Chapter 10: On the road

Alaric rode his horse along the road. Nothing, not even the heat, was going to make him stop. The pace was slow, but he didn't want to exhaust his horse. Fig was a good mare, one that had seen him through many trips.

Just as he was nearing the sign that would point him to Eagle's Wings Town, he saw a band of ogres loitering around the road.

Now, anyone else would have spurred on the horse, and attempted to get as much distance from the ogres as possible.

Not Alaric.

 He felt confident with his conning ability. That was the thing about doing something for the second time. You got the confidence and didn't have to think too hard on your actions anymore.

With the same slow pace, he had maintained ever since leaving the dungeon, Alaric approached the ogres. They began to pick up their weapons, and he could hear them snickering among themselves.

Yet, Alaric continued on.

One big, burly, ogre stepped in the middle of the road and raised his two-handed axe over his head. Alaric stopped before him.

 Instead of showing his nervousness, he smiled brightly. Everything about his body language spoke of relaxation. A skill Chavu had told him he needed for when he approached tough customers.

"Well, there you are! I was wondering when I will meet the local ogre tribe. I, prince Alaric, come with an offer you can't refuse," Alaric pulled out a toothpaste bottle, and uncorked it.

"This is a paid road," the big ogre told him, not buying all the pomp that Alaric was trying to sell him. "Pay one gold coin or say goodbye to your valuables."

"Won't you hear me out first? Do you want just one gold coin? Here," Alaric pulled out a gold coin, and threw it in the air. The ogre caught it, astonished that someone had actually paid. "Now, kind sir, please hear me out. This will save you that one gold coin in dental fees."

The ogre rubbed his chin, but, after biting the coin to make sure it was the real deal, he pocketed it. The human wanted to talk. Let him. It was not like anyone else was passing through.

"Go on," the ogre grunted.

Alaric's smile widened.

"This is toothpaste," Alaric waved the bottle around. The ogre sighed.

"I am not buying it," he began to turn around, but Alaric cleared his throat.

"You can stand to make more than the coin you make for guarding the road, if you get my entire stock of toothpaste," Alaric told the ogre. "It is a licensed ware. Even I, a prince, use it. See?"

Alaric bared his teeth. The ogre's eyebrows rose. He had never seen teeth this white.

"You can try it out, kind sir," Alaric reached out, so the ogre could be able to take the bottle. "The first brushing is for free."

"Ok, if it won't cost me anything," the ogre took the bottle, and then, lacking any tools, placed some of the toothpaste on his fingers.

 Internally, Alaric winced.

He should have told the creature to wash his hands, first. Yet, he had thought the man would figure it out, himself. On the outside, Alaric was still keeping up with his smiling facade. So much so, that his face began to hurt.

The ogre winced at the taste, but then got a determined look on his green face and finished brushing his teeth. He spat out some foam and looked around.

"You need to rinse your mouth with water," Alaric informed him. The ogre took out a water skin and did just that. Alaric silently handed him a hand mirror, and the ogre bared his teeth and looked at them.

His teeth were white.

 Gone was the yellow coating. So was the bad smell. Even some meat from today's meal had gotten loose and had finally left his teeth.

The ogre looked to his brethren and waved them over.

"See? I have fancy teeth, now," the ogre boosted. Alaric watched as the other five ogres took turns brushing their teeth. The bottle ran out before his eyes, yet he did not regret it. For he knew that the ogres would demand more toothpaste.

"Give us all your toothpaste," the first ogre demanded. "As a thank you for us protecting the roads."

"Kind sirs, I can't do that. Think, if you rob a prince, the king will send the army to handle you. Besides, you don't see the big picture. You can force me to give up my entire stock, now," Alaric admitted, and the ogres smirked at him and gripped their weapons tighter. "Or you can be assured that you will have a steady supply of toothpaste. To sell to weary travelers."

"Us? Sell?" The first ogre asked.

"An honest living is the best kind of living. You have made the first step, by guarding this road," Alaric wanted to snort at his own words. They were the ones this road had to be guarded against. Yet, his buttering up seemed to be working, for the ogres were straightening their shoulders. "Yet, I imagine that a gold coin per traveler does not allow for you to make ends meet. This is a travesty! For honest folk like you to have to count your coppers, oh, what has the world come to?"

"It is hard, yes," the smallest ogre said with a sad expression. "We can't even afford candles."

"You are the only one who reads or needs candles," the first ogre snapped. "But the prince is speaking true. We are honest folk. We deserve more money!"

"Right?" Alaric continued, stopping himself from rolling his eyes and keeping his smile firmly in place. "For that gold coin I gave you, you can buy a hundred bottles of toothpaste. Keep five bottles for personal use, which is ninety-five bottles left. Sell them for two silver coins, and you will get double your investment!"

The first ogre slowly nodded, a confused haze dominating his gaze.

Alaric grinned as he was returned the gold coin, he had given the empty-headed creature. He grinned wider when he received five additional gold coins.

And he was not even five kilometers away from the dungeon! This was going to be a piece of cake!