seem like wise words, but what’s the point if you don’t enjoy the money you’ve made every once in a while?” Playing coy, Silvia nuzzled up to his arm, mimicking her ploy from the night before.
Carter stood stock-still, repressing the urge to pull away.
“Well, I guess I’ll just have to teach you a thing or two while I’m here.”
“I don’t doubt you will.”
Silvia pulled away, pouting. “Are you going to lead the way or not?”
Carter smiled in exasperation. As his companion stared at him pointedly, he lifted his hand and patted her on the head. Silvia blushed, shooting him a bemused smile.
“I suppose. You’d get lost without me, after all.”
“Well played, sir knight.”
*****
“Welcome, sir and madam. How can I help the happy couple today?” the shopkeeper asked as the two stepped into the tailor’s shop.
Carter smiled wryly, letting the comment slide. He was easily identifiable as a trader, but females in his occupation were rare, so it made sense the clerk assumed they were a couple. Silvia, however, turned as red as her hair.
“H-hey now! We are just traveling together, that’s it!” she sputtered.
The clerk, a rather plump man, chortled as he waddled around the counter.
“Oh ho, is that so? I’m deeply sorry then, miss.”
“I-it’s fine.”
Turning to Carter, the man extended his hand. Carter shook it firmly, flashing his signature grin. The clerk did the same, showing his teeth and squinting his eyes. Carter’s mental defenses rose. Such a smile marked a well-versed tradesman.
“In any case, how may I help the two of you today?” the shopkeeper asked. “Winter is coming, you know; no better time to stock up on warm clothes and blankets!”
“That’s part of why we came, yes,” Carter responded. “You see, we were caught in a rather nasty storm a few days back, and my companion lost most of her spare clothes in her rush to find shelter.”
“Ah, I see. Wouldn’t want the young lass freezing, eh?” The clerk beamed from ear to ear.
Silvia smiled back, embarrassed, but Carter fought the urge to grimace. This man could clearly smell a profit. Carter would have to stay on his toes with this one.
“So, what did you have in mind, miss?”
“Well…” To Carter’s relief, Silvia looked up at him. Her eyes searched his pointedly. Grasping the opportunity, he put his arm in front of his companion and cleared his throat.
“She’s going to need two full sets of clothing and a coat. I will also need a coat, but something a little more suited for a trader.”
The clerk looked down, rubbing his chin. After a moment, his smile returned. “Let’s start with the coats, aye?” he said. “I’ve got them in the back, so it won’t be but a moment.”
Carter nodded, and the clerk rushed off, leaving Carter and Silvia alone in the room together. The noisy streets outside were muffled by the shop walls, making the room seem quiet.
“You have that look in your eye,” Silvia muttered, walking across the room.
“Hmm?”
“That look. My father used to get it when he was negotiating a business deal. What are you up to?”
Carter glanced over at his companion. Silvia busied herself, examining a set of clothes in the front window.
“What does your father do exactly, anyhow?” Carter asked.
“He deals with part replacement on The Shell.”
“Does he ever deal with people from the surface?”
“Sometimes. He buys scrap metal and uses it to make replacement panels for circuit boards.”
Carter whistled. “Well, that’s just the look a tradesman gets when he’s in battle.”
“ In battle? ”
“Yeah, so to speak. When two traders negotiate, it’s like a battle of words. The quickest thinker with the sharpest tongue comes out on top and makes a profit. The loser, on the other hand, takes a loss.”
“But in this case, we are buying from that man, not negotiating. Won’t he profit no matter what?”
“Yes, but here on the surface, money is
Carter stood stock-still, repressing the urge to pull away.
“Well, I guess I’ll just have to teach you a thing or two while I’m here.”
“I don’t doubt you will.”
Silvia pulled away, pouting. “Are you going to lead the way or not?”
Carter smiled in exasperation. As his companion stared at him pointedly, he lifted his hand and patted her on the head. Silvia blushed, shooting him a bemused smile.
“I suppose. You’d get lost without me, after all.”
“Well played, sir knight.”
*****
“Welcome, sir and madam. How can I help the happy couple today?” the shopkeeper asked as the two stepped into the tailor’s shop.
Carter smiled wryly, letting the comment slide. He was easily identifiable as a trader, but females in his occupation were rare, so it made sense the clerk assumed they were a couple. Silvia, however, turned as red as her hair.
“H-hey now! We are just traveling together, that’s it!” she sputtered.
The clerk, a rather plump man, chortled as he waddled around the counter.
“Oh ho, is that so? I’m deeply sorry then, miss.”
“I-it’s fine.”
Turning to Carter, the man extended his hand. Carter shook it firmly, flashing his signature grin. The clerk did the same, showing his teeth and squinting his eyes. Carter’s mental defenses rose. Such a smile marked a well-versed tradesman.
“In any case, how may I help the two of you today?” the shopkeeper asked. “Winter is coming, you know; no better time to stock up on warm clothes and blankets!”
“That’s part of why we came, yes,” Carter responded. “You see, we were caught in a rather nasty storm a few days back, and my companion lost most of her spare clothes in her rush to find shelter.”
“Ah, I see. Wouldn’t want the young lass freezing, eh?” The clerk beamed from ear to ear.
Silvia smiled back, embarrassed, but Carter fought the urge to grimace. This man could clearly smell a profit. Carter would have to stay on his toes with this one.
“So, what did you have in mind, miss?”
“Well…” To Carter’s relief, Silvia looked up at him. Her eyes searched his pointedly. Grasping the opportunity, he put his arm in front of his companion and cleared his throat.
“She’s going to need two full sets of clothing and a coat. I will also need a coat, but something a little more suited for a trader.”
The clerk looked down, rubbing his chin. After a moment, his smile returned. “Let’s start with the coats, aye?” he said. “I’ve got them in the back, so it won’t be but a moment.”
Carter nodded, and the clerk rushed off, leaving Carter and Silvia alone in the room together. The noisy streets outside were muffled by the shop walls, making the room seem quiet.
“You have that look in your eye,” Silvia muttered, walking across the room.
“Hmm?”
“That look. My father used to get it when he was negotiating a business deal. What are you up to?”
Carter glanced over at his companion. Silvia busied herself, examining a set of clothes in the front window.
“What does your father do exactly, anyhow?” Carter asked.
“He deals with part replacement on The Shell.”
“Does he ever deal with people from the surface?”
“Sometimes. He buys scrap metal and uses it to make replacement panels for circuit boards.”
Carter whistled. “Well, that’s just the look a tradesman gets when he’s in battle.”
“ In battle? ”
“Yeah, so to speak. When two traders negotiate, it’s like a battle of words. The quickest thinker with the sharpest tongue comes out on top and makes a profit. The loser, on the other hand, takes a loss.”
“But in this case, we are buying from that man, not negotiating. Won’t he profit no matter what?”
“Yes, but here on the surface, money is
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