Nuliyaa had been plotting. Cheeyt eyed the messenger. She didn’t want to argue with her sister in front of a stranger. Especially when that stranger had already gotten to see that conversation with Nuttulch and Saknuu.
She ignored the fluttering in her chest that hoped those two had finally learned, that they would come back from that monastery changed men. They had always worked so well together. Being able to make them a permanent part of her team was now a part of her dream.
They’d disappointed her before. But they also had never gone to a mage for anti-drinking potion before, either. They had certainly never mentioned that monastery before. That they knew of it told her it was something they’d considered in the past, so they were more aware than they’d ever let on that the drinking was a problem.
It was a long walk. Nengmek’s cities hadn’t reached the point where they went up instead of out—most of Nengmek’s citizens lived outside of the cities and came in only for business or while traveling to other places. In Keeyl, the government would have tried to arrange for all of the administrative buildings to be in the same general section. So the Pumuy Pounce’s meeting-house would have been only a few streets over from the center of Sikoesnu operations.
But, no, in Nengmek everyone existed in little pockets dotted all over. So they walked across half the city before the messenger led them to a door that was four steps below street-level.
Singmij met them just inside the door. She gave Cheeyt a tentative smile, which suddenly widened. Cheeyt realized her own lips had lifted into a matching smile.
“Thank you,” Singmij said to the messenger, who disappeared back out the door.
“Follow me,” Singmij said, suddenly focused on her job.
“Why are we here?” Cheeyt asked. She’d been trying not to focus on the reason for their being summoned here on the walk over, but the thoughts flooded her. What if Singmij’s superiors were unhappy with how they’d gotten Chesfi back to her pounce? Or were they in trouble for the damage to Yengkima’s store house? Though Singmij didn’t seem worried.
“Be patient,” Singmij said.
She led them up a staircase, down a hall, then up another staircase. Nuliyaa looked lost. Singmij stopped before a set of narrow double doors, so narrow they weren’t much wider than a normal door. She knocked and when a voice commanded they enter, she slid both doors into the walls and stepped aside to motion them inside the room.
The office on the other side of the doors was furnished with a desk that had a slightly slanted surface, several full bookshelves, and an unlit stove in the corner furthest away from the bookshelves.
A wiry man who was even shorter than Nuliyaa bounced off the stool in front of the desk after he dropped his pen nib-first in a small clay cup. “Ah, you must be Cheeyt and Nuliyaa! Please sit.” He motioned to the two chairs in front of the desk. Singmij went stand in front of the bookshelves. “Singmij has updated me on your adventures since leaving Wumaltsmaas.”
If he considered their last couple of months an adventure, he must not get out of this office that often. Singmij was giving him an indulgent half-smile, so she at least considered him harmless.
“My name is Ichum. I am the Director of Travelers.”
Both Cheeyt and Nuliyaa looked to Singmij for clarification. “Ichum’s office oversees those who want to go outside of Nengmek,” she informed them. “If, say, a family wants to bring one of their children to an academy or apprenticeship in Keeyl or one of the river city-states, they register their journey with his office.”
“Yes.” He was nodding in a way that was far too excited. “My office is also responsible for arranging travel for the families of Sikoesnu.”
“I see,” Nuliyaa said slowly in a way that told Cheeyt Nuliyaa did not actually see. Neither did Cheeyt.
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
“The transport and housing of the Sikoesnu operating in other territories is arranged by their commanders,” Ichum continued. “If their families want to go, however, they must pay for their own travel and housing. My office helps them plan the moves.” He bounced back down onto his stool. “It is very difficult for us to find companies willing to take on smaller jobs. Most either want to travel in large caravans where they stop in every large settlement and trading post, or they operate more as couriers and travel at speed. Singmij tells me you are perfectly set up to take on one or two families at a time, which aligns with our needs.” Now he seemed serious. “The Pumuy Pounce was satisfied with your company, as well. Even if the First Daughter had not sent a recommendation to us, we would know how the pounce viewed you because they offered one of their young to you as an apprentice. As such, I would like to offer you a contract.” He pushed an unrolled scroll across the table. “We ask that you would prioritize jobs offered by this office. In exchange, we offer these terms.”
Nuliyaa leaned forward, pushing her spectacles up her nose to read the contract. Cheeyt glanced at Singmij, who broke her somber expression long enough to wink. She considered it favorable, then.
Nuliyaa looked up. “And what if we are on a job when you reach out to us?”
He leaned forward and pointed to a paragraph. “That is covered here. We would ask that you take on our offered job as soon as your current work is completed.”
Nuliyaa read. “I see. And this would be only for jobs to and from Keeyl?”
“Yes. Though, if you were in Nengmek and able to take on a job going to one of the city-states when one came available, we would be interested in hiring you for those as well. Most of our Sikoesnu travel to Keeyl, however, whether to be stationed there or to sail from there.”
“If the family is traveling through Keeyl, would we be expected to take them to their next destination, or would our job end in Keeyl?”
“That would be entirely up to your company, and could be decided on a job-by-job basis.”
“How many jobs do you anticipate offering us in a year?”
He referred to a ledger, though Cheeyt suspected he already had the number firmly in his mind. “We anticipate offering you four jobs a year, depending on how many families are interested in moving. Not all choose to.”
Nuliyaa sat back. “If we may have a few minutes to discuss your offer?”
“Of course, of course!” He bounced off the stool again. “We’ll return in a few minutes.” He ushered Singmij out the door, then slid it closed behind himself.
“Well?” Nuliyaa asked when they were alone.
“You are the negotiator,” Cheeyt said. “What do you think?”
“I think this is an excellent opportunity for the company. The terms are considerably better than what they offered for us to bring Chesfi here. It sounds as though we would be spending much of our time in Nengmek.” Her eyes narrowed. “Not that I think you would mind that all that much.”
The corners of Cheeyt’s lips quirked up. “Maybe not.”
“Does this type of work meet your acceptable level of risk aversion?”
Cheeyt sighed and sat back. “Tseetsaa will be learning how to be a mage’s assistant and I’m going to teach you how to shoot a crossbow. I think between the three of us, we should be able to keep Miyt safe.”
Nuliyaa’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“Yes. I should have started teaching you as soon as we signed for the company.”
Nuliyaa gave a firm nod. “Good. Are we going to sign this contract, then?”
This wasn’t how Cheeyt had envisioned her company looking. But it was better, she decided. What she was creating with her family was so far beyond the company she would have been able to cobble together on her own.
“Yes. Let’s sign the contract.”