I woke early again this morning, the first rays of the sun percolating through the screen. Yousheng stirred as I slid out of bed. His performance last night had stirred memories of Marcus but I was a much different person these days and therefore didn't suffer the consequences of the nights activities.
I picked up a robe and made my way to the bath house, surprising a couple of maids en route. I had been in the bath for about half an hour when there was a knock on the screen door, which then parted to reveal Yousheng and a maid bearing tea and cakes. Yousheng still looked tired. He gestured to the maid who placed the tray on a small table and then left.Yousheng removed his robe and joined me in the bath. He washed my back and I did likewise. He then poured the tea and passed me a cup.
"You are a strange girl Cordelia. You have status and power and the mark of a noble warrior, yet you brawl like a street urchin, behave like a street tramp, and entertain like a Geisha. I have known many in my time but have never met one such as you. Some of your clothes are familiar but others, and your dialect mark you as an outlander. It has been my wish to see, lands beyond those of the Golden Circle before I die, and I fear that time is fast approaching Would you do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you on your current journey?"
I hadn't been expecting this and nearly spilt the tea. "What makes you think I'm traveling or can travel beyond the Golden Circle?"
"You arrived yesterday on a ship not native to the Circle in the company of a ship of the Royal Fleet. You dined last night with the Port Master and his wife. You rose before me yet bear no marks a woman would normally bear from either your fight last night or our own exertions. You carry a sword which extends the same aura as the deck of cards in your belongings and carry the pennant of the Royal House of Amber."
"Either you're very observant or you followed me and searched my things after I rose this morning. If the latter then one would think you had ulterior motives yet I do not sense that in you. If I do you this honor then you would have to travel as my personal body guard and assistant, a role which would degrade you from equal to servant."
"I have spent my life serving others in one way or another. It would be no dishonor to serve you in such a capacity."
"Good. then before we deal with the small matter of the fines from last night, there's something else you can do for me."
I returned to the bar accompanied by Yousheng at around 10:00. It was surprisingly busy, until I realized that most of its occupants were drinking coffee and eating sweet pastries. The warrior who'd intervened and moved the fight outside was sitting at a table in the center of the room, three coin bags arrayed in front of him.
In a short discussion over breakfast I arranged that should the remaining silver not be paid by the following morning I would arrange a warrant empowering him to retrieve the errant payer and escort him to Amber where he would be put to work. There would be an additional fee of 1 pound of silver for this additional task.The rest of the day was taken up in a combination of shopping for a new dress, although I ended up buying half a dozen, and arranging cargo, loaded to enable sailing on the late morning tide the following morning. By the time I'd finished making arrangements it was late into the evening and already dark. I fancied a bath but Yousheng suggested something else. He had once worked for a client, chaperoning his daughter. During his tenure he had accompanied the daughter to a bath house where only the women had been permitted to enter. She had emerged several hours later flushed and vibrant. Unable to confront her he'd made inquiries and eventually learnt that the house specialized in treatments designed to pleasure women. This was interesting since I'd read about such places in the book my mother had given me, but had never actually believed they existed or attempted to locate one. My curiosity piqued I decided to accept his suggestion.
By the time I left I was in a very much better frame of mind. The experience had been similar to that I'd had with Sulin and I no longer had the inclination to force Yousheng into bed again tonight. I suspect that had been his intention in making the suggestion, since he was doing his best to hide the fact he was exhausted.
I woke early again this morning, donned my Gi to save embarrassing either the maids or the guests and made my way onto the grassed area in the central quadrangle. I was into the 5th repetition of the Laojia yi lu when Yousheng appeared with Lin Wu Tai. They waited whilst I finished the form then joined me. As we progressed through I noted they practice slight variations in certain of the form moves. As we started the form together for a second time I inquired where they had learnt their particular variant. It transpired that there was a martial school not far outside the city, where both, at different times had studied. The form was the one taught by that school. We completed another three repetitions before concluding the practice. Lin Wu Tai then produced the fourth pouch of silver, and since I had no need of it, and he said he had none, I told him to donate it to one of the temples to care for the poor.
We sailed on the 11:08 tide into a force 6 squall putting my new wet weather gear and my abilities to the test. Random had been right this was a lot harder. The presence of a natural storm this time was actually a hindrance. Having learnt from Fiona's lesson that it's difficult to follow someone hell riding and not wanting to lose the Night Star, this journey would be made using normal shadow walking, and the storm was a definite distraction. Determined to try and get out of the storm I began to shift barely had the Night Star cleared the harbour wall.
We sailed into Hygria mid-afternoon, in similar weather conditions to when we'd left Ashan. The Captain of the Night Star had formed the opinion that I'd deliberately set the weather against him as he'd never seen weather like this. He didn't want to hear that I had nothing what so ever to do with it.
By the time I'd dealt with the Harbour Master and hailed a carriage the afternoon was nearly gone and I wondered whether I'd make the Garault Trading house before they shut-up shop for the day. I needn't have worried, although Mincheza was not present and therefore off loading the speculative cargo I'd purchased in Ashan would have to wait until the morning. This also left me with the choice of either sleeping on board the Night Star or locating an Inn. Given that Yousheng had expressed a desire to see the world beyond the Golden Circle I chose the latter.
The Inn of the White Hart was not the most sumptuous I've stayed in, neither was it the most selubriuos. I payed for two rooms and Yousheng carried my small trunk to mine before crossing the corridor to his own. Rather than eating in, we decided to locate an eating house; and enjoyed a fine meal and a bottle of wine - of which I drank all bar a single glass. By the time we finished eating it had ceased raining and we made our way back to the inn via a circuitous route. Once back Yousheng relaxed somewhat and I managed to persuade him to try a night cap.
The following morning dawned clear and I rose shortly after sunrise. My room, being quite small had insufficient space to exercise in so I made my way out to the yard followed a few minutes later by Yousheng. He joined me as I started my second repetition and by the time we finished, after ten repetitions we had a small crowd of puzzled on lookers. As we returned to our roomns I waylaid a maid and ordered a bath and breakfast.
Given the speculative cargo I wished to unload, I chose one of the Chinese dresses I had procured in Ashan. Given the reaction of Hermione to the dress I had worn on the second evening last time she should be ecstatic this time, her mother on the other hand would think it scandalous, which would of course guarantee they sold like hot cakes to the younger women in Hygria. It was partly for that reason I had chosen this particular inn and also why I chose to walk to the Garault Trading House.
The office junior had obviously had his ear well and truly bent after last time, and sprang to his feet like a startled rabbit when we entered. He apologized profusely, saying he was expecting Mrs Garault anytime now, and proceeded to show us up to her office and arrange refreshments. Given my previous encounter this seemed a little strange as on the two days she had been here by now.
We weren't kept waiting long, and Minchenza arrived, talking furiously at her head clerk regarding location of whoever it was who had arrived from Amber since they'd obviously arrived overnight and possibly needed more suitable accommodation. She stopped in mid sentence when she saw me, allowing the junior to finally get a word in edge ways, and informing her she had visitors. The opening inflection of her greeting said everything, and told me I'd achieved exactly the reaction I was hoping for. Keeping her off balance, I asked her if she liked the dress and would she be interested in acquiring the pattern necessary to produce it along with a good supply of fabrics in assorted colours and patterns. At this point fresh tea and coffee arrived giving her a chance to recover and ask me if I had her order. I said I had and that it had been off loaded yesterday evening after our arrival. Since Minchenza had changed the subject I said I had a gift for Hermione and that I hoped I'd assessed her size correctly. We then engaged in a little family gossip before I said I needed to be going as I wanted to do some shopping before we sailed on the evening tide. Minchenza offered me her carriage but I said I preferred to walk, as my traveling companion had a wish to see the city. Minchenza recommended a fine tea/coffee house up-city as an excellent eating venue.
We left the Garault Trading House and headed further into the warehouse district. There was another trader here whom the inn keeper had recommended as the man to see about more mundane cargo that would be saleable in Alto Mento. I was taking a risk here, since I had no gaurentee that Mincheza would bite and buy the cloth.
With cargo arrangements made, we headed for the market. I had really started to turn heads now and we were being followed at a discrete distance by several children, and more importantly by several others, at least one of whom I suspected worked for Mincheza. We were about to leave the market when there was a commotion, caused by the rapid arrival of a large coach. From the coach erupted a large gentleman of obvious wealth, who proceeded apace in my direction. His aim was to acquire my dress for his wife or so he said. He made several offers of ever increasing value and was most put out when I refused to sell.
We'd managed to get to the Mayors Garden before I had my second unwelcome visitor. This time it was a gentleman of military bent, who claimed to be the commander of the City Watch.. His argument was, that my attire was unsuitable and I was causing a disturbance. As a result if I didn't hand the dress over and dress more suitably he'd have me arrested. I said I doubted very much he would, and that as it was the only dress I had with me, I could of course remove it but the result would likely cause him even more problems. When he pushed his argument, I stated unbuttoning it which had the desired effect of sending him scurrying off to "consider the matter further".
We reached the coffee shop to find Mincheza and Hermione already there. Minchenza had obviously left instructions with the head waiter, for no sooner had we entered than we were requested to join her and her daughter. "Miss Chan, I'm so glad we caught you. I've made a few inquiries and it seems that the style of dress you are wearing is the latest thing amongst the younger generation. I therefore need to discuss the proposition you made earlier further, so would be honored if you would join us for lunch, as my guest of course"
I consented, insisted she call me Cordelia, and we discussed the matter further eventually settling on a price per bolt 25% higher than I would have accepted first thing that morning. Finishing our meal, we headed for the docks and boarded the Endevour, where Mincheza followed me into the hold to inspect the cloth. A short while later, and following a little more haggling, during which I reduced the price by 5% on the condition she took the lot, we celebrated the deal with a glass of wine in my cabin. When the Captain knocked to say the cargo had been unloaded we made our way to the dockside. As Mincheza was about to board her carriage she turned back to me "Tell me, did you know I was going to buy the fabric when you came to see me this morning?"
"No. But I suspected if you were as shrewd a business woman as Random said you'd have no choice by the time we left. Either that or I'd be selling to one of your competitors at considerably more than you just paid."
"I should have known something was up when you walked in this morning wearing that dress. You're as devious as Random is. He didn't put you up to this did he?"
"No. All my own doing. I thought your fashion industry needed a bit of a revolution, and you did mention last time you'd been struggling a little. It'd be remiss of me if I let a long standing supplier go out of business, not to mention the hassle of having to locate and vet a new one as a result."
"One last thing, would you have gone lower on the price?"
"Good day Mincheza, Hermione,. Its been nice doing business with you. Now I have another cargo to load and a tide to catch. One of the family will be along in a few months to pickup our standard order. Until then."
I turned a strode up the gang plank. "Captain I need a word. We have another cargo to load."
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