Harv N Pockets

[joegoda]

Your Majesty Bags,

We have found a kingdom, about 4 days away!

It's not much of a kingdom, being made mostly of brightly colored tents. Some are very small and contain merchants of food and cloth, some are very large and these are reserved for the wealthy and the largest is for ruler here, who the people call the Caliph. Families live in middle sized ones, formed in a circle around the outside of the kingdom, with the merchants just inside of that, and the Caliph at the very center. The kingdom is called Bangala.

When we first stumbled upon them, Stace and I thought they were traveling vagabonds, entertainers of some sort. Pockets recognized them right away and mentioned something about long knives and rubies the size of his head.

Well, he was partly right. They do have long knives. They are broad and curved to, as if they were used to harvest grain. They are a darker skinned people, and all seem to have very white hair. They tell me they have lived in the desert all their lives, which I find hard to believe, since the desert has only existed here the last few generations, since the last tree died out.

Pockets told me that there was desert here before the trees died, and that your kingdom was responsible for the destruction of the forest. Not sure if I believe him, I'll have to ask him more about it later.

Language was a bit difficult at first, and I thought they were going to attack us. They are a very private sort of kingdom, and very suspicious of outsiders. Pockets learned their language very quickly and explained to them who we were and that we were looking to establish trade.

Very useful fellow to have around, that Pockets. A bit odd, sometimes hard to understand, but I find him rather humorous, in a strange rambling way. He almost acts like Old Sol did. Old Sol was one of my caretakers when I was a child. He was hit on the head by a very large stone and wasn't quite right after that.

Anyway, Pockets learned their language and even started to teach them a bit of ours. They seem to regard him as some sort of ... um... wizard or something. Pockets just revels in it, of course. I don't think he's ever been paid so much attention, or at least that's how he acts.

He dresses like they do now. Big baggy pants made from the same material as their tents and brightly colored. He wears a vest instead of his jacket, and he requested that they put as many pockets in it as they could. The people here thought that was very funny, of course, but did as he asked. When the wind blows, his pant legs blow up like a balloon on the midway, and I half believe that he'd fly away if given the chance.

The sadness he had with him when we left has all but gone. I never got to know him before I met you, but I can see a ghost of what he used to be. No wonder you cherish him as you do, such an odd and endearing character.

Speaking of gone, Stace left not soon after we got here. She doesn't hold the same opinion of Pockets as I do. She basically said he was just too weird to handle and one night disappeared. I suspect she took one of the mules and headed out, as one of them is gone as well. I would say good riddance to her, as she was wont to complain a lot, but in truth, I shall miss her. We had our... moments in the desert and she taught me quite a bit.

I would attribute part of the cure to Pockets sadness with the introduction of him to one of the Caliph's handmaidens. Her name is Vive, pronounced Vi Vay and she's a cute little thing. Comes just up to my chest, about five foot almost nothing. Long brown hair, big brown eyes. She looks like a child in a very adult way.

When Pockets was introduced to her, I could see in his eyes he was right away enchanted. I could tell because he quit talking and just stared. I've seen him do this when looking at the moon or the stars or the sun. Or butterflies or whatever else caught his fancy for the moment. You know how Pockets is.

When I get back to Tears, I'd like to learn more about Pockets. He's told me a little bit about you, Your Majesty, and about the Queen, and how you two met. Did she really save your life by giving you the gift of her own? I sincerely look forward to hearing about that. Pockets just gets misty eyed when he tells of it, shuts up and won't say anything more. I think that may be part of his sadness, but I don't know. He almost seems like an uncle I never knew I had.

Vive seems to like Pockets as well, and seems to spend an awful lot of time with him. I'm forever catching the two of them hidden away somewhere, laughing quietly or just chatting. I think I see a sign of trouble here, as well, as she is one of the handmaidens of the Caliph, and I'm not so sure he's going to let her go. I believe that handmaidens here are the same as slaves, something we forbid ages ago.

They do make an enchanting couple, though. Pockets with his shy smile, Vive with her large brown eyes, holding hands and talking quietly without saying a word. I do hope this does not mean trouble on the horizon. If so, I'm glad you gave me the lessons you did, Your Majesty. Pockets is indeed someone worth dying for.

I don't have the gift of language that Pockets does, but I'm learning. I've started to learn the writing they have there. Curly and wavy, and a bit backwards from ours. Their characters all face the opposite direction, and they tell me that they learned to spell from the wind. Sounds like a lot of hooey to me, but it's their language, not mine, so I'll honor it.

We have been here for four days, and there is a celebration at the Caliph's tent for us tonight. Between Pockets and me, I think we have arranged to bring back samples of some of their incredible fabrics. Very lightweight, very colorful, and very strong. Where they get the dyes, I don't know, but it is bound to be a hit with the lady folk.

They liked the candles, the incense and the herbs we brought. I told them that we also have music and fabrics and books. They didn't care much for the idea of books. Writing here is done mostly for business, it seems that stories are things they tell verbally, and pass down from generation to generation.

Our music they seemed interested in, as theirs are played mostly on woodwinds. I told them about Queens Gamboni, and they sincerely asked that we try to have them travel here. It seems the QG have become legendary of a sort, and the people here have heard of them, just have never seen them. Would it be too much to ask that Your Majesty request they perform here? Schedule permitting, of course.

As to our fabrics, the people here found them a bit boring. Not enough color, they said. I tried to show them the toughness in the fabric, but they said that if the skin is tough enough, you don't need tough clothes. I don't know if I can sell them on the fabrics, but I'm not quite done yet.

You know, I never figured I'd turn out to be a Haggler. I always wanted to be a soldier, a knight in my father's army, when and if he ever had one. I'm finding this give and take to be as much an adventure as anything my young mind could come up with. And there's no bloodshed, and I must be honest, Your Majesty, after that nasty business in the Keep, I could live the rest of my days without bloodshed and be perfectly happy.

Missing You and Queen Griz,
Yours Ever Faithful,
Harv - The Haggler.