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How To Get More Than You Bargained For


Date:  March 7, 1998
Place:  Smithcraft Tent
Game:  PernMUSH
Copyright Info:  The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey 
l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

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Kassi's Note:  Kassi returns to the world of bargaining, with grand
success!  Perhaps adrenaline is indeed a good ally to have in a price-
wrangling session... along with staring fire-lizards, teenaged females,
and very sharp knives.  Many thanks for this RP go to Grego, the most 
entertaining person to bargain with that I've run into yet. ;)

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The Log:

You slip into the SmithCraft Tent to have a look around.

That same hopeful young apprentice trails behind Erdrick. "Our knives are 
the best. Even that crazy greenrider likes them."

Erdrick chuckles, "Speak of the green rider, here she is herself."

Mehlani had looked cold, though the cloak appears to have helped her out. 
She gently coaxes Wili off her head, settling the green and her floral 
prize back onto her shoulder. Her attention has occupied itself with that, 
and she doesn't note Kassima's arrival.

The young apprentice cringes, looking to see if Kassima heard her comment. 
"Well, she does like them," the young girl protests.

Erdrick grins, "I'm sure she does. Hello Kassi."

Savak adjusts the bundle of flowers in his arms, moving to a farther end 
of the tent as he notices Kassima entering.

Ro smiles "Hi Kassi. The aerial was wonderful." she touches the lily in 
her hair "Where'd you ever get the idea about the flowers?"

Asrai blushes slightly at Ro's comment. "Well, you also have a soft spot 
for Blues, young lady. But I appreciate the compliment all the same. He is 
a handsome Blue." She turns back to Grego and nods. "Well, luckily both 
are of solid colors. Some of the others are more complex in shading." 
Hearing Kassi's name mentioned she turns, "Oh Kass, yes..that was 
lovely."

Grego flashes Kassi a grin, sending the now-flustered looking apprentice 
to get a special box from a section of the tent. "Good evening, rider."

Erdrick grins at Kassi, "I bet you and Lysseth enjoyed divebombing us."

Ro replies to Asrai "I don't suppose I can deny that."

"This crazy greenrider does indeed like them," Kassima agrees as she makes 
her merry way into the tent. So much for too tired to bargain; if 
anything, the ash-dusted rider looks hyper beyond all reason. "'Tis a 
Benden aerial tradition, Ro, that I couldn't bear t'let go of! We usually 
used petals, though. I hope you enjoyed watching the display half as much 
as I enjoyed flying in it. Next time, I think I'll ask if'n any passengers 
would want t'come along with us. Grego! Just the apprentice I was looking 
for. I want...." She pauses dramatically, striking a noble pose. "...To 
bargain! And we did indeed, Erdrick--we did indeed!"

Asrai winks at Ro, "Didn't think so."

Mehlani glances over and smiles gravely to Kassima, finally noticing her.

Erdrick grins impishly at Kassi, "Interested in doing a bargin for me as a 
warm up?"

Grego sighs just a bit as he sees how wired Kassi is. "It's going to be a 
long day," he mumbles.

Asrai chuckles, finishing her own conversation with Erdrick...before Kassi 
interupted. "I'll stop by the Hall with the design. That should expidite 
matters a bit." She then expansively bows to Kassi, "/Now/ he is yours, 
Kassi." She giggles as she rises.

Grego nods to Asrai, with a whimsical grin. "Thanks, ma'am. Really. 
Delighted to be of service." He winks, then, taking the special box from 
the poor flustered little apprentice, heads over to Kassi.

Kassima cracks her knuckles, wiggling her fingers and winking back to 
Erdrick. "Gladly! I'll bargain for anyone, and for m'self too if'n I can 
find something that suits m'tastes. Is there aught you folk would like 
t'buy, that you need a good deal for? I can't promise you a criminally low 
price--nay with *this* apprentice--but I'll do the best I can, I swear 
it." Her wink this time is to Grego, and decidedly more wicked than the 
first.

Savak looks down at the bundle of flowers in his arms, and moves across 
the tent to stand next to Mehlani, speaking quietly with her. "Warmer 
now?"

Erdrick nods at Kassi, "I saw a Telgar Weyr mug that I'd like, but I'm nae 
experienced in bargining."

Grego, mock-plaintive, says to Erdrick, "Don't you really want to bargain 
for yourself? I'll go easy on you, really."

Mehlani nods solemnly to Savak. "Yes... thank you..."

Erdrick looks at Grego, "I'm just a lowly stablehand, I've nae marks ta 
spare, 'side I've always wanted to see Kassi bargin..."

Savak says "Most welcome, Mehlani. Is there anything else I can do for 
you?"

"The one in that set there?" Kassima inquires, pointing to it with one 
long index finger. "If'n the set can be broken up, then I'd love the 
Benden Weyr mug for m'self. Perhaps I can bargain on both of our behalves 
at the same time."

Erdrick nods, grinning, "That'd be nice."

Jayna comes into the SmithCraft Tent

Grego notes, heading over to the set in question, "Sure, the set can be 
broken up. Did you want more than one?"

Erdrick whispers "I was also thinking about the silver necklace as a 
Turnday present for Mehlani next time she has a turnday but with her here 
I don't know a way to get it."

"I'm fine," Mehlani tells Savak earnestly, "but thank you, very much..." 
Once more proudly preening on her shoulder, green Wili coos, trying to 
play with her flower.

Erdrick nods over at Jayna, "Hello."

Savak says "Alright, then."

Jayna wanders in and looks around quietly, from the back. She gives 
Erdrick a friendly smile.

Savak moves away from Mehlani, afraid of irritating her, standing near to 
the entrance to the tent.

"I would only want the one," Kassima answers. "Erdrick wishes another. 
I'll bargain for us both, if'n he'd have it so. And don't forget, Grego... 
I still have two children in need of tending, and I could always use aid." 
Under her breath, she murmurs something back to Erdrick.

You whisper "You'd do best t'be giving it up, at least for now. 'Twould be 
safer to wait and shanghai a ride to Smithcraft if'n you want t'buy her 
such a thing." to Erdrick.

Erdrick whispers "I know, I'd rather commision one anyways."

Grego gives Erdrick an inquiring look, even as he says, "Well, for two 
mugs, that'd be a mark and a quarter."

Kassima's tone is downright scandalized. "A mark and a quarter for both? 
When *sixteen months* of working time on a commission only costs one and 
an eighth? You're dreaming, Apprentice! Half a mark. For both."

Erdrick blinks and watches Kassi and Grego.

Jayna chuckles softly, reluctant to interrupt a barter. She wanders 
around, glancing at the smiths' wares.

The young apprentice who brought the box protests softly, "But they're 
only half a mark each, Grego." She is quickly hushed, and Grego frowns at 
Kassi. "Half a mark for both? That's the cost for the plain mugs. Would 
you deny the craftmanship of the weyrs, that are the reason, I assume, 
that you want these mugs."

Mehlani certainly doesn't seem particularly irritated, though she does 
keep her gaze shyly ducked more or less in the direction of her shoes. 
Occasionally she peeks at Asrai and Kassima, and then out into the Bowl -- 
though she flicks Erdrick a tiny smile, briefly.

Erdrick grins back, and watches the bargining.

Savak slips outside of the tent with a quick turn, holding the flowers 
closer to him.

Savak leaves the SmithCraft Tent

"I have discovered," Kassima argues, tapping the rim of one of the mugs in 
question, "that only low quality products require such an exorbitantly 
padded price; otherwise, 'tis assumed that the customer can see the value 
for themselves and will offer the right price right off the bat." An 
outrageous lie, that, but one would never know it by looking at Kassi. 
"Why, for *half* a mark, I'd be expecting both of these *and* that chalice 
over there." She points to the Benden Weyr glass, footed in a rich shade 
of red. "But I try and be magnanimous, and what does it get me? 
Unreasonable insistance! All right, nay more with the generousity; I say a 
*quarter* for both, with another quarter perhaps for one of those teething 
rings because I'm in such a good mood. If'n I weren't, I'd only be willing 
t'pay so much for all of that, the glass, and a night spent tending 
Kaylira and Kharisma!"

Jayna raises an eyebrow in admiration at Kassi's bartering skills.

Mehlani blinks as Savak walks off again -- leaving her with his cloak.

Erdrick blinks.

Asrai makes her way back to the main group, smiling at the others. She 
notes Savak's cloak..and the missing Savak with an arched brow.

Erdrick grins at Asrai, and Mehlani, then turns back to watch Kassi 
bargin.

Jayna, still wandering, spares a broad grin for Kassima's bartering 
tactics.

Grego's eyebrows lift a bit. "A quarter mark for both mugs, rider? Surely 
you jest. And while I'm sure that you'd only ever offer a fair price for 
my craft's wares, I'm sure you underestimate the skill in making these 
fair mugs." He lifts one up and gently flicks a fingernail against it, 
smiling at the gentle chime.

Asrai giggles, shaking her head at Kassi and Grego.

"So now you're insulting m'intelligence! *I* see. Lovely tactic for a man 
hoping t'wheedle a padded price out of me. Why, m'cousin Salassin--
Journeyman Smith specializing in weaponry, posted at Greystones; mayhaps 
you know of him--he could make a mug such as this, and aside from knives 
and the like, most of his Smithing skill is extremely limited! I daresay 
he'd charge me a sixteenth at most for each, too." Oh, now *that* was a 
baldfaced lie. One has to wonder how Kassi can even say that with a 
straight face at all.

Asrai makes her way over to Erdrick, Ro and Lani, "I think I'll go see if 
K'nan fell asleep. With any luck we'll catch up with you all later."

Erdrick nods, "Alright, take care of your roses too."

Grego nods at the mention of Salassin. He notes lightly, "Ma'am, I said 
nothing at all about your intelligence. But, just as I wouldn't be 
expected to know anything about dragonriding, I don't expect you to know 
all that much about the Smithcraft." He grins suddenly. "With the 
exception of knives, of course. Surely, upon closer look, you see that 
these are worth at least three quarters of a mark, for the pair."

Erdrick grins over at Mehlani.

Asrai heads outside with a swish of her skirt. "Oh, I will." She calls 
over her shoulder and then is gone.

Asrai leaves the SmithCraft Tent

Mehlani turns as Asrai vanishes off, and blinks a few times more, looking 
rather at a loss. Her shield gone, the girl chews at her lower lip, and 
peeks around the tent.

Erdrick grins at Mehlani, head tilted slightly, "Something wrong?"

"I... ah... am not quite sure what I ought to be doing, now," Mehlani 
murmurs sheepishly to Erdrick. She considers a moment, peering down at the 
folds of the cloak she's had left on her shoulders, and she adds 
consideringly, "I should give this back to Savak..."

Kassima leans back against a table, folding her arms and giving the 
Apprentice her most dubious look. At some unseen cue, her 'lizards also 
start to *stare* at the Smith. Unceasingly. Unblinkingly. And, quite 
probably, unnervingly. "I suppose they might be acceptable mugs," she 
allows grudgingly. "I'd nay want 'em if'n they weren't. But m'cousin 
E'rian once told me that he wheedled a Smith down to *one eighth* for a 
pair of such, and I'm nay about t'stop until I reach that quarter at 
*least*! Plus that night of child-tending, if'n you won't throw in the 
teething ring too." She neglects to mention that, while Eyr probably did 
tell her that, Eyr is quite capable of lying through his teeth too in 
order to make others awed by his skills as a bargainer.

Jayna grins at the bartering and yawns, wandering off to take a last look 
at the festivities before sleep.

Jayna leaves the SmithCraft Tent

Erdrick grins, "I don't think Savak is too worried about the cloak, worse 
comes to worst, he can drop by some other time and pick it up."

Grego blinks several times at the stare from the firelizards. "Well, 
rider, it sounds to me like your cousin found an amazingly gullible 
Smith--one who got in a lot of trouble when the Masters found out about 
such a low price. If you want the teething ring as well, then the price 
will have to go back to a mark, I'm afraid--and no babysitting." That last 
is said just a bit flatly. "That was never part of the bargain."

Erdrick grins at Mehlani, "Ye could always keep me company till the 
bargining's done."

Kassima argues, "One eighth of a mark is surely a high price for one 
evening of caring for two sweet, adorable children." A low price for 
caring for Kassi's two sweet, adorable hellions, though. "Maybe--*maybe*--
you could pull three eighths of a mark out of me for the trio of items, 
but shells, man! Do I look like a wealthy woman to you? Just look--" She 
gestures towards Mehlani in her lovely velvet gown. "Now, *there* is an 
example of truly fine finery. What can I afford? Glorified riding gear." 
Okay, so it's really good-looking glorified riding gear that Kassi's 
actually quite fond of, but still!

Grego does, indeed, look at Mehlani, and all his arguments dribble right 
out of his head. Kassi is sly to invoke the dreaded adolescent male 
hormones. "No babysitting," he repeats rather dumbly, before coming back 
to himself. "I suppose I can lower my price a thirtysecond, but I don't 
think I can go lower than that."

The barest trace of a smile makes its way to Ro's lips.

"I... I am not very sparkling company," Mehlani protests to Erdrick. Wili, 
on the other hand, croons sweetly on her shoulder.

Kassima hides a smile at Grego's reaction, and ambles over until she's 
standing right beside Mehlani, where the lad will have to stare at the 
girl in order to face his bargaining opponent. "Thirty-one thirty-seconds, 
you want me t'pay? Thirteen thirty-seconds is more than I can afford!" 
Mind, she'd only be paying some of them, but.... "Do I look like a 
beautiful young woman with all her life in front of her and suitors just 
foaming at the mouth in eagerness t'be the first to present her with 
expensive presents? I can but dream! I'm a rider and a single mother of 
two. Every mark you take out of m'pocket is one less mark that goes 
towards the care of m'children." Snort. Is she for real?

Erdrick grins at Mehlani and her firelizard, "You're quite nice, and I do 
want to have that dance you said you'd save for me, unless you don't want 
to be in my company..."

Mehlani blinks rapidly as Kassima bears down on her. Eep? Why draw _her_ 
into this?

Ro fades into a corner for the time being.

Erdrick grins from Kassi to Mehlani, Darin still watching the little green 
firelizard.

Grego ambles across the tent until Kassi is once more between himself and 
Mehlani. He may have hormones, but he's not stupid. "Well, the gentleman 
there is paying half, so I suppose I can go down to twenty-six thirty-
seconds. Thirteen each."

"If the Harpers are performing..." Mehlani begins, addressing Erdrick with 
a rather more noticeable blush at Kassima's effusiveness. But something 
makes the girl start, and she abruptly turns, glancing out into the Bowl. 
"Ria...?" she breathes, her eyes widening.

Erdrick looks over to Mehlani, "Something wrong with Rianet?"

Mehlani then snaps her gaze back to Erdrick, and blurts, "Please... excuse 
me, I need to find Ria, I-I think she's clutching...!" Wili squeaks on her 
shoulder, flittering abruptly at this shift in her human's mood. "Excuse 
me..."

Erdrick nods, "Bye."

Mehlani, with that, abruptly turns and darts out into the night, clinging 
to the cloak with one hand. As she goes, Wili drops her flower, but the 
green seems far more interested in clinging to her shoulder.

Mehlani leaves the SmithCraft Tent

Erdrick picks up the dropped flower absently.

Undaunted as ever, Kassi changes her course so that she's now standing by 
Ro. She has discovered the secret of bargaining: keeping pretty young 
teenage girls between her and the Crafter in question! "Ah, but some of 
that price is for the teething ring, isn't it? He wouldn't be paying for 
that! One sixteenth is the correct price of the ring, if'n I recall 
aright, so that leaves twenty-two thirty-seconds, or eleven sixteenths--
very nearly three quarters--for the mugs. Nay, nay, nay. Five-sixteenths 
for the entire shebang is quite past reasonable!" Considering that she 
was offering three-eighths before, one has to wonder whether all that 
adrenaline didn't somehow short-circuit her brain.

Erdrick chuckles and sticks the flower in his vest pocket.

Ro's grey eyes are wide, startled to be brought to the center of 
attention, or any attention at all, for that matter.

Erdrick grins over at Ro and Kassi.

Grego ogles Ro for just a moment, his eyes taking on a look that suggests 
that all the intelligence is draining from his head. ;) He gives himself a 
small shake, then, after a reproving look at Kassi, asks mildly, puzzled, 
"Oh, you still wanted the teething ring? And the actual price is a 
quarter-mark, but I decided to give you a discount, because of your 
valuable patronage. We'd take a loss of we charged you such a low price, 
and the Masters would take it out of my hide. I could go five-eights for 
each mug, though, and another eighth for the teething ring."

Kassima says drolly, "Considering that you were offering a mark for all 
three a'fore, Apprentice, I have to in conscience refuse. Now... I 
*suppose* that, out of the goodness of m'heart--and believe me, this is a 
stretch for the goodness of *my* heart--I could pay a half mark for all of 
it." Lightly, she nudges Ro's shoulder and murmurs something sotto voce to 
the young woman.

Ro senses Kassima suggests in a barely audible tone, "I don't suppose you 
could beg him to lower the price that much? It might have a remarkable 
effect, and one you might be able t'use t'your advantage in the future."

Grego grins rather wickedly. "I already refused half a mark, rider. How 
about three-quarters for the lot? Again. We could keep going around and 
around a price."

Ro looks up at the greenrider, listening, brushing a stray lock of hair 
back from her cheek just as a touch of pink colors it.

"We could indeed," Kassima agrees with a grin just as devilish, if not 
more so, as Grego's. "Who d'you think will prove the most stubborn, hrm?" 
The fire-lizards are now no longer just staring at Grego, but have slowly 
inched their way to perches closer and closer to him, craning their heads 
to give him the full force of their *look.*

Marina comes into the SmithCraft Tent

Grego frowns a bit under the stares, and fumbles in his belt pouch for a 
meatroll. Possibly a very grave mistake, this move, but at least they'll 
stop looking at -him-. "You, probably," he says, with a grin. "But 
consider: if you give me a fair price for this, I'll give you a better 
deal on a quality brace of throwing knives." He finally gets the meatroll, 
even as he opens the box of special knives.

Marina enters and looks around curiously. She is twirling a yellow rose 
between her finger tips.

Erdrick nods at Marina before turning back to watch the bargining.

Grego nods a polite greeting to the newcomer, even as apprentice Fernal 
hurries over to her side to inquire how he can help her, but his attention 
remains mostly on Kassi.

Ro twists subtly at the waist to see who has entered. She greets Marina 
with a soft smile.

Marina nods politely to Erdrick and Ro. "Oh that's alright apprentice", 
she says to Fernal, "I'll just have a look around on my own for now."

Fernal nods obligingly, drifting into the background to help any other 
customers, as needed.

Kassima swallows almost imperceptibly. The man has found her weakness. "I 
can't afford any more knives," she sighs, and for the first time tonight 
actually sounds sincere. "Nay right now. I have t'save up for gifts for 
Meli and the Weyrleader, and I spent what I won on the last Hatching on 
this gear so that I wouldn't shame the Weyr in displays like 
tonight's...." No, she wouldn't want to wear her kilt and have it do what 
Jal's did. Remember, she's a modest greenrider. Insofar as such a thing 
exists. And my, oh, my, but she looks rather pitiable as she forces 
herself to admit this, doesn't she? One might almost come to feel sorry 
for her. Taking a deep breath, she appears to try and cheer herself with 
the heartening thought of, "But at least I could afford one small mug, and 
a gift for m'daughter, were the price only reasonable."

Grego asks innocently, as he tucks the meatroll back into his belt pouch, 
"And your share of three-quarters of a mark isn't reasonable, rider?" He 
gives Erdrick an inquiring look, asking, of him, "Does that seem like a 
reasonable price for you, sir?"

The 'lizards, in the meanwhile, have espied the meatroll, and the ever-
hungry Kasylum hastens to swoop down and claim it from Grego's fingers. 
The rest snarl a bit, not pleased by Kasy's coup d'etat. Great; now 
they're not just staring fire-lizards, but they're *annoyed* staring 
fire-lizards. Big improvement there, Grego.

Grego maybe doesn't tuck the meatroll away, then. Just his fingers, to 
find his gloves. "Sorry," he says, with a hint of a grimace. "No more 
meatrolls."

Erdrick shrugs, "I'm nae quite sure if'n it's reasonable or not, I've nae 
had charge of me own marks till I left the hold, I've nae marks to spare 
nor the skill ta bargin very well, though I'd like that mug seein as how 
I'm livin here now..."

Out of the blue, Kassi thinks to produce a knife from a hidden pocket or 
something. "A'fore I forget, Ro, here's your knife back. And Apprentice, 
that price would be reasonable if'n there were more being bought for it, 
but two mugs and a teething ring? Nay!"

Grego recoils just a bit at the sudden flash of the knife, with reflexes 
honed from countless explosions in the chemistry lab. "Have you a 
counteroffer?" he inquires, after a moment to regain his composure. He's 
not likely simply to lower his price, after all.

Ro blinks at the knife for a few moments before taking it, barely 
murmuring a chatisement to herself for not having the sheath she made for 
it. She looks herself over for a place to put it, so she doesn't have to 
carry it in her hand the whole time.

"Half a mark, remember?" Kassima supplies, glancing out of the corner of 
her eyes at Ro to see if the girl will do what she's hoping she'll do. She 
isn't precisely likely to raise hers without good reason, either. Rather 
absently, she bends to extricate a thin-bladed throwing knife from one 
boot-top, and proceeds to clean her fingernails with the wickedly razor-
edged thing.

Marina starts walking in amongst the tables looking at this and that but 
mostly she is watching the customers.

Ro finally sighs and slips the blade between blouse and bodice, careful 
not to cut the fabric of either and trying not to blush too much. The 
engraved hilt rests easily on her chest.

Grego eyes the knife rather warily. "Half a mark," he says finally, having 
heard more than one story about Kassima, especially one in particular 
about a near-gelding of a brownrider. "Done."

Erdrick blushes a bit seeing where Ro put the dagger then turns to look at 
Kassi and Grego.

Ro tries to pay no heed to the direction of Grego's stare.

Kassima beams broadly at Grego, and the knife disappears as quickly as it 
appeared. For the first time, she's gotten a better deal than her original 
offer. "Apprentice, you have yourself a deal! One half of a mark for all 
three items. 'Tis, as always, a real pleasure doing business with you."

Grego wasn't staring at Ro's knife, or its new sheath, but at Kassi's 
knife. Now, however, he happens to notice where Ro put that knife, and 
blinks several times. "A pleasure," he agrees to Kassi, finally turning 
his attention back to her. "Are you sure you don't want to take a look at 
those throwing-knives? I brought them here special, just for you."

Kassima sighs with unmistakable longing at the thought of a new pair of 
knives. "Oh, I would... believe me, I would. But I don't think I've marks 
enough. In that much, at least, I was telling you true. There's a reason I 
don't often commission things for m'self, and that's it: I hate being 
bloody flat broke. Still... I suppose you'd be wanting some wild, 
outrageous price for 'em, eh?"

Erdrick nods at Kassi, "I think I should go see what else is going on, 
I've nae been to a festival here before. Thanks for the help bargining."

Grego nods, a hint of amusement about his green eyes. "Of course. At least 
a mildly outrageous price is required for such fine craftsmanship. But I'm 
sure you'll stop by the Hall, rider, when you're able to purchase them." 
With a sigh, he starts to return the knives back to their box, pausing 
only to give Erdrick a friendly smile of farewell. "Don't forget your 
mug."

"'Twas m'pleasure," Kassi assures Erdrick, and once again she sounds quite 
sincere in the saying.

Erdrick nods at Grego, "Aye, I'll not forget it." He picks up the mug that 
caught his eye.

Kassima smiles wistfully, nodding. "Mayhaps we could strike up some sort 
of deal, then... I could volunteer t'do a demonstration for customers in 
the tent, say, in return for something of a discount." Read, she'd 
probably insist on paying only a thirty-second for the things. "I'm nay 
bad at 'throwing, though 'tis admittedly boastful of me t'say so; I think 
I could do the wares justice."

Erdrick nods to Ro and Marina, "I'm off to see the rest of the festival, 
bye all."

Ro murmurs "Have fun."

Erdrick grins at Ro, "I hope to, enjoy yourself, and ye might want to find 
a sheath for yer knife before ye go dancing."

Ro says "I made one, I just don't have it with me."

Grego shakes his head slowly. "Sorry, rider," he tells Kassi. "The Masters 
were specific. No discounts for these. If I gave you one..." He shakes his 
head, voice trailing off as if the horrors visited upon him would be too 
awful even to mention. He shrugs a bit. "Much as I'd like to, sorry."

Erdrick nods, "See ya around." Walks out.

Erdrick leaves the SmithCraft Tent

A pair of Smithcraft apprentices mumble something that is, fortuitously, 
unheard, and then the boys erupt in rather raucous laughter, earning 
themselves a hard look from a nearby Baker Journeyman.

Kassima's eyebrows crook up a bit at that. "They're that good?" she 
marvels. Any blade that can't be bargained down at all would have to be 
pretty darned good.

Ro looks over some of the knives herself, though she pays no notice to the 
throwing knives.

Grego nods soberly. "That good. Now, weaponry isn't my subcraft, nor am I 
an expert like yourself, but even -I- can tell a fine blade like this when 
I see it." Seeing Ro's attention, he grins. "Not that those aren't good, 
of course. Just not as good as the special ones."

Ro smiles faintly "I don't know how to throw knives."

Kassima gives a low, admiring whistle, shaking her head. "I've a few 
pieces in m'rack that I know had t'be bloody expensive, but i'truth... 
I've never *bought* any of that kind. Prizes and gifts, they were. If'n 
they're that fine, 'twill probably take me a span a'fore I can afford 'em, 
I warn you; 'tis the Turnday season, and this get-up will set me back a 
bit even if'n I do well at the High Reaches Hatching."

Ro says "Don't worry about me, Kassi, my turnday is not for a time yet."

Grego grins as he tells Ro, "Not all our knives are balanced for throwing. 
We've got plain beltknives, like mine." Of Kassi, he inquires, "You make 
money off other Weyrs' hatchings? That's got to take talent."

Ro's expression brightens "I made money off of Igens!"

"I gamble," Kassima admits readily enough. "Quite a bit; 'tis the only way 
t'get the cash I'm needing for expenses. Poker, flights, Hatchings, 
Clutchings--m'main sources of income, I fear--that and 'throwing lessons, 
when I've the time. A'course, I still wind up splitting the cost of 
presents with Kin; even V'dan's belt-pouch isn't bottomless, much as I 
wish 'twere!"

Grego ahhs as he hears Kassi's source of income, noting, "You don't look 
like a Bitran, but I guess other folks can develop gambling skills." He 
risks another glance at Ro, but that knife (and its 'sheath') are too much 
for him. Then he inquires, as if absently, "Knife-throwing lessons?"

Marina leaves the SmithCraft Tent

Kassima grins wryly at that. "Greystonian. One of m'uncles married a 
Bitran, and she's taught me a few tricks. Aye, there're always a few 
riders who want t'learn it as a hobby or as aid in hunting; I teach 
fighting too, but only rarely, because I'm nay so skilled in that and I 
don't want t'risk injuries that could keep me from 'Fall."

Grego inquires, as he puts the box of special knives back in his place, 
"Do you only teach riders, or could, say, an apprentice get some 
instruction? Maybe in exchange for a word with the Masters about knives?"

Kassima's mouth curves upward a bit, though she's evidently trying to 
suppress her grin. "I think I could find time t'instruct an interested 
apprentice, especially if'n that word with the Masters was a good one."

Grego doesn't bother to hide his grin. "I'm sure I could convince them, 
especially if I ask them in the right order. I can send a message via a 
watchrider when I've word, if you like?"

Kassima allows her own to show through, and this time it doesn't show half 
so many teeth. "That would suit well, aye. I recall the last time good 
news came from you via watchrider." Her grin turns postitively demonic at 
the mention of the evil purple dye.

Grego laughs rather wickedly at that, nodding. "Do please tell me how that 
turns out, once you put that delivery to use?" Then a crash comes from one 
of the displays in the back, and Grego lets out an expletive or two worthy 
of an aged Seacrafter. "Excuse me, please. The Journeyman's out of the 
tent, so I'm 'in charge'. Scary, huh?"

"I'm quite looking forward to learning the reactions m'self," Kassima says 
as innocently as she can, which isn't saying much. "And aye, that's 
positively terrifying. Had I known it sooner, I might have fled the 
premises in sheer fear."

Grego, already hurrying over to help tend to the problem, chuckles at what 
he hears of Kassi's words.

Kassima sighs, picking up her Benden Weyr mug and teething ring with a 
pleased smile for the items. "Khari will love one of these, and I'll 
treasure the other. M'Benden wines will taste much better in this. 'Tany 
rate... I'm flat bushwhacked; I hope you'll nay be offended if'n I excuse 
m'self to go spend some time with the lasslings ere I sleep?"

Ro says "Not at all. I do hope that Kaylira liked that quilt."

Kassima grins broadly at the mention of that. "Oh, she loves it! Sleeps 
under it every night, with that stuffed Dagonth of hers. She's brown-mad, 
and I can't understand it for the life of me. G'night, Ro--and thankee for 
the help with the bargaining, inadvertant as it may have been!"

Ro nods and blushes "Any time. It was a rather, um, educational 
experience."

Kassima laughs and salutes Ro with the mug. "Glad t'be of service. Clear 
skies t'you, and sweet dreams." With that, she slips back outside.

You decide you've had enough of the Smith Tent and leave.