Tales of the Jewel

For those wanting to mingle and enjoy the performances at the feast

Wherever there was free food, al-Haddar was. Currently, he was gulping all he could grab with his right hand, and slipping into his bag anything he could grab with his left, for his "family members who couldn't come today" (which, from the size and spread of his family, was technically true enough).

Between sets Sora went to grab some water to refresh herself. For once, she recognized Al-Haddar's face immediately as he was grabbing food. She squinted, water halfway to her lips, "You, merchant; Why is it I feel I see you around everywhere? You're not following me, are you?"

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Sun May 29, 2022 8:10 pm

Between sets Sora went to grab some water to refresh herself. For once, she recognized Al-Haddar's face immediately as he was grabbing food. She squinted, water halfway to her lips, "You, merchant; Why is it I feel I see you around everywhere? You're not following me, are you?"

Al-Haddar gulped his current mouthful, curtseyed, and answered:

"My respects lady.

I am flattered I've caught your attention, but I must inform you you're imagining patterns where there are none.

Look at me. Your average everyday citizen of Mekhem, found exactly where one would except him to be through the course of the festival. By day, fasting, praying, and telling. By night, eating, and working. People that have done exactly like me, and that are in the background around us at the moment, there are ten a dozen.

If I may, the mystery is more you. You just appear out of nowhere from time to time, do a dance dressed in shiny, and depart as mysteriously as you came, like a magical creature straight out of a tale. Are you a jinn of legends that has taken a likeness of me?"

"Maybe I am..."

She looked at him through squinted eyes as she drank her water before setting the cup down, "You'll just need to find out I suppose, if you really care. But I don't take it you do, being just another in a sea of interchangeable merchants. no? What use could a Dahabi Councilmember's daughter have with a man like that, after all?"

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Sun May 29, 2022 9:35 pm

"Maybe I am..."

She looked at him through squinted eyes as she drank her water before setting the cup down, "You'll just need to find out I suppose, if you really care. But I don't take it you do, being just another in a sea of interchangeable merchants. no? What use could a Dahabi Councilmember's daughter have with a man like that, after all?"

"Plover to the crocodile.

The crocodile is a mighty animal, able to devour any bird with but a snap of its jaws. Yet it welcomes the plover, it lets that bird enter and leave its mouth without doing it any harm. Why? Because the plover pecks its teeth clean, eating away all the remnants of the crocodile's last meal.

Even the biggest predator needs the help of a small fluffy friend sometimes."

Sora smirks a little, "Do you think I don't know that? I live with Khadi, remember; I know what use prey can be to a predator."

Anyone who knew much about the city knew Soraya al-Menjari had made a deal with a Khadi at the end of the Festival of Arrows; It was not something those in the City were likely to forget for some time.

"The question becomes, why you? I know I have seen you before, multple times in fact. Yet your name and face escape me. There is nothing to make you stand out, as you said yourself."

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Sun May 29, 2022 10:40 pm

Sora smirks a little, "Do you think I don't know that? I live with Khadi, remember; I know what use prey can be to a predator."

Anyone who knew much about the city knew Soraya al-Menjari had made a deal with a Khadi at the end of the Festival of Arrows; It was not something those in the City were likely to forget for some time.

"The question becomes, why you? I know I have seen you before, multple times in fact. Yet your name and face escape me. There is nothing to make you stand out, as you said yourself."

"That would be my greatest quality indeed, thanks for noticing that. I can be more and less anywhere and blend in the background with ease, people seeing through me as if I didn't exist while my own eyes see all.

Maybe the plover metaphor is not appropriate. More like a rat that can take a bite at the dragon's cheese cause it's so small and gray the dragon can't even notice it on the ground, whereas the colorful bird has to look it into the mouth."

Al-Haddar wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 6:34 am

"That would be my greatest quality indeed, thanks for noticing that. I can be more and less anywhere and blend in the background with ease, people seeing through me as if I didn't exist while my own eyes see all.

Maybe the plover metaphor is not appropriate. More like a rat that can take a bite at the dragon's cheese cause it's so small and gray the dragon can't even notice it on the ground, whereas the colorful bird has to look it into the mouth."

"Ah, I see what you mean, I suppose. I have blended in before as well, yes yes. Like a cunning disguise. Only, you don't need one because you are so boring."

Maybe that wasn't the point, but Sora thought she was onto it.

Soraya al-Menjari wrote: ↑

Mon May 30, 2022 7:51 am

"Ah, I see what you mean, I suppose. I have blended in before as well, yes yes. Like a cunning disguise. Only, you don't need one because you are so boring."

Maybe that wasn't the point, but Sora thought she was onto it.

"I try to be. Interesting lives are often short lives. Especially for those without armor of coins or pedigree.

And living is something I like very much. It has a lot of advantages. For example, I get to tell the tale of these interesting people that are now too dead to do so themselves."