It turns out that the lovely lass had left important bits out of her story. These additions cast her predicament as less harsh than my brother thought. Her father, James Reabnor, was a guest of the Lord of the Manor, and was a rather prosperous creditor in the village below. He had taken part in the weekly game of Liar's Dice at the castle and wagered more than he had on him at the time. He had brought his daughter with him and left her behind until he returned. The reason he neglected to tell her the details was that he knew she would pass it on to his wife, who complained already of the toll this gambling habit had taken on their collected loans.
The father returned the following afternoon to settle his gentlemanly debt. Before he entered the great hall, Raisley intercepted him, gushing with news of her good fortune. James was a canny and cunning man, and pressed his child carefully as to the details of the meeting with Ilias and especially of the terms. James had accumulated wealth by recognizing golden opportunities when they were available and this bounty had fallen into his lap. He would have been a fool not to capitalize upon this cash cow.
He asked to see the gold himself, and had his attendants cart it away from the room. Calling his daughter, Raisley, into the emptied tower, he feigned rage at her lying with faery tales. Raisley wept mightily and protested that it did happen, that she was telling the truth. James gave his child an ultimatum - return to the tower and call her new friend, proving her veracity with a face to face meeting with this creature. Raisley wailed and wept for five days and nights, crying out for my brother to redeem her virtue.
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