The air was thick and hot inside the tent. Sabit watched the two figures facing each other across the woven blanket on the floor. A look of impatience masked her face
“We will give you eight silver qirsh for the woman I described,” said Verdandi, taking a sip of wine from a clay cup. “Surely that is twice what she would fetch on the open market.”
The merchant across from her, thin-nosed and flint-eyed, drained his cup and held it out. Verdandi poured from an earthenware jug. The merchant took another mouthful and scowled. “I’ve tasted mud sweeter than this wine. It’s terrible. I have a dozen slaves that could do twice the work of the rebellious little upstart you want. I’d give you three of them for that price and still count myself the better bargainer. Come now, old woman. Three slaves to help ease your fading years … and find you better wine.”
Sabit rolled her eyes. She flexed her hand as if to grab an spear-shaft that was not there.
Verdandi took another sip of wine and smiled. “No. It must be her. She is a friend.”
The merchant let out a bark of laughter. “Then you ought to pick better friends. That one has made an enemy of a powerful warlord. The warlord’s own son wept for the woman’s freedom, but his father was unswayed. He paid me handsomely to keep her captive forevermore. If she ever leaves my workhouse with breath in her body, he will come for my blood. And all the silver in the world won’t buy me more of that.”
Sabit shot a challenging glance to Verdandi. The older woman nodded, then spoke. “Then it appears we have nothing more to discuss. I’ve nothing more to offer you but more of this terrible wine.”
The merchant scowled, but extended his empty cup.
Sabit slipped under the tent flap, relishing the cool air on her face. Outside the tent stood a man, nearly as tall as Sabit. His leathery skin bore the scars of many battles. Sabit smiled at the man. “How much would it cost for you to leave this flesh-peddler to me?”
— — —
Photo by Luděk Maděryč from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/metal-chain-in-grayscale-and-closeup-photo-86733/
Wayfarings of Sabit: Chains is copyright (c) 2018 by Michael S. Miller. All rights reserved. New chapters post every Thursday (and the occasional Monday). You can support this and other stories on Patreon: https://patreon.com/michaelsmiller Find more sword and sorcery fiction at http://ipressgames.com/fiction/.