Exchanges Most Bazaar [Naadiya]

by **Alric Lysane** on March 20th, 2022, 10:44 am

20th Spring 522 AV – The Open Sky Bazaar

Life had become distinctly more complicated of late, and not just because Sunberth seemed to be going through so form of rutting instinct manifestation, laced through with drugs that had flooded the streets and the occasional bout of violence between the gangs. No, this particular complication was a bittersweet one, currently slumped upon the couch back at the apartments, taking in everything between hobbling about upon the temporary crutch he had located for her. Lys had never seen anything like the Outpost before, though she had taken to it better than he had been worried she would. She seemed almost as curious as he was, perhaps even more, and so he spent several bells touring as much as she was able to, before giving into her body and his insistence that she rested.

He would have his hands full with her, no doubt, she was already pulling off her bandages every so often to check on the wound and administer her own skills – she knew some rudimentary medicine she had told him, having learned rough and ready applications upon the streets. He had said nothing, simply letting her discover that she wasn’t immortal, even if she wished she were. Still, she had healed more quickly than anticipated. The wound n her leg was pretty much clean now, with the infection gone and just the scarring of tissue to come before a full recovery would be made. Her leg on her left side was slightly weaker, hence the crutch, but before long he thought she’d be running rings around him again – a fact for which he was both grateful and fretful. He was running out of stories to tell her to explain how he had found her, where he had been since she had seen him last, and a half-dozen or more other questions. She had the ability to tease him until she finally got the answer she wanted, even if he didn’t want to initially give it – and that filled him with tendrils of fear.

So, he had retreated to the place he usually did when trying to sort his mind of mundane, non-magical matters, the Open Sky Bazaar. Its chattering, hawking and the warmth of the gathered bodies was a comfort to him. He was always wary, keeping his eyes open for threats of hunters, but on the whole, he was beginning to prefer the Outpost to Sunberth for timeless browsing.

Each stall was a snippet of somewhere else – other cultures, foods, weapons, decorations and all the rest. It tickled as his curiosity, the desire for knowledge having grown exponentially over the seasons since discovering his heritage. It was strange, he could remember he had always been open to new things and concepts, but now it was less an openness and more…a need…he felt. He found himself enjoying the conversations with strangers from far off places, absorbing what he could and musing upon them later, pipe between his teeth – these days Lys nattering at him alongside.

This particular meeting, though, he was not now enjoying. He had simply ben looking for a weapon of some kind – preferably a Voril one but his luck had been less than stellar in that regard – but had slammed into a wall of communication issues that had left him confused, trying to tease out the edges of a tangled rope that seemed to shift and reorient itself whenever it realised that was what he was doing.

What is it with my luck and Benshira? Next they’ll be letting Arcadius out of the back to try to grab me now…petching… he thought, though he kept an affable smile plastered across his face and his gaze attentive, trying to pin the men before him down. One was the shopkeeper – who apparently didn’t speak common – and the other was translating. Alric felt that it was a cheap sales tactic, but he had no proof and didn’t seek a confrontation and so kept such thoughts to himself.

“You’re sure this is actually Voril?” he asked, studying the blade that was in his hands, eyes taking it in and seeking some sort of resonance but feeling…nothing. He hid his rising disappointment, though in the back of his mind he was starting to question many thing, about this interaction as the translations and re-translations were performed. He sighed, his patience beginning to wear thin.

“Yes yes, he says it was told to him that it was certified as so. He is not a Voril mage, so he cannot hear it himself, but he has been told by many learned men he trusts that it is. Did you want to buy it?”

“I’m not sure your friends are as well learned as he says they are…” he said, his tone deliberately questioning and reserved, seeking to prompt a reaction he could use to determine things further. It seemed to work as they slipped into a heated back and forth between them, Alric forgotten whilst they sounded like they argued with each other, gesturing firmly with their hands.

He frowned at the weapon, studying it and finding it to be of excellent quality. Whatever it was made of wasn’t steel, it was something with a finer edge and less shine but more solidity. Whilst they were distracted, he ran his fingers across the blade, pulling off his glove to run Lykata imbued fingers lovingly across the weapon. Images flashed and flickered, owners of varying times and places, different cultures, flowed through his mind’s eyes. So lost was he in trying to read and interpret the flowing threads of knowledge, he didn’t immediately notice that someone else had joined them int heir back and forth dance of commerce.

by **Naadiya** on March 22nd, 2022, 6:10 pm

After having a winter of great financial success, Naadiya did not want to let herself lose the momentum she had gained in such short time. But what would be her next move?

The idea of opening her own shop had intrigued her for some time. She liked the Swiftwaters, the couple who essentially ran the entire settlement’s trade of clothing and cloth alike, but Naadiya was also quickly seeing how a position such as hers would have her burning herself out too soon. It wasn’t only Dawn’s own expectations, Naadiya herself refused to do the bare minimum.

No, she needed that feeling. The feeling of security in knowing you made enough of a difference that when it came time for an increase in wages, she would feel confident in asking for it.

It was a feeling, however, that would be fleeting, leaving her again with a void that needed to be filled. But could she even do it? Go into business on her own?

The idea would potentially ruffle some feathers. She would have to approach the entire conversation from such an angle as to not make the sometimes-touchy Dawn feel that Naadiya was trying to carve out a chunk of the local trade away from her own establishment.

Every time Naadiya had been in the store location, she had carefully taken stock of what the designer had been creating and setting out for sale. She took note of the colors her boss seemed to prefer, and those that were rarely used. She glimpsed the weights of the garments that Dawn would have set out in the store, compared to those Naadiya herself would help packing up to be shipped to Riverfall.

The Benshira’s eyes took in every little detail and her somewhat scattered brain did its best to make sure her memories were neatly filed away.

She had noticed a difference between what Dawn sold in Syka versus what she sold in Riverfall. The Syka garments tended towards the simpler designs of less embellishment and less volume.

I can’t imagine she would get many customers for beaded ball gowns in the jungle.

It did not take Naadiya long to see the shopkeeper had done quite a bit of research in not only what the people of Riverfall would want to wear, but also just how much they would be willing to pay for such garments.

Dawn never actually let her take a look at any of her records. She had seen neither a numbered ledger not a written description of sales made, but Naadiya knew fabric and she was certain that if Dawn was shipping things that had required multiple dyeing processes, beadwork or exotic feathers then each of those garments must have a hugely inflated selling price at their destination.

Riverfall business gossip was something Dawn liked to sprinkle here and there when it suited the situation. She never told Naadiya exactly how she knew what she knew. Whoever had been Dawn’s eyes and ears in the Akalak city, Naadiya still did not know their names.

Family might be a safe guess, she considered. Surely she still has friends in the city as well. Maybe even more than she has here, the city must be much more populated than Syka.

She’d kept her ears open for all information that could come in handy and one of those tid-bits had been The Outpost. An international trading hub was just the kind of thing that might give one merchant’s business an advantage over that of his neighbor. A center for not only the buying and selling of goods, but of information and a better place than most for securing favorable trade deals far and wide.

True to Dawn’s ‘Sykan Aesthetic’, Naadiya wore a wispy and white isuas dress that had braided white fabric as the straps and belt. She had been offered an ombre dyed style for the skirt but Naadiya had preferred to go without it. Sometimes she loved the effect the Sykan dying method had, particularly when the color placement felt unusual.

Maybe a dress that is split right down the middle, one half light blue, one half yellow. Or the same color combo, going horizontally across a billowy top.

But sometimes, she looked quizzically at the skirt’s Dawn loved best while thinking she could have gotten the same effect by wearing the garments and walking through a bog knee deep, or a pool of blood or Ashta shit.

Maybe I will ask her for that billowy top though. She might even like the colors, and give the red a break. Not everyone can pull off the freshly stabbed look.

A long strapped leather bag crossed her body, hanging from one shoulder. Naadiya adjusted the strap, pulling her long dark hair free and letting it drop down her back. On her left ear, she wore the magical earring that had so easily become part of her every day life. Naadiya found the ringing that it sent in her ear when she was told a lie was more than useful to wear during business interactions. Her other was currently naked, but maybe she would find something to balance out the ivory hued chunk of turquoise stone that hung inside a silver hoop.

Passage through the Dovecotes had not been like what she’d expected. For some reason Naadiya thought the transition would leave her dizzy or with an uneasy stomach. But she felt fine, no headache or stomach cramp to speak of. She spoke briefly to a man in the Dovecote she exited, it did not seem to be the same one she’d entered in Syka. He pointed her in the direction of the Open Sky Bazaar after trying, rather fervently, to enlighten Naadiya to all the merits of his patron goddess.

Xyna was known throughout the land, but when her favor was so rarely given, few actually tried to gain her favor. At least not successfully. She smiled politely as he spoke and nodded, until he ceased trying to convert her, noticing an apparent lack of interest.

The bazaar was a bit of a taste of home for Naadiya. Its layout and outdoor nature, brought Naadiya back to the desert. Though here the stalls held things she’d have a hard time trying to get a hold of in Wadrass. Trinkets and tokens from every corner of Mizahar screamed at her from both left and right.

Pausing at one stall to ask one of the vendors where she might find Eyktolian fabrics, Naadiya tested her patience while she weeded through the compliments and purchase suggestions to grasp the information she really wanted.

Sure, the necklace did bring out the hue of her eyes. She wasn’t buying it. Okay, the colored oil lamp was beautiful and possibly made of real Inarta colored glass. She wasn’t buying it. A parrot that can singing in four different languages?! Not buying it.

Gently brimmed eyes skimmed over the stalls looking for her destination.

He’d said take a right after the stall with the carved wooden fish candlesticks… hadn’t he?

She was looking around in every direction when Naadiya’s ear heard the sound of her mother tongue, one she hadn’t spoken in much too long. It was easy for her to follow the almost musical sounding notes even the laymen would hit while speaking.

Nearing the three men, she first kept to herself. There was a serpent like dagger with a jeweled pommel near her and Naadiya studied it with only feigned interest as she overheard the back and forth between the trio. It was clear that the man trying to make a purchase did not understand the talk going on between her two countrymen, this made Naadiya more interested. To hide it, she brought the dagger up to her face, admiring the craftsmanship but making no move to inquire about price.

Not wanting to seem like she was doing anything but browsing, she put the blade down and wandered over to a set of fias. The razor sharp blades were fitted to the fingers of a hand-shaped wooden display. Careful not to knock anything off tiered display table, she leaned over to get a better look… and an easier time deciphering the older man’s jumbled speech.

The finger tip blades were intricately wrought and beautiful to look at, almost delicate if you missed the gleam of the sharpened edges. Immediately to its left was another set. Where the first set was detailed and artistic in its design, the second set was severe and most certain not easily mistaken for anything but a weapon, the blades having twice the length of the former and no ornamentation… Well, very little ornamentation…. At least by Benshira standards, anyway. Keen eyes scanned the two sets of five fias each that were on display, if there were any imperfection that would be a bargaining chip to lower their price. And Naadiya was starting to suspect she might need to bring his price down if this merchant was as honest as his translator was.

There was quite a bit of artistic liberty being taken when it came to translating to the customer by her side, she felt. The shopkeeper was an older man with greying hair and a short temper, he shot out impatient burst of words paired with hand gestures. The younger man, likely a son or nephew of the elder, was taking each of his possible-father’s words, added four more and then coated them with sugar. If Naadiya had to guess, she’d say the younger man would make some type of commission from his sales but possibly no other daily wage.

This was none of her business. She should just stay out of it. Why should she stop the boy from making a few coins? Naadiya did not know the man trying to buy the blade, she owe him no favors or loyalty. What was even right or wrong in this situation? What merchant doesn’t talk up the quality of his wares? And if someone buys the wrong thing without realizing, whose fault was it anyway?

All it took was one look. One glance from the pompous, presumably post-pubescent polyglot and Naadiya had made up her mind. She knew the look well, had even been the one to give it on more than one occasion in her past. A look that took in a potential customer and said ‘browsing only’. It was often paired with the annoyance at an interruption of a potential sale, for now he would have to answer her questions until she finally would smile, thank him and leave, thinking the price was too high.

“How much for this set?” She asked at first in Common.

Naadiya glanced at the other customer, he had seemed to be paying close attention to the blade in his hands. The sales boy also noticed this so with a less than pleased look in his face, he turned to Naadiya and gave her a number. It was too high, of course. She countered with a price that was too low and the two went back and forth until meeting at a point neither was fully pleased with. But she still had another card in her hand.

The older shopkeeper had lost interest in the talk he could not understand and turned his attention to fixing a spread of throwing daggers the last customer had taken out of order. Seeing her opening, Naadiya took it. She took a few second before speaking, she had not used her mother tongue in a very long time and did not want to sound like the simple peasant the boy wanted to see.

In a very even tone, Naadiya locked eyes with the youth and almost whispered, “Your father-“ then noting a look on the boys face she corrected herself “your uncle does not know that you are trying to cheat this man, does he?”

The young man’s jaw tightened slightly and Naadiya smiled in return. Her Shiber no longer flowed as smoothly as it once had, but the boy was distracted enough to not put any meaning to it.

“He doesn’t have to… but I’m going to need a large discount on these, you do have the full ten-piece set, yes?”

If he did this once, he has likely been doing it with every other customer that comes by unable to speak the Benshira language…

“You know what..” She added, still in her near-lyrical whispers, “I think I will take both sets actually, I expect the secret-keeping discount applies to them as well.”

She finished her interaction quickly and quietly so as to not draw the attention of the older man, presumably the only other closer enough to hear and understand what the two said.

Once she had already handed over the mizas and stowed her new purchases, Naadiya made as if she was about to walk away, then laid a warm hand on the arm of the only other customer close by and with acidic eyes aimed at the translator she spoke in Common again.

“He’s trying to cheat you, the boy not the old man. Neither of them would be able to tell if this was the type of weapon you are looking for, but he is at least fairly certain that it isn’t.”

There was both fury and nausea in the young clerks face as he glared back at her but Naadiya had already decided he was not the type of person she would want to do further business with anyway so let the bridges be burned, she couldn’t care less. If the uncle was more honest than the boy, he might even appreciate having the deception revealed, for the sake of repairing his business’s respectability.

“The old man said something about no one else having picked up that blade with a serious offer in a while so you might be able to get a better price than you’d thought, if you decide it’s for you.”

Having said her piece, Naadiya glanced around the spot. She had noticed her new little nemesis had reddened from neckline to hairline and while there was a generally agreed upon lack of violence in the Outpost, hot-headed youths broke rules frequently and her only weapons were packed in her bag while the boy stood surrounded by blades. Not that the laws of possession would be taken into account if someone came at her, so she would grab whatever was closest and plunge it as deep as it would go. But her eyes caught sight of a group of Keiss patrolling close enough and one look at the boy told her he’d seen them too. If her shoulders had tensed momentarily, they now relaxed. A satisfied smile crept to her face and she shared it with the sales boy.

You could have avoided the embarrassment had you only been polite… her raised eyebrow seemed to say.

2490

by **Alric Lysane** on March 23rd, 2022, 4:24 pm

He didn’t notice the newcomer at first, lost in the cascade of Djed visions that flickered in his mind’s eye. Once he was back to conscious reality, though, his eyes took her in. She seemed to be asking about a set of what looked like nail claws…he had no idea what their name actually was, but they were elegant enough. They didn’t appeal to him, but perhaps they were meant for the more discerning customer. Or the more feminine, perhaps. He knew plenty of women who would gladly try to knock his skull out of his head, but his experience of delicately created things edged more upon the jewellery side than the weaponry side.

Then again…this is a different culture I’m dealing with clearly…perhaps I just don’t understand their significance he mused, his eyes coming back to the blade in his hands, once more taking in how it was well put together, sharp and straight of nature.

The younger merchant, now distracted by the woman who had approached him, was no longer paying attention to him and the older one was looking at her intently, as if trying to place her. She did seem to be conversant in their speech, her skin colouring and eyes spoke of a shared culture. He had no idea what she was saying but the younger man seemed to jump at it which amused him slightly after experiencing such frustrations at his hands. Taking advantage of the distraction he tapped into his ‘well’ and let a small trickle of Djed flow through him, concentrated into his eyes as he only had one purpose – detecting a larger aura. A few moments later, after taking in the small and mundane aura of the weapon he held, he was now sure this wasn’t Voril. The merchants were mistaken, and he felt disappointment course through him – he had thought he had been so close. Still, it meant that he could still have Voril potential…which was a good thing considering he had been concerned he was not fated for such a useful magic.

Funny…I’d have murdered myself a few seasons ago for thinking that he mused to himself, ready to hand the weapon back without purchase, his long search for a Voril blade to be continued.

At the stranger’s revelation at what the lad was trying to do there was the flickering of anger, and still connected to his Djed he grabbed the man by the front if his shirt, Djed coursing through his upper body, and picked him up to hold him against the central pole of their tent. The old man started to react placatingly, clearly confused as to what was happening, before a group of Keiss started to appear and he took control of himself, pushing back both his anger and Djed, letting the man fall to his feet once more. With a glare he threw the blade upon the table and turned to leave, personally somewhat chastising to himself that he had let his control slip. He made a mental note to keep a better handle upon himself, especially his magic. It was strange, since the Reimancy initiation he couldn’t remember, his emotions seemed to make it easier to call upon his magic – either that or he was getting much more proficient. Sighing to himself he noted the woman who had interceded on his behalf and made his way to catch up with her.

“Thank you for telling me about that little shyke’s scheme, he’d have been asking quite a bit of miza from me had he been telling the truth. I must repay you somehow…debt has a way of adding up if not addressed, no? What’s the name of my saviour? I can at least share a drink or something with one willing to help me out?” he offered, after all he had no idea who she was, or what she was at the Outpost for so had little idea of how he could repay her in kind for her intercession.

by **Naadiya** on March 26th, 2022, 5:45 pm

Naadiya watched the shop clerk be hoisted up with relish. The Keiss that she was so glad for before, when they’d be her protection, were now an inconvenience. She had slipped away when their interest had been drawn, no need to attach herself to a public scandal with the local authorities just yet. A few steps and a turn and she was putting a bit of distance between herself and the stall. Naadiya had just confirmed directions with another merchant in a nearby stall when the young man from before stopped her to give his thanks.

She smiled back at him, “A savior am I?! I like the sound of that! You can call me Naadiya, The Savior. The Savioress? I’ll take either.”

Laughing at an unspoken joke, she collected herself and looked around again, not wanting to lose her way again among the walls of merchandise clamoring for space. There should not have been any lack of it, but she knew how merchants thought and whatever inch they were given, a shrewd tradesman would try to stretch into two inches. Naadiya wondered how many sales were made only because someone accidentally kicked or knocked something over to the point of breaking. Then, she wondered how many objects already cracked or poorly welded were placed in precarious positions in the attempt of such a snare.

Her feet were careful and stepped one in front of the other when she moved. Her arms, she kept close enough to herself that there was no chance of hitting anything, at least not unintentionally.

More confident of the direction she needed to go in, Naadiya turned her head back to Alric.

“You don’t have to thank me, but I would gladly accept your offer of a drink. We are very much of the same mind when it comes to debts. But first, I just need to do a little reconnaissance, you might say… Actually you might be able to help me with it.”

Naadiya looked the man up and down more carefully now, taking him in and recalling the scene from minutes before, a playful smile never leaving her face.

“Yes, I think you will do just fine. What about it, are you in for a little play-acting mixed with intelligence gathering?” As she amped up the tasks they’d be doing, Naadiya linked arms with Alric conspiratorially and pulled him gently in the direction of the textiles.

“We’ll have to make two.. maybe three stops. The first couple will be quick, the second one might take a little longer but after that we can get a drink or two.”

While Naadiya looked at Alric with an encouraging smile, her tender touch steered him in the way she was already heading.

First I will need something else to wear and maybe a little more adornments.. something shiny at the very least…

The possibility of the stalls being in close proximity to each other was of some concern, this having been the first time Naadiya had come to The Outpost. She hadn’t been sure of the layout or how stalls were organized, whether it be by region of origin or product type. The man at the Dovecote seemed to say that it always changed depending on the vendors.

When she’d left the divinely created entrance, Naadiya looked from stall to stall trying to see the pattern that would no doubt present itself eventually. People in general, liked order, it made things easier to understand. Most merchants liked order even more than the usual laymen and if Naadiya were to guess, The Outpost was going to be immaculately organized, at least by someone’s standards.

Today, at least, it met her standards just fine. The weapon’s stall she'd visited had been surrounded by other stalls also selling things of a sharp and dangerous nature. They passed both the masterfully forge and intricately crafted. Swords so sharp they were partially sheathed for safety, only a few inches of polished metals gleaming. Naadiya even found herself throwing a confused expression at extremely elegant arrows, whose pointed heads seemed to be designed purely for their aesthetic value, tiny motifs worked into the metal.

Oh wow, imagine having the money to fill your quiver with such expensive arrows she mused, while also doubting the piercing strength of the floral swirls.

“So?” Naadiya inquired in a low tone, as they walked at a leisurely pace. She was looking at the stalls, the merchandise displayed on the floor and even the things that hung from above, “I’ve given you my name, and you’ve not given me yours. That’s two things you own me now… Just racking up those debts today, huh?”

As they talked, the two moved passed the weapons from every corner of Mizahar and continued beyond a variety of trade tools, cleared made by different hands, for different hands in every size and material. If her instructions had been true, they should be getting closer to the clothing soon. That would be step one of the plan that had been forming in her mind even as she walked.

Her left arm had been linked to Alric’s and her right hand shaded her eyes as she tried to get a look at no only the merchandise ahead but also the merchants. The many stalls that crowded the same area all sold varieties of the same things, she could likely fill her shopping list at a number of the stalls, but which would be the most willing…

The first merchant she saw was a thin woman, with a look in her eye that reminded Naadiya too much of the weapon merchant’s assistant.

No, thank you.

Number two looked honest enough, but by the way he just sat behind all his goods without trying to make a sale with the passersby, she judged his ambition too low for today’s task and she needed to minimize those involved to not develop a reputation.

The third was the one she chose, and slipping her arm out from Alric’s she approached the merchant on her own.

“Give me a second, I need a change of wardrobe,” she whispered.

From her small bag she produced a golden miza and held it in her hand hidden for the moment. Honey, she thought, and let it drip from her voice.

“Hellooo,” she drew out her words in a relaxed, lazy manner, betrayed only by the glint in her eye, which she hoped would go unseen.

“Hello miss, can I interest you in some embroidered slippers! They look to be just your size, how lucky for you! It must have been fate that brought you to me! Only a few mizas, a small price really, look at the detail!”

Good, he seems hungry enough, she thought then glanced back at Alric. She would have winked but that would have been too obvious and too easy to catch. A small raise of the eyebrows will do, that easily goes unnoticed, seen as simple excitement from a possible deal by anyone who’s not expecting anything.

Looking back at the merchant she pointed to a beautiful robe that hung near the back, clearly one of the more expensive pieces he had for sale. He didn’t need to turn to know what she pointed to and his eyes grew wide thinking of the mark-up on the garment’s price.

“Can I try that on? I love it but I can’t tell if it would fit, you see I’ve gain a couple of pounds recently."

She used a somewhat heavier breath and a simple shifting of her weight from one foot to the other to draw attention to her shape, so poorly hidden by the Sykan fabric.

“No! No— You’re— I mean— I mean yes! Of course you can! Of course you may try it on!” The urge to make a sale caught up to the momentary distraction and the merchant hurried over to grab the silken treasure. Naadiya slipped her arms into one sleeve than the other and closing the front, she tied the belt and looked down at herself then back up.

“Do you have a mirror by any chance?”

So close to making a sale, he happily obliged, bringing out a near full body sized mirror from behind a rack of clothes.

“Oh yes, that’s not so bad at all.”

A deep and rich aubergine silk fell off her body like ink, almost coming to a puddle at the floor but not quite. When closed, the robe looked more like a gown, long-sleeved and slinky. The sleeves each had a slash down their center that was sutured periodically with very narrow aubergine ribbons in the same silk. The neckline was heavily embroidered with silver thread and small circular mirrors secured by metallic touches going down the front’s center. She turned to Alric with a quick shrug.

“What do you think? Do I look exceedingly wealthy?”

Naadiya would wait for a reply if he wanted to give one before turning to the merchant who was now starting to suspect something was off. She neared him and fixed his eye with a look and a feline smile.

“So… I’m definitely not going to buy this. It much too extravagant, a few inches too long and and honestly a little too tight in the armholes. But I want to borrow it for a little while.”

Confusion was turning into outrage so she revealed the golden miza, catching his eyes like a fish with bait.

“This is not nearly equivalent to the value of the robe, I know. But this is not a trade, I’m going to give this to you for being such a gentleman. A gentleman who is also a very savvy businessman. This robe is too noticeable, obviously, I won’t be able to leave the bazaar without being noticed. It would be really foolish of me to try and do that, and as you saw I have no bag large enough to store it in. the Keiss would have me before I could even think of running, so this isn't such a huge risk. And what I can offer you, in addition to this miza, is future business. If you do this for me, I will come back and buy enough clothes to match this garment’s price, and of course you will get the robe back to sell to whomever you will.”

His gaze was now focused on the woman’s eyes. She had not been what he’d expected and he was now making adjustments to his previously made calculations.

“Two gold mizas now.”

“Great idea!” Naadiya’s voice was light and airy, “I can double the deposit now and cut the future invest in half! So you will only be expecting half the garment’s cost in future purchases, is that right?”

“That’s not…”

“Not what you meant? No, the original offer really was much better.”

She grabbed the man’s hand and shook it with little effort being made on his part, the golden miza exchanging palms.

“I’m glad to be doing business with you! Don't worry, I won’t be long!”

Reaching back out to Alric, Naadiya closed the distance between them and slipped her arm back in his when he was ready to continue their walk through the market.

“One more quick stop and then I can get to the meat of why I came here. After that you can feel free to buy me that drink and settle your debts!”

They walked and talked and eventually Naadiya turned to him with a question, “I hope you don’t find me ignorant but what is ‘Voril’, it was a word I caught earlier but had not definition for.”

1944

by **Alric Lysane** on March 28th, 2022, 4:24 pm

“You have a scheme then?” he asked after a while, their arms interlinked as if they were old friends rather than newly met, “I only hear that I’ll do just fine when there’s something for me to do. What is it that you’d like me to do…Naadiya the…Saviour?” he asked, trying to keep up with the moment.

This was not what usually happened to him when he was shopping at the Outpost, not that he was complaining as she was warm in her manner and attractive enough to almost make him overlook the possibility of her being an Arcadius plant…almost. As such he was careful to keep track of her hands, making sure there weren’t knives slipped into them, alongside keeping track of the sway of her hips. Not actually tapping into his magic he nevertheless mentally edged himself to the precipice should he feel the need to suddenly grasp for it. He ran the past few moments of conversation through his head once more once they were nonchalantly underway, curious as to what her plans were, his senses tingling with the need to know.

Still, it was quite a charming walk together when all was said and done, her hands soft and confident. He had the feeling that she had done such things before, which made him note down in case he was about to be getting in over his head. More than one man had been steered into drowning waters by women in Sunberth – charm was practically one of the markets that they had cornered against the more thuggish variety of male the city tended to produce. He didn’t hold that against them, simply admired the adaptability. Still, he didn’t want to be sone else’s meal this day. He smiled at her words, relaxing into the moment now that he felt prepared should it go sideways.

“Alric is my name, so now it’s just the one debt,” he snorted with amusement, “but by the sounds of it you’ll be wanting as much as you can get for it. Can I hazard a guess that you are then…a businesswoman? Advantage in all things, no?” he returned her question with his own one, matching the warmth of her voice as his eyes scanned the crowds and found little to be concerned with.

As it turned out Naadiya was in the mood for clothes shopping it seemed, heading from stall to stall in pursuit of her goal. He wasn’t sure what was different about the stalls, they all looked the same to him. Then again, he couldn’t claim to know much of fashion, he reasoned, his sole concession being that his clothing was durable and able to deal with being battered for as long as possible. It was as she left him, and he leant against one of the posts of the gazebo cover the stalls that he finally figured out what she was doing – at least in part. He watched and listened with curiosity, smiling slightly at the familiar words – words that seemed to be universal if they were standard in Sunberthian business dealings.

Though business is a…loose term in my city he conceded as he watched and waited.

As he noticed the merchant, she was talking to looking as him between talking he carefully, and deliberately, pulled out one of his daggers and started to trim and clean his nails slowly. He played the part he assumed that she wanted for him in the moment – that of the muscle that might step in should Naadiya’s dealings not go as she desired. Between cleaning he looked up and smiled at the man, pointedly sending the subtle intimidation his way and hopefully helping her to get what she wanted without doing anything that could be considered breaking the rules by the Keiss. When she looked to be done he slipped the dagger back into its sheath as she approached, nodding at the man – he’d hold her to her agreement should she wish to renege…but the Outpost seemed to make most people at least keep their word.

“As you wish,” he said, more interested and curios than annoyed that he was being led around, “Voril is a type of blade…magical. Very expensive but to those as know how to use it very useful. It’s difficult to explain if you don’t know magic yourself…basically it lets you…control the weapon. After a fashion. I was searching for one, to see if I had the ability. And if not it’s still a superior weapon to most others I know of” he said.

“And speaking of superior…you enjoy making others dance to your strings don’t you?” he said, meeting her gaze briefly as she tugged him along, no doubt another destination in mind, “should I be concerned that I’ve had something attached to my back? I mean I admire the art form but I do quite like to be free” he said wryly, the amusement of that phrase apparent in his voice, though she may not know why given few knew much about him and his path.

“You ply your trade well, almost as well as those I know in Sunberth. I assume, though, that you are not from there. Benshira, no? What’s it like there these days?” he asked, wondering if she knew anything of Arcadius’ dealing there, even by rumour.

by **Naadiya** on March 29th, 2022, 7:19 pm

As they walked arm in arm, Naadiya patted his forearm gently.

“Oh yes, I’ve a little idea that might get me a bit of an edge. Then again it might fall flat, but we will hope for the best. Today feels like a lucky day, no? Your role will reveal itself on it’s own I should imagine.”

Again she looked at him, knowing it would not take much for people to draw their own conclusions of the man, and he was well enough armed that whatever they might imagine, it would only serve her favor.

As they walked, Naadiya would walk a little closer when she needed them to turn left and pulled away a little when their next move would be to the right. It was not the a malicious manipulation, but rather a more efficient way of moving around and keeping their conversation uninterrupted by directional cues.

“Alric…” she repeated the name. It sounded somewhat familiar and yet Naadiya was fairly certain she had not met another of the same name. She turned to look at him again, focusing on his face for the first time, trying to take in his features and match them to a memory in her head. She was coming up empty when she realized he’d asked her something and scrambled to answer.

“Yes! A business woman! Or.. well no, not exactly, not anymore, but maybe again soon. That’s what today might help with, actually.”

At the garment merchant’s stall, Naadiya grinned when Alric fell into his role easily enough. The Keiss might patrol The Outpost clearing out any trouble makers, but they were not psychics, they could not stop time nor turn it back. The tiny idea of a threat that Naadiya wanted to place was rooted in the immediacy of it. Maybe she and her ‘thug’ could be kicked out of the market, but would it be before someone lost a finger… hand… tongue… an eye? Most merchants would not want to take the risk when the other choice before them not only lacked the chance of blood, but could actually provide profit, even if it was a little unorthodox.

When they left their first stop, Naadiya adjusted her initial perception of the man.

He is a mage… A mage who is also presumably skilled with blade and crossbow, unless those are just window dressing…

“I don’t know what you could mean,” she said with feigned indignation. “You’re back is entirely safe, from me, at least. I don’t know how I could be making you dance, all I did was help you. But if you want to dance, there are better places than this! Are you a good dancer?”

They were nearing the second stop Naadiya wanted to make, a jewelry hub filled with silver, gold, jade, amber, sapphires and so much more. There was one stall that looked like it was getting a bit of foot traffic, though she could not tell how many sales they would actually make as people seemed to leave as quickly as they came. Still, Naadiya kept looking. Another one had products that were far too nice. If the jewelry was too expensive her plan would likely not work, for the merchant would be too suspicious.

“I am Benshira, yes,” Naadiya was still looking for where exactly she’d want to stop, and her answers came out a little quick. “In Eyktol? Hot and dry, I would imagine. Haven’t been back in some time, are you a fan of the desert?”

Perfect. Semi precious stones, some silver, a little gold but nothing fancier.

She went towards the stall but did not need to start a dialogue herself. The stall’s attendant had eyed her from some distance away in her plum colored silk and seemed overjoyed if surprised that she had chosen his stall to stop at before the others around him. He figured she must have had a taste for the braided metalwork he’d so proudly displayed front and center. Smile broad and chest puffed out he greeted his new customers in Common.

“Hello madam, hello sir! Can I interest either of you in an armband today? They are great for both men and woman and I have a variety of braiding patterns. Or perhaps a gift for the lady? I have earrings from Ahnatep and Wadrass that would look lovely next to the one you wear, milady.”

Again she went for her bag, but this time she pulled out the beautiful wrought fias sets she’d just bought at a bargain. The merchant looked at her inquiringly but did not ask.

“You’ve seen these before, haven’t you?”

He nodded in response, still a little lost. She didn’t seem like she was about to threaten him and if she was, not having the weapons actually equipped would make things complicated. But Naadiya’s approach this time, held no threat veiled or otherwise.

“Good! Then you know their value! I want to make a unusual deal with you. I would like to borrow a necklace, a couple of earrings as well. They should be as distracting as possible but let’s not exceed the value of the weapons, that I will leave with you as your insurance.”

She had noticed the man’s eyes go from her to Alric, confused as to why she was the one speaking to him and not the man. It was true that Alric was likely geared up with enough to outmatch whatever Naadiya had in terms of value in mizas, but she was definitely the flashier of the two and as such drew enough attention to make the merchant pause to wonder who these people were and what their relation was to each other.

“Think about it. If I’m telling you the truth, I will come back and buy what I have borrowed and more, I swear it by Syna and Xyna alike. But if you fear the chance of me lying, you will still have something of the same value as what I borrow.”

The terms were iffy at best, and he didn’t seem to be taking the bait. Naadiya bit her tongue imperceptibly. She’d have to up her ante.

“Tell you what, I’m only going to leave one of the fias with you as leverage, but I when I return I will buy twice their worth in jewelry.”

He was getting closer to conceding, she could tell. Other stalls had been drawing much more attention than his, their goods more precious, more exotic or of better quality.

“Or… I can leave now… this is honestly starting to take longer than I had planned, I’m sure I can find someone who will decide faster. Thank you for your time.”

She turned away with an impatience look on her face and started to walk away, her hand finding Alric’s forearm, but it did not take long for the man to call her back. Naadiya took a moment to let the relief drain from her face before turning back to the merchant the smiling mask of confidence slipped back on.

“I think we will be friends,” she said to the merchant, glancing at Alric, hoping he was not yet getting bored, for she still wanted his backup a little longer. To the seller she said, “I’m even going to let you choose which of the fias, you hold hostage.”

Showing the two sets to the man, Naadiya waited while he made up his mind. A rapidly tapping foot contradicted the smile on her face but it was enough to hurry the man along. His initial gut instinct was of course to go with the delicately worked precious metal over the obvious weapon, but the choice seemed too easy and eventually, fearing he was being tricked, the man chose the simpler, though more menacing looking set.

Good. she thought. One more thing she would be able to use to her advantage. Had he chosen the other batch of finger blades, Naadiya would have simply gone without, the sharper set being a little too intimidating for the character she needed to be right now. But luck was on her side today.

With her deal finished and agreed upon, Naadiya chose several pieces of jade, and turquoise, adorning herself with colors that would even maybe clash against her garment. Taste was not something that always came with money and the merchant class was notorious for having individuals suddenly finding themselves wealthier than before. She needed to look like new-money, like someone who found themselves with heavy pockets and needed help relieving herself of their weight.

Back at Alric’s side Naadiya gave him a mischievous smile, “Almost done, I promise! I just need to find a textile trader now. Why don’t you tell me about Sunberth? I have never been that far East.”

As the walked, Naadiya slipped on fias onto each finger. The pointed tips fit over her fingers with no adjustments needed. Each section of her fingers was now plated with an ornate, thin but sturdy layer of metal, thin chains connecting the pieces so that she could bend her joints without issue. The metallic latticework on her hands, covered up and drew attention away from the dyer's stains underneath. Dark red ran up beyond her wrists, but now it seemed almost entirely lost with the help of her fias and the silken sleeves of the robe.

A nearby lamp merchant had a flame lit to display the flickering colors created by the painted glass. Naadiya reached into her bag and pulled out a fairly neatly rolled pellet of paper. With a quick pause near the lamp, Naadiya dipped the paper into the flame then promptly brought the unlit end to her lips.

One long inhale and she smiled at the lamp merchant.

“Beautiful lamp. Love the colors.”

She gestured around with her smoking hand, puffs of heavily scented smoke floating in the air lazily.

Naadiya did not wait for a reply from the trader, but gave a small wave and a parting smile that was not returned as the man waved away the low flying clouds. She looked at Alric as her gilded fingers brought the smoking rolled up herbs down from her lips then handed it to him, aiming her exhale away from anyone close by.

“Do you want any? It’s Blue Vision and lavender, the smoke doesn’t bother you does it?”

She figured this was an outdoor Bazaar and the slightest breeze would be enough to cleanse the air so it shouldn’t be too bothersome to anyone not close, but he was right next to her. If Alric objected, she would gladly take one last long inhale and put it out. Even just the scent around her person would be a little hint for her next target to think she was a lush…

I feel like I shouldn’t have to try so hard to play this part, and yet that seems like a whole other life time.

Naadiya was starting to see fabrics hanging and rolled up being displayed. If they were still smoking, this would be when Naadiya would cut it out. The goal was not to piss off every merchant within range by saturating their wares with smokey smells or making them paranoid as their minds went to the possibility of fires. Intimidation like that would not serve right now.

Turning to Alric, she met his eye and nodded, tiny turquoise beads clinking as they swung from every pierced hole she had on each ear.

“Okay, so just keep doing what you are doing,” she said looking up at him, “I’m going to walk a little ahead of you. The idea is you are my hired sword, it wouldn’t look right if we were walking arm in arm. Here hold this for a second.”

She took one end of a nearby hanging shawl and handed it to Alric. If he grabbed it, it would create a little bit of privacy. Naadiya stood close to the hanging fabric, then quickly shimmied out of the robe’s sleeves, the fabric belt at her waist keeping it from falling down. Slipping off the straps of her dress, she lowered the top part and readjusted the fabric so it would not bunch up at her waist. Then, she slid her arms back in the robe and closed it again, a strip of bare skin running down from her neck to the robe’s belt.

“Every advantage possible,” she almost whispered, making sure everything that needed to be covered was. She made a quick silent prayer to Syna, then remembering the words of the man at the Dovecote, she made a prayer to Xyna as well.

“Ready? Last stop, then you can get me a drink. And don’t think I will forget this, you now have a friend in Syka if you ever visit.”

2134

by **Alric Lysane** on March 31st, 2022, 7:46 pm

He laughed at her fake indignation, whether she would directly admit it or not she rather enjoyed playing her games he fancied. He had played enough over the years to know the almost hungry look in one’s eyes, that thrill of that one last push and whether it would bring fortune or failure. It was addictive, he knew that well enough and it was why in some ways he was thankful he didn’t really have to steal for a living anymore. He missed those days, the sense of being alive beyond belief…but on balance it was better to stay alive than die soon after feeling alive. He simply shook his head slightly.

“Depends on how you define dancing Naadiya, if you mean like at a tavern then I have to be quite drunk because I’m not so gifted. The way you move, and your blood, would suggest the opposite for you, I’d think. I’ve never been to the desert but I’ve seen how they can celebrate,” he said, leaving her to puzzle out what that might mean as he wasn’t going to tell her the truth of the visions, “but you walk with a soft step and you move with grace…dancing seems like a neat explanation. Perhaps, when your business is done, you’ll have to teach me. I’ve learned the strangest of things can improve my kind of dancing”

When she walked off to the next merchant he took the opportunity to open himself up to his ‘well’ and draw in his Djed, letting it form the thrumming world of Auristics, letting it ripple and settle before narrowing his focus to Naadiya, letting the sensations come to him. As usual the first to greet him were smells – spices that flooded his nose and made him want to sneeze until soon after came a golden, syrupy kind of scent…honey he realised after a while – they both felt like components personality parts…deep and foundational. Did that mean she could be sweet and seductive…well she had shown some of that in their time together, but the spice? She had a temper, perhaps? Or was it more a low simmer as if released whilst cooking?
She thrummed with a deep red with flashes of…purple? Passionate, perhaps?

She enjoyed what she was doing as she played the game but the seemed deeper than that….it seemed to saturate into her rather than just flicker inside her kaleidoscope…need? Ambition? He mused and the sounds of drums came to the edge of his hearing, faint and he smile to himself when he realised that her foot was tapping the same rhythm – desert woman indeed. Impatience…or she wanted to be somewhere? It increased in speed as the moments passed. The sweet taste of peaches came to his tongue, rich and full but leaving a slight lingering bitterness…that was a puzzle that he left for later. He had the brief sensation of time passing, as if too much had bene sot and an impatience that crackled pink through the red. Either way it was clear she was putting into practise a plan she had invested some time in, despite the appearance of thins being more casual.

Very well…let’s see what we can do to help he mused, focusing instead now upon the least skilled of his magics – Hypnotism. He tried to convey the silent suggesting to the merchant that he should take Naadiya upon her offer, that it would be honoured and profitable, playing to all of his shrewd greed that was apparent upon his face. He didn’t know if it helped but as she got her agreement, he let go of his djed with a sigh and bonked his eyes a few times to bring himself back to the real world properly with a smile for her approach.

“Sunberth isn’t a place that you’d want to be. It’s a place of chaos and anarchy and death. I’d just be grateful that you are elsewhere. No rules, no rulers, just the mob and natural law being the way of things. Only the strong, or lucky, tend to survive and there’s a slag heap fire that burns all of the time. Oh and apparently monsters in the old slave mines…and slavery. Tell you what, after I can tell you all about it if you wish but first…for you some advice if I may. Don’t try so hard. You’re building a character, yes? You’ve slowly gathered more pieces until you feel you look the part…but being the part isn’t just about the dressing, lovely as it and the figure beneath might be. Deep breathing, relax…don’t pretend that you own it…just own it” he said as he leaned in to take a relaxing breath of the smoke he realised he was beginning to crave.

“I watched you as you spoke to him, with magic, you have the strength and rhythm for the dance,” he finished as they left the lovely lamp and she offered up her last orders, “and I am ready. You look lovely Naadiya the Saviour. Have fun, half of other people believing you is seeing how passionate you are and how much fun you’re having. Business, like friendships, only flourish with full commitment” he shrugged and let his hands rest upon the hilts of his weapons visibly, a silent message, and started the slow walk behind her.

He summoned up his Djed once more and wondering if he might repeat the performance and help her further.

Secret :

by **Naadiya** on April 5th, 2022, 11:40 pm

Naadiya did like to dance. She danced alone as easily as with a partner and seemed to take just as much pleasure. Looking over at Alric with a suspicious gleam in her eye and the hint of a smile on her lips, Naadiya let him have his secrets.

Gods know I have my fair share.

Nodding, she said, “I enjoy it yes, I have found it to be good exercise. It’s not easy to get bored if you like the music, then you just have to fall in the rhythm. I wouldn’t claim to know much of combat but rhythm can add smoothness to lots of actions… even just walking through a crowded marketplace.”

As she spoke of it, Naadiya was starting to crave a musical tune. It had been a while since she had done any real dancing. Would her feet remember the steps or would she only trip over herself? Fear of failure or embarrassment was far from her mind, and with enough drink it could all be dulled if not always fully forgotten.

She had finished the second phase of the little scheme but even as she went back to Alric’s side, her left eyebrow raised in question. There had been a moment there, or a few long moments, where she wasn’t sure if the tradesman would have chosen the set of fias blades that she had wanted him to. In truth she even had the sinking feeling that he might just shake his head and not only squash the deal she was trying to make, but also draw attention to her, not the desired attention.

Naadiya wasn’t how long the feeling had lasted, but as her patience was wearing thin the man had made up his mind. Had it been her doing? Had it been Alric’s?

“Not sure what you just did, or if that even was you, but if you can keep it up, I will consider that your favor paid and turn the tables to owe you a drink instead! Depending on how well things go, I might even consider throwing in a dance! This may be my first time here but it doesn’t seem to lack for much, I’m sure we can find a good bottle and a bit of floor space near a bard. Deal?”

Alric’s description of Sunberth was as if someone had heard of Syka but were only able to see it through a horrible dark and macabre lens of colored and heavily distorted glass.

No written rules. No formal leaders. Had it not been so rich in natural resources, strife would surely spread like wildfire.

“Ohhh, that sounds like a lovely place to live… you’ll have to tell me more later.”

She usually tried to be delicate and avoid sticking her foot in her mouth, but he seemed to have nothing good to say about his home. Naadiya had to refrain from adding her own sarcastic comments. She had never been there, after all.

Nothing is more annoying than someone knocking down something they know nothing about.. still… I wonder what keeps him there? Family? Love? Legacy? Immovable wealth? Surely he has reasons.

Naadiya considered it and his advice seemed sound. She took a deep long breath, letting it out slowly. Then she did it again, but with her rolled up herb perched upon her lip. Long deep inhale. Longer slower exhale. The smoke would affect not only her voice, making it a bit raspier, but also her mannerisms. She was getting relaxed. Her shoulders loosened. Her eyelids drooped ever so slightly. She did not look sleepy, she was far too alert for that. No, not sleepy… perhaps bored. Boredom creeped into her face and she sighed a ‘why-must-I-be-here’ sigh, thinking of people she had known through her years and collaging bits of their personalities and quirks to be this character.

With a nod to Alric, she walked a little ahead and made for one of the textile merchants. There were several but only a couple that could she could see were specifically displaying fabrics woven with patterns most common in the region of Eyktol. They seemed too similar to her for any hard distinction to be made.

She saw a man, and a woman.

The former was dark and coppery with cat-like yellow eyes and a collection of narrow braids that were collected in a high bun. He was dressed in clean and well tailored garments in patterned fabrics. Some of these very textiles she also saw being sold, the same pattern embroidered on bolts of different colors.

The woman had long sleek dark hair, a lustrous black liberally oiled and pulled back to be braided with a scarlet toned bit of silk. The same silk was on her gown, unassuming but clearly of high quality.

Neither had any customers and without anything else to go on she took a discreet glance down at herself. Just making sure nothing was in danger of slipping out of the robe but she felt secure enough.

Let’s hope sex sells as well as everyone always claims.

A slight arch of the back and tilt of her chin and she made her way over to the male merchant. He was adjusting a display of brocades, several rolls of jewel-tone silk in a very large basket. They did not look much different after being adjusted, which made Naadiya suspect he had made such a futile adjustment many a time, more so to ease his own anxiety than any aesthetic preference. So many of the people, she had seen seemed so pressed to make a sale, she had to either assume today was a particularly dead day at the bazaar or their individual stall rent were exceedingly high. Maybe both.

“How are silk prices back home?” She said with almost a purr in a slow Shiber.

A salesman’s smile spread across the man’s face as he turned to greet her, “Hello, hello! They are no better in Wadrass than at my stall, I can guarantee!”

She ignored the slight buzzing in her ear. His statement was certainly a lie, but not an important one, nor an unexpected one. She replied almost as if she hadn’t heard him.

“High as always I suppose… Isn’t that why you have these displayed out front? My guess is, they are some of your more expensive lots. The lower end the the pricier things, I would imagine.”

Her father had always referred to it as ‘kebabing’. The idea being that you would mix in your less eye-catching merchandising in between those with bigger prices, continuing into the back of the store/tent/stall nook or what have you. It was a trick to increase the chance on someone seeing something they would not otherwise have bee-lined for. It also made for a more difficult time for customers to peruse the wares without inquiring with an attendant for help. These added interaction were all opportunities to make an extra sale, something the customer maybe didn’t even expect to find. It could help to unload plainer stock that did not get much attention, and to entice someone who came for something simple to splurge on a luxury.

Looking around at what he had to offer Naadiya nodded with a little Blue Vision induced yawn. The mix out in the front was so varied, he had to be trying to get as many different sets of eyes to look over as possible.

“I would like to offer you a new fabric alternative. Much lighter than any wool, much cheaper than any silk, it holds dye much better than cotton and doesn’t wear down so easily with water, and better yet, current exports are limited so you will likely be the only one offering it here, and certainly the only one who would be able to offer it with Benshiran patterns.”

The look on the man’s face had started with irritation as he realized she was not likely a customer, but it warped to mingle irritation with interest.

She took his silence as a suggestion to continue, so Naadiya reached into her bag and pulled out a few small sections of thin isuas fabric she had rolled up as a sample of her goods she could offer.

The first misstep she could remember making with her current employer was showing up without a body of work. Only able to show the clothes she wore as an example of what she could make, had left Dawn with doubts of Naadiya’s abilities at first.

Now, she had brought a variety of small cuts, hoping at least one of them would draw the eyes of the merchant she wished to sell her goods through.

Like her father would have wanted, everything was ‘kebabed’. She showed the man a small square of a wispy gauze in solid white, some heavier weights with vertical and horizontal stripes and even a long piece that had been dip-dyed in Dawn’s style to show the different colors she’d could get if he wanted. The heaviest she had brought would have served well for a boat’s sail or a curtain and she layered them over each other on top of one of the merchant’s displays, hoping he would be annoyed at her doing so.

He immediately went for the lightest weight and took in his hand rubbing the soft cloth between practiced fingers.

“This is not bad,” he said seemingly trying to sound unconvinced, but his hands still went from sample to sample, curious if nothing else.

“Have you heard of Syka?” Naadiya said in a light conversational tone.

He did not look up at her, but made a noncommittal sound with an equally vague hand gesture. She took it to mean maybe he had not but wasn't so ready to admit it. She did not rush, nor did she lie. She shared news, one merchant to another.

“It is a rapidly growing new city on the coast of Falyndar, the only place that is exporting this fiber. You have a chance of getting in on the ground floor, so-to-speak. Start selling the fabric before it becomes readily available, build a customer base before others can. As far as we know, Syka is the only place with these seeds. But we are growing fast, people are coming and going and who knows how long it will be before someone takes this offer to someone else. I will give you a few chimes to feel the fabrics and decide."

Before she had time to even return to Alric, the man was already convinced. He had been primarily a silk trader for most of his adult life and the sad truth was, the costs of the luxurious fabric kept way too many customers from even entering to notice he had more to offer.

Recently, he had started to mix up with order of his merchandise, in an attempt to bring some hidden gems out from hiding and make the shop front seem less intimidatingly expensive. But the general sewing and design community seemed to detest this organization method, claiming it was too disorganized and distracting for someone who knew exactly what they needed. He wasn’t doing poorly, certainly not, but there had been a slight drop in his recent sales.

Unsure if this was a normal fluctuation, as his time selling in the Outpost had been limited, or a result of his own merchandising techniques, the man had tried several layouts trying to find which would serve best.

Maybe a layout was not the problem though. Maybe he needed a fabric that would bridge the gap between luxury and attainability.

“How much are you thinking for one roll of….. this one” he picked one of the squares, seemingly at random, but Naadiya noticed it was the same white gauzy fabric he held before. The same type of fabric, in fact, as what hid underneath the plum silk she now wore. It was also the most similar to his usual stock-in-trade.

Naadiya had already had a number in her head, the price she would be able to get from Dawn, but the man had replied faster than she’d expected. She increased her price and voiced it lazily, as if he should have already guessed the number.

She wanted to turn to Alric, curious as to if he had anything to do with the man’s decision but didn’t want it to look like she was looking to her hired sword for guidance.

“What kind of deal can you give me, if I order more than one roll?”

He was asking questions, even seeking a deal. This was a great sign. She resisted the urge to smile.

“Production is currently very limited, as I said, we’re the only location to be exporting this and the demand is high, for obvious reasons. The best I can do is maybe a ten percent cut from the total price, if the order exceeds 3 rolls or 6 bolts depends on the width of the fabric.” She thought about the dying process and added in, “this is of course only for orders of the same colored fabric. Extra colors would have additional costs, but that is customary.”

It was customary and he nodded agreement. The discount was almost symbolic, not even making a scratch on the normal mark-up of the price, not to mention the raised figure she had given the man. But everyone enjoyed a discount no matter how small, and a fellow merchant would rarely feel good about a deal if he felt he was paying full price. The discount was just a little perk. Maybe the next order would get larger and receive a larger discount and so on.

If she had been in the man’s shoes, she would have taken the deal. There simply was no other fabric that would match up to the isuas in terms of aesthetics, hand-feel with the price being a fraction of the usual costs set on silk fabrics.

“Can we talk specifics?”

She had him hooked.

Have to leave him wanting more.

“I’m afraid I have somewhere else to be right now, and today has been a trying a day. I can leave you with the samples and you work out exactly how much of what you want to order what colors, patterns, etc. Tomorrow afternoon I will return and we will work out a true trade deal. How does that sound?”

Holding out a confident hand for the man to shake, Naadiya tried to look just impatient enough to suggest she really did have a prior appointment but not so much to seem abrasive.

When skin touched her palm, Naadiya almost let out a relieved exhale. Almost.

Far enough from the textile trader’s area, Naadiya turned to Alric and slapped him light on the chest.

“Was that you!?” Her whispered was excited and rushed. “Ok, I don’t know who owes who a drink anymore but I definitely want one!”

Absentminded raising a hand to brush her hair, she remembered she had the fias on. No attention had been paid to her hands, she recalled. Little if any had seemed to be paid to her silken robes, her adorned neck and ears or even her plunging neckline. All details that go by unnoticed when they seem to fit the picture offered. Would she have still have seemed the successful connection with stained skin, a simple dress and a single earring hanging from one ear?

Remembering these details, she stopped walking, holding Alric by the arm and started to remove the fias from her hands.

“Come with me just so I can return the dress and hold true to all the promises I made earlier, then you take the lead!”

Once they had returned everything that needed to be returned and made the promised purchases, Naadiya let Alric steer them towards a drinking hole.

“Time for that drink or two! And maybe a song? Are there bards here?”

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by **Alric Lysane** on April 9th, 2022, 5:37 pm

He followed in Naadiya’s wake but kept an alert countenance, as if he were her guard and she were his employer, hands upon the hilts of his weapons, the ones that were visible, in a relaxed manner that might suggest to the casual observer that he knew how to use them and had been asked to do so on Naadiya’s behalf more than once. He plastered a half-smirk across his lips, trying to recall up a mixture of the mercenary smiles he knew from Sunberth for inspiration. He kept it as a casual attempt, it was Naadiya who was supposed to be the focus of attention and so he followed behind her by a pace or so and once she had decided who she wanted to engage wither attempts he lingered to the side, leaning upon the side of the other stall, ignoring their complaints with a shrug that sent the off huffing and glaring.

That done and resolve, at least for now, he watched and listened to the conversation taking place. It became apparent that it was more a persuasive attempt at trying to forge a link for his new companion. He wondered whether it was for herself, or for her place of origin, though he supposed that it didn’t matter too much. He had no stake in politics beyond whether they involved him -which he hoped never truly would, though he suspected that on some level that might be a vain hope, given his blood. For now, though, he was focusing upon helping Naadiya, partly because she had helped him but also because he was curious to see what was going to happen, and if he could repeat his earlier attempt, to see if it had been an accident.

“Greed…reputation…uniqueness…these are things tat you want, don’t you? And this can give you that…you can see that, right? No one else will have such a claim…you could be so…so…special. If...if you listen to the fancy woman with the nice strip of bosom before you. She looks the part right? Yes…dressed to show off herself…knows her stuff...wouldn’t you love to be partnered with her?”

Such were the words that he muttered, seeking to project them into the merchant’s mind and heart, willing for some success. He wasn’t overriding will, not really, he was facilitating a certain amount of avarice. I thin line, he would note later, but one that was there all the same. Still he grasped for the clear mountain pool that was his well and drew the Djed in, just a small amount, enough to finish what he had started and no more. He didn’t see but his eyes seemed to flash briefly before his tongue took over the power, as if his Djed were trying to transport itself by the sounds he was making, low and earnest int their feeling. He blinked in surprise as the merchant almost immediately asked about prices for rolls, something that even Alric in his inexperience could tell was not standard negotiation practise. This was confirmed by the fact that, though the merchant couldn’t see it from behind his stall, Naadiya’s hips wiggled as if in excitement, and her feet shifted as if thinking about turning in his direction.

“Good…excellent…this is going to be a grat thing…lots of profit and a long…prosperous…relationship…you’re hooked into this…charming…endeavour” he muttered, sweat beading upon his brow slightly as he used the last of his Djed to try to send those last influential words, exhaling deeply after and breathing in through his nose, blinking away a few spots of white from his vision before the wave of tiredness crashed over him and he found that he needed to lean against the stall for support for a few moments.

He kept watching Naadiya as she continued her discussions, handing over samples and other items for the man to peruse over. He could feel the beginnings of the spike of a headache coming on and he really needed a drink, some food and a smoke somewhere that he could sit down, even if just for a little while. He was surprised but thankful when she seemed to conclude her business more quickly than he had assumed that she would. He cast one more look at the merchant, watching as he felt over the fabrics he had been handed and smiled when he thought no one might be prying. That made Alric nod as Naadiya passed him, sweeping out as if of regal lineage, and he knew that whatever help he had tried to give had worked at least a little. If it meant that Naadiya, and by extension Syka, ended up with more prosperity then he’d accept the win for what it was. Eventually, when they were far away, she asked him the inevitable question and he gave her the only truthful answer that he could.

“I think so,” he started after a few moments more of walking, beginning the return journey so that she could give back what she had borrowed and pass on the good news of future business profits and rewards for assistance, “though it’s difficult to be sure. I was trying to use magic to persuade him to agree with you, that you were a good bet, that he would be rich…desires…understand? Whether it was me or your…quite fitting coverings I can’t be sure. So we’ll call it all even and if you want to buy me a drink I leave that up to you”

It was a slower journey returning the things, but it was relaxing enough. She seemed almost as if she regretted returning the items, which made him think that she might have ambitions beyond whatever it was she had to call her own at present. There was nothing wrong with that, though he made a note of it given her penchant for subterfuge and wiles to get her way – he had enough enemies without having someone else seeking to use him for advantage. Truthfully, he was starting to feel like a piece upon a board when it came to the divine. He had no desire to add humans to that list. Once they were all returned, she slipped her arm through his as she had done before and he took the lead this time, leading them towards somewhere reasonably lively.

“I have to ask, though, why all of the acting and trickery? Are you working on behalf of someone…or perhaps you are being a…free agent in this series of meetings? It would make sense, otherwise why go to all the effort?” he asked, curious and seeking conversation as they walked.

He led them towards the Wayward Minstrel, the liveliest place in the Outpost that he knew, not that he had had occasion to visit all too often. It was not overly full but bustling enough that the atmosphere was buzzing, music in the background for now rather than as the focus. He found them two comfortable chairs, angled towards each other and facing the stage, with a table large enough for them to drink, eat and dance upon the table even, should the occasion call for it. He flagged for a server and when they came, he ordered a bottle of Riverfall wine and one of whiskey along with their recommended snack food to help recover the energy he had lost. Naadiya could order whatever she liked, he became focused upon putting together a pipe for him to smoke, lighting it off of a candle from the table, and inhaling with satisfaction as the smoke curled around his cheeks.

“Welcome…to the Wayward Minstrel, the place with the most, drinking, dancing, singing and…other things…this side of your dovecote. I’m not sure how you feel but I think I’d like to drink my bodyweight in whatever is good and then have some fun” he flashed a smile around the mouthpiece of his pipe, the orders arriving quicker than usual, which told him they were likely getting ready for performances and wanted to get pre-performance jobs done before the beginning.

“That one,” he said, pointing towards an obviously handsome Ethaefal, “is called Razinor. He’s the bet, or so they say. And he does like to play some disgracefully naughty songs…I like him. He reminds me of where I come from with the crudeness, though he is better looking than most of Sunberth. Has to fend the women off I’d wager”

“Does this meet the standards of Naadiya the Saviour?”

by **Naadiya** on April 19th, 2022, 7:28 pm

Narrowing her heavily lidded eyes, Naadiya gazed at Alric as they walked, on their way back to previously visited vendors. With almost no experience around the use and study of magic, she had always considered it a far-off mystery. But Naadiya had been only a few feet away from Alric when he had used his gift and she’d felt no change in the atmosphere, there was no mystical scent in the air, not even the gentle tinkling sound of an invisible harp.

And yet, today’s negotiations went very smooth. In fact, they had been more successful than the few worst-case scenarios she had hoped to not encounter. There had been a moment where, where Naadiya started to get the feeling the last merchant was actually not at all interested in women, or particularly turned off by her. Either way, if it had lasted much longer she might have begun to lose confidence prematurely, thinking she’d taken the wrong strategy and was doomed to fail because of it.

Always the sprinter, never one for marathons.

Her grandmother used to chide her as a youth for her lack of patience. It was a trait Naadiya sometimes had trouble keeping in check, but too many long years of trekking the dunes of Eyktol had pounded her impatience into submission, most of the time.

Running in the desert will leave you dead and dry sooner than later. Better to outlast than to outdo.

She might not be able to confirm it, but Naadiya was sure her new acquaintance had played his roll even better than she could have hoped for. It may not have been a cold day, but it also wasn’t so hot that one would work up a sweat just standing in one place. Naadiya made no comment, but she noticed the beads of moisture that had appeared on Alric’s forehead when she’d turned around. Whatever he had done, it was clearly taken effort.

Or he is in desperate need of relieving his bowels but he's made no mention of it and he's not standing or walking in any specifically strange way... probably just magic then...

They walked back to each merchant she had made a deal with, with the exception of the first. Naadiya had no desire to see that shop’s assistant anytime soon and she assumed the same was true for Alric. Besides, she owed the lying fraud nothing and fully planned on keeping both pairs of her newly purchased fias, discounts included. While she may have wanted to give the older ‘uncle’ the benefit of the doubt, it was realistically just as likely that he was also putting on a show to be able to claim ignorance if the charade was revealed, so Naadiya swept the two away from her concerns.

The Wayward Minstrel greeted them with a hum of music long before they were even inside. A stringed instrument was strumming a low rhythm when Naadiya shrugged and looked back at Alric. When she spoke, her tone was slightly lowered. Quiet enough to not draw attention, should any of her new trade-partners wander by and overhear, but not so low that she looked to be sharing secret information.

“Smoke and mirrors, really. The ladder from ‘laborer’ to ‘proprietor’ can be a bit of long climb. Too long, if you ask me. I make my living weaving, you see, and at the rate it’s been going, I’m going to destroy my hands by the time I can actually enjoy the fruits of my labor. My boss, she’s not a monster but she’s also not an idiot, and she keeps her contacts private, so I’ve got to forge some connections of my own.”

The few puffs she had taken to add to her disguise and dull her nerves had also left her tongue a little on the loquacious side.

“Whatever price he would be willing to pay per roll would be considerably higher, if he thinks his source is impressive or hard to get to, in some way. If they start to think the trade is more beneficial to me, for whatever reason, they might try to lower the price per unit. I can’t really say I wouldn’t do the same in their position either. But if you are dressed in brocade silks, standing at your own site, and someone comes up to you peddling their own handiwork, you have to think. You don’t know this person so what can you assume from looking at them?”

She made a gesture with her free hand as if to display herself in the gauzy dress, a general lack of adornments, open-toed sandals and dark mottled stains from every fingertip up to her wrists.

“Not every merchant considers themselves a gambler, and apparently I can give off ‘risky’ vibes! Can you believe that!?

Sitting down at the table, Naadiya looked around the place nodding as she took it in.

“This is nice,” the bar’s clientele today looked to be made up mostly of a touristic type of crowd, carefully guarding their purchases of that day. Naadiya kept her own bag’s strap slung across her body, no chance she’d get too drunk and drop it somewhere. Those who hadn’t stopped by after a trip to the bazaar had definitely come for the music and soon the tables around the stage were all mostly occupied. “And I think we came at a good time too.”

Once they had put in their orders, it didn’t take long for everything to arrive at the table. Naadiya had gone with a wine that almost smelled like peaches, a delightful surprise as her main reason for choosing it had been the smaller chance of it causing a stain if she spilled it. After asking the server what was the savory scent that wafted through the air, Naadiya ordered some shrimp for the table.

Alric packed his pipe and Naadiya took the bottle of wine and filled their glasses. She took a sip and looked to Razinor as Alric described the man, the rim of her glass lingering on her lower lip. Swallow. Sip. Swallow. Sip.

“The crude songs are always the best ones!” She exclaimed, refilling her glass and clinking her own cup with Alric’s before taking a drink.

“I have to say,” Naadiya said looking around, glass in hand, “I’m not disappointed! The Savior is quite satisfied.”

She reached for a skewer of shrimp, taking the thin wooden stick in delicate fingertips, being careful to not make too big a mess. Their server had explained that today they were serving the shrimp glazed in a spicy sauce and grilled over a wood fire, the assumed cause of the savory fragrance that mingled with the scent of the Bluevein Alric puffed.

Maybe Naadiya was hungrier than she had thought, because each bite seemed better than the last and before she realized it, there was good amount of the sticky sauce splattered on the lower half of her face despite all her efforts at decorum. Finding a napkin, Naadiya cleaned her face and took another sip of wine. She counted her blessing, thankful that this saucy beard was, at least easier, to wipe off than the other one she'd been recently dealing with.

“So.. you said you’d tell me all about Sunberth and it’s ever burning slag heaps. Is that where you learned your magically persuasive skills?” she said, eager to not let her mind linger on her new occasional appendage.

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