“The hallmark of a great captain is the ability to win the toss at the right time.”

Richie Benaud

Through fate or fortune, Captain Mercurio and Kashif had arrived on the same day. Like ships that pass in the night, they had never arrived at the same time before, and we had seen no need to inform them of our other dealings with the other. Both captains had visited at least once or twice over the last year to profit as much as possible from our goods and laws. While we, too, made as much progress and profit from theirs as we could. The influx of able-bodied individuals had widened our employment pool and created a bigger market for our products.

An incident with Kashif attempting to offload a murderer or two meant that we now had Arawn scare them straight as soon as they stepped off the boat. We believed in freedom for all, but we would not be the dumping ground for the worst of what the compass kingdoms had to offer. With his skills Ear for Deception and Compel Truth, Kashif had not attempted the deception twice and had appeared somewhat horrified at the threat that the skills might be aimed at him if he ever attempted it again.

As the crow flies, Mercurio had less distance to travel to us from Ponente. However, his visits were not much more often than Kashif’s due to his habit of stopping at every possible port between the capital and Wester Ponente. Kashif, on the other hand, had further to go but sailed a straighter bearing. Neither, it appeared, had enlightened any others on where they were gaining or selling their products as they were still the only mainland merchants that we had seen other than the local merchants who plied the small isles of the outer archipelago with their far smaller ships.

Either way, we suspected them to be making money hand over fist with their keen enthusiasm to purchase our products and their return visits. Both seemed startled to see the other. While traffic between the isles had increased, there were still no ships of the same size as theirs plying our waters yet, and it would have been immediately apparent that we had visitors when the second ship sailed into port.

The first captain to arrive, Mercurio, had calmly made his way to our island. Unhurried and unrushed, he was completely unaware of who was about to follow him. On the other hand, Kashif, upon seeing that he might have some competition for our wares, had rushed ahead of his crew, goods and slaves to attempt to compete for our patronage. He had been clearly worried about what he might miss out on if he wasn’t quick enough. So for the second time, we found the poker-faced merchant flustered and displaying a level of anxiety he usually managed to keep hidden.

That was the scene laid out in front of us right now. Two men bristling with bravado and aiming serious animosity at one another. As the morning meeting opened, I was already wondering whether it might not be smoother sailing to see them separately rather than together. Despite this, for my third metier of merchant and my third multiple mind, Caelus was pointing out the benefits to them competing with one another to make us their best offers. I had already spoken to Aleera about stepping forward for this meeting and hoped that this new development, along with myself leading the negotiations, would work in my favour for both the skills and the experience I could gain. I looked forward to levelling the metier and gaining attributes quicker once more before it began to slow down again.

Taking a calming breath and after checking with Aleera, I gestured for them to approach our dais to make their cases. Little did they know that they would deal with me rather than my sister, though they always included me in their address to be polite.

Mercurio bowed after approaching alongside Kashif, who matched him step for step as they marched forward. “Lord and Lady Silversea, the Prince of Ponente sends his best wishes.” He greeted while emphasising his relationship with the kingdom's royal family we were nominally a part of. “I come bearing . . .” was all he was able to utter.

“Greetings Lord and Lady Silversea. May the light of the Lodestar shine upon you. I, too, come bearing spices, slaves and silver.” Interrupted Kashif, unwilling to let him control the conversation or even start it without disrupting his plans. Without the links to royalty, he settled for additional flattery and blessings from the church, although I doubted he was indeed a religious man at heart. Especially considering the cargo he continued to carry.

Immediately our morning session devolved into a confrontation between the two merchants, “Your Lord, do not listen to this pirate and plunderer.” Mercurio raised his voice in protest. “You are scraping the barrel even to consider listening to him. His goods are most likely stolen from other vessels if not raided from the coast of the compass continent itself.” He continued his diatribe before devolving to prejudicial stereotyping, “Libeccians are not to be trusted for more than a stab in the back. They are regular raiders of our coastline. A pirate raiding follows every visit.” Mercurio objected vociferously to his presence in our hall and his existence. He detailed a list of reasons not to trust him further than we could throw him.

However, Kashif was not to be so easily cowed or drowned out. “You need to trim your sails’ if you don’t want to be needing to abandon ship on your way home Ponentian. The Silveseas and I have a deal.” He cut across the diatribe while placing his hand on his own cutlass. Still, he was careful not to draw it in our presence. Threatening, it may have appeared, but he was not suicidal and had seen some of both Namir and Arawn’s abilities. If he drew that blade, he would not actually have time to use it before his hand parted from his arm, whether or not it was still holding the blade.

“The Silverseas and I have been through thick and thin.” Mercurio exaggerated his history with us to his own advantage. He had never suffered from our relationship, while the same could not be said of us. “I would not expect a Libeccian to understand and can only assume that you have led them astray somehow.” He continued to object to the other’s captain’s presence in our hall. It was a little demeaning that he thought so lowly of our own critical thinking abilities, and I planned on pressing him over this if they ever stopped arguing and let me start the haggling. Still, this information was worth hearing and only strengthened our bargaining position, so I was quite willing to let them continue.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

However, it appeared someone had had enough, “Captain’s, please.” Aleera finally found a space to insert her own words after their shouted protests. She stemmed the tide or the torrent of words spewing forth from their rapidly reddening faces. “We will, of course, honour all our deals,” she stopped them cold, and they did not have the prestige or a strong enough position to argue otherwise.

They finally stopped shouting before they keeled over from sheer blood pressure. Though that did not stop them from glaring at one another, the veins bulging on their foreheads finally began to recede. Still, the words of reprimand from their business partner meant that they were willing to hold their tongues long enough for a civilised discord to begin.

“Thank you.” Aleera nodded in acceptance. “Today, my brother will be leading the trades.” She finally introduced the change in the lineup to the two merchants. Mercurio had already faced a younger me, so he seemed far less shocked than Kashif, who had yet to interact with me one-on-one. I had always been surrounded or supported by my family in his interactions. Only adding a comment here and there generally through my older sister.

“Lord Silversea?” Questioned Kashif. “I would never attempt to take advantage of your noble family, but isn’t he a little young to lead the trades?” He attempted to politely point out that I was only coming up to his waist.

“Nobles are known for their quick development. My brother is no different than any noble you might have encountered on the compass continent.” Aleera defended my rights to make the trades. “I will be happy to conduct the business if you would like another battle of wills."

“Of course, my lord.” Mercurio readily agreed. “You will see the true colour and worth of my goods as always, young master.” He alluded to the fact that he had a privileged position as a merchant based on our Wester Ponente.

It seemed that Kashif was not entirely finished with disparaging his competition. “As if a Ponentian could ever show his true colours, your lords. They are all thieves though they dress up as merchants.” I wondered if this was cultural disagreements and stereotypes or whether Kashif had a personal history of problems with Ponentian merchants.

They were no longer shouting at one another in front of me, but Mercurio was not to be outdone, “And Libeccians are no more than slavers. Base pirates, they make waves wherever they go. No merchant among them is not sailing close to the wind or straight across it. They cannot be trusted.” He repeated his earlier line. Still, after my sister’s earlier line, it was now time for me to take control of the conversation if I was going to get anywhere this morning.

Standing up for a little more height, I raised my voice, “Enough captains. If you do not have anything to sell, plenty of other petitioners are waiting for our time.” My biting words stopped their renewal of hostilities as I indicated toward the people that were still waiting for a moment of our time. They might have managed through bribery to jump ahead but they were still waiting. I was not petty enough to insist that they wait in the order that they arrived when the bribes would enrich the individuals of the island—provided that they did not completely derail the morning's petitions. They had dragged things on long enough as it was. “What do you have for us today?”

The surprise of dealing with me if not my sister seemed enough to focus them on the task at hand.

. . .

I enjoyed the following session. For once, we had two individuals competing for our goods. Not only that, but they seemed determined to undercut one another on what they were willing to sell their products for and outbid one another with almost an auction style when clashing for the right to purchase our wares. After a particularly intense bout of competitive bargaining between the three of us where Mercurio was able to lower the price to the market value and then continue to lower the price beyond what would normally be profitable, Kashif finally realised that something else was giving the merchant an edge on his offers.

“It’s impossible to make a profit off that trade.” He argued. “You would be willing to take a loss just to deprive me of goods.”

“Maybe for a pirate but not for a proper merchant.” Mercurio quietly gloated, adding, “I’ll still manage to make a profit.”

“Your Lordship?” Kashif appealed directly to the seat of power both figuratively and literally now that I was once more sat down to deliberate.

It was time to dispel some of the illusions Kashif was working under. “Mercurio is our merchant,” I explained, to Mercurio’s dismay.

“He pays his taxes to you?” He questioned to confirm his understanding of the situation. Enlightenment spread across his face as he realised the true situation.

“Yes,” I answered succinctly. Mercurio had requested this, and we had allowed it as it provided us with a far more regular visit from a Compass continent merchant. Our taxes would see us well placed financially when we appear in the capital rather than poor rural hicks of a noble family."

“Then . . . would you consider a second merchant flying under your house banner?” he asked without even inquiring what our current deal with Mercurio was. It was evident from the offers he had been making that it was far more generous than any other noble in Ponente and possibly Libeccio as well.

“Lord Silversea.” Mercurio hastened to interrupt, “You cannot possibly consider this Libeccian a suitable representative for your house.” He was clearly worried about the idea whether it was the different nationality or the fact that if they were operating under the same regulations, his profits from today’s trading would shrink further.

I considered the question as well as the objection. He was not from the Kingdom of Ponente. Would this be an issue? I was not naïve enough to think that the swarthy Kashif with his cutlass and tattoos had not dabbled in piracy, but he had been honest enough in his dealings with us so far despite the rather despicable nature of some of his trade goods. I looked to Aleera for her opinion, but she just shrugged her shoulders, unsure. However, more taxes would always be worth it for our burgeoning estate.

“Mercurio raises two points to be considered.” I addressed Captain Kashif. “Are you allowed to pledge yourself to a Lord of Ponente?” I started with the legality of the possibility.

“All captain’s who call the sea their home are free to roam wherever they may. There are many smaller places where no noble name is needed to dock and trade. For the larger ones where it is required, they care little whose name is used. We only require the reassurance that there is a house backing us to prevent general theft and robbery by the port masters.”

I had not realised the importance of our name in Mercurio’s dealing, but perhaps it was not needed as much in Ponente, where society seemed somewhat more civilised if only from hearsay.

“And the pirating?” I asked bluntly.

“Any good merchant worth his salt follows the profit. My profit lies here with you. Why would I have to resort to becoming a pirate to make ends meet? My weapons are solely for self-defence.” He unashamedly answered to a quiet scoff from Mercurio, who was unconvinced to the former use of his opponent's weapons.

“That is all very well, but some other lord will be missing his taxes should you switch to sailing under our house name. What repercussions can we expect to see for the use of our name? Who do you currently sail under?”

“Currently, Emir Ishtul is the house we pay our taxes to in Libeccio.”

“And he won’t object to the disappearance of such taxes?” I questioned the wisdom of creating more noble opponents, even if they were currently residing an ocean away.

“Surely not for a suitable gift of such exotic wares as yours.” Captain Kashif hedged.