With the morning sun filtering down from above—and giggles flowing freely from my mouth—I ran for my life.
“I’m sorry! I was only joking!”
“Get him, Claws!” Maria yelled, her arms pumping as she sprinted after .
Lightning sprouted from Claws’s body. She kicked off the tree’s trunk, extended her arms, soared toward —and flopped onto her belly a re ter from her launchpad. Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket had absorbed the energy when Claws tried to kick off her trunk. Claws’s grin disappeared as she whirled on the tree, screeching an accusatory chirp at the traitorous spirit.
I laughed so hard at the scene that I missed a step, crashing down to the forest floor before skidding to a stop on all fours. I made to take off again, to escape with my life, but then Maria body-slamd .
“Oof!”
Though I had an enhanced body, so did she, and it was like being tackled by a rugby forward.
“rcy,” I croaked as she wrapped around like a spider monkey.
“This ‘lowly witness’ demands satisfaction!”
“I yield! I was only joking!”
“All right. You’re forgiven...”
I breathed out a sigh of relief.
“For the insult,” she continued. “For that terrible na, however, your punishnt will be more severe!”
Faster than I could react to, her tiny little fingers darted under my arms, and my torture began.
“M-rcy! Please!” I yelled, squirming as she tickled .
Corporal Claws, seeing her chance at revenge, abandoned her squabble with Lemon. She was at my side in a mont, her paws shooting under my chin and jabbing into the tender spot where neck ets shoulder. I tried to escape, tried to twist from the clutches, but I was powerless before the onslaught. After what felt like an eternity, my feet caught purchase on the forest floor. I kicked off, flying for sanctuary. When I reached Lemon’s blue trunk, I latched on like a startled cat, breathing heavily. I glared down at Maria and Claws, who were both rolling on the floor with laughter.
“Not cool!”
Leroy stood, shaking his head as he stared up at .
“Sotis I think my life as a cultivator in the capital was more predictable...”
***
As Marcus, the leader of the rchant caravan, prepared his wares for the villagers of Tropica, he smiled to himself. The contents of the chest he held rivaled the wealth of every other product combined—using it, he would further his own goals.
When he’d visited the village a month ago, he was filled with curiosity about a strange man who had appeared on these distant shores. This Fischer had shown a cunning unworthy of a re commoner, but that was the least intriguing of his qualities. More notable was his political sway—most anomalous of all was his wealth.
When Marcus had arrived back in the capital to unload his coin and collect more wares, he told his business partner of the man and all he’d learned of him. They both agreed; Fischer was likely of noble blood and was expanding his family’s influence and wealth with so kind of sche that was too complex for them to identify.
In the month since Marcus was last here, he had lanted his lack of preparation. Though he indeed identified Fischer as an important person at the ti, and had made plans to ingratiate himself with the hidden noble, he’d been too safe—too unambitious. His business partner had disagreed, even suggesting that his plan to further ingratiate himself with Fischer was going too far. Marcus hefted the chest in his hands, and as he lifted its lid, his smile turned to a broad grin.
The produce was a strictly controlled item to inflate their scarcity, aning he could only buy ten per month—all of which were in the chest before him. This ti, he was prepared. He was going to make his business partner eat her words.
***
“G’day, mate!” I said as I strode toward the largest of the wagons.
“Ah, hello, my friend!” Marcus called, his hands clasped before him as he bowed. “I was wondering when you would appear! Co, co! I have all the wares that you could possibly desire!”
I grinned at the keen sparkle in the rchant’s eyes.
“I’m not sure I need anything, mate—I’m mostly here to help my pals carry their purchases.” I gestured at the two hulking smiths beside . “I’ll gladly have a little window shop, though.”
“Er—I regret to say that I do not have any windows for sale, friend Fischer.
“Just a figure of speech, mate. I don’t actually need any windows.”
“O-oh. Of course...” His sure smile returned, sweeping away the clear confusion. “Well, let skip right to the point, then.”
He reached into the back of the wagon and pulled a chest from out of sight. He slid it toward , and I leaned forward, peering down at the contents.
***
Preparing these goods for Fischer had been an expensive endeavor, and though Marcus wouldn’t recoup all of his losses by selling them at market rate, it was a calculated loss.
He had hired a specially insulted chest, one that was usually reserved for the wealthiest of Gormona’s residents when they embarked on long voyages or had one of their overpriced picnics. The chest had thick walls that were filled with a rare substance, and when food was placed inside, it would remain fresh for much, much longer than if it were kept at an ambient temperature.
As Fischer caught sight of the chest’s contents, his eyes went wide, and Marcus rubbed his hands together in delight.
“That’s right, my friend. I know how much you enjoyed the lemons I brought with last ti. They were old, not as fresh as they could have been...” He spread his hands over the open crate, drawing even more attention to the contraption. “This ti, I have ensured their quality. I will take a loss on these ten fruits, my friend, but for you?” He shrugged and gave Fischer his best smile. “It is a worthy sacrifice.”
***
I tried not to roll my eyes at Marcus’s sales pitch; there was no way a rchant as successful as Marcus would take a loss on, well... anything. My eyes were drawn back down to the chest again, and I shook my head, unbelieving of what I saw.
“Where did you get so much...?”
“For , friend, no product is out of reach.” Marcus shot a wink. “That is why I have so many acquaintances in these distant lands, you see? If a client of mine requires fresh lemons, I will supply them.”
“Oh, not the lemons, my man—I an the ice.” I pointed down at the four slabs of ice lining each wall. “How did you get so much? I’ve been looking for a cooling solution, but haven’t found a good one...”
“The... ice?” A distinct lack of comprehension crossed Marcus’s face, but he quickly swept it away. “Of course. Even in the capital, only one family has access to such a material, which is why they make their wealth by renting out refrigeration chests like this one. No one else knows how they source it, so they are the only ones that can provide such a service, you see?”
“Man, the capital and its monopolies.” I shook my head, not hiding the dismay. “Let guess—they hire out the chests and make you buy more ice to cool it?”
“Well… that is close. They rent out the chest with a batch of ice included.”
“And it cost you an arm and a leg, yeah?”
“Well, as I said,” he replied, flourishing his hands. “No cost is too much when it cos to supplying my friends, yes...?”
I winced.
He’d likely bought the chest intending to make a profit off , and, if not for recent developnts, he’d have succeeded. I was considering how to let him down lightly when a choked noise interrupted my train of thought.
I turned to Duncan; the man was going red in the face, one hand firmly pressed against his mouth. Fergus slapped him on the back of the head.
“Go for a walk, lad.”
“Excuse ,” Duncan wheezed, his back shaking as he marched back toward the fields.
When I turned back to Marcus, his eyes watched the smith’s departure. Abruptly, they shot toward .
“I suspect I have missed sothing important here, Fischer.”
I sighed.
“I don’t need any lemons, Marcus.”
“You...” His head rocked back. “You don’t?”
“Nah—sorry, mate. I appreciate the thought, but I’ve had a fair bit of citrus lately…” I trailed off as sheer panic flashed across his face. He schooled his features imdiately afterward, but not fast enough for my enhanced senses to catch that kernel of truth.
“Too much citrus?” Marcus’s voice had gone quiet. “But... how?” His eyes hardened. “Has another rchant visited? I assure you, friend Fischer, no one can rival the quality of my produce.”
I held up both hands at the intensity of his face.
“Whoa, my man. I haven’t bought lemons from anyone other than you.” It was the truth, if a bit of a misdirection. “Your lemons were delightful, despite not being as fresh as this batch here.”
He gave an uneasy smile, then opened his mouth to speak. I held up a finger to stall him. I’d thought his words about taking a loss were just that—words. rchants, especially those as skilled as Marcus, would have no issue spinning a tale to entice a custor into making a purchase. That flash of panic, though… that hadn’t been an act. Even if his words about bringing them specifically for had been a lie, there was no reason I couldn’t turn this into a fortunate outco for all. I snapped my fingers, coming to a decision.
“Tell you what, mate—I have had a bit too much citrus lately, but I bet I can think of a few of my south-side friends that would absolutely love so lemons. Sa price as last ti?”
For the second ti since I’d t him, Marcus’s true feelings flashed across his face, both eyebrows shooting up and his mouth hanging open.
“You would buy lemons for… your friends…?”
“Of course, mate!” I replied, grinning.
“Commoner friends?”
“What good is coin if I can’t share it with my pals, and who would enjoy lemon more than people who’ve never tried it?”
Marcus blinked, a silence stretching between us as his eyes weighed . Then, he laughed. He really laughed, holding onto the chest for support as he shook even harder than Duncan earlier.
“Ah, you are a rare man, friend Fischer. The sa price as last ti, you asked? No—one act of friendship demands another, so I ask only one silver and five iron coins each—market rate, yes?”
“You’re too kind to , mate.”
I extended a hand, and he grasped it, shaking vigorously.
“It is no problem,” Marcus said, giving a wide smile. Despite the cool night air still lingering, he grabbed a handkerchief from his back pocket and dabbed sweat from his forehead.
Foreseeing the possibility of Marcus having so goodies I’d be interested in, I removed two gold coins from a pocket. “Put the change toward more tal for my smith friends.”
“Are you sure?” he asked , leaning in so only I could hear—assuming Fergus didn’t have the ears of a cultivator, anyway, but Marcus didn’t know that. “This is too much to cover the tal.”
“That’s no problem!” I replied, clapping Fergus on the shoulder. “I have them contracted to work a lot of tal for , so put the leftovers into buying more tal for next month.”
Marcus looked at the coins, back at the wagon, then toward .
“I am not sure I can carry so much tal...”
“How much silver’s worth can you bring us?”
He rubbed his chin in thought, his eyes going distant as he did the math.
“Four silver’s worth.”
“Perfect! Keep the last silver as a tip.”
Marcus held up his hands.
“Thank you, but I have a set price on tals—I couldn’t possibly accept more. I will put it toward the next order, if it pleases you. You will need more, yes?”
“You’re a good bloke, Marcus. Thank you.”
“Do not ntion it! Just think of Marcus when you next need to procure sothing from the capital, yes? No item is too much trouble.”
“Will do, my man!”
“Was there anything else you needed today?”
We all shook our heads.
“Very well!” He rubbed his hands together, smiling at and Fergus. “If you follow to another wagon, friends, I’ll take you to this month’s shipnt of tal!”
***
As Fischer and the smiths carried away their bundles of tal on a cart, Marcus let out a contented sigh.
They had bought every bit of tal he had, which alone would have been a cause for celebration. He had incurred a loss, sure, but what was a little coin compared to the business relationship he was working toward? The amount of tal that Fischer had requested was also the confirmation he was looking for: the man was working toward sothing here. If he needed tal, he’d need other supplies, too.
While he had a feeling that Fischer was a benevolent noble after his last visit to Tropica, part of him had been prepared for it to be a front, for Fischer to be just pretending to be a good person as part of his machinations in this seaside village. Why? Because that was what nobles did. They were shrewd, elitist, and, above all else, ruthless. Now, though? Marcus had asured the man, and was certain that Fischer truly wanted the best for those around him.
He shook his head. Fischer, a noble, wanted the best for commoners! It was baffling, yet a breath of fresh air.
His business partner was going to be livid that he’d gone against her wishes and spent so much of their coffers on lemons, but Marcus grinned at the thought. The gamble had paid off, and even his finicky partner couldn’t be upset with the result.
Well, not too upset, he admitted to himself, his grin turning fond as he pictured the cute way her eyebrow twitched when she was mad at him.
***
The mont we rounded a field of sugarcane and disappeared from view of the rchant caravan, we spotted Duncan. He smiled up at us from his seat on the ground, then got to his feet, brushing off his pants.
“Lemons!” he said, shaking his head. “Gods above, if only he knew.” His eyes shot to the pile of yellow within the cart, and an eyebrow shot up. “Wait, you actually bought so…? Why?”
“For Sue and the others!” I replied, shooting him a wink. “They can’t exactly eat the lemons that Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket grows.”
“... what did you just say?”
“The lemons,” I reiterated. “The ones we have access to would make people beco cultivators.” I pointed down at the ten in the cart. “These won’t.”
Both smiths gave a flat look.
“Yeah, no, I got that,” Duncan said slowly, as if talking to a toddler. “What did you call her?”
“Call who, mate?”
“The tree spirit…”
“Oh! Why didn’t you say so? Her na is Lieutenant Colonel Lemony Thicket—Lemon for short, though.”
“... I think he’s finally lost it, boss.”
I bead a grin at Fergus, who just shook his head at , a look of genuine concern on his face that only made my joy grow.
***
The sll of burning coal rushed out toward as the furnace heated. I breathed deep of the earthy scent before exhaling slowly.
“Is it weird that I love the sll of your smithy?”
“Well, that depends,” Fergus answered. “Define love.”
I barked a laugh.
“Yeah, maybe I could have phrased that better. I thoroughly enjoy it—how’s that?”
“Better.”
“Nah,” Duncan said, leaning toward the glowing coals and breathing in as loud as he could. “I love it too.”
He shot a wink, and from beside , Maria rolled her eyes playfully.
“Few n would take pride in being as weird as Fischer.”
Duncan grinned.
“I bla the repeated heat exposure—what’s your excuse, Fischer?”
“Don’t have one. I’m just a weirdo.”
Maria pouted.
“It’s no fun when you go with it—you’re supposed to be all, ‘you dare speak back to , foul wench?’”
I raised an eyebrow at the nasal voice she used to imitate .
“Please tell I don’t sound like that...”
“Oh, honey...” she patted on the shoulder. “I would never lie to you like that.” She spun to Fergus, completely ignoring the flat stare I was giving her. “Let’s get these cages started!”
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