Free Tested (The Life of Uktesh Book 1) by Aaron Hicks Page B

that covered every inch of the walls, and most of the space in between. 
    Uktesh found a ream of black silk and thought about how comfortable it would be to wear, but it reflected light to well.  While he continued to wander around the store, two men came in who were not happy. Tylor excused himself from Laurilli and went to speak with them, without the regular Triple T greeting, Uktesh noted. Laurilli came over to him and with a frown said, “It’ll cost three silvers for dark green pants in my size, and two silvers for a nice dress for mom.” 
    “That seems high to me, does it to you?”
    “Yes, but he said that it was because of my fabric. Apparently, the dark green or blue are more expensive than black.”
    Uktesh was very careful not to ask her to buy the black, or to show what he thought about her options, “We’ll work something out.”
    She smiled at him and hugged him. While she still held onto him one of the two customers swore and yelled, “You said that you would have the clothes ready two weeks ago!” 
    Laurilli let go of Uktesh and switched her position into a defensive unarmed stance.
    “What can I do? The cloth was held up in Granger, then the cart broke an axle, and now there’s been yet a third curse, the wheel broke off the cart! It is still in White Bridge, but no one wants to make the journey towards Beletarian lands.  I would take off one fourth the price for you to go, and retrieve the cloth.”
    “Become a simple merchant?  You insult me!”  The man reached out and grabbed Tylor, but before he could do anything further, Uktesh placed his hand on the man’s forearm and squeezed a pressure point.  With a yelp he dropped Tylor, “Boy, you dare to attack me!”
    “No attack was made. I was simply going to ask how much money one fourth of your price would be?”
    “None of your business, boy.”
    “It may become by business so, please illuminate me as to how much money it would be?”
    “Nearly five gold pieces, not that it matters, I’m not foolish enough to go to White Bridge. I heard it gets daily raids from Beletarians!”
    I doubt that. If it did, it wouldn’t be a place to live after the first raid.  “Tylor, if Laurilli and I get your shipment of clothe could we get the five gold coins you would’ve paid him?”
    “Uktesh,” Laurilli said, “that’s a full day’s walk towards Beletaria!”
    Uktesh nodded to her and looked back again to Tylor, “I don’t know,” he said and switched into a more businesslike pattern of speech and posture, “I would’ve paid him that much because I value him and his business, but you have never been in this shop before.  Laurilli your father’s a soldier, there’s money in that these days, but only if one survives to bring it home.  I’ll give you a single gold.”
    Uktesh laughed and turned to Laurilli, “Let’s go. He clearly doesn’t value this gentleman enough to make us a decent offer.”  Tylor looked and the two men who suddenly scowled at him and said hastily, “I could be persuaded to part with half the price I would’ve paid him.”
    Uktesh had been hoping for that, but with it already on the table he knew he could barter a better price. “You will take the food from our mouths, and the shirts off our backs for such a price.” His flamboyant words had their desired effect. Both of the other men for the first time since they entered the shop, began to smile and even Tylor had a gleam in his eye, “I wouldn’t do it for less than four golds.”
    “For three gold pieces your family would eat like kings for months and your lady dress like a queen for longer!”
    “For three gold pieces, seven silver, and five copper, it is true. We would not starve with winter so close.”
    “Winter is months away!  For three gold pieces, two silver, five copper, you would last till then, through the winter, and into the next summer!”
    Uktesh changed his voice for his final offer, “Three golds, two silvers,