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It was high noon over the desert’s free and vast dunes. The arenit was sitting under a little self-made tent with a sivob - the companion of any merchant - in front of them. The tent was made up of fabrics of all sorts of patterns, colours, and textures. Overall, it was an obnoxiously expensive hideout. But, under the control of the professional, everything fitted together perfectly. If the merchant reached their destination in good time, then sales should be excellent.
Despite their good prognosis, the arenit had a nagging gut sense that something was going to happen. Whether it was something good or something bad, they weren’t sure. But for now, it was time to end their break and continue with the journey.
They knew they didn't need to bother shouting slogans to get the attention of passers-by. His works were well-known for their high quality and comparatively low prices. Another curious person, who seemed like a soon-to-be owner of some of the fabric displayed on the stands, strode towards the merchant. “Good afternoon! Is there any way I can help you? We have some good sales going on right now as well as a little lotter-” The arenit had started his prepared speech, when suddenly he was interrupted by the stranger. “Nice to meet you,” they said, smiling strangely. “Vellyn.” The direction this conversation was already going based on their behavior and tone seemed bad, so the merchant smiled politely, trying to think of a response. “Name’s not Vellyn, didn't know someone would confuse me with him but I’m flattered, thank you! Vellyn is a great merchant, I look up to them a lot, you know? What is your name though? Would like to know who got me that honor.” “Are you fucking with me?!” The stranger hissed with poorly controlled anger. “No, but I absolutely would with Vellyn.” the merchant answered with a grin on his face. “So, maybe you want to get back to business? Don't get me wrong, I can tell you all my fantasies, wouldn't mind if you’d even play a little wingman role for me and go tell Vellyn about them. Your thoughts?”
The stranger exhaled in frustration. “I didn't need any details on that. But yes, let’s get back to the deal. I want to buy everything you have on display, and I’m willing to pay extra money for your help with packing it on my sivob.”
Something was off. Of course something was off, asking a merchant to leave their place would always lead to a heated dispute.
“That’s a yes from me, can’t deny such an offer! Was it love at first sight, hmm? I mean for my products, of course.” A smirk was plastered on the arenit’s face as they began to fold all the fabrics, clothes and rugs they had.
When everything was neatly packaged, the merchant checked on his customer.
“So, where's your sivob? And when will you pay me?” asked the arenit.
“Don’t worry about payment, here,” The stranger tossed five heavy sacks of money, which the merchant successfully caught. “Just follow me.”
The place was suspiciously far but the merchant knew what they were doing.
When they finally reached the sivob, three more people were waiting for them.
“What the hell is going on?” The merchant knew what was happening, so he shifted into a defensive stance, hand hovering over the place where their khopesh was hidden.
“Vellyn, right?” asked the tallest of the people.
“Not sure, but he does have connections with Vellyn, so maybe hostage? Or information,” answered the one who led Vellyn into the trap, going in for a punch. And completely missing.
“You little shits-” Vellyn still didn't pull out his weapon, but the hand over the handle was ready to strike.
Two other bandits got to action: one of them was packing the abandoned goods and the other joined the fight.
Something glinted in the sun in that arenit’s hand.
“Playing dirty, ay? C’mon, put the little dagger awa-” Vellyn was abruptly stopped by a sudden pain in their shoulder, but he didn't check how bad it was, they couldn’t lose concentration on the fight.
Vellyn lightly touched one of the attackers on the shoulder with their tail, which distracted them enough to slice their arm with his trusty khopesh, and they slipped behind the wounded arenit and held the blade to his neck.
“Now, if you want your stupid scum of a partner in crime to live, as well as go away alive yourself and the other fucker, who's touching and packing my stuff on the poor sivob right now, hmm?” Vellyn frowned, spitting its last words out with disgust, and maintaining eye contact with the arenit in front of them.
“You can kill him, I don't care. More money for us after splitting not between the three of us but only the two,” the arenit with a dagger answered nonchalantly.
Vellyn now felt the anger bubble up in his chest as he whispered to its hostage.
Vellyn felt anger bubbling up in his chest as he whispered to its hostage.
“Fucking run and never do this again. I’ll make sure you are grateful for mercy.” With these words, the merchant pulled the khopesh away from the arenit's throat and let them go. His hostage bolted. Vellyn immediately had to dodge another swipe of a dagger.
Instead of answering the gesture, Vellyn sprinted past the attacker and to the bandit, who was finishing with packing the wares. With lady luck by their side, the merchant tackled their legs, knocking them to the ground. The fall didn’t look good - the bandit had hit their head badly, and they passed out. This reduced the problems from three to only one, but the one left was the most dangerous of all.
“Well now it's only two of us, isn't it? You know the trope “enemies to lovers”? Never liked it that much but, ay, might as well give it a try,” Vellyn said with a false excitement as the bandit launched themselves at the merchant, knocking it to the ground. Vellyn swiftly kicked their opponent in the stomach with his knee and between the legs with his foot, switching the positions around and holding its khopesh right on their solar plexus, ready to strike.
“Now, let's talk for a bit, shall we?” asked Vellyn in a calm but dangerous voice. “I want to know your name.”
“None of your fucking business.” The arenit spat on Vellyn's face.
“Oh well, what a letdown.” Vellyn pressed the blade a little harder, starting to cut into the body of the bandit. “Do you have a family? Someone who cares about you, like you never did for anyone?”
The arenit started to breathe deeper, gasping from the pain as the edge of a khopesh slowly but surely was sinking into his flesh.
“I do have a family and kids.” muttered the bandit.
“You know that lying is no good, right? You all think I’m dumb, don't you? I know who you are, Kel. I hope Sol will never let you be with the desert again.”
The sivob looked over-packed, hungry and absolutely exhausted, so Vellyn pulled down the weight, carrying it on his own back, and led the animal to his tent, where he gave it food and water.
It turned out all of the things on the bandits’ sivob were stolen, as well as the sivob itself, so Vellyn managed to gather the other merchants and give back their stolen wares while also setting his own back on display. To the merchant whose sivob it was, Vellyn offered the one he had been travelling with, promising he would take care of the other. Fortunately, neither of the arenits had any special connection with the sivobs, so the trade was successful.
Vellyn sat down in front of the resting animal and gently patted its head.
“You like the name Stel?”