Guild Master rasped, “Who are you?”
Se’and rolled her eyes. “He’s a – an alchemist among our people.”
“Alchemists use magery! And you, sir, are very human!” a young Guilder exclaimed.
“I don’t do magic. My knowledge doesn’t depend on it – but my skills in, uh, alchemy, will surprise you. Consider me a foreign friend of your Guild. Tell no one about me and we won’t share any of your secrets, either.”
The old man laughed, “You’ve no idea what life is like for humans in the Empire – the Guild offers us the closest thing to magic there is.”
“And no one else wants to shove all the manure,” one of the goons grumbled.
George offered his hand. The Master of Goons shook it and smiled, “Please, come with me. I’ll show you our factory and you will share your knowledge.”
George clearly heard an “or else.” He nodded and smiled, unable to help but wonder what twist in the laws of science nitroglycerin was now good for.
“I tell you, he’s got no guards!” Bertin said, rubbing the scar under his eye as they sat in a dark corner of the most disreputable tavern in town.
“Did ya see tha’ horse he rides?” his partner said. “It’s a bleeding warhorse is what it is!”
“Shh, Towsin, we don’t wanna draw attention,” Bertin rasped.
“Okay, okay…” Towsin said in a quieter voice. “So we’s no idea what enchantments he’sa got… No merchant peddlin’ jewels is goin’ round the province wit’ out a ton of enchantments!”
“And he’s a guard beast,” his partner said. “A right scary lookin’ one – wit’ sharp claws.”
“So, if you want what has got the Jewelers Guild so excited, you’ll need to be clever…” the cloaked figure replied.
“Dat’s why’s we’s telling you!” Towsin said.
“My cut’s fifty percent, understood?”
“You’s the boss,” Bertin said, nodding.
The elfblood sat back and downed the rest of his ale. “Go over it all
again. I need to know everything you saw, then we need to know everything else we can.”
Merchant
Chapter 9
“W hat took you so long?” Fri’il asked when they finally left the Guild.
Se’and glanced over her shoulder at Je’orj, “He’s just chatting up the locals.”
“Well, you could have found some place that didn’t smell so bad.”
The large horse nodded and nickered.
Se’and eyed the horse, then gestured, while their charge, otherwise known as their Lord––by––Bond, and therefore husband, finally went back to following their little plan as they headed down the street toward the Jeweler’s District. At least there they could turn some of their precious stones into welcome coin.
Evert was the town’s Master Jeweler and after seeing the foreigner’s wares invited them to dine with him that night. “It is rare for a merchant such as yourself, from the Crescent Lands, to visit our province, no less our fair town,” said the thin man dressed in an impeccably Imperial styled coat.
“Hence, opportunity for a new market,” George replied.
“Indeed, so. I hope you enjoy my chef’s specialties… then we can discuss business.”
The merchant selected an inn near the Jeweler’s District. Once they left to dine with the best of the jewelers in town, the pair took the opportunity to go through the merchant’s rooms at the inn. One of them held out the charm they had been given. It remained dark,
indicating there were no hidden wards.
“Do you suppose he’s selling daggers?”
“…Two braces here… Oh, joys, three more here.”
“Wit that big monster of a horse out back, think tha’ merchant mighta been a Legionnaire with one of them city––states?”
His partner turned around, holding out the charm again, which
Se’and rolled her eyes. “He’s a – an alchemist among our people.”
“Alchemists use magery! And you, sir, are very human!” a young Guilder exclaimed.
“I don’t do magic. My knowledge doesn’t depend on it – but my skills in, uh, alchemy, will surprise you. Consider me a foreign friend of your Guild. Tell no one about me and we won’t share any of your secrets, either.”
The old man laughed, “You’ve no idea what life is like for humans in the Empire – the Guild offers us the closest thing to magic there is.”
“And no one else wants to shove all the manure,” one of the goons grumbled.
George offered his hand. The Master of Goons shook it and smiled, “Please, come with me. I’ll show you our factory and you will share your knowledge.”
George clearly heard an “or else.” He nodded and smiled, unable to help but wonder what twist in the laws of science nitroglycerin was now good for.
“I tell you, he’s got no guards!” Bertin said, rubbing the scar under his eye as they sat in a dark corner of the most disreputable tavern in town.
“Did ya see tha’ horse he rides?” his partner said. “It’s a bleeding warhorse is what it is!”
“Shh, Towsin, we don’t wanna draw attention,” Bertin rasped.
“Okay, okay…” Towsin said in a quieter voice. “So we’s no idea what enchantments he’sa got… No merchant peddlin’ jewels is goin’ round the province wit’ out a ton of enchantments!”
“And he’s a guard beast,” his partner said. “A right scary lookin’ one – wit’ sharp claws.”
“So, if you want what has got the Jewelers Guild so excited, you’ll need to be clever…” the cloaked figure replied.
“Dat’s why’s we’s telling you!” Towsin said.
“My cut’s fifty percent, understood?”
“You’s the boss,” Bertin said, nodding.
The elfblood sat back and downed the rest of his ale. “Go over it all
again. I need to know everything you saw, then we need to know everything else we can.”
Merchant
Chapter 9
“W hat took you so long?” Fri’il asked when they finally left the Guild.
Se’and glanced over her shoulder at Je’orj, “He’s just chatting up the locals.”
“Well, you could have found some place that didn’t smell so bad.”
The large horse nodded and nickered.
Se’and eyed the horse, then gestured, while their charge, otherwise known as their Lord––by––Bond, and therefore husband, finally went back to following their little plan as they headed down the street toward the Jeweler’s District. At least there they could turn some of their precious stones into welcome coin.
Evert was the town’s Master Jeweler and after seeing the foreigner’s wares invited them to dine with him that night. “It is rare for a merchant such as yourself, from the Crescent Lands, to visit our province, no less our fair town,” said the thin man dressed in an impeccably Imperial styled coat.
“Hence, opportunity for a new market,” George replied.
“Indeed, so. I hope you enjoy my chef’s specialties… then we can discuss business.”
The merchant selected an inn near the Jeweler’s District. Once they left to dine with the best of the jewelers in town, the pair took the opportunity to go through the merchant’s rooms at the inn. One of them held out the charm they had been given. It remained dark,
indicating there were no hidden wards.
“Do you suppose he’s selling daggers?”
“…Two braces here… Oh, joys, three more here.”
“Wit that big monster of a horse out back, think tha’ merchant mighta been a Legionnaire with one of them city––states?”
His partner turned around, holding out the charm again, which
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