———————————————- Oh man, is it Yusuf or Yusef? Nicolo or Niccolo?
Of course, what I should be doing is my energy conversion equations? Does anyone want to trade? I rather write fic. LOL.
———————————————- Part 7A ———————————————-
(Yusuf)
Cairo, 12th century
Yusuf went to the docks to see if he would be as fortunate as Nicolo in finding employment. There wasn't much.
In the short time they stayed in the outer areas of Cairo, Yusuf saw the docks shrink after Edessas.
Fears of a new invasion by the Franks haunted Cairo's citizens. By the time he and Nicolo arrived Cairo, the news of the armies of two kings and the failed siege of Damascus had spurred Cairo to pull in their wealth behind their walls. The surrounding areas and the docks slowly shriveled. Coin was no longer easily obtained.
Many looked angry Yusuf dared to inquire and after a disappointing hour, Yusuf started to lose hope. Work was held tight to their chests these days. Generosity seldom flourish in time of war.
But Nicolo somehow found work in the docks. A poor offering at first but the wages came more often than Yusuf's efforts to gild paper into fanciful scrolls. Yusuf explored the libraries for any mention of immortality. He fettered from one library to archives of mosques based on rumors. He copied what he could, but it took time. Too much time. And the lands around them did not need guards or travel companions for caravans. Not when many chose to stay huddled in the doubtful safe of city walls because of the rumor of war.
But he did not wish for Nicolo to toil so long in the docks again. It was good fortune he found the elderly Aziz in the market.
"...and this one?" Aziz said, picking up the same manuscript from before.
Then again...
The trader squinted at the scroll from Dirar's stall. When Yusuf heard the trader was about to sail into Catalonia and possibly even Portugal and wanted manuscripts, he retrieved what scrolls Dirar could not sell to show Aziz.
It was fortunate Dirar was not at the stall. Yusuf did not relish seeing the merchant, not yet and not without Nicolo. It felt like whatever he will do to Dirar must be done together.
"If you could do more greens? More of the flowers here? Can it be done?"
"Yes," Yusuf said patiently for the second time. "It can be. I would only need a day."
"And this one?" Aziz fumbled with another scroll that he only set down just before. "With more fish? I uh, would like it with more...birds at the bottom."
Yusuf's brow knitted. "More birds or more fish?"
Aziz looked startled. His cheeks jiggled as he coughed.
"More fish. More birds, of course." Aziz glanced out his stall, past the bolts of fabric that were still stacked high on his table.
"My apologies. I am taking too much of your time," Yusuf said as he started to rise from his chair.
"No, no," Aziz said, shaking his grey head so hard his head cloth slipped over his bloodshot brown eyes. "Please, tell me about this one?" He held up another scroll with a lined hand.
The parchment was a tale about the constellations he found in one of the libraries in Damascus. He told it to Nicolo and remembered how warm he felt in his belly as Nicolo listened with wide eyes and a parted mouth. He wrote the tale down and decorated the borders with the last of the yellow pigment and dotted the corners with the stars he pointed out to Nicolo. He tied it with a leather strap Nicolo carefully trimmed off one of his boots.
"Oh, ah," Yusuf fumbled. He was reluctant when he first gave it to Dirar. "That one, that one is not for sale."
To Yusuf's relief, Aziz did not object. The trader returned it to Yusuf, who clutched it over his lap so he would not forget it. He should show it to Nicolo again. Perhaps his friend would have suggestions on how to improve it. It was not ready for sale yet.
Aziz held up the previous scroll. "Can this have more greens?"
Yusuf bit back a sigh. He glanced out the stall as well. Morning was brightening to afternoon soon.
"And this one?" Aziz continued. "More birds?"
"Yes," Yusuf said slowly, careful to keep his voice light. "More birds." -------------------------
I also have a weird weekend schedule at work so I'm writing as fast as I can, but Yusuf's part looks like it'll be three parts. I aim to have all 3 parts posted by today. If not, all parts of 7 done by this weekend. Promise.
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timeasmymeasure
Yusuf/Nicolo Forced Prostitution Fill : Needs of the Other 7A/12
Date: 2020-10-03 04:43 pm (UTC)Oh man, is it Yusuf or Yusef? Nicolo or Niccolo?
Of course, what I should be doing is my energy conversion equations? Does anyone want to trade? I rather write fic. LOL.
———————————————-
Part 7A
———————————————-
(Yusuf)
Cairo, 12th century
Yusuf went to the docks to see if he would be as fortunate as Nicolo in finding employment. There wasn't much.
In the short time they stayed in the outer areas of Cairo, Yusuf saw the docks shrink after Edessas.
Fears of a new invasion by the Franks haunted Cairo's citizens. By the time he and Nicolo arrived Cairo, the news of the armies of two kings and the failed siege of Damascus had spurred Cairo to pull in their wealth behind their walls. The surrounding areas and the docks slowly shriveled. Coin was no longer easily obtained.
Many looked angry Yusuf dared to inquire and after a disappointing hour, Yusuf started to lose hope. Work was held tight to their chests these days. Generosity seldom flourish in time of war.
But Nicolo somehow found work in the docks. A poor offering at first but the wages came more often than Yusuf's efforts to gild paper into fanciful scrolls. Yusuf explored the libraries for any mention of immortality. He fettered from one library to archives of mosques based on rumors. He copied what he could, but it took time. Too much time. And the lands around them did not need guards or travel companions for caravans. Not when many chose to stay huddled in the doubtful safe of city walls because of the rumor of war.
But he did not wish for Nicolo to toil so long in the docks again. It was good fortune he found the elderly Aziz in the market.
"...and this one?" Aziz said, picking up the same manuscript from before.
Then again...
The trader squinted at the scroll from Dirar's stall. When Yusuf heard the trader was about to sail into Catalonia and possibly even Portugal and wanted manuscripts, he retrieved what scrolls Dirar could not sell to show Aziz.
It was fortunate Dirar was not at the stall. Yusuf did not relish seeing the merchant, not yet and not without Nicolo. It felt like whatever he will do to Dirar must be done together.
"If you could do more greens? More of the flowers here? Can it be done?"
"Yes," Yusuf said patiently for the second time. "It can be. I would only need a day."
"And this one?" Aziz fumbled with another scroll that he only set down just before. "With more fish? I uh, would like it with more...birds at the bottom."
Yusuf's brow knitted. "More birds or more fish?"
Aziz looked startled. His cheeks jiggled as he coughed.
"More fish. More birds, of course." Aziz glanced out his stall, past the bolts of fabric that were still stacked high on his table.
"My apologies. I am taking too much of your time," Yusuf said as he started to rise from his chair.
"No, no," Aziz said, shaking his grey head so hard his head cloth slipped over his bloodshot brown eyes. "Please, tell me about this one?" He held up another scroll with a lined hand.
The parchment was a tale about the constellations he found in one of the libraries in Damascus. He told it to Nicolo and remembered how warm he felt in his belly as Nicolo listened with wide eyes and a parted mouth. He wrote the tale down and decorated the borders with the last of the yellow pigment and dotted the corners with the stars he pointed out to Nicolo. He tied it with a leather strap Nicolo carefully trimmed off one of his boots.
"Oh, ah," Yusuf fumbled. He was reluctant when he first gave it to Dirar. "That one, that one is not for sale."
To Yusuf's relief, Aziz did not object. The trader returned it to Yusuf, who clutched it over his lap so he would not forget it. He should show it to Nicolo again. Perhaps his friend would have suggestions on how to improve it. It was not ready for sale yet.
Aziz held up the previous scroll. "Can this have more greens?"
Yusuf bit back a sigh. He glanced out the stall as well. Morning was brightening to afternoon soon.
"And this one?" Aziz continued. "More birds?"
"Yes," Yusuf said slowly, careful to keep his voice light. "More birds."
-------------------------
I also have a weird weekend schedule at work so I'm writing as fast as I can, but Yusuf's part looks like it'll be three parts. I aim to have all 3 parts posted by today. If not, all parts of 7 done by this weekend. Promise.