Post by Amanita Vernia on Jun 2, 2005 19:20:12 GMT -5
Arculeius offers a low bid for Salty's steel
::Salty leaned against the side of the pool his eyes glued upon the slender form of his Tara as she bathed him. "Do a good job girl or you will feel the caress of the five blades of my lash." He had yet to whip the girl as he had a distaste for the coil of leather he carried on his belt. Every time he put his hand on the whip, it brought back terrible memories of the years in the brine pits. Even now, the memory of the first time he had been beaten, at age 7, caused shivers to run through his body. He enjoyed letting Tara wash him because her soft fingers were so gentle on both whip scars and blade scars. "Kajira, fetch me a cold drink from a vendor and be quick about it". He smiled as he watched her climb from the pool and run down the hall to the vendors stands. She had much to learn about Gor and her slavery, but he was enjoying being her teacher.::
Fair robes contracted against the rich flesh of the man as he moved through the bath house. Unlike most, he didn't care to fondle the slave flesh found so eager in these places for men and slaves, but had a mission. Word in Schendi moved as quickly as a tropical shower and it would usually flood into Arculeius' ears at House of Silenti or to the man who was their foe, Krakatoa of House Bolsia. The barber who'd trimmed Salty's hair had paid taxes to Krakatoa for several decades and though he provided so-called security for his shop, there was no loyalty. Arculeius had been the first and only to hear that man looking for work was in the city, a man guaranteed not to be one of Krakatoa's spies. A small amount of coin was given to the owner of the bath house and in a matter of Ihns Arculeius was following a slave with cropped brown hair towards the pool Salty soaked in. "Tal, Sir...." said to the stranger with a nod before his own robes were abandoned and his slowly lowered his weight into the water from an edge of the pool.
::"Tal" Salty replied through half closed eye lids, no expression on his face. But then when Tara returned and slipped into the water next to him with a full mug of a sweet, fruity smelling liquid, Salty's face broke into a smile and he gave her a gentle slap on the top of her head. "You are getting fat girl, you run much to slowly for my liking. You may dispense witha formal serving, just give me my drink." He took the mug, turned and raised it to the stranger, "To your good health sir" and then Salty drained the mug and tossed it aside. "Finish bathing me girl, but take your time, I am enjoying myself."::
Arculieus allowed himself to relax, the man was usually so uptight that a slave could hardly look up at him without feeling her life was in danger. The girl that came with his payment and use of the baths had folded his robes and carefully made sure they were out of the way of getting wet if any decided to splash. She had a wide smile which she gave to the other slave, even if she hadn't seen her before, gathering that she must belong to the man. Her features seemed odd for one of Schendi, but the slaves small knowledge of the world outside the port city didn't let her think to much of it. She joined the two men and girl in the pool and with a cloth and a deep breath began at the black man's feet. "Appreciate, Sir, I'd drink to yours, but would have to swallow the pool to do so." He grinned showing off a rare bit of humor with the man. "What brings you to Schendi? I know many of my city, but have not see you or a slave so unique, before. I assume you've come on one of the ships?" It was a port city filled with strangers coming and going so it wouldn't be hard to guess the man was one.
::Salty was not well educated, didn't have a flair with words, but he knew when he was being questioned by one who was an expert at gaining information. Salty was also a blunt spoken man, not devious in his dealings. In Salty's life, he used simple words to express himself. "I did not come by ship, I do not care for so much water that one cannot use to drink or grow crops. I have come to Schendi from the Tahari, by the way of AR, Ko-Ro-Ba and Port Kar. I earn my salt by selling my steel and I have heard there are those in Schendi who need steel. As for the kajira, she is a barbarian. I found her in a woods, creeping up to steal a woman's baby....the beast was hungry I guess" the last words spoken lightly. If you seek steel sir, then speak plainly and I will listen, but I warn you, I am good at my trade and do not sell my steel cheaply."::
"That is a long way," he said of the man's travels though he knew others that had come and gone just as far before ending in Schendi. He chuckled at the man's words both of the useless Thassan waters ruined by salt and the baby eating slave. The man seemed to have a fair sense of humor as well as pride in his skill at the last warning of words. "I might be interested in your steel, Sir, but the starting pay is not the highest you will find in the city. If it's merely a high price you wish there is a house called Bolsia that hires men of greed." The irony to that was Arculieus and the woman, Amanita, were both of the merchant which was believed to be the greediest caste of all, they were also good hagglers by trade. "If you do not wish to hear what eventually comes with my lower bid, I will let you enjoy the rest of your bath in peace."
::Salty looked at the man for several Ehn, then turned to the slave girls, "Leave us and go to the far wall, face it and wait there until I release you. Now move!" he snarled at the two kajira and chuckled silently as they almost flew from the pool. He then smiled at the man, "It is a wonderful thing to own a woman, is it not? Now sir, I shall close my lips and open my ears. You may speak freely for I value my honor as much as my gold...no one shall learn from me of what you shall speak." He then looked over to the wall at Tara's svelte form, her wet flesh glistening in the sun light that poured through an open window. "I shall enjoy using her tonight" he said with a sigh. "And now to business sir" and Salty leaned back against the pool wall, his eyes steady on the other man.::
The girl cleaning Arculeius had the ability to hold her breath for extremely long periods, training required for any girl who served at a bath house. So Arculeius had to pull her to the surface and dismiss her himself so the men could speak without any additional ears taking in what they spoke. The dark skinned man nodded to the man's statement of ownership as he watched the girls leave. "I am glad your honor as as much weight as the price you expect for your steel. A man like that is hard to find in Schendi these days." Arculeius moved closer, but not disturbingly so, only to keep his voice low as his back remained flushed against the side of the pool. "My house is one of merchants, but what we wish to sell hasn't been found yet. One might call it a treasure, others say it is only a myth, but it will take many brave men to follow us into the jungles no matter which story they believe." He paused to see if the man followed him, it wasn't as blunt as he may of liked, but with such an uncertain matter it was hard to speak in absolutes.
::For several long Ehn, Salty did not speak and his eyes wandered back and forth, looking at his kajira and then back to the man in front of him. "I have fought in the Tahari against men and the desert, I have fought the Kurii in Polar Plains, I have fought Panther Girls in the Northern Forest, I have fought at the Gates of AR and I have fought Tuchuks on the Plains. I think I should like to fight in the jungles of Schendi. What will you pay for my steel?" he asked the stranger, in a calm voice that showed no emotion of any kind.::
He was a man of many fights, the jungle would be one more knotch to add to the hilt of his sword which made the sum being paid to hire these brave and perhaps naive warriors easier. Bragging rights were what would or would not tip the scales. He didn't bother to tell the man their foe, Krakatoa, was also searching for the same treasure. "We pay by the hand, one tarn disk with the possibility to double every three hands if you prove yourself. There is also a bonus to be had at the end... but I cannot name that price for it depends solely on the value of our prize. A fifth will be divided among the surviving men as an added incentive." It was not an unfair deal even if it was through a house of merchants, if they actually found what was believed to be in the jungles there would be more than enough to go around. "What say you?"
::Salty smiled, "One gold tarn disk of AR and it will be doubled every two hands."::
"Perhaps from House Bolsia you can recieve such a weight, but that is beyond our reach. Though I doubt he would share with you at the end of such an expedition." Arculeius shrugged and leaned his head back against the edge of the pool looking as if he'd given up. He may have or he might just be haggling, it was hard to tell.
::Salty leaned against the side of the pool his eyes glued upon the slender form of his Tara as she bathed him. "Do a good job girl or you will feel the caress of the five blades of my lash." He had yet to whip the girl as he had a distaste for the coil of leather he carried on his belt. Every time he put his hand on the whip, it brought back terrible memories of the years in the brine pits. Even now, the memory of the first time he had been beaten, at age 7, caused shivers to run through his body. He enjoyed letting Tara wash him because her soft fingers were so gentle on both whip scars and blade scars. "Kajira, fetch me a cold drink from a vendor and be quick about it". He smiled as he watched her climb from the pool and run down the hall to the vendors stands. She had much to learn about Gor and her slavery, but he was enjoying being her teacher.::
Fair robes contracted against the rich flesh of the man as he moved through the bath house. Unlike most, he didn't care to fondle the slave flesh found so eager in these places for men and slaves, but had a mission. Word in Schendi moved as quickly as a tropical shower and it would usually flood into Arculeius' ears at House of Silenti or to the man who was their foe, Krakatoa of House Bolsia. The barber who'd trimmed Salty's hair had paid taxes to Krakatoa for several decades and though he provided so-called security for his shop, there was no loyalty. Arculeius had been the first and only to hear that man looking for work was in the city, a man guaranteed not to be one of Krakatoa's spies. A small amount of coin was given to the owner of the bath house and in a matter of Ihns Arculeius was following a slave with cropped brown hair towards the pool Salty soaked in. "Tal, Sir...." said to the stranger with a nod before his own robes were abandoned and his slowly lowered his weight into the water from an edge of the pool.
::"Tal" Salty replied through half closed eye lids, no expression on his face. But then when Tara returned and slipped into the water next to him with a full mug of a sweet, fruity smelling liquid, Salty's face broke into a smile and he gave her a gentle slap on the top of her head. "You are getting fat girl, you run much to slowly for my liking. You may dispense witha formal serving, just give me my drink." He took the mug, turned and raised it to the stranger, "To your good health sir" and then Salty drained the mug and tossed it aside. "Finish bathing me girl, but take your time, I am enjoying myself."::
Arculieus allowed himself to relax, the man was usually so uptight that a slave could hardly look up at him without feeling her life was in danger. The girl that came with his payment and use of the baths had folded his robes and carefully made sure they were out of the way of getting wet if any decided to splash. She had a wide smile which she gave to the other slave, even if she hadn't seen her before, gathering that she must belong to the man. Her features seemed odd for one of Schendi, but the slaves small knowledge of the world outside the port city didn't let her think to much of it. She joined the two men and girl in the pool and with a cloth and a deep breath began at the black man's feet. "Appreciate, Sir, I'd drink to yours, but would have to swallow the pool to do so." He grinned showing off a rare bit of humor with the man. "What brings you to Schendi? I know many of my city, but have not see you or a slave so unique, before. I assume you've come on one of the ships?" It was a port city filled with strangers coming and going so it wouldn't be hard to guess the man was one.
::Salty was not well educated, didn't have a flair with words, but he knew when he was being questioned by one who was an expert at gaining information. Salty was also a blunt spoken man, not devious in his dealings. In Salty's life, he used simple words to express himself. "I did not come by ship, I do not care for so much water that one cannot use to drink or grow crops. I have come to Schendi from the Tahari, by the way of AR, Ko-Ro-Ba and Port Kar. I earn my salt by selling my steel and I have heard there are those in Schendi who need steel. As for the kajira, she is a barbarian. I found her in a woods, creeping up to steal a woman's baby....the beast was hungry I guess" the last words spoken lightly. If you seek steel sir, then speak plainly and I will listen, but I warn you, I am good at my trade and do not sell my steel cheaply."::
"That is a long way," he said of the man's travels though he knew others that had come and gone just as far before ending in Schendi. He chuckled at the man's words both of the useless Thassan waters ruined by salt and the baby eating slave. The man seemed to have a fair sense of humor as well as pride in his skill at the last warning of words. "I might be interested in your steel, Sir, but the starting pay is not the highest you will find in the city. If it's merely a high price you wish there is a house called Bolsia that hires men of greed." The irony to that was Arculieus and the woman, Amanita, were both of the merchant which was believed to be the greediest caste of all, they were also good hagglers by trade. "If you do not wish to hear what eventually comes with my lower bid, I will let you enjoy the rest of your bath in peace."
::Salty looked at the man for several Ehn, then turned to the slave girls, "Leave us and go to the far wall, face it and wait there until I release you. Now move!" he snarled at the two kajira and chuckled silently as they almost flew from the pool. He then smiled at the man, "It is a wonderful thing to own a woman, is it not? Now sir, I shall close my lips and open my ears. You may speak freely for I value my honor as much as my gold...no one shall learn from me of what you shall speak." He then looked over to the wall at Tara's svelte form, her wet flesh glistening in the sun light that poured through an open window. "I shall enjoy using her tonight" he said with a sigh. "And now to business sir" and Salty leaned back against the pool wall, his eyes steady on the other man.::
The girl cleaning Arculeius had the ability to hold her breath for extremely long periods, training required for any girl who served at a bath house. So Arculeius had to pull her to the surface and dismiss her himself so the men could speak without any additional ears taking in what they spoke. The dark skinned man nodded to the man's statement of ownership as he watched the girls leave. "I am glad your honor as as much weight as the price you expect for your steel. A man like that is hard to find in Schendi these days." Arculeius moved closer, but not disturbingly so, only to keep his voice low as his back remained flushed against the side of the pool. "My house is one of merchants, but what we wish to sell hasn't been found yet. One might call it a treasure, others say it is only a myth, but it will take many brave men to follow us into the jungles no matter which story they believe." He paused to see if the man followed him, it wasn't as blunt as he may of liked, but with such an uncertain matter it was hard to speak in absolutes.
::For several long Ehn, Salty did not speak and his eyes wandered back and forth, looking at his kajira and then back to the man in front of him. "I have fought in the Tahari against men and the desert, I have fought the Kurii in Polar Plains, I have fought Panther Girls in the Northern Forest, I have fought at the Gates of AR and I have fought Tuchuks on the Plains. I think I should like to fight in the jungles of Schendi. What will you pay for my steel?" he asked the stranger, in a calm voice that showed no emotion of any kind.::
He was a man of many fights, the jungle would be one more knotch to add to the hilt of his sword which made the sum being paid to hire these brave and perhaps naive warriors easier. Bragging rights were what would or would not tip the scales. He didn't bother to tell the man their foe, Krakatoa, was also searching for the same treasure. "We pay by the hand, one tarn disk with the possibility to double every three hands if you prove yourself. There is also a bonus to be had at the end... but I cannot name that price for it depends solely on the value of our prize. A fifth will be divided among the surviving men as an added incentive." It was not an unfair deal even if it was through a house of merchants, if they actually found what was believed to be in the jungles there would be more than enough to go around. "What say you?"
::Salty smiled, "One gold tarn disk of AR and it will be doubled every two hands."::
"Perhaps from House Bolsia you can recieve such a weight, but that is beyond our reach. Though I doubt he would share with you at the end of such an expedition." Arculeius shrugged and leaned his head back against the edge of the pool looking as if he'd given up. He may have or he might just be haggling, it was hard to tell.
