Another day, another package. Essien was so used to making his usual runs that he could have walked the paths with his eyes closed. The only thing keeping his mind sharp was the numbers he crunched while walking. When he gave the dyes to the Costumer, he would ask for jewelry that he could peddle to the hyena, who would give him bone he could give back to the Costumer for....The process itself was astounding.
While he dealt with the usual shipments, his most prized cargo was always information. Secrets and whispers, as he liked to call them. It always helped grease the wheels when you bested yourself on timely service, which was why he was hauling a** back to his client.
How lovely to see he had brought his mate with him. What he'd like to do to her....."My Lord Bakari," He bowed his head, the brown feather behind his ear betraying his occupation. "The trip was a success."
Bakari hadn't known a more capable pawn than Essien. The young lad had been terribly eager for work when he started his career, and Bakari had been just as eager to sink his claws into him. Now that the young adult was firmly in his grasp, he pounced on his skills. "Excellent. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."
At his paws he held a gorgeous silver pelt that was large enough to do most anything with. No doubt Essien could peddle it off for a pretty penny if he as smart enough. "Where was he? Why hasn't he joined me yet?"
The questions were out before he had given them much though, but he was desperate. So, very, very desperate....
Keina, however, was completely confused. She looked back and forth between the two males, her brow a furrow of wrinkles. "Who? Who did you find?" She turned from Essien to her mate. "Who was supposed to join you? Are you close to him?" Well, duh! How stupid of her to ask.
It bugged her, though, that he would go to such lengths to hide the search from her when he could have just informed her from the beginning. Now she looked like a big idiot in front of the pretty Merchant. Pretty, but not her type. The looks he was giving her...She shivered. What a little creep!
Ah, now she was looking at him. He put on his best smile, and batted his eyes, giving her a good look at his smolder. That's it...I'm all the male you're ever going to need, sweetheart. All he had to do was get her away from that overbearing mate of hers.
"His dear brother, my Lady Keina." He spoke sweetly to her, in an almost cooing way before turning his professional attention to her mate. "Sekayi has joined the Firekin, my Lord. It's a large pride, with even bigger lions, in the desert. Getting there was quite a trial....as I am sure you know." His greedy eyes drifted between Keina and the pelt on the ground.
"It's as I feared, then, " Bakari murmured. "I knew he was travelling with a lion who had plans of joining, but I wasn't sure if he would follow. That idiot!" He growled, his paws clenching into the ground. "He should have come with me; not that he would have been a Noble, of course. He's far too red.
What was he to do now? Without any family to call his own within the pride, who would look after him? Keina? She could barely take care of herself. He needed servants, retainers, attendants. So far the only one he'd been able to snag was Essien, and at the end of the day the lion was only out for his own gain.
Keina placed a paw over his, as much to comfort him as to get the creep off her back. "I'm sorry, love," her ears turned down. "Why didn't you tell me about him? If I had known you were missing him that badly I could have helped. With what, I'm not sure, but talking about it's good." She knew all too well what missing your family could do to you. More often than not she wondered about her own, and whether they were getting along without her.
She ventured a look at Essien, and even though he was was still giving her a look, he had toned it down. Maybe he was finally starting to realized that she was a one lion kind of girl. "What else do you have about him?"
"Not much else. The Firekin guard their own, and that was all I managed to get before being chased away. I barely made it out with my head." He rubbed his neck. Having some big, burly lion twice ones own size run them down on slippery sand was a life changing experience he would not soon forget.
"Now, since I've given you what you wanted, may I perchance have my reward?" He took a step forward, his eyes darting to the pelt. "Of course, I may have to charge extra because of the distance my Lord asked me to cover. I lost much business in those days."
Bakari tossed the pelt at Essien, and snarled in disgust. "Was I not clear? I gave you the details before you left; it's no worry of mine how little you asked for in return." That little ingrate! How dare he try to milk more out of him. Merchants were no better than the rogues they walked among. At this point Bakari would have rather dealt with a Groundling.
That was when he noticed the silent interaction between his mate and the Merchant.
In an instant he had the worm pinned to the ground, his paw at the whelps throat. "You disgusting, vile, evil little twerp! If I EVER catch you so much breathing the same air as my mate ever again, it will be your pelt I pass to the Costumers." He pressed down with a growl.
Keina barely had time to scream. She stepped back, her eyes darting around the area. Was no one there to help him? As much as she truly disliked Essien, she would have never wished him dead! "Bakari, please, stop! You're going to kill him!" She rushed forward in an attempt to pry him off herself, but he only pushed her back.
"If you hurt him, you're reputation will be tarnished. " She pleaded, hitting him where it hurt most. "No one will ever work with you again, and no Noble will associate with you. What will the King say? Please, Bakari, let him go." Tears were streaming down her face.
It was like dealing with the Firekin all over again.
Essien snapped at Bakari's wrists, but he couldn't get a good enough hold. He was slipping into unconsciousness fast, and could barely register Keina's crys. What was she screaming about? Maybe she did like him, after all? Oh Gods above, what if she wanted him dead, instead?
"Le-et g-g-g-o," he croaked. Essien may have been larger than Bakari, but the brute had muscle on his side. He could barely move, let alone fight back.
Being a merciful soul, Bakari backed off, but stopped Keina with a paw before she could rush to his aid. "Don't you DARE touch him. He would have stolen you away, and tarnished us both. He's lucky I don't report him." At the look of outright panic on Essien's face, Bakari smirked.
"Take your pelt and leave. If I have need of you again, I'll send an Attendant in my place. Word to the wise, cub; never steal from me. You'll live longer."
Keina couldn't stop crying. She felt totally helpless, and knew that in an instant the whole incident could easily repeat itself. Her body shivered, heaving with great, terrified sobs. She really thought Essien was a goner! "Th-tha-ank you, B-b-bakari," She managed to get out.
She didn't dare look at the Merchant. Her eyes were trained to the ground in an effort to keep him alive. The only thing she wanted now was to return to her den.
"Don't even bother," Essien spat, both words and spittle at the Noble. "I would rather work with hyenas than you." He'd never met such an ill-tempered b*****d in all his life! His fury was only tempered with fear. Essien wanted so badly to comfort the female, but he didn't dare; not with that brute standing near her.
He snatched up his pelt and stalked off, determined to get his times worth out of the thing and then burying the incident as far back in his memory as possible.
Bakari snorted. As soon as Essien was out of hearing range, he snapped, "Good riddance. He wasn't worth my time, anyway. Better for me to seek out a more experienced Merchant who can handle business properly."
He turned to Keina and sighed. Some of his anger ebbed away at the sight of her tears, and on a rare whim, he leaned forward to rub them away with his cheeks. "I'm sorry to have frightened you; it wasn't my intention. I'll try to refrain from doing so in the future." When he stepped back, he had the slightest smile on his maw. "Come; back to the den."
Keina nodded meekly, and in a surprised fashion, perked up. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel now, but he definitely helped ease her discomfort. It was the first appology he had ever offered her, and she took it readily. "Okay," She smiled and walked after him, truly happy to have him at her side.
(WC: 1605)