Valuable

The lessons of what is of value to each individual as well as to different clans, tribes and cultures was going to be one that impacted hard and fast. Already having a taste of what these people outside of the plains valued I was beginning to see how it could lead to misunderstandings Thanks to a Paravaci and a Kataii, I was given a sneak peek at how to resolve a few issues that were about to stand straight up in my face.

Ayguili had given Tarra and I both a chain made of gold to take with us to trade for things that we needed. Tarra's was to be added to the stores of barter for the Tribe and the one I was given was to be traded for more personal items for those around us. Adding Grandmother's wool, Mother's woven articles and the talismans and charms I'd made, I felt sure we would be able to bring back what ever our hearts desired.

Since I was going with Tarra to the merchants rows any way, she invited me to sit in with her during talks of trade with the en' merchant of Turia. It seemed like a good opportunity to learn more of an adversary and I could not have been more right for all the wrong reasons. I am a straight forward speaking woman. I am Tuchuk and that is who and what we are so I had no problem stepping forward to ask of things that had not been mentioned. I know the relationship between our people is a volatile situation. There had been a great deal of work involved in setting up this meeting between two sworn enemies and recent raids by the Tuchuk on unsuspecting dwellers could not have made the tension any less. I did not know enough yet to be able to manipulate the discussions to our advantage as Tarra did so the admonishment from the city woman was well taken. She was right, I was not well versed enough in the eccentricities of barter .. yet. I was allowed to remain as long as I did so with respect and silence during the transactions between Tarra and Symira. I was learning quick what was important to the woman .. to the dwellers themselves and it was not necessarily the jewels, gold nor the salt we brought. There were subtle things beneath the surface that meant far more to them and I began smiling.

There had been an interruption of the talks as Tarra excused herself to see to something personal. The merchant was gracious enough to give her leave to see to it but that made two distractions of her thoughts since the beginning of the trade agreement. One could easily see it ruffling her momentum. She was chomping at the bit to make this whole deal work to the advantage of Turia. We of course had same thing in mind for the Tuchuk but the strikes were tallying against us. When Cana stopped by the tent while on her own excursion through the lanes, I afforded her a silent nod of greeting. As time spun through the quiet, it was the Ubara that spoke up. I know it was her intent to help but it incensed the Turian woman. The barter was already on the table and she would wait for Tarra to return. There is a relationship between she and our Haruspex that time and previous encounters have forged. It is a working atmosphere among them. Now it all hung perilously in the air because Cana did not know that the merchant was so tightly strung.

It all began to come apart when our Ubara spoke once more of things we had to offer and that a particular item .. one coveted by both of our cultures had already been acquired ... by a deal with a subordinate of the woman herself. There could not have been a more vicious insult as far as the merchant was concerned. It is the stuff wars are made of and I was watching the spiral implode upon itself faster than anyone could put it back together.

Do I stand against my Ubara when I say the merchant was tersely benevolent in letting her know that as far as trade she knew too little to be speaking on such matters? I'd had my bit of pride handed to me much the same at the beginning of all this but I was determined I would find what lie under it all ... the weakness of these adversaries .. the one thing that gave us advantage. There was so much tension in the clinch of her teeth as she did tell us that she would look into such a trade made without her knowing and if .. if indeed one of her merchants had done so without her awareness, without her approval there would be heads to roll. Feelings were getting hurt and sensibilities were being tweaked. Cana left without even bidding anyone farewell and the Turian woman became livid.

I closed my eyes for a moment waiting for the sound of the war drums, knowing we were not in the safety of our camps .. we were right smack dab in the middle surrounded by Turians. I found I do not like being in the middle of things I have no control over. Not even a little bit, not even at all.

I held on to the knowledge that Ayguili had sent two guards to come us, and I'd gotten a glimpse of two more he had trail not far behind. So that made .. what six against ...? Oh this was not looking good at all. We could take down maybe sixty or a hundred. I figured ten to one but I sure hoped the Calvary was not far behind.

It was. Tarra returned.

My respect for the elder Haruspex grew multi-fold when she returned to a far different environment than she left. Ascertaining quickly what had happened she took the brunt of the storm, even managing to finish the trade deal and soothe a few ruffled feathers. I knew too she would take responsibility when we returned to the Tribe without ever saying a word.

Somewhere in there a man stopped by the tent to say tal and I wondered why his presence, his greeting and curiosity of how things were going had not affected any of the merchant's disposition as ours had. She was quite gracious with him, actually. I would later learn the man was the Ubar of the Turians.

Oh, how very intriguing.

I can say that at the end of it all, it may have cost us more than what we would have bartered for the goods but I had learned something far more valuable to take with me. I would be allowed to return for the next trade talks between our cultures but I would come better armed. They on the other hand still had no idea what we as a people find of greatest value.

It wasn't coin. It wasn't jewels. I so looked forward to next time. I would make up for what we lost .. in items .. in pride and in knowing what driving force could wound easiest.