To Jambo Habari

[merchant prince]

Sir,

You will doubtlessly be astonished at receiving a letter from a person unknown to you, who is about to ask a favor from you; but from the sad condition in which I am placed, I am lost if some honorable person will not lend me succor. That is the reason of my addressing you, of whom I have heard so much that I cannot for a moment hesitate to confide all my affairs to your kindness.

As a son to a merchant of great renown, a decade ago I emigrated with my father in times of great turmoil, and that we might avoid suspicion we traveled on foot, and I carried the luggage, consisting of a casket containing papers confirming the ownership of all our assets, a vast sum of dinari in gold, and the diamonds of my late mother. We were on the point of joining the army near Ephia's Well, when we were marked out and pursued by a detachment of volunteers. My father, seeing how closely we were pressed,  desired me to throw the casket into a deep ditch near us, so that it might not implicate us in case we were apprehended. I relied on recovering it the following night, but the country people, aroused by the tocsin which the commandant of the detachment ordered to be rung, began to beat the wood in which we were concealed with so much vigor that it was necessary to think only of escape.

After leaving the Sultanate, my father received some advances from our business partners, but with these resources now failing he recently resolved to send me back for the casket. I was the more certain of finding it, as on the day after I had thrown it from me, we had made a written memorandum of the localities, in case we should be for any length of time without being able to return for it. I set out, and entering the Sultanate without accident, reached the village that is without doubt familiar to you, near the spot where we had been pursued. I prepared to fulfill my mission, when the landlord of the auberge where I had lodged, a bitter collector of national property, remarking my embarrassment when he proposed to drink to the health of the Sultan, had me apprehended as a suspected person;  and as I had no papers proving my identity, and unfortunately resembled an individual pursued for unsavory dealings, I was taken from prison to prison to be confronted with my pretended accomplices, until on reaching Baz'eel I was obliged to go to the infirmary, where I have been for two months.

In this cruel situation, having remembered that my father once spoke of you, mentioning dealings with yours, I humbly ask if, through your aid, I could receive assistance. If I was supplied urgently with a paltry sum of 20 000 dinari through a trusted courier that delivered this letter to you,  I could then supply my immediate necessities, and pay my counsel, who dictates this, and assures me that by some presents, I could extricate myself from this affair. For your assistance I am prepared to offer you and your family dividends of 25% of our currently owned assets in perpetuity.

Regards,

[Jambo]

Your message came through like a coyote's call in the dead of night - Sharp, lonely, and full of need. I've heard about your family, upstanding types who don't normally get caught up in this kind of mess, how they had it all before the bottom fell out. I know what it's like to be out here, clawing for a foothold in a world where the sun burns hot, and the nights cut cold.

I'm going to make arrangements for the money you asked for, sent through the same hands that brought me your letter. It's going to set me back, put me in some hot water even, but I'm willing to take that risk and play my cards, you just make sure that you play yours when the time is right, as out here, in this dust and heat, a person's word is all they've got, so don't make me regret it.

I hope this gets you out of your trouble and back on the trail. Just don't forget who helped you when the sands were shifting beneath your feet.

Stay sharp,
Jambo

[Jambo]

I hope this letter finds you still breathing and not buried under the weight of your troubles, the sands out here have a way of swallowing people whole, and I'm starting to wonder if that's what happened to your courier. It's been a stretch since I last heard from you, and the quiet is starting speak louder than any words could.

The coin I sent wasn't pocket change for me, and it's hanging heavy on my ledger. I'm starting to sweat the details, and the worry is creeping in like an ash-storm on the horizon.

Things don't sit right when folks go dark, making me wonder if the whole operation has gone sideways. I need to know if you're still in the game and if the help I sent you has actually made a change in the mess you're in. Drop me a line and let me know where things stand.

Waiting for your reply,
Jambo

[merchant prince]

Most Honorable Jambo,

I trust you will forgive my prolonged silence, as circumstances have conspired against me in ways that would have tested even the most stalwart of men. The desert, in its cruel and unforgiving majesty, saw fit to strip me of my cart and scatter my camels to the winds. It was as if some ancient spirit of the sands had risen to challenge my resolve, reducing my once-mighty caravan to little more than a mirage on the horizon.

For days, I wandered through that barren wasteland, a man bereft of his means, but never of his purpose. And yet, in the midst of such trials, I persevered. The fates have finally smiled upon me, for I have reclaimed what was rightfully mine, the casket. It now rests safely in my possession, and despite the losses endured, I have safeguarded that which truly matters.

I write to assure you, my dear Jambo, that the worst is behind us. The treasure is secure, and with it, the promises we have made to one another. Soon, I shall return to more familiar lands, where I will see to it that our agreement is fulfilled, down to the last dinar.

Have faith, this brief setback shall not delay the inevitable success of our endeavor. You will hear from me shortly, with all the grandeur and glory such a venture deserves.

Yours faithfully,
Vincent Holloway