Traders.
People who chose to travel around, exchanging deals with other regions, offering them new things, learning from them all kinds of stuff, and returning all of it back to their homeland to strike another deal.
Be it goods, stories, knowledge, or even information, all of them were worth a lot, traders brought wealth and prosperity wherever they went.
They were the promise of change.
Or so how they were usually painted.
Sindbad however, knew what was truly beneath that beautiful guise.
He learned it from the best after all.
A trader is someone who seeks profit, no matter the means.
A trader is someone who knows how to bring value out of things that were thought useless and sell them at the highest price possible.
A trader is someone who has a keen eye for opportunity, and who knows when a deal is worth hunting to the end of the world.
A trader, simply, is a shrewd person who has the resolve to take risks.
With that, Sindbad realized the world he was stepping into was far more twisted than he could imagine.
Yet again, he learned from the best. Surviving in that world was not impossible, yet painfully hard.
Their first trading was done in the open sea, something that Sindbad witnessed for the first time.
Usually, ships would moor at the port, and then the traders would begin their business upon embarking. Depending on what land you're in, you might be required to go through some paperwork to do so.
He had seen it a lot in Baghdad, the capital of trading.
Yet, this was the first time Sindbad discovered that such transactions upon water could be possible.
First, both ships had signaled each other using a combination of flags. Then, they pulled closer and had ramps fixed in between them as the two crews embarked on transporting their goods back and forth.
Rashad's crew bought some more rations and spices while the other ship was transporting clothes and boxes full of bottles of perfumes.
Rashad looked at the befuddled kid by his side who had stopped sweeping and was admiring the workers. " First time seeing it?"
Sindbad looked up at him and nodded, clearly awaiting some explanation to quench his curiosity about the unusual trading he was witnessing.
Rashad rubbed his beard as he humored him. " When you plan to do some trading in a faraway place, you might end up spending on the trip more than you could ever profit. If we could provide much more precious items like gemstones and the like, then making the trip would be worthwhile. However, when it's not the case, it would be best for both parties to meet in the middle."
" I see. So this makes it easier for both sides to sell their goods while also minimizing the costs," the boy mumbled. " Such a simple method, but why it's not as well known."
" It depends on the region you want to trade with," Rashad held a finger up. " Also, you need to have strong ties with merchants in that region and have means of communication to coordinate the meeting after all."
Sindbad bobbed his head in understanding.
A hand fell upon his head and tousled his hair. " You're a fast learner, kid. So let's hope you're nearly as fast when it comes to cleaning."
" I'm doing my best, okay!" Sindbad argued while holding up the mop above his head with both hands before he went back to his work. " And why should I be the one cleaning?!"
" Because you're the newbie." Salah jumped off a ramp and set down a box before straightening up and cracking his back. No one would think that a small-built man could handle such a weight, but apparently, sailors were much stronger than they seemed. "You have the lowest rank so you are stuck cleaning most of the time. The only other person as unlucky as you is me," he grumbled.
Sindbad almost deflated with a sigh at that. " But that's boring."
" That's the rules kid. Stick with them." Salah waved as he went back abroad the other ship.
Sindbad frowned as he embarked on his given task again, annoyance palpable all over his face. He didn't join to be the maid of the crew.
By the time most of the deck was swept, the ramps were pulled away after each member of both crews went back to their respective ships, and payment was issued.
Sindbad cursed under his breath as he saw the other ship leave in the other direction from theirs. He wished he got the chance to be aboard it as well and transporting goods, it would be far more interesting than sweeping.
" Patience," A deep and weak voice mumbled, taking the kid by surprise as he looked around to try and find its source. " Everything happens at the right time. Don't you rush things up. There is a time and place for everything."
Sindbad wandered further among the piled boxes and crates, only to find an old man sitting cross-legged in the shadow of one of them, holding a string in between his fingers that ended in a small metallic hexagon that was rounding in small circles before him.
His face had the rough features of someone who had seen quite a great chunk through life, yet it managed to hold onto a measure of strength and intimidation. His chin donned with a faint stubble while his white hair trailed down past the middle of his back. And as Sindbad peeked at him from the corner of the piled boxes, an eye flicked towards him and the kid staggered back, as if he was hit by something.
" You're the new kid," the man said, arm still stretched forward while his left eye was fixed on him. " You seem younger than I expected."
Overcoming his initial shock, Sindbad climbed on his feet and cocked his head slightly at the man. He couldn't recall any of the crew members who seemed as ancient as him. " Who are you?"...