While I was up by the fortress, totally dominating the most respected healer, presumably, in the whole city. My henchmen, maybe minions, but most likely companions, and woman were out looking for a place to start our temporary business. I could base it wholly on house calls, but then advertising would be a problem. When I meet them after lunch they seemed to have a solution.

“Brother we looked at some of the houses available to rent in the area, but they are very expensive.” My sister tells me taking charge of Xi, something she has become quite adept at. Xi is a quite boy some years my senior, and a full adult. He is the quiet brooding type who love the forest and hunting. I think he has come along for the promised money and adventure. Probably should have travelled with someone even older, but we will meet the priest in the capital. Now we are just working to earn the needed money. “Yes, they saw us and wanted more money or longer contract,” Xi says in his quiet and voice. “Saw we could rent tents, large once, in the market.” My sister glares at him and kind of pouts when he steals her thunder. “Yes, they have these large tents with space in the back. I thought we could put up a table in the back and me and Xi mind the front.” Ha says and they both look at me for agreement or refusal. “Good good, have you thought of price?” I ask them and they nod again.

“We checked out the other healers outside the walls and they all charged twenty shekels per treatment on the lower end and up to a whole dima on the high end.” My sister says before Xi gets to open his mouth. “Okay, that is much more than out in the villages,” I say and think a bit. “We will begin at a dima per treatment or hour, but run a campaign at the start where the first ten gets it for twenty shekels. Then we will hike the price if demand explodes. Everyone who makes an appointment will have it on the agreed price when the appointment is made. Further, all house calls cost twenty shekels extra and are charged by the hour.” I tell them after having thought the problem over. “What do you think?” I ask and they agree with me.

“Good, then other than this we do it like usual. Xi you go hire the tent for the week and Ha you go and get a sign made.” I give them money after handing out the assignment. I go into the back garden at our in and find a spot in the shadow where I can recharge from the strain of handling the elder. I hope that I am able to treat five or six clients a day, that would be five or six, maybe seven dima a day. What I earn in a month back in the villages. Not what I charge, but a whole lot more than I actually collect. I am just too nice to those close to me. The disconnect is strange in many ways and I really hope I will not have to lower my prices. I decide that is part of what the first ten will help me with, telling me what the treatment is worth to them.

Xi comes and fetches me when he is finished with his part of the preparation and guides me to the marketplace. The market lies behind the docks on the riverside of the city. The dock sneaks around the wall out in the water and in the area between the wall and river the market lies. A spattering of permanent buildings, booths and some few larger tents like mine. There is no order in the area and clear that at some point there has been a careless administrator. From a military and civic standpoint, the area is a disaster. It is a pure example of capitalism. Maybe because it is beneath men of stature to associate themselves with any trade below the cast of a craftsman. Few craftsmen are at the market, it is the traders.

The tent Xi has found for me is dark blue with a nice shape. Poles hold it up and give it a kind of castle-like shape. It is open in front where there is a table and chairs for Xi and Ha, but also extra space if it’s needed. A partition with a curtain is all that separates the front from the backside of the tent. Xi has gotten a table with padding and a place for the clients head. Kind of a nice setup. There is a table for the few instruments I need. “I got extra linen for the table so it can be changed with every client,” Xi tells me and show the pile of them in front. “This is really good, really good,” I tell him and see a small smile.

Ha comes by while we sit and look at the other people in the market. It is the middle of the week and the place is far from full. There is still enough foreign and exotic to look at for us. Ha comes by with the signs and a quite nice addition if I can say. The signs are nice and standard. They are customizable so that what is sold and at what prices can be changed. “Good, very good,” I tell her when she shows it off to us. It is patently obvious when thought off, but I did not think of it. Xi then shows off the tent to her, I think I hear giggling from her.

Back at the inn that night none of us drink much and we are early in bed. Even so, sleep seems to elude me and all of us talk too much. I feel the butterflies in my stomach and know why, not much to do other than make the best of it.