An Easy Job

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 6th April 2019

Characters: Taril, Arnolt
Description: Taril makes a bargain for a flit egg
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 10, day 25 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentions: Bryvin, Humari, Yriadha (indirectly)

It was easy to find the people you wanted. Taril sent a few whispers out through his network, and eventually the person he wanted to see would show up at his office door. Curiosity was an excellent tool, and it paid off again that day when Arnolt came to his door. The boy had taken a while - Taril had expected him to take his time. He nodded to the boy. "I have a job for you."

Arnolt slipped in to the door, closing it behind him, but stayed near it, crossing his arms over his chest. "Last job I did for you didn't work out so well." He held up his twisted hand, his eyes narrowed. "I'm Bryvin's man now. Why should I do jobs for you?"

"Because I'll pay you." Taril smiled and played his best card. "And it's not for me, it's for Humari."

That made the young man blink before he stepped closer, tucking his hand back into his pocket. "For Humari?" He frowned, then held back suspiciously. "What kind of job? It better be somethin' good. An' I want to see her."

Taril paused, eyeing the boy. Seeing him a few nights past had sparked the merchant's memory and spurred him into action. "It's a fairly low risk job. She needs another flit egg."

"Oh...cause her last one... yeah. " Arnolt plopped into a chair. "Low risk, sure, if you like being chased by an angry mama flirt, sure." He eyed Taril. "I'll do it, but don't want any marks. I want to spend the day with her."

The merchant raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to barter my wife's time. Her time is her own."

That made Arnolt's brows arch. Humari _did_ have some freedoms then. Maybe he could visit, then finally tell her how he felt. It was a thought. Maybe run off to the Weyr together, like he'd planned before she had to marry Taril. She was so pretty... the thought trailed off before he caught himself. "Fine then. How many eggs you wantin'?"

"Just one." One to replace poor Sissa, who'd been killed by Humari's brother. Who knew what would have happened to his wife if it hadn't been for flits. Her mother was unstable at the best of times and after what Bryvin had told him, this was not the best of times. Better for Humari to have a flit to be an extra set of eyes on her and his child. Children.

"From a gold clutch? Should hatch, then, if you're careful. " He studied Taril. "One mark."

The cheek of it surprised a laugh out of Taril. What a thief. "You think you're the only kid I can hire to find me an egg? A thirty-second mark for the egg, and a sixteenth if it hatches."

"I know where all the golds clutch and I won't being you back a green's egg. The others won't brave an angry gold. One quarter for two of 'em. You can give the other to whoever you want. " For all he knew, Taril had a bit on the side. Faranth, most men did, even the Lord Holder.

But the merchant shook his head. "A sixteenth for one, and you keep the other-- or sell it, if you like."

"No. I don't want one. An eighth and no lower for a good large one. That's it. You want her to have a good firelizard, that's what it'll cost."

Taril paused for a moment, thinking. An eighth was a bit more than he wanted to pay. It would be easy to put a call out to the enterprising kids at the Hold and no doubt a good egg would show up much quicker, and for less. But he found himself nodding anyway. It wasn't a great deal, but the kid had lost part of his hand because Taril had hired him. "Fine. But I expect an egg within the month or I go elsewhere."

Arnolt smirked. "You'll have it in less than two sevendays." He knew where there were ready clutches. He eyed Taril and sat forward, studying him. "Is she doing okay? Really okay?"

The merchant smirked back. "She's well enough, and happy enough. She's pregnant again."

Arnolt's face visibly crumpled at the thought. "She is? But..." His shoulders slumped. "She's happy?" He hesitated to accuse the man of forcing her, but he knew the marriage was arranged and perhaps Humari might want to get away...

"Ask her yourself." Taril tapped the top of his desk with his finger. "I'm sure she'd be happy to see you."

He planned on it. "I care about her, you know. I've known her for a long time, so I'll be able to tell."

Taril smiled blandly. "Two sevendays for a flit egg."

"For an eighth of a mark." Arnolt offered his good hand. "No less."

Last updated on the April 16th 2019

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An Easy Job