I had expected this, but not to this level.

“I don't understand! You'll trade with us, yet wish to meet the Derri personally?” the old man asked with a loud voice.

“And I don't quite understand your complaints...” I said in return, albeit not as loudly.

“The House of Derri is not wealthy!” the only woman in the group said.

“As you've said... but this is not a matter of wealth,” I tried to reason.

“Then what is it! Why the Derri?” another man asked.

For a moment I sat in silence, staring at the six whom although were sitting, were not doing so quietly.

Each one of them were heated, almost as if I had walked in and stepped on their toes or had made some kind of outrageous demand...

No, maybe I did. Just because to me it wasn't that political or strange, to them it might be... there were rather strange customs in the world, especially in such places as these.

“Please, calm yourselves. We are here to bring about a peaceful trade between our peoples, not to become enemies,” I said.

Although I knew my words meant little to them, they still calmed them... after all, no matter how angry they became they weren't stupid.

They were still the leaders of their perspective families, of their... houses. They knew better than to overstep.

“We apologize, Linesman. We mean no disrespect. However, you have to understand... the House of Derri is indeed one of the old houses, one of the great ones. But today it is broken, poor and weak... they no longer are worthy of being part of these negotiations,” a gray haired man said.

Although they had all introduced themselves, and their houses, thanks to them so quickly becoming agitated, I had failed to properly memorize just who represented who. Although I remembered a few, like the old woman who I had first met.

“Have we not already started such negotiations? And part of my condition was to speak to those of the House of Derri... I fail to see where the problem is,” I said.

“A condition we have no choice but to accept, thanks to our personal predicaments. Yet we have a right to know why,” the elder woman from the House of Hombil said.

“Indeed you do. And I have already said so. I am here to meet the family of a very old friend,” I explained.

“Who was this friend?” another asked.

It was my turn to shift in my seat, as if agitated... but I was far from it. Instead, I became antsy as I tried to formulate a proper and reasonable response to their question. “Just a man who I knew. I'm afraid I am bound by certain agreements and cannot reveal much until...”

“So you admit to having a deal with the House of Derri, even before you came before us!” an older man shouted, standing from his seat.

The outburst wasn't only a shock to myself, but even his fellow house heads. The grey haired man who sat next to him stood as well, but not to join him in his outburst but to grab his arm and try and calm him.

“Please do not cause a dispute!” another elder shouted, the one closest to me sitting to my right.

Glancing to Yevin, I noticed the way his cold eyes lingered on the nearby guards, and not on the elders causing a ruckus.

I sighed a little, and while the representatives shouted amongst themselves, I sat back and collected my thoughts. They said they had summoned the House of Derri... so it wasn't as if they were going to forcefully impede me from meeting them... but yet they acted as if this was an insult they wouldn't allow.

It was odd, since I had already agreed to do trade with all of them... after all, why wouldn't I?

Although I was here because of an old promise, I also had duties. As the owner and commander of the Front-Line, my first and foremost duty was to those who lived and worked upon it.

That meant making money, and relations.

The room we were in was large, but felt small thanks to the numerous chairs and decorations. Not only were there many rugs, and lots of furniture, making the room feel cramped and without much open space... there were dozens of ceiling fixtures hanging from the tall ceiling as well.

It made me feel like I was sitting in one of the confined areas on the Front-Line, rather than in the middle of a huge pavilion surrounded by open space.

While glancing around, I noticed one of the guards nearby had been staring at me.

Like the other guards, he was fully outfitted in armor. Not just any armor either. Each piece looked artisan detailed, covered in jewels and gems.

Although the gear looked beautiful, it didn't look like it would be useful or comfortable. They looked for show more than anything.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The sun had set a little while ago, yet the heat still remained. The poor man probably was as hot as he looked.

He was close enough for me to smile and nod. “Don't you feel hot in all that?” I asked him.

Instead of answering me, he hurriedly looked away and put on a stoic mask.

I shrugged, and returned my attention to the elders who were now all standing. They had formed a little group a little ways away, and were trying their best to whisper with one another... at least, maybe they were trying. Their voices could be heard by everyone, and by now I had gotten a good idea of their problems.

It wasn't me.

Nor was it that I had asked to meet one of their enemies, or whatever they considered the House of Derri to be...

It was that I hadn't chosen them.

It was that I wasn't here to meet them.

Though I wouldn't say it was jealousy...

“He already promised to trade with all of us,” one of them argued again.

“For now! What will we do if the Derri convince him otherwise?”

“That's why we have to stop arguing and agree on terms now, before they arrive and,”

“The House of Derri has arrived!” a guard shouted from outside of the room, causing the rest of the elder's to flinch and go quiet.

Jamthi coughed from behind me, but I ignored him and his horribly veiled attempt at covering up a laugh.

“Elder Rivini, of the House of Derri,” a guard declared as an old woman entered the pavilion.

She paused for a moment upon entering, looking around and studying not just me but the rest of the room as well.

Like the others, she too was dressed in gaudy gowns. More jewels than cloth... to such a point that I couldn't really tell if it was less or more than the rest.

If she and her house really were the poorest, she didn't look it.

“You’re the Linesman? The one who summoned us?” she asked as she approached me, and I noticed her tone. She was talking to me, but speaking to others.

Most likely the other elders.

“I am. My name is Noth, Commander of the Front-Line,” I introduced myself, standing from my seat.

She gave me a smile, and it was an honest one. She seemed genuinely happy as she gave me a bow, and I returned it.

“Here, Rivini. A seat for you,” the only other female in the group said, pointing to a nearby chair.

“Why thank you. Would someone please be so kind as to tell me of what has transpired, and what is to come?” Rivini asked as she took her seat.

I stayed standing, and decided to take ownership of the conversation... if anything, to keep it from derailing again.

“We are here to reach an agreement on trade and peace. However, one of my conditions was to meet with you, the House of Derri,” I said firmly.

“With us? And what has brought us such honor?” she asked.

I had expected the other Houses to throw a fuss, but they all remained silent as they took their seats.

Maybe they wanted to hear this as well.

“I knew a member of your household. I gave them a promise to come here, and to trade with you and your people,” I said.

“With just the Derri?” she asked.

“No. But your house was indeed the topic of conversation,” I said honestly.

For a long moment the room was silent, and I hoped this wouldn't cause too many issues.

I was used to such political strife amongst those we traded with. But on occasion it evolved from petty squabbles to bloodshed... and usually that meant there was no hope for true trade or peace.

There was no trading to be done, when blood was the thing being traded, after all.

“I see... And the rest of you?” Rivini asked her fellows. With the conversation shifted, I chose to sit back down.

“Precedent must be set... We must agree to allow trade freely,” the gray haired man said.

“We have no choice but to accept your claim, Derri. But he himself says it is not solely for your House,” another said.

“I've made it clear I will trade freely,” I said.

“I think you're all stacking the sand before the wind. We've not even discussed what exactly he has come to trade with,” an elder said.

“You've not allowed the opportunity,” I countered.

“Let's hear it then,” another said.

I nodded, and gestured for Jamthi to step forward.

My cousin coughed again, and this time I noticed it was a real one. I couldn't fault him; the air was rather sandy...

“Per our Commander's orders, we of the Front-Line brought goods focusing on sustainability. Things like seeds, both for trees and farms. Animals for husbandry, and catalysts for water and fire. Alongside such things, we also carry the surplus of goods and trinkets from other lands,” Jamthi explained calmly.

After his brief description my cousin sat back down, and I hid my smile at the silence that followed.

A Line carrying such goods was not uncommon... but it was rare. After all, most Lines traded with cities and communities that were frequently visited by other Lines. And such places didn't need such things.

Only those few desperate, and forlorn cities such as this one... lost to Lines, needed such goods.

“You've brought seeds?” someone asked.

“Aplenty. Even ones that thrive in such climates as these.”

“Water catalyst? Magic?” another asked.

“Yes.”

The elders all looked to one another, and I was glad to notice that the ambiguous animosity between them had disappeared.

Maybe if they understood that we had what they wanted, and enough of it to go around... maybe there'd be no problem after all.

“And you're willing to trade these things to all of us?” one asked.

“Of course.”

“Then... we agree to trade with you, Noth. We of the House of Markith. Let it be known,” the gray haired man said.

“We of the House of Hombil agree as well. We welcome you and your Line,” Nervi said.

“Of course we of the House of Brillo agree. We look forward to growing your seeds, Noth, and replenishing our lands.”

One by one they all agreed, standing and bowing one after another.

Ending with the House of Derri.

“We of the House of Derri, welcome our long lost friend... and agree to trade. May our relationship be long and fruitful,” Rivini said with a bow.