The next morning Welt wakes up and immediately his thoughts go to yesterday's interaction. His subject is quite interesting and... the ring he was given, it really felt special.
The ring was of a beautiful design, and the silver felt cold to the touch, but still comforting. Welt thought back on the exchange he had with Sampo, and his heart pounded faster, wondering if the mischievous merchant was feeling something similar... but Welt quickly shakes off the feeling and focuses on the task at hand. This is just the beginning, it's not the time to be enamored by someone and potentially distract him from his mission.
The next day he decides to investigate Sampo further by... getting closer to him, he plans on coming down again, so that they can introduce themselves and maybe get some info out of him at the market.
The next day at the market
When Welt arrives at the market, Sampo is already there, he has a small gathering around him, trying to sell some trinkets. He is using his charm and flirting skills to lure potential customers in. He is trying to appear relaxed, and just have good time, while at the same time keeping his eyes open for anything unusual in the crowd, just in case there are any criminals trying to steal from the customers.
As he notices Welt approaching, he smiles, and says loudly: "Ah! Hello good sir, I'm glad to see you again."
"Well, hello mister. Quite the charismatic performance you've got here. Do you happen to have any more of those pretty rings for sale?" Welt chuckles as he gets closer to Sampo and sits down next to him. The market isn't crowded yet as everyone still seemed to be working, with only a customer every now and then being interested in what Sampo is selling.
"Well it depends." Sampo says, his half-smile turning into a broad grin, "Anything specific you are looking for, in a ring?"
"But yes, I do have a few rings to sell." he continues, "Perhaps not as pretty as the one I gave you, they are just a random assortment."
Welt lets out a laugh and rolls his eyes a little in a playful manner "You are quite the character heh, how much are you planning on selling these rings for?"
"You want to know a secret?" Sampo says, with a flirtatious look, "The price depends on the customer." He adds a wink. "Why don't you try me? What can you afford?"
Sampo smiles. "What about a friendly bet? If you can name the correct price... then I'll give you one ring for free." he says, with a wink. "What can you afford? Ten, twenty.. a hundred or even more? How much do you have, my good sir?" he continues with a flirtatious smile. He has no idea where this is going, but he is enjoying every minute of it.
"I'll play this game. How does six hundred gold sound to you?" Welt replies playfully.
"Six hundred gold..?" Sampo says, with an exaggerated look of surprise, as if he can't believe someone would offer as much as six hundred gold. "Are you serious? That much? Are you sure you're not just trying to impress me?" he continues, trying to hide the fact that six hundred gold was exactly what he had in mind.
Welt laughs, "I am serious, and I'm trying to impress you. Do you accept?"
"Yes, yes, of course I accept!" Sampo says, with a flirtatious look, and without hesitation hands over one of the rings from his stash. "Well, well" he continues, "Looks like someone knows how to impress me. I admit, I'm impressed."u
Welt reaches his hand out to Sampo. He slides the ring slowly onto Welt's finger and the delicate touch between both of their hands and fingers feels electrifying. Sampo feels his hand shake a little bit after the interaction.
"An unexpected turn of events for sure, but I can't say I'm upset with the outcome" Welt says, followed by a wink.
In the crowd a gasp is heard and a few whispering voices
"I believe we turned a few heads with that interaction. But my question is, how did you know that I had that kind of cash on me?" Welt laughs while looking at the ring.
"I've got to admit, you've made an impression on me as well." Welt continues.
"Well you don't seem like a kind of man who would carry a large sum of gold with you just for nothing." Sampo replies, "I assume if you have a large sum of gold, you intend to use it for something important."
He pauses, with an intriguing smile, "Like making an impression on the right guy?" he finishes with a flirtatious wink.
Welt laughs, "Why, I guess you have caught onto my intentions, huh. Yes, I intend to make an impression on the right guy, you know, someone with a smile as captivating as yours" he says as he returns the wink in a playful way.
"Well played." says Sampo. "I appreciate the honesty." He chuckles to himself, "But I'm curious... Why me?"
"Why not you? You're the most mischievous, clever, handsome creature I've met in the Underworld. A true work of art." Welt smirks, a smug expression on his face as he seduces his subject.
"Why, thank you, you flatter me." says Sampo, with a flirtatious smile. "That's quite the charm you have as well. Have you used it on anyone else before?"
"Not at all. I've been saving my charms for someone special. And I'd say I'm quite smitten by you, you know" Welt smiles
"And what makes me so special?" Sampo asks, with that flirtatious smile of his. "It can't be just my charming personality."
"I'm sure it is a combination of many things. Do you want me to be frank?" Welt ass with the same flirtatious smile
"Oh, please do be frank with me." says Sampo, enjoying the game. "Let's see what you can come up with, just for fun."
"Well, for starters, the way you move, even the way you speak, it's quite hypnotizing. I feel like I could stare at you for days on end and never get bored. I don't think I've felt this kind of interest in a person for quite some time. There's definitely something captivating about you, and you can't deny it." Welt sounds serious, trying not to blush or get shy
"Well, well" says Sampo with a flirtatious look. "Flattery will get you everywhere." he adds with a grin, "What about the physical features? Your eyes are like two sapphire stars, and your lips..." he continues, not quite finishing the sentence, but showing a seductive smile. "You take very good care of yourself."
"Thank you very much" Welt smiles back, blushing a little, "You're quite handsome yourself, you know. Quite debonair, and dare I say, dashing? My eyes may be like two sapphire stars, but yours are like two amber diamonds. Quite the pair we make, don't you think?"
"We do make a great pair, actually." Samoo replies, with a flirtatious smile. "And I like how you think. Are you perhaps... Flirting with me again?" he adds with an exaggerated wink, and a charming smile. "If that is the case, it *is* working."
"I'm most certainly flirting with you, if there's any doubt about that" he returns the wink with a smirk "What do you think I'm trying to do here? Just making small talk?"
"Well if that is the case..." says Sampo, with a flirtatious smile "I think I'd like to... Continue." he adds, with the same flirty look, "If you don't mind, of course." he continues, "Would that be alright with you?"
Their eyes are now looking deep into each other with intent and certain... passion.
"It would be delightful. I think there's a certain electricity between us and I'd be foolish not to keep that going, wouldn't I? But I'm curious .." Welt gets closer to Sampo and his voice deepens, turning into a whisper, "just what exactly are you trying to do here?"
"Let's just say..." begins Sampo, with a charming flirtatious smile "I'm trying to steal your heart." he continues, "Or just your attention, right now, at least," he adds, "Is it working?"
"Oh it's working alright. I'm just about ready to drop into your arms" Welt continues to lean forward even more, intently and flirtatiously "I must admit, you stole my attention from the first time I saw you"
Sampo's face is very close to Welt's. He smiles, and whispers to his ear "Do you think we should do that then?" as he slowly leans in for a kiss.
There is tension in the air. Welt feels an inner conflict, as he knows it might be a bad idea to get so... physical with his subject. But another part of him wants it, wondering if he can deceive Sampo even further, possibly getting to know much, much deeper secrets that he has. All of the illegal business he's been alleged to do.
Time feels like it's slowing down as Welt feels the pressure of making the right choice. But at last, he makes up his mind and...