse let them stay was because he wanted Father's land. Yes, Father's fields were still being planted and farmed, but it was mostly by Henry with what little help he would accept from Betelgeuse. And they were all eating the food, at least what didn't go to the manor and the church, so what did it matter where it grew?

But that was how it was with Henry. Any good thing that Betelgeuse said or did was somehow a bad thing. She didn't even try to understand her brother anymore. Boys were just strange. Though Derrick's son, Nicholas, was a little younger than her and acted normal. He was nice, even if his father didn't like Betelgeuse. Maybe only some boys were odd.

Katelin had to admit that her thoughts were flitting around like butterflies. She was actually fairly excited. Henry didn't know it, but something important was happening that evening. She knew because she paid attention and because Betelgeuse liked her. He told her more because she wasn't rude and disobedient.

She hadn't baked bread that day. She was overdue for a trip to town to use the oven, but she didn't do it because Betelgeuse asked her not to. He instead asked someone else to go as a favor. And that someone was Avelyn.

That was why she was excited. She'd known for almost forever that he liked the woman. She knew he wanted to marry Avelyn and not even Father could talk him into trying. But she paid attention. She'd watched and listened. And she knew he'd been working hard the last few years to make everything better, to make it good enough for more people to live with him without going hungry. And she knew who the red ribbon he bought years ago was for. He'd been working his way towards a specific goal and she knew it was almost time. She could feel it. Especially with how on edge he'd seemed recently. Not upset; just tense and uncertain. It was definitely unusual for Betelgeuse and she took it as a sign that he was ready to take a chance.

As she finished straightening up the rest of the house, they arrived. Betelgeuse was the first through the door, looking rather tired and yet satisfied from his day. Henry was right behind him, the fourteen year old scowling until he caught sight of his sister and allowed his expression to soften. They'd been working separate fields, Henry caring for Father's while Betelgeuse dealt with the poorer land that he was responsible for. At least there wasn't too much to do at that point in the year, especially in comparison to the workload during the harvest. During that time, even she was in the fields trying to help get everything finished. But currently they would finish before sunset and make it home at a reasonable time.

She gave the pair a stern look, making them shift direction towards the waiting jug of water and the waiting bowl on the table. They tended to ignore it most of the time, but Katelin suspected what Betelgeuse had in mind for the evening. So she needed to silently remind them to at least wash off the worst of the sweat and dirt from their faces and arms. The man needed to make the best impression possible.

"Henry, could you check to make sure the goats are secure? I can't remember if I tied them well enough," said Katelin as the worst of the mess was cleaned up.

He would have argued if Betelgeuse asked. She knew her brother well enough to be certain of that. But for his sister, he would do it. Henry gave a nod and picked up the bowl to toss out the now-muddy water on his way out.

As soon as the boy was outside, Betelgeuse said, "You know, don't you?"

"Avelyn is coming over here this evening and you've been acting strangely," she said. "You're ready to do it, just like Father said you should have a long time ago."

"I couldn't before. I could barely take care of myself."

"And now you can take care of me, Henry, and anyone else who might want to live here. You re-thatched the roof last year and added a layer to the walls to make them thicker the year before. You managed to raise a few more pigs, goats, and a small flock of sheep that keep trying to wander off. We had mutton to eat last year. And some of the people in the village, when they don't think anyone is listening, have suggested that your brews are better than what Cole's family used to make. They might not like you for some reason that seems even stranger than before, but everyone knows you're doing better these last few years. There is no reason why someone else can't live here happily. You've done it, Betelgeuse. You made it work."

He looked at the girl, still wearing the striped mantle she made years ago. The colors had faded from the weather and use, but the stripes were still visible. It was a clumsy and childish effort at creating clothing, but Katelin still felt proud that he wore it even after she learned to make something better. He wore it because he cared about the silly gift of a little girl. He wore it because he cared about her.

She made it because she wanted him to be happy. And she still wanted him to be happy. Katelin knew that the best way to make him happy now was to help him make the evening perfect.

"Do you know what you're going to say?" she asked.

He was silent for a moment before admitting with a chuckle, "Not even a little."

"Just tell her the truth. Tell her how you feel, all the good things you've done to get ready to ask her, why she's the one you want to ask, and that you think she'll be happy with us. Don't think too much. All you need to say is how you feel about her. That's what Father told Mother after he spoke to Grandfather."

"Asking Agnes's father was probably easier than asking Derrick," he muttered.

Crossing her arms, Katelin said, "Well, you don't want to marry Goodman Derrick. You want to marry Avelyn. So ask her first if she wants to and then figure out how to talk to her brother later. I don't know why some people do it the other way around."

"Because some people care more about the dowry than the woman's feelings on the matter," he muttered, running a hand through his blond hair and making it stand up wildly.

"Don't do that. It makes you look wild and unruly," scolded Katelin jokingly, climbing on the bench so she could flatten his hair back down. "You want her to take you seriously. Not like all the other women who you teased and bothered."

"Now that I think about it, why am I taking advice from you, Lin? The only boy you've ever talked to is Henry," he grumbled while trying to hide his grin. "And maybe that Nicholas. Should I have a talk with him yet or do we have some time before he comes over to start asking for permission for his own wedding?"

Katelin scowled at Betelgeuse while ignoring how her cheeks felt a bit warmer. She was probably just too close to the fire.

"He's just a friend. Be nice."

"All right, Lin. I'll leave him alone," he chuckled. Apparently realizing that they would soon be out of time, he asked, "Is there any possible way you can think of that you can get your brother out of here for a little while? I don't want him to mess this up, either on accident or intentionally. And I'd rather not have too many witnesses regardless."

She didn't think Henry would try to ruin it on purpose, but she also knew that it would be best not to take any chances. Betelgeuse had been waiting a long time to ask Avelyn. She wanted him to be happy, so she would help in any way that she could. Katelin nodded just as Henry walked back in the door.

"All the goats are taken care of," he confirmed. "Anything else, Katelin?"

"I had an idea," said the girl as she walked towards her brother with an enthusiastic smile. "We haven't seen Goodman Thibaud and his wife in recent days. Perhaps we could take some of the sweet preservatives I made last year and visit them this evening? I'm certain that they would enjoy our company."

Thibaud was another friend of Father, but not a friend of Betelgeuse. He and his wife did not find out about the children's fate until almost a month after their parents' deaths. Though they remained with Betelgeuse, they'd stated quite clearly and often repeated that the children were welcome to come to their home whenever they wished. Whether for a meal or to spend the evening, they were always welcome within their household. Katelin knew it was because they, like almost everyone in the village, worried what would happen to them since they were living with Betelgeuse. She knew it was a foolish thing to worry about, but a visit to their house was an excuse that Henry would happily accept. He liked them far more than he did their actual guardian.

"Would that be all right, Betelgeuse?" she asked, giving the man a pleading expression as if she wasn't just fulfilling his request for privacy for the evening.

With false reluctance, he said dryly, "I suppose you should see them and let the old fools know I haven't managed to kill you yet. You would think that after four years, they'd start to trust me with the two of you."

"I think they have every right to be concerned," muttered Henry before taking Katelin's hand. "Come along, sister. We should hurry if we want to get there before they eat."

Giving Betelgeuse a quick supportive smile, she let her brother lead her out the door. Katelin hoped the evening would go smoothly. She had done everything she could.

Avelyn liked to believe that she had the ability to see more than most people. Her mother always said it was an important skill, looking beyond the surface and seeing what others might miss. It would help her be a great wisewoman, able to see the differences in a variety of sicknesses and hurts, the restless spirits that sometimes lingered after death, and the true state of a man's heart. Her family had always placed an emphasis on those skills and generally became wisemen and wisewomen of wherever they lived. It extended all the way back to her great-great-grandmother, who was brought to England by her great-great-grandfather from abroad when he served as a common soldier during one of the Crusades and he fell in love with her. Regardless of anything else, Avelyn tried to see the truth rather than the obvious.

So she knew Betelgeuse was a good man even when everyone else scorned him. The type of person the rest of the village saw just didn't make sense. She knew he had his flaws, but he also took in two orphaned children, wore a badly-dyed mantle made by the girl as a gift, never broke a deal, and worked hard the last few years to make his meager stretch of land productive enough to properly live off it. And regardless of what wagging tongues might imply, he wasn't seeking out a variety of female companionship anymore. Though that might be due to a lack of time with everything else he was trying to accomplish. Even if no one else could see it, he was trying to build a life for the children and himself.

That was part of the reason why she ignored Derrick's warnings and continued to seek Betelgeuse out. She spoke to him whenever he was in the village, sometimes offering a container of blackberry preservatives or something in exchange for firewood or herbs from the boggy forest he called home. He visited her more often than in the past, almost taking pleasure at the challenge of finding her when her brother was absent. And in a way, Avelyn also enjoyed annoying Derrick a little. She liked Betelgeuse. He was a good friend. There was no reason why she should avoid him just because Derrick didn't like him.

This meant that when Betelgeuse asked for a favor, she was happy to help. While Katelin normally could take care of baking bread, he'd asked the woman to do it and bring the loaves to his house. It was easy enough to accomplish. She simply took his flour and hers to the oven and baked them at the same time. She could handle the favor for him.

She knew where he lived and knew vaguely how to get there. Avelyn did wish she'd managed to head to his home earlier in the day, though. The red tint of the late evening sky and the deep stretching shadows made it hard to see the faint trail that wound through the boggy forest. She was afraid it would be dark before she could make it back to her house. But this was the soonest she could make the trip. And the path to Betelgeuse's home was the only one through the marshy place, so she shouldn't get lost if she was careful.

It took some time to travel the increasingly dark path, but she eventually spotted the house. She shifted her grip on her favorite basket, the one she wound her favorite red ribbon around the handle when she wasn't wearing it, and smiled. This wasn't too difficult to accomplish. Derrick worried far too much. Avelyn hurried to cover the rest of the distance. Almost as soon as she knocked, the door was practically flung open.

"Avelyn," said Betelgeuse. "Thank you for coming over. Would you come in?"

She fought the urge to frown in response to his words. Something was wrong. There was something off about his tone and posture. She knew him well enough to recognize that he wasn't acting normal. He seemed… nervous. Turning that idea over in her mind, Avelyn slowly stepped into the room and set her basket of bread on the table.

"Where are Henry and Katelin?" she asked, looking around the room and even towards the small loft on the right side of the room.

"I asked them to leave us alone this evening. I was hoping to speak with you without anyone else present," said Betelgeuse.

"What would you like to discuss?"

Betelgeuse ran a hand through his hair briefly, making it stand up wildly, before he started to pace the room. He was definitely worked up over whatever he was planning to say. Part of her wanted to urge him to sit down and relax a little. It wasn't normal for him.

"I've known you for a long time and you have always seemed smarter than most of the people in the village. You certainly don't believe everything you hear without actually thinking," he said, walking passed the fire. His shadow stretched and flickered across the room. "You have always been a nice and good-hearted person towards everyone, even those who don't deserve it."

There was something familiar about the speech. It wasn't the exact words that were tickling her memory, but the tone. Avelyn couldn't quite place it. And yet she knew she'd been in the same position before.

Reaching up and fiddling with the leather thong around his neck, Betelgeuse continued, "Out of all the people I've met, I'm not afraid to admit I like you the most. And maybe you might like me back, at least a little."

"Of course I like you," said Avelyn, a little stunned he would doubt it.

He relaxed a little at her words. Not a lot, the tension still clear in his posture. But he did have some of his old confidence back.

"Good. That's the important part. Derrick can hate me all he wants. Just as long as you don't," he said, slowing his pacing. "A lot has changed in the last few years. Some bad, but some of it not. And what once seemed impossible might have a chance." He slowly walked back in her direction. "I've tried to turn my life around. I've worked and saved until we're not always on the brink of starvation. We'd never live like nobles in a manor, but we'd be comfortable here. There's a little money, livestock, and grain. A warm fire, sturdy walls, and a dry roof. And there's someone who cares for you with all his heart and would die to keep you safe and happy."

She knew. It hit her hard, the absolute and overwhelming shock that flooded her body. She figured it out when he started talking about "we." Avelyn remembered why this felt familiar. Lovell once did something similar after speaking to Derrick. Her heart was racing and a lump formed in her throat. She never expected this. For all her insight and ability to see what others missed, Avelyn never saw this coming from Betelgeuse.

"You seem to like the children and they seem to like you in return. Even Henry doesn't hate you," he continued awkwardly, still working his way to what she knew was coming. "Talking your brother into agreeing would be the hard part, so I was hoping you'd do that while I bribe him with several barrels of my strongest brews." There was a weak smile from him at that, but she couldn't bring herself to respond to his jest. "I'm probably making no sense. I'm usually better at talking people into something, but not you. You've always been special. Not to mention I don't have much experience at this particular speech."

She knew what he wanted to ask. Any other young lady would be horrified at the idea, especially with his history. Dozens and dozens of women had encountered his advances. And even if she tried to see the best in him, she knew at least some of those meetings ended in intimate situations. He would never deny it. He would even brag about it. But those actions did little encourage someone when face with the ultimate question.

And even if she could live with it as she did when she viewed him as a friend, others would not accept such a thing from a potential… from someone who…

There was a numb disconnect between her body and her mind. And between most of her thoughts and the knowledge of what he wanted to say. That was the best description for her. Numb and disconnected.

"I suppose I should just say it before I lose my nerve to take a chance. It took years to find it in the first place," said Betelgeuse, taking her gently in his calloused one and kneeling in front of her. "I love you, Avelyn. I have for a long time. But I never had any sort of life to offer you before and I knew you deserved better. Now I've done everything I can to change that. I made a life you, Katelin, and even Henry might be happy with."

He loved her. Avelyn felt her chest tighten painfully and her eyes began to burn. Betelgeuse loved her? He just said it and she believed him. He wouldn't lie. Not about this. He actually loved her. She'd never known, never even suspected. She wasn't observant at all. She was blind and oblivious.

Did she love him? Could she love him back?

She searched her feelings, her memories and thoughts churning and boiling wildly. He was certainly a friend and she held a certain level of affection towards him. She always smiled when she saw him. He made her laugh sometimes. She trusted him, even when all logic and everyone she knew argued against it. The thought of him stopping by to help filled her stomach with a fluttering sensation, one she'd ignored or brushed off so often in the past. She felt safe in his presence. She knew she could count on him. He always left her feeling warm and happy.

And, as she surprisingly realized, she did love him. And somehow that made the shock enveloping her more intense.

With his free hand, he pulled the leather thong into view. Dangling from it was a small gold ring, a simple and beautiful band. Avelyn wasn't certain where he got it, but it must be truly precious. She knew it had to be the most valuable object he owned.

Offering the ring towards her, Betelgeuse said, "I know it is a lot to ask, but would you consider being my wife?"

It was a lot to ask. She knew her answer would change her life forever. She knew the life he was describing could be wonderful. Even the knowledge that her brother and most of the village would disapprove of the match, Avelyn knew that she could be happy with them. She could be happy with him. That didn't lessen the tightness in her chest, the tears forming in her eyes, and the way her body shook as she tried to summon her voice to answer him.

"Betelgeuse, I…" she said in an unsteady voice. "No. I can't."

This was too much. She couldn't face it. Not yet. Not now. It was too much for her to think about now. The shock of the entire situation felt so overwhelming. She couldn't handle the question, the potential future, or the expression that was quickly overtaking his face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she backed away, tears rolling down her face.

She hated the look he was giving her, like everything was crumbling, but she couldn't… She wasn't ready to deal with this. She felt trapped, suffocated, weighed down by everything…

Unable to think, Avelyn numbly repeated, "I'm sorry."

Shock, panic, and frantic confusion consumed her, leaving no room to consider anything. Everything was just overwhelming her. Avelyn stumbled out the door and ran. She didn't even stop to get her basket or even look where she was going. She just fled the question, the possibilities, and her feelings.

Tears rolling down her face, she ran blindly into the darkness. Away from the proposal. Away from the realization of the truth that she never noticed. Away from the sounds of breaking and destruction that erupted from the house as she fled into the night.

This is probably the first and last time in his existence that Betelgeuse did anything even remotely mushy and emotional. He took a chance and told the girl how he felt, laying it all out and hoping it worked. He spent about four years after the plague trying to become someone who might have a future he'd never risked considering. He took care of the orphaned kids, managed to get ahead of things so they weren't always on the brink of starvation, and scraped together enough money to hopefully pay the bride-price if he could talk her brother into giving permission. He even offered up the ring his mother left him. He put his heart on the line, went completely out of his depths while being completely honest, and asking the girl he'd loved from afar for years if she would marry him.

And she said "no."

Though to be fair to Avelyn, it would be pretty shocking for the guy you thought of as a nice friend (even if everyone else in the village thought he was scum) to propose abruptly. Blame shock and a complete obliviousness to his feelings prior to this event for her bad reaction. Given some time to calm down and come to terms with what just happened, she'd probably come around and apologize for how she to responded to the surprise proposal. And maybe even accept the offer.

But unfortunately that isn't the outcome the future holds for these characters. No happily ever after for this particular couple, I'm afraid.

Once again, go and buy my book. There's a link on my profile, but it is currently not working for some reason. So just go to Amazon and look up "Dead Man Walking" by A.R. Jones. You can't miss it. You can buy it for the Kindle or download the Kindle app thing for your smartphone. You can probably even download it on your iPad or other computer things. Just go out and support my original piece of fiction, please.

Remember, reviews are nice and I always appreciate them. I love hearing feedback on this and all stories I write. Thanks.

And I swear, the next chapter has him die. Promise.