Richard Tuttle - Web of Deceit

Rejji walked away from the merchant and sat with his back against the wall of an inn. He reviewed the list Wicado had given to him his spirits soared. Rather than having to record every item at every stall, Rejji only needed to seek out those stalls that sold the items on the list. Most of the items Rejji recognized as things the mansion would need on a continuous basis. Rejji began to understand what Wicado was after. Most things needed for daily operation of the estate were produced on the estate itself. The Bursar shopped for price on items like wax, which was used daily, but not available on the estate.

Rejji stood and started going down the row, checking each stall for one or more of the listed items. When he found a stall selling the items, he wrote down the row and stall number and the price. Many of the vendors wanted to haggle with him on price, but he told them he was getting the price for someone else and they always stated a price for him to write down. Around the middle of the first row, Rejji halted in front of a small but lavish stall. There were very few items displayed for sale, but one caught Rejji’s eye. It was a petrified shark’s tooth.

Rejji reached for it and the merchant grabbed his hand. “I don’t believe for a minute that you can afford that, lad,” the merchant said. “What is a Pikata slave doing running free in the market?”

“I have permission,” retorted Rejji as he pulled his hand free. “I just wanted to see if it was real.”

“As if you would know,” chuckled the merchant. “Do not take me for a soft touch, lad. I have the most expensive merchandise in the market and I know my customers well. You are not one of them.”

“How much is it?” Rejji asked.

“For you I have a special price,” laughed the merchant. “Four hundred gold coins.”

“Four hundred?” Rejji repeated as his jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious. What is the normal price?”

“Four hundred,” smiled the merchant.

“But you said that was a special price,” argued Rejji.

“All of my prices are special,” grinned the merchant. “Now why don’t you run along before you start to dissuade real customers from coming to my stall. You don’t even know what the item is anyway.”

“It is a petrified shark’s tooth found only in one location in Fakara,” Rejji stated as he bit his lower lip.

The merchant’s eyebrows rose as he asked, “How did you know that?”

“Because I am the supplier,” grinned Rejji, “or I was until recently. I only sold them to Brontos.”

“My apologies,” nodded the merchant appraisingly. “I would assume that the fact that you are now a slave is the reason Brontos has stated that the supply is exhausted.”

“Yes,” nodded Rejji. “My village was wiped out. Why do they cost so much?”

“The price hike is most recent,” acknowledged the merchant, “which is why I sell them now. I would not handle them when they were plentiful. I believe he used to sell them for around twenty gold coins, but he has raised the price since he returned from his last trip.”

Rejji did some quick numbers in his head and realized why Brontos was willing to travel so far for merchandise. If Rejji sold four hundred teeth and got merchandise worth four hundred gold, then Brontos could sell the teeth for eight thousand gold and probably buy the merchandise for two hundred gold. So Brontos would make forty times his investment Rejji realized.

“Can you really sell them for that high?” asked Rejji.

“Oh yes,” smiled the merchant. “I only carry rare items and Brontos is hoarding his last shipment. The ones I have are probably the only ones on the market right now. That makes them worth whatever I choose to charge. When someone wants to purchase something really unique, they come to Wendal. I have a very good reputation.”

“My name is Rejji,” offered the Pikata slave. “I do not see many people crowding around your stall.”

“No and you won’t,” chuckled Wendal. “I do not have a lot of traffic to my stall, but I probably make more money than any other merchant here.”

“I could learn a lot from you,” smiled Rejji. “What would you pay me for one of those teeth if I had one?”

“Fifty gold if you had one,” stated Wendal. “I would give you more for that pin you are wearing though. Would you care to sell it?”

“I can’t sell this pin,” Rejji declared. “It is not mine to sell. Fifty gold sounds awfully low considering the price you are selling them for. I would expect that you would be glad to double your money without much effort.”

“Doubling my money is not sufficient for the risk I would be taking,” Wendal said. “After all, it might not sell and I would be stuck with it. Besides, Brontos only charges one hundred gold for his when he sells them. Why should I pay double that to you?”

“Ah but you said Brontos was hoarding his,” grinned Rejji. “I think if Brontos was selling, your point would be valid.”

“Do you have one on you?” frowned Wendal.

“No,” admitted Rejji. “I was just curious how the game is played.”

Wendal laughed loudly. “You would make a fine merchant if you weren’t in that tunic,” he said. “So what have your learned?”

“That if I had one,” smiled Rejji, “I could sell it to you for one hundred gold at least. Does Brontos live in the city? I would love to see him again.”

“He does have a house in the city,” confirmed Wendal, “but he is seldom here. Last I heard he was going to try setting up a route in Omunga. He said Fakara had become too dangerous.”

“Yes it has,” frowned Rejji. “I must continue my task. Please tell Brontos I was asking for him and thank you for explaining things to me.”

“Anytime, Rejji,” smiled Wendal. “If you finish your task, come back and chat. It will give me something to do.”

Rejji continued down the row and reversed course on the next row. After a while he realized that the ends of the rows had mostly used merchandise and he was able to skip past them rather quickly. He figured the core market was in the center and the size of the market fluctuated depending on how many merchants chose to set up on any given day. By the third row, Rejji was able to move swiftly and spot those merchants that sold the items on his list.

High sun came and went and Rejji skipped his meal in favor of getting his task done. Suddenly, Rejji felt as if someone was watching him and he twirled around to check, but could not see anyone looking his way. He brushed the feeling off and continued down the row. Rejji got to the last row as the sun started to drop. He hurried past the end stalls with only a passing glance in hopes he could finish the entire market in one day, but the merchants began closing up while he was still in the middle of the last row.

Rejji retreated and headed for the Inn of the Rose. He entered the common room and the innkeeper came over to him.

“No refunds for missed meals you know,” the innkeeper frowned.

“I understand,” Rejji smiled. “I was busy.”

“Sit at the first table here and I will send the girl out with a plate,” the innkeeper scowled.

Rejji shook his head and slid along the bench of the first table until he was against the wall. The crowd was larger than it was in the morning, but there were still plenty of empty seats. He figured the innkeeper was displeased with the arrangement Wicado had made and didn’t care to have a slave sitting in the common room. At least, Rejji thought, the service would be quick.

A man in a dark hooded cloak came in and scanned the room. His eyes locked on Rejji for the briefest moment before the man went to the last table and slid all the way in so he was against the wall and facing Rejji. Rejji tried not to stare at the man, but his skin prickled as if he was being watched again. The man sat with his head down and did not even appear to notice anyone else was in the room, so Rejji sighed and looked elsewhere. A girl arrived with a bowl of stew, some bread, and a glass of ale. Rejji looked around the room and saw that most patrons were being served roast meat. He wondered how Wicado would react if he knew the service the innkeeper was providing for his money.