The merchant in Tyrins said that I would need some protection if I planned on taking my goods to the island of Cythera. There had been reports of pirates around the south and western islands, sea folk showing off their power at sea. Tantalos was an old friend, and though I was reluctant to incur any more costs for my journey I knew he was reliable and that his advice had always been good in the past.
"I am handy with a sword myself," I reminded him, hoping he'd not press me to hire anyone. "I am also young, and strong and always keep my merchandise near me," I added. "I have travelled this way before and have learned to look after myself."
"I tell you Mydon, you would be wise to hire a guard. And there is one such here now, whom I can highly recommend. He accompanied my son Akamos on his journey back from the north."
I shrugged, and sighed, "I trust your advice Tantalos, old friend, so if you really want me to take on this man then I'd look a fool to the Gods if I didn't. And I leave tomorrow on Iros's ship so. . . .."
"So, I will have him here to met you Mydon, and make the bargain, in the morning."
"Yes," I said, wearily already thinking that my profit on this trip was looking very thin already and wondering if I might be better selling what I had in Tyrins and returning home. But no. What I brought back from Cythera would be where my profit lay, and if I needed to keep this man Tantalos recommended with me till I returned, then, so be it.
I made my way to the dock and finding Iros's boat I made sure our arrangements were still good and told him of my new companion. Then I returned to Tantalos's warehouse and spread my blankets on the floor near my merchandise and slept well that night. At dawn I wakened to find my friend calling my name and joined him in his warehouse and found my new companion already there.
I stared at him as he lounged on a bale of wool in front of Tantalos.
"He is a barbarian. From the north. How do you know I can trust him?" I whispered in my friend's ear.
Tantalos shrugged. "I have trusted Konan twice this summer and he has not failed me. Now he wishes to travel to the west and the stories coming out of the western part of the ocean tell me you may need someone to help protect your merchandise."
I had been staring helplessly at Konan all through this talk. He was a tall solid young man, whose bronzed body rippled with muscles as he reclined there with his legs spread, and my eyes were drawn to the mound pressing up against his soft leather loincloth, the only clothing he wore. My knees were going weak, and I was feeling hot.
"Um. I will take him," I said, "I will take him. He seems to be very, . um strong."
"He is. In all ways," Tantalos said looking at me knowingly. "But you will have to make arrangements with him."
"So, Konan, you are agreeable to protecting me and my cargo on the voyage to Cythera?" I asked him,
"I would not be here if I wasn't," he replied, and immediately demanded a fee I was surprised at, as it was almost exactly what I was willing to pay. I offered him less.
"If you do not want me," he replied, shrugging his shoulders and rising off the wool bale to his full height, "Then I may as well go."
"No, no," I said. "But. . . ."
I wanted to haggle more. It was in my nature to do so, and I was always known for my ability to make a good bargain. But.., "You have a bargain," I said, and he reached out his huge hand for me to shake. A strange way to seal a bargain I thought.
After this Tantalos's servants served us breakfast, Konan eating mightily and saying little, even when directly questioned. When we had eaten I made my farewells, and asking Konan to take up my chest we left the merchant's house.
Konan followed me to the boat, as a servant should, carrying my chest full of merchandise. It had rested securely at Tantalos's house overnight, but I was glad of Konan's strength now, as it was some distance to the dock.
"And what do you trade in?" he asked , "This is very weighty."
I was glad of an excuse to walk closer to him, and to look at him. "Amulets," I said, "And images of the gods, worked in bronze."
"So you are a smith," he stated .
"I can work metal," I informed him, "But I follow the life of a trader."