The next day started pleasantly. Thin lines of light shining through the cracks in the wooden planks danced on Liam's face and delicately plucked him out of his sleep. Wearily he blinked his eyes, surprised at the absence of a headache. Judging by the bright light falling into his room, it must be midmorning at least. With a shock Liam bolted upright in his bed.

Years upon years on the streets had implanted a healthy fear of oversleeping into him. He had become an early riser

If he slept too long, he would be missing out on the stall building. He rushed out of the room and was surprised to see no one but Blue and a handful of others in the common room yet.

“You’re up early boy,” the man commented while taking a hearty bite into a sausage.

“Am I?” Liam asked, surprised. He looked out of the window and judging by the bright light outside, it must be well past their usual waking up time. Mid Morning at least.

Blue chuckled. “Don’t let the light confuse you boy. Here on the far plains the sun rises a bit earlier in the morning than back at Charville.”

“How can the sun be up earlier here?”

“That’s because we’re closer to the midpoint of Earth, so we’re closer to the sun.”

“Ohh so it’s because of the chrono monosomatic equator?”

Blue raised an eyebrow. “It is actually.”

“So the divine spatial turbulence keeps the sun in check longer here?”

Blue raised an eyebrow. “It is indeed. I’m surprised you know about that.”

“I read a lot.” Liam shrugged.

“Do you?” Blue asked.

“Well I used to,” Liam said. “Although I’m a little surprised the divine spatial distortion is noticeable directly outside the city. I mean, we didn’t go that far yet.”

“That's true,” Blue laughed. “Although Charville is a little special anyways in that regard.”

“How do you mean?”

“Those fricking walls are just a little high. No wonder it’s always dark there. I swear everytime I'm there I feel like a trapped bird.”

Liam only nodded. He knew that feeling very well.

“Still I’m a little surprised you even knew about the sunlight differences. Say where did you read those things?”

In response to the questions Liam’s stomach rumbled, the aroma of the food was making it hard for him to concentrate. He blushed a little and Blue laughed.

“Here take a bite, it looks like you’re starving.”

His stomach growled again in response to the plate that was pushed in front of Liam’s face. So Liam munched into it with ferocious pace. He was three spoons deep into his soup, and had eaten two whole wheat buns, when he realized Blue was looking at him strangely.

“What is it?” Liam paused, half chewed food in his mouth.

“You know that this food is yours right?” Blue asked tentatively. “Nobody will steal that from you.”

Liam flushed a little. “Yeah, I know.”

He sat the bowl down at the table and continued eating at a more controlled pace. It was hard, and felt distinctly unnatural and uncomfortable. But what felt even more uncomfortable, was the look of sympathy Blue gave him.

It was long since Liam had been met with that look of sympathy. While he was younger, sure, an old lady passing the street, or an honest merchant looking out from the shop. He had seen that look from people quite a few times. But the older he got, the more that look turned into distaste.

A child on the streets was a poor baby. Something precious and wrong in the people's eyes. But a teenager was a danger to their society. All they did was steal, rob and kill. They hadn't always been wrong.

To his surprise, Liam didn’t feel pity in the men's look. In a way, he felt understood. It was a good feeling. Still there was a brief moment of silence, before the beat of the conversation was picked up again by Blue.

“So how do you like it in the caravan so far?”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“It’s nice. The towns and the nature things here are really beautiful. And I’m becoming better and better with the animals.”

“That’s heartening to hear,” Blue said, and then gestured for one of the maids to order some more food. “How are you getting along with the other people?”

Liam shrugged. “Good with some, less with others.”

“I wish I couldn’t say the same,” Blue laughed. “But with a troupe this big, it’s impossible to like everybody.”

The maid arrived and placed another assortment of plates on the table, filled with everything from still steaming eggs, to hard cheeses and fruit slices.

“Is it your first time out of the city?” Blue asked while Liam was heaping food onto his plate.

“Yes... Well… I wasn’t born in Charville, so I have been out before, but I don’t have many memories of that time.”

By the time they were both finished, the common room started filling up. People streamed in floating after the smell of freshly fried eggs and crispy bacon. When they stood up, to set out for the day, Blue surprised Liam.

“What are your plans for today Liam?”

“What?”

“What are you planning to do today?”

“Ohh, probably just seeing the town,” Liam said, unwilling to share more. “Why do you need me to help with some crates?”

He really hoped the man would say no. He was planning to practice the whole day instead. He reckoned with a good day of time he might manage to push his [Gravity Manipulation] to level seven, now that he had managed to raise it to five just before they arrived in town.

“Actually no,” Blue said. “I had something else in mind. Would you like to join me at the stall today?”

“Why?”

“Well I would like you to see how things work around here. It only makes sense that as part of the caravan you would see all aspects. Especially a bright boy like you.”

Liam was surprised by the offer. Usually the merchants were only among themselves. Not a few times he had even caught them smearing at the workers, or even the mercenaries. He never minded, he was used to worse.

But that just made the invitation more surprising. Well, despite his initial plans to spend the whole day practicing, he was too curious about the offer.

—---------------

Liam was surprised by the huge amounts of people gathered in front of the stalls. Despite the bright light and the lavenish breakfast they had, it was still early. Early enough that some of their caravan workers still hadn’t left the comfort of their room yet.

Not that the townspeople cared though. They were collectively waiting around the market, with a good atmosphere.

They were strewn in small groups, and Liam could hear a few of them cheering.

“Market Day!"

"Ohh, Markt Day!" another one shouted.

The clinking of glasses rang out. Liam noticed with interest that not a few of the people were already drinking.

“I told you caravan days are quite special for some people,” Blue smiled down at him. “Just wait for the performers to start this evening.”

They had dozens of different goods on display. Their row of stalls with merchants behind them spanned almost the whole way across the town's small market square. Everything from tools, to foods and drinks and also toys and other assortments was on display.

Blue himself had pulled out quite a few of different spices on the table in front of them. Their fragrance hung heavy in the air and tickled slightly in Liam’s nose. There were also some vegetable seeds for plants that grew their roots deep underground and therefore were perfect for the strong winded fields on the rolling grass hills surrounding the city.

It was the first time Liam really saw all of the merchandise the caravan carried. What impressed Liam even more than the varied assortment of goods though, was how impressive the merchants worked. Especially Blue.

He was like a well oiled machine. He could judge the need for the customer, present the most fitting product and haggle on a good deal. As soon as one sort of spice ran out, he sent Liam to fetch some more from the caravans. Keeping careful stock in his head of what he had left.

Liam had seen many stall owners and had been to many markets, but the atmosphere around Blue was just different.

Admittedly this was the first time that Liam truly saw what the market was like from the other side of the stall. The first time he wasn’t stealing rather.

It was a new experience for him and he watched Blue haggle with the customers with open eyes. He saw him selling a lot of the big red flakes he had set out in front of him.

After he sold it to three different people, Liam got curious about what it was.

“It’s red flakes.” Blue said. “It’s good for the farms, especially the soils around here. Pretty much useless anywhere more north than here, but for them here it’s a life saver.”

“I see. Why do you sell it at different prices?”

Blue looked at Liam and laughed. “I wouldn’t have expected you to pick up on that.

The trick is always trying to judge the people's wealth directly. You see that guy over there, who I sold it for three copper?”

“Yeah.”

“Well I sold it to this other one over there for four, why do you think I made that difference?”

“Because he haggled better.”

“No, gods no Liam.” Blue laughed. “They might try to push down the price, and sometimes I even make them feel like they’re getting there. But I am the negotiator in the end. I nudge them towards the price I want. Remember Liam, people never really know what you want. A lot of times it's for you to decide.”

“But if you do that, and set the price too high, what if they buy it too expensive in the end? Doesn’t that destroy the whole purpose?”

“That’s true.”

Liam was a little amazed, he couldn’t fathom that skill of controlling and judging people.

“But why do it? If you really negotiate that well, why not make more profit?”

“I took this job to be a merchant. A merchant is somebody who trades, not somebody who robs. I’m not a thief.”

Liam never knew there was a difference.