Liquid Lunch

Girts and I came to an agreement on some simple tells on how I should indicate my feelings on the dealings. There was no elaborate signals, just normal movements on if I should tell him if he should quit trying to deal any further with them any further, or push a little harder. The only signal I asked for, was for a complete stoppage of any further negotiations.

I would rather have any eventualities be able to be covered in case anything went wrong. Somebody dealing in bad faith is, at least to me, a deal breaker. I do admit that there are times when you have to deal with a villain to get what you want, but for a deal dealing with a village on the line, I did not want to promote that type of action. If it was for me personally, that would be another story.

I would not be reading any thoughts during the meeting. It is straining enough when the person is willing, but when it is a person that is not willing, that difficulty rises significantly. I could only read a person's feelings on the thoughts they were thinking. That alone is difficult for an Unleashed, with our emotions, for the most part, being muted.

From what I found out, with discussing further with Girts, this was just a preliminary talks on the trade deal. Things might be finalized today, if both parties were content with the proposal, but if either was hesitant, it could lead to future talks. I was there, on Girts behalf, to complete the deal in an expedient manner. He had crops that might go bad if held for too long, that he would rather avoid.

* * *

"Welcome. Thank you for coming today." (Girts)

"I'm glad for the greetings." (Trader 1)

"Thank you." (Trader 2)

"Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" (Girts)

"Drinks would be fine. Nothing to eat." (Trader 2)

"Rehor, you can get some...tea for us. Oh, sorry, this is my secretary for today, Rehor." (Girts)

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Fatmir. And this is Pali" (Trader 2, Fatmir)

"I'm honored." (Rehor)

I do not enjoy these social pleasantries that are encouraged in this type of situation. This is something from my past life, that I have carried on to this day. Getting to the point is less complicated, than vacant gratitudes.

"I'll be right back, Sir." (Rehor)

"Let's sit, while we wait for the drink." (Girts)

* * *

"This is an herbal tea that is enjoyed around here. Some local, wild herbs are infused in the steaming water, along with a secret cocktail of my special blend." (Girts)

"It has a pleasant aroma, but mild in flavor. Is it able to be produced in large quantities?" (Pali)

"The primary ingredient, though plentiful enough for local usage, has not been able to be cultivated, as of yet. So, as of this time, no. We aren't able to sell the blend, as of yet." (Girts)

That is a load of bull. The main ingredient in the tea blend has been, and is already cultivated in large quantities, all over the place. It is not mint, but it has a mint like flavor, with some pepper undertones. A few of the other spices in the tea blend, are what elevate the level of flavor in the tea.

I do not see why Girts is playing games at this level, over something as simple as a tea blend. Though, I will admit, that I am not a trader, nor do I have the interest in being a key player in these games. These nuances are lost upon me.

"That's a shame. Are you ready to start?" (Pali)

"Let's." (Girts)

I took my place with wood bark and charcoal pencil in my hand, as the discussions began. All I have to say, is it was boring. Trying to keep focus on what they were saying, while also trying to read their emotions, was mind-numbing. How can people find enjoyment from these situations? I would rather just sit down and tune out the world around me, than be part of this, voluntarily.

I did attempt to fulfill my duties, as best as I could. From what I could read, Pali and Fatmir, were at least trying to be honest in their dealings with Girts, and they truly did want to complete the deal as soon as they can. Honestly, if I had a better understanding of their point of view, I would know the reason why, a deal of this relatively small size, was wanting to be pushed through, as much as they wanted.

The few crops that they brought as a sample of, were passed to Girts and then explained about their usage. I had a personal desire to try them, but as I was just a secretary, I was ignored from trying out some the produce. I am no gourmand, but trying different foods, from what I normally eat, are one of the few pleasures that I can enjoy the experience.

A few different varieties of each crop was given for Girts to try, until he could decide which varietal he wanted to trade for. And this was done for more than half a dozen different types of crops. If I was not writing down what Girts dictated, I would have forgotten the difference between each item.

Other than flavor and texture, Girts did ask about their long term storage and problems of growth. How long the growth time was, and the amount of yield that could be expected, were some questions brought up during the conversation, as well as any special requirements needed for the plant in question.

Why did I not think about growth conditions, on my own? I should have. I know I do not know a lot about farming, but my studies at the hall, have given me some knowledge, that I have obviously forgotten or ignored.

"Now that you have seen what we are offering, how much would you like to trade for?" (Fatmir)