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// Ch.5 The merchant  
// Story: The Epic of a Diamond Dog 
// by Ravencrofte 
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Ch.5 The Merchant 

                I woke up with a wing full of feathers tickling my nose. The culprit was curled up right in front of my face, making soft snoring sounds. Apparently, she had decided that my bed was more comfortable than the ground.
She was definitely sleeping on the floor tonight.
                I propped myself up on my elbows and paws, climbing over her gingerly as not to wake her. I snuck out of my hut and went to the kitchens. Elder Rose was already there, slowly stirring the pot of leftovers. Did she even go home at night?
                “Ember! Just the dog I’m looking for. Here you go.” She handed me a plate of oat cakes, still hot.
                If she kept this up, she was going to spoil that little pony rotten.
                “What about me?” I objected. If Kitty Hawk was going to get hot breakfast every morning, then Elder Rose could as least do the same for me. It was absurd to think that a slave would get preferential treatment over her master.
                “You’ve got two paws, go get it; but you take care of that pony first. She ain’t going to feed herself.”           
     		   I growled my displeasure. “I am the master, she’s the slave.”
        	She growled back. “I control the kitchens. If you want food, feed Kitty Hawk pony first”.
Reluctantly, I marched my way back to my hut.
                I rocked Kitty Hawk gently until she woke up. “Breakfast,” I announced and presented her with the plate. I sat back and watched as she munched her way through the cakes.
                Suddenly she stopped mid-bite and raised her head, ears twitching back and forth.
                “I hear bells,” she said.
                Confused, I perked up my ears. Sure enough, I heard the ringing of tiny bells, and then the jingle-jangle of a tambourine. A wide grin spread across my face.
                “The merchant!” I said, and then to Kitty Hawk, “don’t leave the hut,” before I bolted out the door.
                Every Diamond Dog was outside, eagerly looking down the road. The bulky wagons soon appeared, each pulled by a team of slaves. The tiny bells on the wagons chimed away, clashing with the groaning of wood and the grinding of the wheels on loose rock. The procession was led by an armor-clad soldier and a dancing slave with a tambourine. They looked neither right nor left, marching straight through the eastern gate and into the center of the village.
                “Halt,” roared the soldier, and the wagons stopped with one final note from the bells. A golden, and rather fat, Wolvonus dog in brightly colored robes stepped forth. He took an exaggerated bow to the clansman.
                “Firebrand Clan, I, Silver Tongue, have returned.” He scanned the eager faces and stopped when he found one he wanted. He motioned for her to step forth.
                Leave it to the merchant to spot the prettiest in the clan.
                “Now look here, miss. It’s true that you have the beauty of which angels sing songs, but you could do better. Now try this on for size.” He produced a bright copper necklace with a small red gem. He fastened it around her throat and stepped back.
                He raised his voice to the crowd. “What do you think? What do you think! Doesn’t it look gorgeous?” Indeed, it did look good on her; or maybe it was just the woman who was wearing it. “Made in the capital and brought to you for the low-low price of ten jewels.”
                The Clansman surged forth, shouldering each other for room. The merchant held up another necklace. Diamond Dogs eagerly held up their jewels.
                “Back. GET BACK!” My father appeared and drove back the mob with snaps and snarls. He calmly turned to the merchant.
                “Silver Tongue, it is good to see you. As you well know, the chief and the elders are the first to deal with merchants, then the clan.” The Diamond Dogs behind him growled. My father silenced them with a sharp bark.
                The elders appeared, sporting equally colorful, if faded, garments. They paraded through the village and up to the merchant. Each bowed and greeted the merchant in turn; as if they hadn’t done this a hundred times before! My father quickly ushered them all into his house and closed the flap behind him.
                That left the rest of us milling around, staring at closed wagons guarded by a dozen soldiers. As I watched, the slaves were fed and watered from buckets and troughs. Many of them pissed right there in the middle of the street as if they had forgotten what it was to be a Diamond Dog. Disgusted, I returned to my hut.
                “What happened?” Kitty Hawk was still lying on my bed. 
I told her.
Kitty Hawk looked at me inquisitively. “If this merchant causes problems, then why do you let him in the village?”
                “Because we need him as much as he needs us. Not many merchants are willing to travel this far from the capital. The more profitable trade routes are dominated by wealthier traders. Small traders like Silver Tongue are forced to come to us. We need iron ingots for tools and weapons, and salt for skinning and cooking, amongst other things. The Firebrand Clan would not survive without him.”
                “So now what?” she asked.
                “We wait for them to finish negotiations, probably just in time for lunch. Until then, boredom rules all.”
                My stomach rumbled at the mention of food. A thought occurred to me. “How about we go visit Elder Rose. I bet she has something we can do.”
                “Ok,” said Kitty Hawk excitedly, hopping off the bed.
                Elder Rose was indeed happy to see us and quick to put me to work. She put Kitty Hawk on a stool and pestered her with loads of questions, especially when Kitty Hawk started talking about Equestria. Occasionally she slipped her a bit of honey. I listened from the background.
                For the most part, it was just the three of us. Occasionally a servant would interrupt for a request of something or other. I had just finished preparing the lunches when Rob poked his nose in.
                 “Ember, this is for you.” He tossed me a small, hefty purse. It was filled to the brim with jewels.
                “Is this...” I started, but he was already gone.
                “What was that about?” asked Elder Rose.
                I held up the bag of jewels. “My payment for the raid.”
                Elder Rose busied herself with the food. “Looks like those old dogs finally got something productive done for once. They’ll start coming in here looking for a meal. You two run along now.” She sent us off with our lunches wrapped in two small bundles.
                We passed the merchant on our way back to my hut. The captured wagons had already been added to Silver Tongue’s train. The slaves were fixing our improvised harnesses.
                Diamond Dogs crowded around Silver Tongue as his voice flowed over them as if straight from the river Yark. Jewels exchanged hands. The clansmen came away with various trinkets, clothes, and other paraphernalia.
                I approached warily. I didn’t see anything of interest.
                One of the soldiers slipped to Silver Tongue’s side and whispered in his ear.
                He stopped, momentarily frozen in place. He whispered something to his soldier, who only nodded. The soldier pointed straight at me.
                “Make a hole, make a hole!” shouted Silver Tongue as he cut a path through the crowd and stopped before me. He shook my paw vigorously. “Pleasure, pleasure to meet you my young friend, and what is it that you have here?” He was looking down at Kitty Hawk with a creepy smile. 
She was doing her best to hide behind me.
                “Don’t be shy, little one,” continued Silver Tongue. He looked back at me, beaming. “Am I guesting correctly that you are her master?”
                “ Yes, but—”
                He waved my words away. “Splendid, splendid. Step right up here and tell me if you like anything you see.” He practically dragged me to the wagons. Kitty Hawk followed closely behind.
                 “I’ve been saving some treasures for a young dog such as yourself.” Silver Tongue opened several boxes containing golden and jewel-encrusted weapons and armor. I could hear those around me whispering excitedly.
                “Not interested,” I said.
                “Nonsense, nonsense, every dog has his price. How about some of my slaves? I’m sure we can find a few that strike your fancy. Heck, you sell me that pony and I’ll throw in ten of them, free of charge.”
                “She’s not for sale,” I said forcefully.
                There was grumbling from the other Diamond Dogs. The soldier around Silver Tongue stepped forward, paws gripping their sword hilts. Silver Tongue bore in on me. I could smell old fish on his breath.
                 “How about one of my wagons and everything it contains? Two? I’ll give you a third one for free.”
                I retreated, backing out of the crowd.
                “Be reasonable about this,” pressed Silver Tongue. “I can make you very rich, just sell me that pony!” 
That last statement almost sounded like a threat.
                I didn’t answer him. His piercing gazed followed me as I left, Kitty Hawk close to my side. We didn’t stop until we were inside my hut.
                “I have a bad feeling about Silver Tongue,” I said. “Don’t leave my side tonight, not until he’s far, far away.”
                There was silence, then, “Ember?”
                I looked down at Kitty Hawk.
                “Thanks for not selling me.”
                I grinned and ruffled her mane. “I’ll never sell you,” I said.
                
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