“I swear that I will buy every last garment you have for double the price you sell them for"
Aharon was packing up his wares when he noticed someone watching him from a distance.
“I have one last cloak to sell, are you interested?”
“Oh, I’m very interested.”
The king approached Aharon and examined the beautiful cloak. He whistled softly, running a hand across the luxuriously soft fabric.
“I’ve seen handiwork like this before.”
“I assure you, the garments I sell are genuinely unique. No one makes them like this.”
“I come from across the ocean where there is a royal family that once taught their children to sew royal garments like this. These designs almost seem like an exact replica of the ones I’ve seen back in my homeland.”
“Do you want it?”
“Without question.”
The king paid for the robe.
“When will you be coming back with more?”
“Not for at least another week. It takes a long time to create such garments.”
“I want to purchase more. Many more.”
“Well, I will be back within a week. You’re welcome to purchase as many as you like then.”
The king frowned.
“Will you be traveling anywhere else to sell them?”
“Certainly. I have a specific route I follow and some steady customers in certain areas.”
“Don’t go anywhere else.” The king grasped Aharon tightly across his arm. “I swear that I will buy every last garment you have for double the price you sell them for. My only condition is that you bring them directly here when they’re ready, and nowhere else.”
“Deal.”
Aharon stared at the king’s hand, which was still clutching him tightly.
“Sorry.” The king withdrew his hand. “It’s just that I truly adore the design and quality of these cloaks. I must have more.”
“And more you will have. Just give me some time.”
“I will be waiting eagerly for your return.”
******
Aharon traveled home that day feeling uneasy about his encounter in the marketplace. Who was this mysterious man who was so obsessed with the robes? To add to the mystery, how could anyone afford several of these expensive robes at double the price?
“I have an interesting request to make,” Aharon told Yonatan. He put down the parchment on which all his sales were recorded. “Kindly request of your wife, Rochel, to create many more robes and cloaks as quickly as possible. I have a buyer who’s willing to pay double the usual price, provided that I bring them straight to him and sell them nowhere else.”
“Double the price? Why?”
“I don’t know. He seems to be in love with the style and quality of the garments and is willing to go to extreme lengths to purchase as many as he can.”
“Okay, I know she already has a few that are almost finished. I will pass on your request.”
