Island of Palms

The next morning the ship anchored at a small island. While the sisters were still snoring in the cabins, Jimmy decided to explore the market of the little warm island. He searched the crates and market stalls, but finds most of them empty. A slave girl passes his way....

 ~On a small trading Island~

Kajira: "Greetings, Master"

Jimmy turns as he hears a voice behind him "Oh, Greetingsh, girl!"

Kajira: "May girl be of assistance, Master?"

Jimmy points to the crates "Ish all empty! Ish bishnesh running good?"

Kajira eyebrows crease her head tilting slightly, ears straining, "Yes, Master, we are expecting a shipment within the day to refill. May girl provide something in particular"

Jimmy: "I am Shimmy of she Clan of Bloch." - He points down to the ship "My shishtersh shtill shleep in nishe room wish shoft cushionsh..." Then he nods: "I am shearshing for flour and shugar and cacao... many of it to deal wish a shity in she norsh"

Kajira 's green eyes follow his hands, "Very well, Master. The island can certainly provide..." nibbling her lip nervously hoping she understood him correctly, "...mehl, sugar and cacao"

Jimmy nods to the slavegirl: "Hash found shome cacao and shugar on an island, but wash very ekshpensive. If buy shat and shell it, shere ish no profit... and I hash to make profit to fill dowry for my shishtersh for shem to find good companionsh!"

Kajira smiles nodding, her ears picking out what she hopes are certain words piecing the bits together, "I see, Master. Do you trade for items or purchase only?" Her gaze wonders to the ship wondering what his sister looks like.

Jimmy smiles at the girl's good news and claps in his hands "Oh, shatsh wonderful! I can pay...." - he considers for a moment, no idea of mathematics and only able to count to 20, so he just says a price that seems to be the easiest to count - "... 10 TS for eash item. Ish shat enough?" Then he nods to the question: "I alsho trade shome wool, but mosht of it we already hash shold"

Kajira 's eyes widen detecting his excitement uncertain of its origin, "How much of each would you be seeking, Master? And would you prefer raws or ground on the beans and sugar?"

Jimmy scratch his chin, then his butt, then remembers his sisters told him to not scratch his butt when there's a woman present, no matter if slave or Free, so he scratch his head. "Hmmmm.... She lady shaid flour and shugar and cacao... I shink she meanded grinded... She wantsh 100 of eash... not shure how mush shat ish... shishtersh shay, shat ish five timesh twenty. Right?" He looks into the girls eyes. "But shat ish many. I don't shink you hash sho many!?". He makes a mental note, that he will continue to learn counting and maybe even writing and reading, while his sisters sleep or are busy flirting with the captain.

Kajira's nose flairs before schooling her face fixing her eyes not on his roaming hand but his feet, "100 mehl, ground sugar and cacao pulver", she brushes a stray strand of hair from her eyes absentmindedly, "That is doable, Master. It would be quite costly, the raws as can you see are 25 for 1 KT 50 Tsk, refined would be perhaps 3 times that amount". She mentally tabulates the amount the way her Master taught her, toes wiggling against the wooden planks.

Jimmy looks where the girl points to, but sees only some symbols and scratches, unable to read them. But he nods, glad that Kajira told him what's written there. "Sho.. shat ish 1 and a half KT for 25... and shree timesh shat amount... shat ish shen for hundred....." - He does as if he would do the maths, but his eyes fixed quizzically to the slave's eyes, not daring to look deeper, as he's not used to naked women.

Kajira: "It would be 14 copper tarsk per 100", bringing forth her best negotiating face.

Jimmy glad, that the girl did the maths for him nods and continues as if he just had got the same sum "... yesh... 14 KT per 100."

Kajira's lips quirk up at the edges noting something in his eyes, pressing her shoulders back arching her back slightly lifting her breasts, "that is correct, Master". She inhales deeply her chest rising and falling slowly, "Would this be acceptable, Master?"

Another slave girl humming a lively tune, looking around the buildings, hearing far away voice's.

Jimmy sniffs’, his hand on the way to his butt stops in midway and moves up to his nose instead, rubbing it; he looks to his dirty boots and blushes lightly, tries to concentrate on the trading "Shat shoundsh good. Sho... For all shree shat would shen be shree timesh 14.. .shat ish... about two and a half timesh twenty, right?"

The first Kajira runs off to get the goods for the trading. [crashed] The second Kajira holding her empty wicker basket, approaches "Greetings, Master"

 

~Second Slave Girl arrives~

Jimmy: "Greetingsh, girl"
Second Kajira inspects the carrots to add them into the verr stew
Jimmy lays his head to the side "Hmmmm, I shink I hash sheen you before"
Second Kajira: "Nay, Master, I know sweet Nallah and trade with her. I come and harvest, when I can on the island, a long boat ride from the north." She tucks her head lifting an onion to her nose, feeling the firmness and pugdent aroma.
Jimmy lays his head on the other side "Ah, maybe not shen.", but now he knows the other girl's name. His glance falls on the ship in the harbor where his sisters are still sleeping. He suddenly asks as it's always worth a try: "Sho, you hash a mashter? What ish his cashte? Ish he wealshy? Doesh he hash a companion already?". He smiles in the believe that this was very subtle.
The Second Kajira's blue eyes sparkle as she places the onion in her wicker basket. "My Master is still in furs. Girl awoken from kennel stoked the fire in rooms, left an note on table with cold fare of cheese, a day old bread, and took the boat here to harvest." She blushs "My Master is an Blacksmith an his FC was lost to him 3 months ago. Girl wasn't told how or what happened." Second Kajira continues "I was an kajiria an now an bond", as she's falling gracefully to her knees, tucking her head, praying she didn't offend the Master for not kneeling at first, clutching at her wicker basket.
Jimmy's not sure if to frown or smile... if it's good news or bad news.. "Hmmm.... shorry for hish losh... but... shat meansh he ish wishout a companion... hmmm... good, good... and a blackshmish! Shat meansh, he ish big and shtrong like my shishtersh!" He considers a moment before he continues: "You shink I can introdushe my shishtersh to your masther? Shey really need a companion shoon!" - He lowers his voice to almost a whisper, looking left and right as if his sisters could appear out of thin air any moment. "And shen maybe shey shtop pushing me all she time to get a companion and make many nephewsh and neeshesh for shem". As he notices the girl still kneeling he waves his hand "Oh... You are bushy doing errandsh for your Mashtersh houshehold... why should you kneel all she time? Only givesh you shcarf-shkin on your kneesh.. ish not nishe!"
The Second Kajira's fiery red hair casscades over supple shoulders: "Unsure, how strong your sister is, Master. He has arms... " She points to the mead barrel "... as large. At that eve I have try clean an' wash blacksmith clothing.." - blushing - "takes all day." She blushes crimson red, remebering her older sister back on earth introducing her to men to date. She holds the wicker basket as she's arising, the onion almost rolls out, whispering "...sisters..." as she's looking at the bumpy suls for the sul soup.
Jimmy grins, Kajira's words about washing her Master's clothes reminding him of his sisters complaining about washing his woolen underwear once a week. Then he gets serious praising his sisters again: "Oh, shey are very shtrong! Almosht ash shtrong ash me. I know I am smaller shen shem, but I am she shtrongesht!" He corrects Kajira "And it'sh two shishtersh. Shushanna ish she younger one, Sheshillia she older one. Shey are tall and well fed wish many hairsh on her head..." - he shrugs - "... yesh, in sheir fashesh too, but shey shave it eash day, sho you almosht don't shee it"
The Second Kajira's crystal blue eyes looking at the suls, peeking over at the nice looking Master. She smiles picking up 5 nice round brown suls. "Girl is of Writterign creek, Master. Is your homestone far?"
Jimmy: "Our villash ish on she border to she norshern woodsh. Many hillsh shere. And verrsh." He beams proudly "I hash many verrsh. Fasher shend ush to trade woolsh..." - he adds with a lower voice - "...and to find companionsh for my shishtersh". Then he asks: "Where ish... Writt.. Wirtt... shat Creek?". He points to the harbour again, where the ship anchors "We ish travelling on ship. Ish ship anchoring in your harboursh?"
The Second Kajira's cherub smile crosses her lips "Oh! love verr!" She lifts a finger to her lips "Named one 'Daisy'", she says in a soft whisper, and then answers the man's question: "In the North. Has ice pond which is frozen over, an Inn, an bank, kaissa pavillon... an small... very small village... an new Tavern opening.." She crosses her fingers over the basket she hold, then continues: "Yes, girl paid the captain with an fresh ramsberry pie and has his bag of laundry to wash in trade for safe passage here an back home."
Jimmy pulls his old, dirty map out of his bag and approaches the girl. Not really able to read a map, as he can't read at all, but he keeps it, cause he likes the colors and it looks like he knows what he's doing, when he holds it in his hand to study it. "Oh, Daishy ish a nishe name. I shink I call she neksht lamb Daishy!" - He approaches the girl with the map in his hand, holding it upside-down without realizing it. "Show me where villash ish on map?"
The Second Kajira placing her finger along a river looking down at the old, faded, colorful map.. She smiles as her finger traces up the river close to sardar mountains to a small village cove.
Jimmy looks where the girl points to on the map. Even if he's illeterate his memory working perfect. He nods with a smile and rolls the map again, putting it back into the bag. Then he looks around for a moment "Hmmm, do you shink shat osher girl ish returning shoon?"
The Second Kajira sadly: "Unsure...  she been gone an while..." She tucks her head "...she never gone for long...". She sends a silent prayer to the PKs  that nothing bad happened.
Jimmy nods "I hope she heavy grinding shtone didn't fall on her foot or shomeshing, when she wash grinding she shingsh I needed". He looks a bit worried in the directooin the slavegirl ran to get his goods. "I shall go to she ship and look for my shishtersh..."
The Second Kajira nods. " Well wishes, Master. May your day be bright an' full of joy"
Jimmy nods to the nice girl "Shafe pash to you. And we shoon will vishit your villash. It shoundsh nishe. Almosht like she villash we come from!" He waves to Kajira, then turns to the ship, but before he walks towards the docks he remembers, that he has seen the other Free treating slaves with candies. He searches in his bag until he finds the candy canes, which he himself loves also and has hidden them from his sisters.
The Second Kajira heads toward the boat as well, has other stops on her morning rounds, she waves toward the ship's Captain.
Jimmy as the girl already ran away, stuffs the candy cane into his mouth and sucks on it on his way back to the ship... Sitting in the warm morning sun, listening to the sort lapping of the coastal water, he digs deep in his bag till his fingers find the old scroll. He pulls it out and - looking left and right - assures that nobody sees him. Then he opens the scroll and looks at the scrawling on the scroll. He wets a finger... his tongue tucked between his teeth as he concentrates, he starts to draw with his wet finger on the salt-crusted ship-planks a big "A".......

~Later that day~

Jimmy   hours later.... he already reached the letter "E"... Quickly, before his sister's wake up and see his exercises’, wipes the letters A-E from the planks before his sisters can see it. He gets up and stretches, then grabs his bag and searches the kajra to see, how far she got with the goods
Jimmy: “Greetingsh again, kashira!”
Nallah: “Greetings Master.”
Jimmy: “Ish you ready wish grinding? I hash learned writing a bit on she ship. But don't tell my shishtersh! I want to shurprishe shem, when I can write and read! I know A and B and She and D and E and F already!”
Nallah tilts her head slightly ears straining to catch key words, a large smile splitting her face almost in two, "That is wonderful Master!"
Jimmy: “Like here...." - He points to the Bazi-tea "... shat's B.... errrr.... A... sho... BA!"
Nallah's face lights up, "Yes Master that is correct!"
Jimmy: “Sho... grinding ish ready?”
Nallah: “The next letter is a 'z’, it sounds like it is said, " the girl pulls her lips away from her teeth exaggerating sounding the letters sound, "zzzzzzzzzzzzzz" The girl answers Jimmy’s question. “Yes Master may girl go get it for you.”
Jimmy nods "Ah, I shee... Ish shet like shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Nallah nods slowly, "Yes Master"
Jimmy: “Sho, shat'sh B and A and Sh... BASH!"
Nallah: “Right Master.”
Jimmy beams proudly as he learned another letter, sure he soon will be able to read all the scribblings on the signs
Nallah: “Then an "i", and on this sign sounds like it sounds 'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii"
Jimmy: “Oh, shat'sh eashy! Ish she shound my shishtersh make when she shleen licksh sheir fashesh! Iiiiiiiiiiii”
Nallah giggles
Jimmy: “Sho, let me she... hmmm... Bash... and I... shat'sh Bashi! BASHI-TEA!!! I shee!” Jimmy bounces excited
Nallah: “Yes!” Kajira almost bounces with excitement
Jimmy:  “Sho... let me carry she goodsh and I pay you.. or better osher way round... caushe..." - giggles a bit embarrasssed -".... ish eashier osher way round"
Nallah: “I need to go get them Master, may i do so? We have them stored in our stock room”
Jimmy nods "Fine. Shen I wait here"
Nallah: “Yes Master, I will be quickly.” Kajira crawls back a few paces before rising rushing off to her task
Jimmy while he waits looks at all the filled pots and crates now and mumbles to himself "Hmmm, wash a bishy girl harvesthing sho mush and filling it all"

~Arrival of a slave boy~

Jimmy: “Greetingsh, shlave.”
Slave boy: “Greetings Master. hope Master is well today?”
Jimmy looks at the slave boy and nods. "I ish fine." He smiles, his eyes fixed on the slave's naked body "How do you keepsh sho clean being nekkid? And you are too shin! You hash to eat more, boy!"
Slave boy: “I just woke up and I bathe everyday when i wake up Master.”
Jimmy’s eyes open wide "Every day?!? Shat can't be healshy!"
Slave boy: “I never get fat, Master. I eat like a tarsk but never gain weight.”
Jimmy nods "Ah, shat'sh what my shishtersh shay to me too.. I mean.. shat I eat liks a tarshk"
Slave boy: “Are you new to these parts Master?  This boy has never seen you before.”
Jimmy shrugs "Maybe you are shtill growing..." - then he nods and points to the ship in the harbor "I came wish she ship... I travel wish my shishtersh... we are trading wool of our verrsh and osher shtuff... so we get dawry for my shishtersh to find good companionsh"

~Kajira returns with the trading goods~

Jimmy lays his head aside "I not often shee male shlavesh. Hmmm..... not often shee shlavesh anywaysh... we don't have many shlavesh in our villash.... only Old Shaggy, my uncle hash one... uggly shingensh she ish...."
Slave boy: “You trying to marry your sisters off, Master?”
Nallah smiles hearing a familiar voice as she climbs the steps.”Greetings Master, greetings brother”
Slave boy: “Greetings sister.”
Jimmy: “Ah, shere comesh she nishe girl wish my goodsh!" - He jumps up and brushes his dirty pants as if that would help anything. "And yesh, trying to find good companionsh for my shishtersh... before shey find one for me" - He giggles - "Shey are alwaysh trying to find a nishe woman for me, caushe shey want nephews and neeshesh. At leasht 12, shey shay
Nallah places the small crates at the Master's feet.
Jimmy adds with a lower voice "Not shure if 12 all togesher or eash..."
The Slave boy grins at the Masters words
Nallah blinks her eyes darting between the Master and her brother.
Jimmy   pulls his money pouch from his belt "Sho... you get 14 for eash, ish shat right, kashira?"
Nallah: “Yes Master, that would be what we agreed upon 14 KT each box of 100.”
Slave boy turns to the Master as he moves.
Jimmy   nods and counts 14 KT on each crate to not make a mistake, as he can only count up to 20... which is how many fingers and toes he has, while his oldest sister can count to 22, because she has 6 toes on each foot... but anyways... he counts 14 KT on each crate to not make a mistake. He  smiles and puts his pouch back on his belt, then searches in his bag until he finds two of those candy-canes, which he himself loves so much too. He reaches a candy cane to each of the slaves, proud to have learned the manners of the other Gorean Males, giving treats to slaves.
Slave boy excitedly accepts the candy from the kind Master, "Thank you, Master"
Nallah's eyes brighten accepting the minty treat she tucks it away for later when she is grinding mehl
Jimmy smiles warmly to the slaves, and then builds a tower with the boxes to carry them all at once.
Kajira: “Would you wish help with those Master, my brother loves to carry crates.”  She smiles blinking sweetly at her brother.
Jimmy looks at the crates towering before him, knowing that the weight won't be a problem as he's quite strong for his small stature, but not sure if he can hold it all in balance. So he finally nods "Oh, yesh... Maybe carry one to she ship, I ish taking she oshersh"
Kajira smiles
Slave boy: “I be happy to take one for you Master.”
Jimmy: “But you ish bishy licking she candy cane. Shat can take shome ahnsh”
Slave boy crunches the candy real fast, the juice leaking out his mouth, he wipes his chin with his arm.
Jimmy   waits patiently and looks around in the meantime. Suddenly he points to the dates and asks the girl "What ish shish?" - He tries to read the letters loud "Hmmm....D..... A... crosh... E... shnake.... DAshomeshing" - He points to the crates: “I shee shat in a villashe lasht week... Shishter Sheshie shays, it looksh like urt-poo... I shayd, it tashted like it too.... " Jimmy adds "But don't ashk me, why I know how urt-poo tashtes.... ish long shtory!"
Kajira looks around trying to figure out what the Master is speaking of, "Oh", she smiles. “D.......A........that is a ‘T’, is sounds like ‘ta’ ‘ta’"
Slave boy: “Baked urt poo with larma sauce is not bad, Master.”
Jimmy: “Oh, she crosh ish a T? Shat ish eashy to remember. Sho... it'sh... DA-TE-shnake? Shnake poo?"

~A Lady arrives briefly~

Jimmy looks a bit sceptical at the male slave and mumbles "I hash to take your word for it"
Nallah's brows crease in confusion, "Poo Master?"
Jimmy   shrugs "What Ish Da-Tee-shnake?"
Lady: “Greetings, Sir. Tal, Nallah and Eli”
Nallah glances around hearing the soft swish of skirts, "Greetings Mistress", smiles.
Slave boy: greetings Mistress
Jimmy looks to the beautifully, but way too thin lady approaching and raises his hand "Tal, Lady"
Nallah looks to her brother then at the Master, “Dates Master?"
Jimmy looks down to the girl and beams "Ahhhhh! Datesh? Fine" - then about to scratch his butt stops his hand midway, remembering his sisters not to do that, scratching his head instead, and then asks..... "And what ish datesh?"
Nallah: "It is a fruit", she pauses considering her words suddenly uncertain, "or vegetable.......Master"
Lady:  “sweet and delicious.”
Jimmy: "Oh... hm... fine. Not growsh in our villash. Shtill tashtesh like urt-poo, I shink"
Nallah smiles, "We would be happy to set up a trade with your village Master, perhaps a few of the sweet dates for something grown in your home"
Jimmy   looks at the slave-boy "Are you ready wish your candy-cane? I shink my shishtersh will wake up shoon. And not shure, what shey do wish she captain, when I ish not shere. Onesh he shat ush on an empty island and we had'sh to wait for anosher ship to pick ush up". - He continues: “Hmmm, all shat growsh in my villash ish she verrsh!” Jimmy pulls a little drawing out of his pants "Has I showed you my favourite verr? Shatsh Elishabish. Sho cute and sho shmart!!!"
Nallah brightens considerably, "So you have wool Master?"
Slave boy: “Master and Mistress may this boy go to his chores?”
Jimmy nods while he holds the painting to the girl "Aye, hash we very good woolsh"

Lady:  “Yes you may Eli.” Looks to the Master
Jimmy: “Oh, boy you can carry one crate to she ship already. I will bring she oshersh!"
Nallah's face softens viewing the cute little woolie animal, "She is cute Master, I bet her meat would be most tender"
Lady Isabo:  “Serve with fire Eli”
Slave boy: “Yes Master and Mistress, I wish you both well.”
Nallah: “Safe paths Eli.”
Jimmy frowns "Meat? We don't eat our verrsh! Shey don't give woolsh anymore, when shey are dead"
Nallah blinks her mouth forming a little "o", "Oh," she giggles nervously realizing her error, "That would be true Master"
Jimmy takes his painting back and folds it, then stuffs it under his belt "Well, me better goesh now to she ship. Ash I shaid... my shishtersh!" He sighs and throws a worried glance to the docks. Then he smiles to the lady "Shafe pahs, lady", then picks up the remaining two crates and carries them easily "And shafe pash, girl"
Lady: “Be well Sir.”
Nallah: “Very well Master, if you wish to bring wool for trade next time we would be happy to speak of such. Girl wishes you well Master and safe travels.”
Jimmy  nods over the crates he's balancing before him "Aye, will bring woolsh when wash back in villash.... Hash to run now"

...

.....