A Merchant's tale
In the city of Epichirisi, the grand capitol of Opulensi nation, life was flourishing. The central market, which is known as Pui Pazar or "market of wealth", is filled with freshly imported exotic, and valuable, artifacts and items which merchants had brought with them from the far edges of the world. The market is used largely by the wealthiest men of the city who examine the new imports. Artwork was sure to sell quickly, as the wealthiest merchants and aristocrats sought for ways to express their wealth and power through material goods to their friends and competitors alike.
Aside from Pui Pazar, there are several other smaller markets inside the city itself. One of them is located in the harbor, called Azov Pazar, market of tides. Market and its surrounding alleys are filled with stalls' of local merchants, workshops of the craftsmen and smiths, bazaars and inns.
It was in one of these inns that the merchant Astantos was sitting under a canopy, drinking cius while dictating a letter to his scribe. It was midday, and scorching heat of the sun made him all the more uncomfortable despite the protection offered by the canopy.
As the scribe read to him what he had written on the letter, Astantos sipped his spicy drink and nodded for approval. The scribe rolled the letter and handed it to Astantos who finished the seal on it with his ring, bearing the symbol of his family. He then waved for the scribe to leave and deliver the letter.
Even though Astantos was used to the warm weather, he wasn't as young and resilient anymore as he hoped for. He cursed the dusty air of the city before taking yet another sip of his cius, and for a moment he comforted himself in the cool sweetness of the spiced drink. He had tasted countless different cius' all across the Opulensi, but none had the special flavour which was in the cius of this very inn.
Astantos raised his gaze from his mug and eyed the market. The market was filled with young merchants who bargained for spices and other goods from local producers, so they could set off for yet another journey to foreign lands and sell their stocks for hefty profit. Astantos smiled a bit as he looked the merchants. He had been just like them in his youth, anxious, impatient and inexperienced. Most of them didnt even realise how local suppliers prolonged the trade just to let the scorching sun to wear down their adversaries, who then would start to make hasty calls in their desire for comfort. He remembered how he used his first profits to buy the lands of one spiceproducer, thus he always had a ready stock waiting in the harbour without the need to fight for it.
Astantos shook his head for the young merchants and emptied his cup. He waved to the innkeeper for another and then directed his gaze to the harbour. It was filled with ships which were being emptied from foreign goods or loaded with spices, ready to embark for long voyages. The harbour was starting to feel little small for the trading empire which Opulensi had built, even moreso now that the harbour was hosting large number of military vessels, returning from the conquest of Dinyart. With them came the soldiers carrying their spoils of war, ready to spend it all in mere days in the countless inns and pleasure houses of the city.
As the innkeeper brought a new drink to him, group of soldiers walked to the inn and sat down around a table inside. The innkeeper hurried back inside, greeting the soldiers as he went and offered them all a drink. Warriors cheered and welcomed the innkeeper to their table, who wished to hear all the tales about the conquest of Dinyart. Soon the table was surrounded by civilians who likewise wanted to hear all the details of the victory and in turn offered drinks to their brave warriors. Astantos watched as the children and old, men and women alike listened to the tales of the soldiers, who boasted about their victories in distant lands...
"It's a good to be a soldier these days," - a deep, rough voice said behind him.
Astantos turned and looked at the speaker. It was a man in the middle of his fourties, arrayed in the captain's uniform of the royal navy.
Astantos stood up smiling, and roared: "Chersonos, old friend! It's good to see you!"
The two grabbed each others hands and shoulders in greetings, and laughed.
"Likewise, Astantos. Let us sit down and take a cup of cius. Is this the place which you have so often promoted to me?"
Astantos yelled at the innkeeper for another drink, and responded: "Yes. And I'm quite certain that once you've tasted their cius, you'll agree with me that it's the best cius you have ever tasted."
"We'll see about that soon enough. But how have you been faring my old friend? Seems like businesses are going great, judging by the size of your belly" - Chersonos said mockingly, with a bit of grin on his face.
"Quessed right, you old dog. Seems like the Dinyartians failed to cut off that ugly head of yours, although they seem to have tried by the looks of those new scars" - Astantos replied swiftly. They both smiled, and soon roared with laughter.
The innkeeper brought another drink for Chersonos and then returned quickly to listed to the tales of the soldiers, clearly concerned if he had missed something from the story.
Chersonos raised the cup and gazed at it, examining the contents. Then he raised the cup, and said to Astantos: "Cheers!" Then they both took a deep draught from their drinks.
"Well?" - asked Astantos.
"You didn't lie when you told me about this drink. I have never tasted better cius, nor a wine for that matter, and I have travelled in lands both close and far" Chersonos replied, and took another sip from his cup.
Astantos smiled, clearly contented by Chersonos' approval of the drink, and spoke: "Have you yet visited the new lands to the east? Many of the guild's merchants are preparing their ships and crews in hopes of getting there first. Myself I'm not quite convinced that it's worth the hassle, I mean, the expedition didn't report about anything of special value, at least not worth the effort guild seems to be placing into it."
Chersonos let out a sigh, took a sip from his cup, and leaned closer to Astantos. "I have been there, yes, all the way to Leun. While I'm no merchant to tell you what there is worth the trip and what is not, I can tell that they did have something that is of value to us, or will soon be" - Chersonos said ominously, and continued: "I believe some of the highest ranking in the guild know of this too, those who are closest to the King" - Chersonos finished, leaning back to his chair, looking at slightly puzzled Astantos.
"So, let's say I send a ship to Leun. What is this thing that is "of value", that i should look for?" - Astantos asked.
Chersonos smiled and replied: "Cunning merchant like yourself will notice it's value once you see it. But I can give you a hint" - he paused, again leaning closer to Astantos, and continued "You'll need to leave the cities to find it."
Astantos weighted the words of Chersonos for a moment. He stared at the busy market and harbor, and after a while, a smile appeared on his face. Looking back at Chersonos, he said: "For that piece of information, my friend, I'll buy you another drink."