The Merchant Who Would be King

A Shady Offer, Profits and Taxes

Ice cream was selling like...well, ice cream on a hot day to people who'd never had it before. Hadiin and Marian both worked the stall, turning ice cream cones into silver coins as fast as they could.

Alessabell and Dalton returned an hour after opening for business. She joined Marian at the stall while Dalton found himself a wooden club and hovered around the wagon full of ice cream and profits, giving a dangerous look to anyone who approached too closely.

This freed up Hadiin to run to the Merchants Guild and arrange for the auction.

The woman at the Services counter was thrilled to assist him. "Of course, sir! Four-thirty this afternoon? We'll have a raised platform set up for you. Might I also take the time to contact a few parties who might be interested in bidding?"

He smiled. "That would be fantastic. The more, the merrier." He ran back to the stall and replaced Alessabell, who went to look for food, as none of them had had lunch yet. Hadiin felt himself flagging hard without fuel on top of the lack of sleep. Still, he was having fun. It was a bright and sunny day and he was giving out treats and making people happy. And there were some customers who could just put a smile on his face.

A little girl had been waiting in line with her three friends. They were all about five years old. Only the top of her hair reached the table. She reached up, as far as she could, and dropped four dirty, sweaty silver coins on the tabletop. Then she looked up with huge, round eyes and spoke very politely and seriously. "Four screams pwease."

He looked down at the four coins, then at the four quiet, earnest, and absolutely adorable children gazing up at him in shy hope of receiving these amazing sweets that they'd no doubt heard so much about.

The ones being sold for four silver—each.

The little girl stood there, fingers on the table, patiently blinking up at him. The boy immediately behind her looked worried they'd be turned away and that it would be the worst thing he could possibly imagine.

He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

Marian, standing next to him, snorted and giggled, unable to contain herself. "Oh gosh. That's the cutest thing ever!"

Hadiin bowed his head to the little girl. "What flavours would you like?"

The girl froze and looked scared. She obviously had no idea there were different flavours or what to pick.

He couldn't help but chuckle. He winked at her. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it." He looked at all four mini customers. "Think you kids can share?"

They obediently nodded like the good little children they were.

Hadiin heaped a huge serving of apple ice cream onto a waffle cone, about three times what he normally gave out, then handed it over the counter. "This one is apple."

Eyes opened wide and little jaws dropped. A boy in overalls and a red shirt clumsily stepped forward and took the dessert with reverence, as if terrified of dropping it.

Hadiin gave them each a similar cone for pear, mint, and rose, the last to the girl. "Now, each one is different. So make sure you all share with each other, ok? And don't run. Find someplace out of the way to sit down and eat it right away."

Four little heads nodded in awe and then the children very slowly walked away, giving everyone else a wide berth.

Hadiin's next customer strode up. He looked about forty, was decently dressed, and had ink stains on his hands. "So...it's one silver now, right?" He slid a single coin onto the table. "For a big cone?"