Ben Staad grows up to be blond, keen-eyed, and beautiful, unlike his father and many of the Staads before him. When he was friends with the future king, Ben seemed to be very lucky. Because of the friendship, the banks gave the Staad family better loans, and they were able to keep their farm, but when Peter is arrested, the Staad family legacy of bad luck returns.

Ben’s father, Andrew Staad, forbids Peter’s name be said in their home. Andrew is worried for his family and for his son’s safety above all. At Thomas’s coronation, Andrew is beaten by a mob of drunk people because of his son’s association with Peter.

The next day, Ben is selling cows at the market when a bunch of men begin calling him a murderer. There is a fight, and Ben is beaten up. When Andrew Staad sees his son’s bruises, he tells Ben he will take the cows to the market instead from then on, but Ben says no: He is proud of having stood up to the men and for sticking to his beliefs; he will never believe Peter murdered his father. Ben tells his father that standing up for himself is a better strategy because the men will look for easier sport eventually.