Without looking disgusted or even a little bit displeased, the group digs in. Halfway through, the women looks worriedly towards the group,"I'm sorry the food isn't that good, we don't have the money to buy fresh ingredients or spices... you don't have to force yourself to eat it."

"Not at all. We haven't had a unburnt meal since the last town." That sentence creates a rupture of laughter within the group. Oh yeah, I noticed that no one in the merchant group knows how to cook a decent meal. Each member in the caravan has a designated job when they stop to rest. Some get water from a nearby river, some make a fire, some guard the caravan, and Conroy makes the meals.

Conroy, who was previously enjoying his unburnt meal, now has his head buried in his chest out of embarra.s.sment.

The lively atmosphere causes the other people in the room to smile including the woman, everyone except for Sven, who seems to be in deep thought.

Before I can guess what he's thinking, he blurts out a question full of childish innocence."Um, what happened to this town?"

The whole room becomes silent and Sven's father looks panicked. "Ryan!"

"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude..." Sven realizes his mistake and tries to correct it.

"Please forgive him, he's still young." Sven's father hurriedly says.

The woman looks at the boy with a dazed soft smile, one that hides deep sorrow."It's fine, actually, the citizens of this town have been through a lot. Please do not just look at their outward appearance."

"We would never." Sven's father says with a certain seriousness.

The woman looks thankful, then her expression turns painful, like she was reminded of a bad story,"...it all started when-"

"You don't have to tell us if it hurts that much." Sven speaks up with clear eyes and a similar seriousness as his father.

"..." The woman looks conflicted, her mouth is open, but the words are stuck in her throat. She was given an escape route, but she wants to return these stranger's kindness.

Helping her make a decision, an elderly man slowly stands up from one of the other tables and hobbles over with a cane," It's ok Annabelle, I'll tell them."

The woman, Annabelle, looks like she wants to stop him, worried that it'll drudge up bad memories buried deep within the old man's foggy mind. She was about to decline when the eldery look at her with a very peaceful and serene expression,"It's ok."

This makes Annabelle give in,"Thank you..." She goes back to the counter and sits down in a sad daze, like she's remembering the past she's tried to bury.

In the quiet room, the lone, gruffly voice of the old man starts," It began when-