Chronicles of Den'dra: A Land Torn: Ancient Powers Awaken Read Free

But you gave us ten silvers last time.” Skeln couldn’t help himself. He knew that Urake would take the offered coin without question.
    “ Times are harder and people aren’t as willing to buy a cup of ale anymore.” Darsay pursed her lips and looked at Skeln with a disapproving squint.
    “ You can make at least forty silver coins off a single barrel this size. Parting with ten won’t hurt that much.” Skeln had made some careful investigation and knew from one of the kitchen lads that it was closer to the tune of fifty silver that was made from a good keg.
    “ But if people don’t buy it then it will spoil if left open for too long.” Darsay was downright scowling now. “I will give you eight silver and not a copper more.”
    “ Make it nine and a couple sacks of those sprouting potatoes over there.” Skeln pointed at a dark corner where a couple gunny sacks with the pale new growths was visible.
    “ Eight and one sack of potatoes.” Darsay waved a hand as if to dismiss the issue as settled.
    “ For the difference we could get a dozen bags at the market.” Urake quietly watched Skeln and Darsay haggle.
    “ Eight silver and one bag of sprouting potatoes. That’s my final offer.” Darsay glared at Skeln as if to dare him to make a counter.
    “ Come on Urake. We could always see if old Redzyn is willing to buy the whole keg or maybe we could even offer it at the market.” Skeln made as if to prepare to load the barrel back on the wheelbarrow.
    “ Fine. Nine silver and two bags of potatoes.” Darsay was muttering something about it not being natural that one so young could cheat honest people out of their hard earned coin as she went to get her coin purse.
    “ There is no need to make enemies over a little coin.” Urake gave Skeln a helping hand with the bags of potatoes. “Besides, what makes you think that Redzyn would buy a whole keg?”
    “ It is a game to her. If we had given in she would have lost out on the fun and wouldn’t have respected us for it. As for Redzyn? Mosn told me that his father said that Redzyn buys a mug of your brew every time he is in the inn. There wouldn’t be any reason for him to go to the inn to drink if he had his own keg and Darsay would lose out on all the profit.” Darsay was heard coming through the hallway with the coin. After inspecting the two bags in the wheelbarrow and mumbling over the unfairness of them being the largest sacks, she handed over the coin and watched while Urake and Skeln left.
    Skeln pushed the barrow up the path and left it parked in their garden plot before he went back to town. Urake accompanied him to the market as they searched for seeds with which to plant their garden. Skeln could have accomplished the task alone just as easily. When in town Urake often acted differently. He had to use the staff to support himself and acted like the drunk that his reputation told of. Skeln had stopped wondering years ago why his father felt the need to act the part. His disheveled hair and scraggly beard combined with his ragged clothes finished the appearance of what one would expect of a drunk. People tended to give him a wide berth when they saw him coming.
    The market had already begun filling with people. It was held once a week in the summer and once a month in the winter. People would come from miles around to buy or sell goods. As was often the case at this time of year there were several farmers or landowners that were selling the extra seed from this year’s plantings. They would gain a few extra coin with their extras and replenish their stores with this fall’s harvest.
    One silver was spent on a bag of beans and another went for seed of several kinds of vegetables. Urake remained silent through the proceedings and only produced the coin for payment after Skeln had finished haggling. When everything had been purchased they returned to the garden plot. Skeln expected Urake to continue up the path towards their house but instead he turned