Bargains, Haggling, and Future Trade
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
Writers: Estelle, Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 29th March 2021
Characters: Tarani, Humari, Taril
Description: Tarani visits Humari and Taril for dinner and bargaining
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 8, day 4 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Asaile
Darkness had fallen when Tarani left the Hold for her visit to Humari
and Taril, but the lamps of the Hold and its surrounding buildings were
enough to light her way. She had taken care with her dress - smart but
not so ostentatious as to draw attention - and asked her maid to put her
hair up neatly and find her plainest cloak. She was only a girl from the
Hold, going to visit a friend, she told herself, and sure enough, no-one
paid much attention to her as she approached the merchant's house.
Then the knock sounded on the door, Humari glanced at Taril before
answering it. She'd cooked Taril's favorite, saltfish pie, tubers and
vegetables. It was a simple meal, but one he often requested and one
that she enjoyed herself. Tumaril already sat at the table, waiting
impatiently and pouting at his empty plate. With a smile, Humari
answered the door and welcoming Tarani warmly. "Please, come in." She
stepped back. "Taril, this is Lady Tarani."
Taril inclined his head in greeting from where he sat. "Welcome to our
home, Lady Tarani. Please forgive me for rising to greet you," he said,
gesturing to the crutch that leaned against his chair.
"Of course. Thank you very much for the invitation," Tarani replied,
undoing the ties of her cloak and slipping it from her shoulders as she
looked around the room and breathed in the scent of cooking. "Oh, that
smells wonderful." Her eye caught Tumaril's and she smiled. "Hello.
What's your name?"
The little boy looked down shyly, then looked over at his mother
before wiggling in his chair. "This is Tumaril. He's nearly three."
Humari smiled. "Welcome to our home, Lady Tarani. Please have a seat."
She gestured to the seat on the other side of Taril before moving to
pour each of them a cup of wine and taking her seat on the other side
of her husband and next to her son. She handed the cutting knife to
Taril so he could cut into the fish pie, then after giving Tumaril a
small serving of the vegetables, offered Tarani the spoon.
Tarani thanked her and helped herself to the vegetables and tubers.
She'd got used to the formal dining at the main Hold, but this was more
akin to her home of Flint Hills, where her uncle didn't stand much on
ceremony unless they had high-ranking guests. Once they all had a
serving, she raised her glass. "Thank you, once again. This looks
delicious! We hardly ever had fish back home, my uncle's Hold is a long
way from the sea."
"Humari is an excellent cook," Taril said with a brief smile at his
wife. "Correct me if I am wrong, Lady Tarani, but you are from Flint
Hills Hold?"
Humari smiled in thanks at her husband's praise and watched as Tumaril
began to pick up his tubers with his hand. She gently corrected him,
then mashed it before handing him a spoon.
"Yes, that's right," Tarani replied. "Do you know the Hold at all?" She
wondered how much Humari had told him.
"By reputation only. I most often deal with sea holds, although many
of them are better positioned than we are here at Sunstone Seahold to
sell inland." Taril reached for his wine. "How are you finding
Sunstone Seahold?"
Humari looked over the Tarani, but hid a smile as she kept her focus
on her son, making sure that he at least took a few bites of the pie
she had made. "Lady Tarani is a most...interesting companion for Lady
Asaile."
"I hope she finds my company entertaining," Tarani said, all innocence.
She did genuinely like Asaile, as timid and dutiful as she was, but the
Lady Holder was so easily shocked. "I'm very grateful to have the chance
to stay on at Sunstone. I'd never lived in a sea hold before and it's so
colorful, so full of life. There's always something exciting going on,
isn't there?" At least, from what glimpses she'd caught of Hold life
outside the narrow confines of a lady fosterling's duties. "But perhaps
you're used to it."
Taril smiled. Tarani was... interesting. She spoke like a Lady, and
yet... "I can't say either way. I've always lived by the sea so I have
nothing to compare it to, but I'm glad that you like it here. What made
your family decide to let you stay at Sunstone Seahold, Lady Tarani?"
"My parents thought I'd have more opportunities to practice ladylike
arts here than back home," Tarani replied. Everyone knew what had
attracted the young ladies to foster at the Seahold in the first place,
but she doubted either of her hosts would be so clumsy as to mention it.
"My mama thinks I still have a great deal to learn from Lady Brina. And
my uncle values the connection with Sunstone, since we're inland. Trade
is very important to our Hold and our family."
"Flint Hills mostly exports herdbeasts, if I remember rightly." Taril
paused. "I remember arranging for a shipment of salt to go out there a
few Turns back, although it's unusual for me to trade directly so far
inland. Usually I just deal with the sea holds, and they are the ones
who broker deals further in."
"Yes, my uncle usually deals with the traders and riverboat captains.
Herdbeasts mostly, but we also have stone quarries and mines. The land's
not so suited to crops, not like here, or Beryl Peak." She paused to
take a delicate bite of the fish pie. "Lord Rorrigraf was our closest
neighbor, and a lot of our trade went through his Hold."
Taril inclined his head. "My condolences for your loss, Lady Tarani."
"Thank you." She looked down briefly, but her expression remained
entirely untroubled. "The news came as a great shock to us. Poor Lady
Asaile was so distressed. He was her grandfather. I myself hardly had
the chance to get to know him before...it happened." And she thanked her
lucky stars for that, every day.
"I am glad to hear that you were spared that distress." Although from
what he'd heard from Humari, Tarani had little to mourn and much to
celebrate. But, on to business. "To spend the time building a close
relationship, then to lose it... it can be a painful experience."
"Yes, I suppose I can be thankful for that." Tarani thought that if
she'd had to pass the months of her engagement in Lord Rorrigraf's
company, she'd have been halfway to killing him herself. "Although I
spent very little time with him, I did benefit from his generosity in
several ways." She glanced at Humari. "I don't know if your wife
explained the situation to you, but I hoped I might ask for your advice."
Taril smiled at his wife. "Humari had mentioned that you're interested
in selling some of your dowery."
"That's right. Some pieces of jewelry." At least he didn't seem shocked
or disapproving, Tarani thought. She imagined you didn't get to be a
successful merchant by being shocked easily. "Lord Rorrigraf gave them
to me freely as gifts, and... I like to think of how much it would have
pleased him to see me put them to good use, instead of locking them away
to gather dust." Demurely, she popped a slice of tuber into her mouth.
Humari paid close attention to the conversation between the two,
quietly noting Taril's facial expressions and reading whether or not
he was interested. She didn't interject herself into the conversation;
she was well aware that there was a certain rhythm to negotiations and
it would be disruptive if she added her thoughts to the matter.
Instead, she outwardly concentrated on keeping Tumaril from making too
large of a mess.
Taril smiled. "I'd be happy to assist you Lady Tarani. What do you want
to know?"
"I was hoping you might know the right person to purchase my jewels,"
Tarani said. "Someone who would know their value. Usually, I understand,
one would go to a jewelsmith, but in this case, discretion is important.
Poor Lady Asaile was so grieved by her family's loss. I would feel
terrible if she was troubled by gossip, in her delicate condition."
"Perhaps I might know someone. Did you bring them with you tonight?" he
asked.
"I brought one, a necklace, but there are several other pieces of equal
quality," Tarani explained. "If you'd like, I could show it to you after
we've eaten." She wasn't sure if it would be polite to pass around trade
goods at the dinner table. Her uncle sometimes did so, much to her
aunt's exasperation.
The merchant nodded. "Well, without seeing them, I can suggest two
options if discretion is important. The first is to sell them to
someone outside of the Hold. That way the chance of Lady Asaile seeing
them later is reduced, however the process will be more difficult and
likely take longer. The second option is to pull them apart and sell
the metal and gems separately. You'll get less for them, but the
chances of anyone linking the gems to you is much smaller."
Humari finally spoke up, but kept her voice on her son, wiping at his
mouth again as he made a mess of himself. "It's already well known
that she has them, honestly. Breaking them apart would be a waste of
time. Besides, I think Lady Asaile isn't thinking of them now. She is
too happy in her marriage with Lord Bryvin." The new Lady Holder was
hardly a deep thinker, nor did she seem to worry too greatly about
matters that weren't immediately a concern. "I wouldn't worry too much
about that."
"Whatever you think best. Although I do think a buyer outside the Hold
would be preferable. Maybe even in the North? The sea captains might
know of someone." Humari might be right, but besides the risk of someone
observant tattling to the Lady Holder, Tarani wouldn't have minded
having the wretched things an ocean away.
"My brother Terion is scheduled to make a run to the North in two
months. He'll be making a stop at Sunstone Seahold on his way. He could
take the jewels for you and sell them on your behalf for a fair price,
if you'll trust us."
"Of course." Tarani tried not to betray any doubts. If he cheated her,
it would be hard to complain without anyone learning what she'd sold,
and causing a scandal. Surely the Headwoman's daughter wouldn't have
married anyone disreputable.
Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. Her uncle had always said that future
prospects encouraged honest dealing in the present, and perhaps... "If
it turns out well, then I thought I might use the marks to buy more
trade goods. I don't need more gowns or jewelry, particularly, and
this...it interests me."
"Trading?" Taril's fork paused momentarily. "That's an... unusual
interest for a Lady of the Blood."
"And yet such an interest is all but expected of a Lord," she replied,
and took another delicate bite of the fish pie. "My uncle speaks of
little else. That and his runnerbeast, and his canines. Perhaps it's in
our family's Blood."
"Certainly not an unwelcome one." He glanced at his own wife, who had
taken on her own share of his family's business. Taril never understood
why so many of his peers refused to let the women in their life fulfil
their potential. Wasted potential was wasted marks, in his opinion.
"Well, I can see what I can do. For a price, of course."
"Of course," Tarani replied, unperturbed. "As a trader, I would expect
nothing else."
Humari listened, her own interest in the subject carefully hidden
behind the facade of caring for her son with a polite smile kept on
her face. Only a quick glance at her husband revealed that she was
paying close attention to their conversation and promised a later
discussion. Tarani had never struck her as someone interested in more
than momentary pleasurable interests. Was her mind made for trading?
Perhaps she could do more than expected of her or she was far more
intelligent than Humari had assumed. It would be interesting to find out.
"Twenty five percent of the marks earned through the sale," Taril said.
"It'll take time out of my shipping schedule to find a buyer."
Twenty five percent? Tarani's brows rose. Her uncle would respond to an
opening offer with anything from hearty laughter to dramatic outrage, no
matter what it was, but she decided sweet reason was more ladylike.
"But the jewels are small, and will take up no space in your ship's
hold," she pointed out. "And if you're worried about delaying your
sailing, you might send a firelizard ahead to your contacts and line up
some prospects. I had thought perhaps more like ten percent."
**Good,** Taril thought. She wasn't afraid to bargain with a man, and
his initial offer was too high anyway. "I could do that, yes. But it
still takes time to line up prospects, and time ashore for my brother to
negotiate on your behalf. Twenty percent, and that will give him the
motivation to make a good deal for you, rather than simply sell your
jewels to whoever expresses interest first."
Tarani looked doubtful. "Twenty percent is still a lot. It might be
better, after all, to go to the jewelsmiths in the market..." She bit
her lip, thinking. "Humari spoke of your family's great skill as
merchants, and I trust her judgement. I'm sure your brother's pride in
his work wouldn't permit him to make too hasty a deal. Fifteen percent
would be an honorable reward for his efforts."
"My brother is a skilled merchant, yes, but he is not always a patient
man," Taril said, chuckling as he reached for his wine. Partially it
was a bargaining technique, but it was also true. Terion was better at
sea than he was at port. "Let's say eighteen percent."
**Well, well...she's better than I thought she might be.** Humari
watched the interplay between the two under her lashes as she thought,
allowing herself to be forgotten. That Tarani, a gently-bred lady
would actually match Taril's bargaining, not be intimidated by his
appearance as she had once been, and be confident enough to haggle,
spoke highly of her self-confidence. But she knew the smile on Taril's
face. He'd get the cut he was actually wanting.
The young lady finally allowed herself to smile, pleased with her
success. "Seventeen percent, and you've got a deal." She offered him her
hand.
Taril solemnly shook it. "You'll get a fair price, Lady Tarani, and if
those gems are half as good as you say they are, they'll go a long way
to getting you whatever you want. And if you do want to invest further,
let me know. Good opportunities tend to come my way."
"Perhaps I will, if our first business deal is profitable." Tarani's
eyes were bright as she raised her glass. She'd done it - made a deal to
be rid of the jewels, and a valuable contact with a merchant family -
and done it on her own. Who needed a husband? She was on her way to
becoming prosperous in her own right, and then the only person in
control over her fate would be herself.
Last updated on the July 21st 2021