The Innocence of Teacups
Bartering

A couple of back flips and a crab later he relaxed into a slouched position with his elbows dug into crispy grass. A road ran round the hill he was relaxing on top of. A road which he’d travelled many times before on the back of Freyr’s cart. This time he was on his feet with only two packs and Sasha for company. He smiled at his friend who was picking at grass which the sun had dried out. They could use some rain soon. Was weird to be on this hill without his master seen as Windsor Kent market was only moments away.

After their fourteen day break at Violet Town, Windsor Kent market had always been their first destination. Freyr would get rid of some furniture before tracking down wealthy people, charming them into all sorts of deals from buying vintage wines on the cheap, to selling them exquisite fake jewellery. Now he was without any instruction. Could do whatever he wanted and not tiptoe round Freyr’s charades, or clean up after his messes, or be used as a verbal punch bag. He pulled a bracelet from his pack. Neither would he have essential needs such as food and shelter provided for him, or get taught how to do tasks properly, or enjoy a single glass of wine when a scheme came together, or get praise where it was due. If a calamity occurred then Freyr had been the one responsible.

“You’ve gone pale. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yeah it’s just”, he entwined the bracelet round his fingers, “Freyr was successful, the breadwinner, ever so clever. I’m not sure I can match up to his grandeur never mind better him.”

“Starting up on your own won’t be easy. No doubt there will be shaky days, weeks, maybe even seasons. On the bright side you already made these lovely bracelets and who knows you might even shine like them one day.”

“You reckon?”

“We’ll see. Have to take a run up before you fly right?”

Sure did. He gazed into the sky his first flight as a demon fresh in his mind. A run up. He laughed as Sasha went running down the hill unable to stop once he’d taken off. Shouldering his pack he went after his investor. Merchant sure was going to be a challenging career. After that slight wobble he was ready to take it on.

Once away from the hill, prim and proper houses were lined up neatly either side of the road. Further on, the road disappeared but houses remained, then they were in a quaint town for the well off. Kind of yawn after visiting Azure.

“It’s not very busy,” commented Sasha.

“It’s not market day until tomorrow. There’s one every seven days. You’re used to people constantly roving about aren’t you?”

He showed Sasha over to a large square dried up dirt patch, with wooden planked stalls randomly placed all over wherever one would fit. When merchants filled these stalls with their wares this area buzzed to life. On the most central stall Tomaz sat as usual with a ledger on his knee, waiting for merchants to come rent a stall for market day.

Before he went right over to ask for a stall he stopped to gather his thoughts, getting himself into character. You’re a super cool merchant with witty bargaining techniques. Your goods are the best. You’re proud to sell them. Right ready.

“Hi there.” He waved as he went over to Tomaz. “Are you the guy to ask about hiring a stall for the day?”

“Aren’t you Freyr’s lad?

“Freyr’s lad?”

“His apprentice Eagle you look just like him. Come to think of it you can’t be him seen as the lad I speak of is a mute.”

“Cool I must have a double seen as I just got here from Zoticas.”

“We sure did,” said Sasha. “This is the magnificent Alexander: Distributer of classy glass jewellery, so much so it looks like the real deal.”

He showed Tomaz his black bracelet hinted with red. “We thought we’d bring some sparkle to Kazara starting at Windsor Kent.”

Tomaz gave a huff. “Showy Zoticans.”

He slid the bracelet back onto his wrist. “Please may my investor and I have a stall?”

“If you can pay the twenty silver fee.”

Chink chink went a mini waterfall of coins as he poured them onto the stall Tomaz was sat on. Tomaz dipped his quill into a pot of ink and began writing.

“Alexander was it?”

Sasha was responsible for pulling the name out of thin air, saying it was an honest sounding name. To him no name could sound honest. He would have liked to keep Eagle however being an unpopular name Freyr would soon hear of it and most likely come slinking, then his cover would be blown.

“That’s right Alexander Pelevin,” he said.

“Right Mister Pelevin there is your stall,” with his quill Tomaz pointed at the stall he was talking about. “Good luck selling those gaudy sparkles you’ll need it.”

“Don’t Kazarans like even a small splash of glamour?”asked Sasha as they made for an inn.

“They’re interested when they see it. They’re not used to vibrant jewellery and ornamental designs or so I’ve gotten the impression on my travels.”

“Travelling round Kazara yeah?”

“And across the ocean.”

“Really you’ve crossed oceans?” Sasha sounded impressed.

“Sure you name a trading port and I’ve probably been there. Freyr only ever stayed away from Zoticas. Like I said he’s ever so successful which is down to him not being afraid to travel. Except it knocked him for six when I caught fever on the way back from Vulcaan. He never left my side until my illness past. Now I know why for his house. That’s deranged.”

“And what a wretch he was but you’re going to forget all about Freyr and concentrate on becoming a top class merchant,” said Sasha trying to drag him away from that trail of thought.

If only Sasha knew his main intention in wanting to become a successful merchant was to steal away all Freyr’s customers to financially ruin him, the guy would probably try talking him into a career as an acrobat. How he longed to forget and do just that alas invisible webs would always link them together.

Warm sticky nights meant leaving windows open which was no problem seen as Windsor Kent was un-notorious for bandit attacks. One sleep until market day. Or should be one sleep however a fluttering noise woke him up. When he opened his eyes there was a shadowy figure looming in the room.

Alaric.

The vampyre said nothing. Simply grinned and let himself out the room through the door, which was a more conventional way than his arrival.

He got dressed quick and went to catch up with Alaric, hoping he was here to give him a lesson in magic. As he went downstairs into an empty tavern he got a nervy twinge in his heart. Was dark magic necessary? Maybe not but what he’d seen Alaric do at Vulfgang Heights fascinated him. He could always learn dark magic and not use it. At any rate he wanted to feed his curiosity.

If this was Azure the tavern area would at least have a few guests dotted about. Here the tavern looked closed for the evening. A bar tender wasn’t even present which hadn’t stopped Alaric filling up a glass.

“Ready for a lesson?” Alaric downed the remainder of his drink and exited the inn. Without question he followed. “I replace magic is easier to get to grips with from the great outdoors.”

“Don’t I need to read something before getting to grips with magic?”

Alaric pulled a face. “Read ha! Learning by poring over books and scrolls is over-rated. Dark magic isn’t in a book it’s all around us,” Alaric explained as they walked away from Windsor Kent. “The most important aspect to know about magic is you can either be tainted by it or tap into it but you cannot become magic. Any questions so far?”

There was one. “What’s the difference between light and dark apart from the terrible consequences if you go awry with dark?”

“Dark magic creates and summons whereas light magic fixes and dismisses. I replace dark much more interesting. With dark you can have access to other worldly beings such as phantoms which is probably why it is frowned upon. You can also distort things instead of merely mending them and forcing other worldly beings away. Distort to create. Absorb to fix. Dark and light. Opposites.”

“What kind of things?”

“Anything you put your mind to it depends on your imagination. I’m a lover of music which enabled me to distort those instruments into playing their own music.”

“I am confused as to how your father banished your magic with a cloud of coloured wind.”

“Hatred. He had so much hatred for my frivolous activities building up inside him he managed to create his very own hate cloud. Quite astonishing to distort one’s own feelings, hardly anyone can do that. Father is the most powerful dark sorcerer I know. You should have seen him in his heyday. Have you seen Freyr perform any dark magic? ”

“I once saw him summon a phantom. And oh yeah he glowed red to scare off some spirits. Did he distort himself?”

“Temporarily yes. I cannot teach you to glow; my eyes wouldn’t stand the shine. However if you possess an open mind I can make you more apt at magic than him. No doubt he learns from books.”

They wandered up to the top of the hill which looked down on the road. Once there he stood waiting for Alaric to make a move but the only move which was made was for Alaric to pick a daisy and turn it round between a finger and thumb. A white daisy as far as he could tell in the dark or was it red? “Distortion. Did you see?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Sorry I am being forgetful you don’t see well in the dark. This daisy was white. I changed its petals red. See.” Alaric handed him the daisy. “With dark magic you have to learn with small details or you could cause yourself a lot of damage. Why you might accidently combust your fingers.”

A small change. He twitched his fingers as he placed the daisy in the palm of his hand. Altering the colour of a daisy seemed like a vast change to him. “How did you?” Kept twitching his fingers.

“Your shadow aided me. When one wishes to use dark magic one must seek dark energy from shadows. Any shadow will do. There is nothing to worry about as no harm comes to whomever or whatever the shadow belongs to it is but a way to use dark, like when a light sorcerer draws light from the sun or a flame.”

“But how can you possibly turn these petals red using shadow?”

“Let me try talking you through the process. Turning those petals black will be easiest so black you shall turn them. Do you see my shadow in the grass?”

“Yeah.”

“Focus on it.”

“Then what?”

“Just focus.”

Okay focus. What a distinctive shadow. Should he focus on all the shadow or just a part of it, for instance the head? Maybe he ought to stop thinking and become one with the shadow. Could you stop thinking altogether? Even when unconscious you must think things to be able to dream. Oh great he was thinking about thinking.

“Will my shadow to you,” whispered Alaric. A few seconds of silence followed before his next instruction came. “When you feel it within you think of red daisy petals melting to black then release the energy.”

He couldn’t feel anything and was standing there for ages like an idiot. This best not be one of Alaric’s practical jokes.

“Not feeling anything?”

He shook his head. “Maybe I’m not cut out for magic.”

“I believe you are or I’d never have offered to teach you. The trick is to be inviting. Pretend that shadow is a friend you want to shake warmly by the hand.”

How odd this would look if anyone passed by. Trying to pretend to shake hands with Alaric’s shadow was having no effect. He was stood in silence feeling like an idiot. Be inviting. He imagined Alaric’s shadow to be living, bowed and gestured at the shadow’s heart as though asking its name then in his mind asked it to come. His held out hand felt heavy so he transferred the daisy to that hand and thought of black. Those petals stayed red. The heavy feeling pulled away.

“A silver stem.” Alaric poked the stem with his little fingernail. “Not quite black or petals, alas a start.”

Sure was a start. Magic! Wow he’d magically turned a stem from green to silver.

Alaric patted his shoulder. “I knew you were capable. You must have a wonderful mind.”

They finished for the evening seen as he had an early start in the morning. Before he left for the tavern he slipped his bracelet off his wrist and held it out to Alaric. “A small gesture for being such a good friend.”

All curious Alaric held the bracelet into the moonlight and smiled as beads twirled round. “A friendship bracelet?”

He laughed. “Yeah if you like.”

Nervously he watched as potential customers came onto the market square. His bracelets were neatly displayed on his stall which he stood behind. Freyr always stood behind stalls while he ran backwards and forwards to fetch new stock off their cart when they ran low, never to be let loose with a customer. Communicating without a voice to customers would have been difficult and Freyr would rather be professional and swift rather than awkward and time consuming.

“You look like you’re on the verge of stepping onto a stage,” commented Sasha.

“I’ve never actually bartered before,” he murmured hoping his investor wouldn’t feel hoodwinked. Heck he was indeed a sneaky coward for not mentioning this key factor as soon as those coins were offered to him.

“You’ll be fine,” beamed Sasha. “You’re ever so approachable with your warm smile.”

“I have to persuade people to part with their well earned coins.”

“I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it with some practise. Just be yourself.”

Sasha didn’t even care it was his first time managing the front of a stall. Well if stern Freyr could charm customers with fake smiles he ought to manage some sales with his natural smile people kept telling him he possessed.

When a lady past by his stall he caught her eye, mini acrobats jumbled round in his stomach, his smile must be a nervous one. “Would you care to try on a bracelet? They’re not actual rubies or onyxes but you could fool your friends.”

“They do look ever so shiny.” The lady bent over his stall and picked up a bracelet which was more red than black.

“Zotican sparkle,” he said as she slipped this bracelet onto her wrist. “The red sets off your lovely lips.” Some of the acrobats somersaulted away. Speaking with strangers was amazing after years of being mute.

“How much are they?”

“Fifteen silver but seen as you’re my first customer this morning I’ll let you have it for ten.” A lie his highest price was ten. No one should pay fifteen silver for beads even if they were shiny.

“It is very pretty. I’ve never seen such affordable jewellery before.” She twisted her wrist round then counted out silver coins into his hands. “Thank you. I am sure my friends will be jealous.”

“A pleasure.” He performed a Zotican bow as she took her leave.

Sasha held out their coin tin. “I think you’re a natural.”

“It’s good to be able to use my voice,” he said on dropping the coins into the tin. “One down fifty nine more to shift.”

“You should have a banner on your stall saying something like: The Amazing Alexander’s Sparkly Sparkles.”

“People round here don’t like showy.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t give it them.”

“I’d certainly be a showman in Zoticas. Maybe I’ll give it a go here when I’ve built up some revenue.”

Merging his acrobatics with his merchanting would be rather fun. Best not to plan too far ahead yet. After all selling one bracelet was hardly a success story even if Sasha was convinced. Only time and hard graft would tell.

How different a market was from up front. Having potential customers clustering round his stall and speaking to him gave him a slight buzz. Some of these customers even asked if there was any exciting news from Zoticas while his Zotican friend made a nuisance of himself as he crossed from stall to stall forcing merchants into conversation.

His sales were steady which was good for his first time. As the sun dipped verging towards dusk he counted up his remaining bracelets as Sasha strolled over to him.

“We sold thirty nine bracelets,” he said.

“Awesome. What next a drink to celebrate?”

“Not quite yet.”

Over the square Henrik a merchant who specialised in oak furniture was struggling to lift a chest onto his cart. As a rule, Freyr observed what his competition was getting up to but never bothered speaking with them unless totally necessary. He dropped his coin tin into his pack and brushed the remaining bracelets in there too and hurried across the market square. “Careful.” He grabbed hold of the flagging side of the chest and helped Henrik lift it onto the back of his cart.

Henrik gave some deep breaths and leant against his cart, scratching at his beard. “Thanks. Boy these arms don’t work as well as they used to.”

Plus it looked like the guy indulged in large portions. A lot of successful merchants ended up fat.

“I do not believe we have met before,” huffed Henrik.

“We won’t have. It’s my first time in Kazara. Word on the road is Windsor Kent is the best place to start.” While Henrik caught his breath he picked up some chairs and carefully deposited them in the cart.

“A bit young to be starting out aren’t you?”

“My master was the best in Zoticas, and thought I ought to strike out with youth on my side.”

“Why come to Kazara at all?”

“You can’t get to Vulcaan without coming through Kazara.”

“You plan on crossing the ocean?”

“Sure. Especially now I’ve seen from today you lack stalls selling herbs and vintage champagnes.”

“Only fools venture across the ocean.”

“How come?”

“It’s riddled with sea monsters and tropical diseases.”

“I hear Freyr manages going over.”

“He gets lucky.”

“Not fools, the brave.” He smiled at Henrik then bowed. “I’m Alexander Pelevin. I hope we can talk again soon.”

Henrik held out a hand. “Henrik.”

“Sorry I forget your Kazaran customs,” he said on gripping Henrik’s hand and gave it a firm shake, then went over to Sasha who was sat on their stall, basking in the sunshine.

“That was kind of you to help the oldish guy out.”

“I was contact building. He knows how to get the best deals with carpenters so would be useful to have him on friendly terms with me.”

“Plus helping people is rewarding in itself,” Sasha said as though as a reminder, probably based on the fact he believed him to be a misguided soul who on occasion needed nudging towards righteousness rather than misdeeds for self gain. Problem being even the nicest of merchants played games to get on top.