Making Deals

Writers: Paula, Yvonne
Date Posted: 22nd December 2015

Characters: Raghad, Taril
Description: Taril has some black market flower spice to sell
Location: Citrus Bay Hold, Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 3, day 2 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Eirock, Bryvin, Runnfreya, Humari

Taril stared at Dodger. Dodger stared back.

Then the little flit blinked his jewel-bright eyes, yawned wide enough to display his row of needle-sharp teeth, and curled into a ball to sleep comfortably on a stack of hides that Taril would probably need before the firelizard woke up. Taril watched him drift off to sleep with an amused smile before turning his attention back to the problem at hand: too much flower spice. Too much _stolen_ flower spice, anyway.

Some he might be able to pawn off on the main Hold. Eirock wouldn't ask too many questions. But flower spice wasn't usually sold in huge quantities, and thanks to his greedy brother he had far too much to move without raising questions-- questions that Bryvin wouldn't like the answers to. Maybe some of the other minor Holdings... Citrus Bay, maybe? Raghad was always a friend to the Hold, and Citrus Bay had always been friendly toward the much smaller Red Tide Rocks. More than that, Raghad could keep his mouth shut.

He would need those hides, after all. Taril slowly dragged a scrap from beneath a sleepy Dodger and dipped his quill into ink.

~*~

Dear Raghad,

I hope that this letter finds you well, and that you had a pleasant journey back to Citrus Bay Hold after your visit here at Sunstone. I have some excess spices, and knowing that you are a man of taste thought you may be interested in a deal. I have salt from Avian Point, fresh black pepper, as well as some more exotic varieties. If I remember correctly, Runnfreya is fond of river grains and flower spice?

Please give my best regards to you & yours,

Taril

~*~

Taril roused his sleepy flit with a poke from his pen. The little brown hissed back at him in protest but meekly submitted to his message-bearer's duties, although he did insist on a good scratch on the eye ridges before disappearing /between/ to find Holder Raghad.

When Dodger returned a little while later, he was followed by large, dark blue firelizard who was persistently trying to get the brown to chase him. The blue carried a message. When Wind Watcher spotted Dodger's human, he landed on the desk with proud chirp.

~*~

Dear Taril,

Thank you for your letter. The family is fine and weather favoured our return journey home. I would indeed be interested in purchasing those spices you mentioned. How much you have?
I hope you and your wife and son are in fine health.

Yours truly, Raghad.

~*~

**Well now.** Taril leaned back in his chair, pleased by the response his little fishing expedition had garnered. Either Raghad hadn't heard the drums carrying their news of piracy and loss, or he didn't care. **Probably the latter.** The Holders who lived along the coast often benefited from skimming a little off the top of the tithes that sailed through their waters. At least, the prosperous Holds did. Sticking to the moral high ground kept you as poor as the farmers who scratched through the dirt.

Taril turned the scrap of hide over to pen his response as the two flits chased each other around the room.

~*~

Dear Raghad,

I have up to twenty pounds of salt, five of pepper, an eighth of a pound of flower spice, and two pounds of klah bark (should you be interested). I can send whatever you are interested in with the Dainty Lass, who will be leaving Sunstone Seahold two days from now on the morning tide. Her manifest shows that she will be stopping by Citrus Bay anyway. What quantities might you be interested in, and would you prefer to negotiate in marks, trade or a combination of the two?

~*~

After Wind Watcher had gotten the letter delivered, the reply came back with him very quickly. Raghad had apparently been prepared for it.

~*~

Dear Taril,

I'll take the pepper and flower spice, everything you got. We have more than enough of salt of our own, so I let that pass. Neither do we need klah bark. As for the payment, I don't have any extra to offer for a trade (unless you can find a market for apprentice-quality pottery), so it will be in marks. If you happen by to decent amount of almond oil, I might be interested.

~*~

Taril smiled as he read Raghad's note. That was some of the flower spice taken care of, and the pepper. The salt was a long shot, but you never knew - Avian Point's salt was of a higher quality than most of the saltworks produced up and down the coast. He made a mental note to be on the lookout for nut oil.

Even better, Raghad would pay in marks. Marks were easier to keep vague in the books in case a nosy Harper wandered through, and easier to trade for whatever he wanted. The merchant reached for his pen and ink, and began composing the letter that would kick off the real negotiations. So far, it was turning out to be a profitable night.

Last updated on the December 27th 2015

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Making Deals