Ah, good day to you, dear reader, good day indeed...
Yes...
Tis quite the beautiful morning...
Yes...
Hmmm?
Ever so cold?
Why...
Tis a strange land from whence you hail, dear reader...
Yes...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...
Do keep warm...
Yes...
Warm tunics about yourself...
Yes...
And a warm beverage of sorts...
Yes...
Mayhaps tea...
Yes...
And, of course...
Yes...
A healthy serving of food...
Yes...
If I may...
Indeed...
Suggest a meal...
May I suggest wild boar...
Yes...
Tis quite good...
I must say...
Also...
One may find oneself quite satisfied by hmmm...
Birds...
Yes...
Perhaps turkey, or even chicken...
Yes...
Quite tasty I must say...
Yes...
Even so, do add upon yourself one extra thing...
Yes...
Warm company...
Indeed...
For warm company does indeed warm the heart...
Yes...
Tis true, I must say...
Yes...
Well, I do suppose I should be getting along now...
Yes...
Now... where was I...
Ah... yes...
Jason Hessenger...
Yes...
As he was...
Indeed...
Fleeing from his predator...
Yes...
As a sheep fleeing from wolves...
Yes...
As for the knights...
Why...
I do suppose I may call it a flaw of the human mind...
Yes...
For one of the very knights in pursuit did indeed fall into a burning building...
Yes...
For he lay his feet upon an unstable piece of wood....
All the while running to his quarry...
Yes...
Do be warned, dear reader...
Indeed...
Do be warned...
For in battle,
Yes...
Anything can happen...
Yes...
For this man...
Indeed...
The taste of victory, had been robbed of him...
Yes...
By his mere excitement at the taste of blood...
Yes...
Do be wary, dear reader, do be wary...
Such is battle...
As for the other knights...
Yes...
None, not even one didst turn to see his brother...
Yes...
For they knew he would soon survive such...
Yes...
And also, indeed...
Their prey...
Was not one upon whom you could afford to remove your eyes...
Yes...
For a cornered rabbit...
Yes...
Indeed...
It may still bite one...
Yes...
As for Jason Hessenger...
Indeed...
He did indeed find himself thinking...
Yes...
Of a solution...
For, he simply pulled the arrow from his very arm...
Yes...
And of that, did blood...
Yes...
Blood come gushing out...
Yes...
Twas truly a painful sight...
Yes...
Not the mere pain, but also...
The very understanding of the fact that of blood he had lost much...
Yes...
And of that. did he simply...
Wait...
Yes...
Hmmm?
Indeed...
Jason Hessenger moved not even a minute further...
Yes...
He simply... waited...
Hmmm?
Run away?
Why...
He had already surmised...
Yes...
Twould be far too dangerous to flee...
Indeed...
While several opponents found themselves chasing after him...
Yes...
And also...
Indeed...
While he was bleeding out...
Yes...
Twas truly a painful feeling...
Yes...
For he could not simply...
Flee...
Nay....
Well...
Perhaps what happened next may make more sense if I told of an old folk tale...
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Yes...
Hmmm?
Oh do not worry...
It shan't take much time, really...
Why...
I'm sure we'll still have time for that teaser...
Yes...
I did promise it...
Yes...
Well, I do suppose I shall begin...
Tis a great tale, truly...
Yes...
One of many a merchant and many a mother to her children...
Yes...
One of a merchant, in fact...
Yes...
Tis the tale of the merchant of money...
Yes...
Well, I suppose I shall get started...
Yes...
Twas once upon a time...
Time, time, time...
Yes...
That there was a merchant...
Yes...
A merchant of what one may only refer to as one of the highest caliber...
Yes...
One of many great endeavors, as well...
Indeed...
And also, one of great deceit...
Yes...
For this merchant had mastered the art of manipulation and deceit...
Yes...
Even so as delicate arts they are...
Yes...
The art of manipulating and playing with the very human mind...
Yes...
For this merchant...
This mere merchant...
Indeed...
Was among the richest in the land...
Yes..
A rich man indeed...
Yes...
One whose very affluence spoke to even the nations surrounding him...
Yes...
But as so...
Indeed...
Twas not more known of him...
But...
Yes...
His lying tongue...
Indeed...
For even the wisest of men and women across the lands...
Yes...
Even they drew fear at the mere thought of speaking to him...
Yes...
For it was said of him...
He could convince a cat to chase a dog...
And a dog to be chased by a cat...
Yes...
For his wit and incredible acuteness...
Yes...
He was referred to as...
The merchant of money...
Yes...
For everything of him...
Yes...
Absolutely everything of him...
Indeed...
Did speak of it...
Well, I do suppose I lack the proper words to give...
How you say...
Colour, to the manner of man he was...
Yes...
Well...
Moving along...
Of men was he a clever one indeed...
Yes...
Why...
He would never lose even so much as a chance at gain...
Yes...
Not even one...
For there wasn't a thing...
Yes...
Not a thing in all the lands that...
Indeed...
He believed could escape his sight...
Yes...
Why...
Twas of him that many a man had lost even their most prized possessions...
Yes..
Truly...
Twas nothing that could escape his sight...
Yes...
However....
Indeed...
Twas a certain man...
An odd man indeed...
That did come to him of a query...
Yes...
Twas one of the fabled legendary jewel...
Yes...
The jewel of Aurorus...
Yes...
Truly...
Tis a glorious gem...
Why...
Tis the object of many a legend itself...
Hmmm?
A legend within a legend?
Why...
Tis truly a strange thing...
Think you not, dear reader?
Yes....
Tis an amazing thing in this life...
Hmmm?
Both true?
Hmmm?
You mean to say that both legends being a part of the other...
Means the both of them are true?
Why...
Tis a clever opinion dear reader...
However...
As I would say...
Believe not everything you read...
Yes...
Tis a cautious thing, dear reader...
Truly, I say unto you, dear reader, truly...
Well...
Moving along...
The merchant of money did indeed hear of this query...
Yes...
The jewel of Aurorus...
Yes...
Tis a strange thing really...
Indeed...
For...
Twas no ordinary jewel...
Yes...
Indeed...
Hmmm?
Why so?
Why...
Because in order to obtain this strange jewel...
Yes...
One must take of the essence of two lands...
Yes...
A fabled gem of the land of the pixies...
And a strange gem of the land of the fairies...
Yes...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...
For....
Once these gems leave the land of the pixies or fairies...
Yes...
As it was said...
The gem will dissipate...
Yes...
Turning to nothingness...
Yes...
Of course, unless...
Indeed...
The essence of the other land does indeed combine with that of the other...
Yes...
Tis a legend...
Hmmm?
Why...
I haven't the faintest idea, dear reader...
Yes...
Well, I do suppose I shall be getting along...
Hmmm?
Try it?
Why...
Tis nothing of a concern to me...
Hmmm?
Money...
Why...
I have more than enough...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...
I have no need for wealth....
At least...
Not any more...
Hmmm?
Rich?
Why...
Tis a long tale truly...
Yes...
A truly long tale...
Hmmm?
Oh, I would love to dear reader...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly....
However...
Twould take far too much time....
Yes...
Far too much time...
Well, I do suppose I shall continue this tale...
Yes...
Moving along...
The merchant of money did indeed hear of this...
Yes...
And of that...
Indeed...
He could only take up the chance...
Yes...
For everything...
Indeed...
Everything of him spoke of money...
And of that...
Yes...
Why...
He prepared his horses...
Yes...
His many chariots and servants...
Yes...
And of it all...
Indeed...
Started a long trek towards his very destination...
Yes...
Twas a great tale truly...
As for this man....
Indeed...
He did begin it...
And as of that...
Well...
I do suppose I should tell you dear reader...
Yes...
Tis a strange thing...
Yes...
The land of the pixies and that of the fairies...
Yes...
For...
Indeed...
Tis not a common thing for a man to enter the land of the fairies or pixies...
Yes...
Why...
Some do indeed enter...
However...
Yes...
The secret to entering either land...
Yes...
Tis a strange thing...
Yes...
For very few a man or woman know of how...
Yes...
Very few...
Indeed...
And of that...
Why...
Twas true that this man was rich...
Yes...
Extraordinarily rich...
Indeed...
For...
Tis a true thing of this world...
Yes...
That many a thing...
Indeed...
Many a thing...
Many be purchased...
By a man that owns what one wants...
Yes...
Many a thing...
Indeed...
Many a thing on this world...
Have a price...
Yes...
And of this man...
Indeed...
He did have the price...
Yes...
The price to obtain the knowledge...
Yes...
The knowledge to obtain the prized jewel...
Yes...
The prized jewel....
Indeed...
Why...
Twas not a cheap price...
Yes...
Well...
I do suppose it is a long winded tale of such...
However...
May I say...
That tis a strange thing...
Yes...
However...
Yes...
Had it not been for his very speech...
Indeed...
He may have very well been swindled out of his treasures...
Yes...
Swindled out of all he desired...
Yes...
Tis truly a strange thing...
Yes...
That the swindler's own knowledge...
Yes...
Did indeed enable his very victory...
Yes...
At the very hands of those who lay a claim at his riches...
Yes...
And of that...
Indeed...
He received it...
Yes...
The location of the land of the pixies...
Yes...
And of that of the fairies...
Yes...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...
Twas extremely hard...
Yes...
And extremely expensive...
Yes...
However...
Indeed...
He did obtain this jewel...
Yes...
This information...
Hmmm?
Oh...
Nay....
By jewel I did mean information...
Yes...
And of that...
Indeed...
He made his way to the lands...
Yes...
And of that...
Indeed...
Twas a long and arduous quest...
Yes...
One that...
Indeed...
Voraciously devoured all of their rations...
Yes...
One that consumed them all...
Indeed...
And as of that...
Yes...
He did indeed make it...
Yes...
To, first off...
The land of the fairies...
Yes...
Twas a glorious land...
Indeed...
A truly beauteous land...
Yes...
One full of many a flower and a fragrance...
Yes...
Many a beautiful sight...
Yes...
And many a beautiful castle...
Yes...
Why...
Even the very children were singing...
Yes...
Even the very adults...
Twas truly what many would call a wonderland...
Yes...
A land where man a man and woman may simply...
Settle...
Yes...
And of the fabled gem...
Indeed...
Twas a rare one...
Yes...
However...
Twas not a very rare one...
Yes...
For it only cost the merchant a pretty penny...
Yes...
And of that...
Why...
Twas the merchant of many...
Yes...
For...
Indeed....
He did swindle them...
Yes...
Well...
I do suppose I should say...
Indeed...
That fairies are a very gullible folk...
Yes...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...
They are a very easily fooled bunch...
Yes...
And of that...
Indeed...
He robbed them blind...
Yes...
Robbed them blind and bitter...
Indeed..
For he left no stone unturned...
Yes...
In his very quest for power and guilt...
Why...
Twas not long before he had repaid the money to pay for the gem...
Yes...
Why...
He had even made up the wealth he had lost trying to pay for the information...
Yes...
Twas not long before...
Indeed...
He had far too much on his hands...
Yes...
Far....
Far too much on his hands...
And of that...
And, of course, the growing anger of the people...
Indeed...
He and his merry band made of...
Yes...
With several counts of silver and gold...
Yes...
Why...
He even had many a copy of the gem of which he attempted to obtain...
Yes...
Twas a strange tale truly...
One of which he and his very men spent time simply gawking...
And, of course, rejoicing at their new found wealth...
Yes...
He was rich...
Yes...
Even richer than before...
Yes...
As for the land of fairies...
Yes...
They were quite bitter...
Yes...
However...
By their own laws...
Yes...
And, perhaps, by their own gullibility...
Yes...
They were manipulated and swindled...
Yes...
To the very point that none of them...
Indeed...
None of them...
Could even bring themselves to protest...
Yes...
Hmmm?
An evil man?
Why...
I do suppose I see your perspective...
Yes...
Hmmm?
I?
Why...
Tis not my order to concern myself with such...
Yes...
Although...
Indeed...
Tis not a good thing to be dishonest...
Yes...
That much I would say...
Well...
Moving along...
Yes...
Twas at that that the man did indeed ponder...
Truly...
For if a man may gain wealth beyond his very imaginations...
Yes...
In a mere day, no less...
Indeed....
Tis no query that...
Yes...
Twas obvious...
For he sent his bag to his comrades...
Yes...
A treasure trove of many jewels...
Yes...
Many a doubloon and many a gem....
Many a tunic and many an expensive item...
Be it flower, perfume...
Yes...
For he had taken much...
Indeed...
Yes....
As for the gem necessary....
Indeed...
Why...
Of that he had several...
Well...
Mayhaps one may call it a statement of his intellect...
However....
Even in his wild celebrations...
Yes...
He did indeed ponder upon it...
Yes...
For...
Twas not even very hard...
To obtain this gem...
Yes...
Twas quite the conundrum...
One would say...
For...
Twas not in a fairy to lie, as he had so far learned...
Yes...
And so....
Indeed...
Why so was it so hard for a man to come across this fabled gem...
Yes...
Well...
Mayhaps for lack of knowledge of the location of the two mysterious lands...
Yes...
Mayhaps....
Twas his answer to this great mystery...
Yes...
And of that, indeed...
Even so as doubt did simply hold unto his very chin...
Yes...
As though a rough man holding him against his destiny...
Yes...
He did cast caution to the winds and travel to the land of the pixies...
Yes...
Twas an evenly complicated route I must say...
For the land of the pixies was indeed connected to that of the fairies...
Yes...
Twas all that and a box of hairy fruit to get there...
Hmmm?
Hairy fruit...
Why...
Tis a strange fruit that hails only in the islands at the north...
A delicacy, truly...
Yet...
Quite a rare one indeed...
Yes...
Well, I do suppose I shall be getting...
Hmmm?
Why, yes...
Tis a brown fruit...
Hmmm?
Coconut?
Why...
Tis a strange name truly...
Coconut?
Why...
In these lands....
It does have many a name...
Yes...
Ovalines, Badger fruit...
Yes...
Even some call it milk fruit...
Yes...
Hmmm?
Strange names?
Well...
I do suppose that is true...
Yes...
Twould seem quite strange from either angle, I suppose...
Hmmm?
Why so many names?
Why...
Every land has a name for this meal....
Yes...
Well...
Moving along....
Indeed....
The merchant of money did indeed make it to his final destination...
Yes...
The land of the pixies....
Yes...
And of the people...
Indeed...
They were also a kindly folk...
Why...
They were quite similar to the fairies...
Yes...
With wings and powers of magic as well...
Yes...
However...
Twas an odd thing...
Yes...
For their nation was quite the opposite...
Yes...
For while the people, at least on the outside, were kindly...
Why...
Their land was truly disorganised...
Yes...
Twas truly horrifying....
For where in the land of the fairies was peace and tranquility...
Indeed...
In the land of the pixies, was...
Yes...
Disorder...
And of that...
Why...
The very land was one of damage and destruction...
For...
Indeed...
Even the very streets were filled with disorder...
Yes...
Tis a strange land, I must say...
Why...
Even when I did find myself there was it so...
Hmmm?
Why...
Indeed...
I did upon my travels find myself once upon a time...
Hmmm?
Well...
That would take far, far too much to get into dear reader...
Far too much time...
Oh...
Oh dear...
Tis already time?
My goodness...
Twould seem that I have already spent every minute I have with you...
For...
Indeed...
Tis already quite late...
And of that...
Indeed...
I did make an error...
Yes...
Truly, I say unto you dear reader, truly...
Tis wholly and fully my fault...
For...
Indeed...
It should fall upon me to apologise...
For...
It was my idea...
Yes...
My idea to follow through with a short story...
Yes...
Truly...
I must apologise...
For...
Indeed...
Twas my error...
Why...
I simply preferred to use this tale to explain Jason Hessenger's decision...
Why...
I must say...
Tis simply a habit of mine...
For...
Indeed...
I do enjoy telling tales...
Yes...
Well...
Of that, dear reader, I truly must apologise...
For...
Indeed...
I have perturbed your expectations...
Yes...
Tis my fault...
However...
Worry not...
I shall get along with it...
Hmmm?
Why...
You do flatter me dear reader...
Of course, of course...
And thank you...
I shall be finishing the tale of the merchant of money...
Why...
It shall perfectly explain the actions of Jason Hessenger...
Yes...
And thank you, dear reader...
Truly, I say...
Well...
Tis about time I take my leave...
Do be careful, dear reader...
For...
Well...
I suppose it shall make sense in the next chapter...
Hmmm?
Why...
Tis a secret, I must say...
Yes...
Do be well, dear reader...
Do be well...
