'Dro found Ar to be busy and crowded. Several times he felt the ghostly fingers of pick pockets, yet they were foiled by his anti theft planning. wires in the laces, and a metal mesh inside the leather. One, he grabbed by the wrist and yanked to him, his eyes coldly inspected what he had caught. a slender youth, grubby, hungry looking.
"You want to go work in the Fields?" he asked coldly. "That is likely where you will go when you are arrested and tried."
The boy wide eyed and terrified, stammered wordlessly, while 'Dro gave him another shake. "Go find honest work, child" he told him releasing the youth and heading away from the Street of Brands.
He had enjoyed his visit overall to the city of Ar. The warm welcome his family name earned him among his peers helped to give him a sense that Ar was a very lucrative market. However, he lacked the funds to start his own house, and did not fancy being an under slaver in one of the other houses.
Going to the square nearby, he was looking over some new boots, while a trio of women were engaged in a lively debate about the quality of certain men of their acquaintance. They were typical wealthy young women. Cold, Arrogant, Edged in a disdain of anything male unless it was a silk slave that stroked their egos. One of them had dark flashing eyes, her robes were worth a fortune that could feed the average lower caste family for a decade or more. All of the girls were well dressed, but one was obviously the 'leader' of the trio. He ambled around, keeping them in -his sights, the guard that was with them seemed bored, and the girls each had a modest kajira at their side, laden with the purchases that the young women were getting. He sometimes drifted past them and around a corner, just keeping them in his line of sight.
He heard more than one merchant grovel toward her, "Lady Rowena' they called her. Her obnoxious treatment of the merchants and her friends annoyed him. Not that he objected to arrogance and spirit, but just that he found challenging. Eventually the girls paused outside of an apartment, dropping one of them off. He noted where it was, and continued, until each of the girls had gone home. He then began to make plans.
First he made sure he had a draft available at one of the 'banks' money lenders. His letter of credit verified, he withdrew some funds, signed for it, and improved his overall appearance. He then made arrangements to visit with the Lady Bella's father. He came in as a potential suitor, visiting, and earning the interest of her Father. The man made arrangements for his daughter to meet with and be courted by 'Dro. His own family was a well known slaver's family, and he was more than able to afford the bride price, not to mention the lucrative ties from Thentis to Ar in terms of products.
Bella was diffident, at first, but he courted her over the next few weeks, while he established his bona fides with Arcadia and Rowena's family as well. He learned from Arcadia and from Bella that Rowena was a vicious girl, cruel, and ran wild over her family. He could believe that. He had spoken to the girl's father. In time, his offer was rejected by her family, the reason given was that the girl would not consent to even meeting him.
He learned too, that the other two girls actually hated Rowena. Too, they were excited to be going to the fairs this fall. He continued his gentle courting and made his own plans.
Alesandro
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