A golden crust crackled softly as steam twisted upward from the freshly sliced bread. A thick soup sat in a rustic ceramic bowl, glistening with oil and releasing the heavy, rich aroma of simmered roots and savory broth.
Dinner went cold that night.
They sat around the table staring at the food, with every coin the family owned piled at the corner of the table. Daniel...
...had to join the table, looking at the Gastolin family. "Is this some kind of ritual? Can we eat?"
Ron counted it. Then Liesel counted it. Then Elin counted it, slower, moving each copper with one finger like it might run away.
"Twenty-two," said Ron. "That's all of it."
"Yes, we've counted it five times already," said Daniel.
"I must have miscounted." Ron rubbed his face with both hands.
"Seventy-eight coppers," Daniel said. "That's what we need. I wish I could lend you some." He paused. "I... uh... have none." Marta's coppers had gone on the Trade Card.
"Maybe Marta can—"
"No," said Ron.
"That only complicates things. I'm not the only one under pressure right now. The whole town is." Ron's voice was gentle, but it was a wall. "Everyone in this town has to work hard to pay the Steward's contribution on our own land."
"Well, that's f**..."
"F**? What's that? A bird?" asked Ron.
"Yeah, kind of... never mind that. What if I try to help you sell something?"
Daniel's eyes started to wander around. His hand held a cup of Silverleaf brew that had already gone cold on the table. He took a sip... and another... Thinking... what could he sell to help them? He looked into the cup in his hand. Out of nowhere, his brain cells just connected. Appraise.
[Item: Liesel's Silverleaf brew (dried blend)]
[Market value: 14 copper per pouch]
[Note: Not sold anywhere in this region.]
Fourteen coppers a pouch. Six pouches was eighty-four. Six pouches and Liesel stays safe.
Daniel cleared his throat. "Ma'am... this drink... has anyone ever tried to sell it?"
Liesel laughed, short and tired. "Oh, why would they? It's just a dried Silverleaf brew. Merchants only buy fresh Silverleaf." She tapped the table. "And they pay one copper for the fresh ones."
"Can you make more of this dried Silverleaf?"
"Well, of course I can. It's just a few ingredients from around the farm to mix in."
Daniel sat back, thinking to himself. But nobody with a permit will pay fourteen coppers. I need to see Mira early tomorrow morning. She'll surely know how to get one from the Steward.
"Tomorrow," he said instead. "Let's all think tomorrow. With food. Thinking is bad on an empty stomach. That's science."
Liesel looked at him for a long moment across the table. Then she smiled, a small, tired version of the teasing one from the afternoon.
"Oh my, we should eat now," she said. "Everyone, let's eat before Daniel leaves."
[Side Quest: Trapped in a Spiderweb.]
[Goal: 1 silver. Progress: 22 / 100 copper.]
[Time remaining: 7 days, 13 hours.]
---
Before the sun could rise, Daniel was at the guild.
"Good mor—"
"Yes, morning. The sun isn't even awake yet and you're already here?" said Mira, organizing the counter.
"Ahahaha... can't be helped. I have to ask you something—"
"No, I can't help. The Steward is the one who picks whoever she thinks is worthy," Mira said, without letting Daniel finish.
"Wait, wait, wait... how did you—... forget it. I need more info. How worthy are we talking? Where can I find her?"
"You don't have to. She's coming for you. Word about you selling red spice to a merchant just reached her. Unfortunately, that merchant doesn't have a permit," Mira said, without even looking at him.
"Okay, why does that sound so scary this early in the morning?"
"Then run," she said, looking straight into his eyes.
---
By midmorning the whole town was in the square.
Daniel had never seen Meiden like this. Kids sat on the fountain. Old Bram had closed the forge and was leaning on a post with his arms crossed, looking like a very happy bear. Mira stood near the guild door alongside Daniel, a ledger hugged to her chest. Even the chickens seemed to be waiting.
And Garrick.
Garrick was standing at the front of the crowd in armor so polished it hurt to look at. His hair was slicked back so hard it looked painted on. He was holding a single flower.
"What's he doing?" Daniel whispered.
"Waiting for her," Elin whispered back.
"I see... ARGHHHH!!! Since when have you been standing here?!"
Elin had come into town early with Ron and Liesel, and all three of them looked like they hadn't slept.
"Garrick does this every time," Mira added.
"Every time?? For who??"
A rumble echoed through the ground. Then the carriage rolled in, and the whole square went "Wohhhhhh."
It was white with gold trim, pulled by two white horses with ribbons in their manes. It stopped by the fountain. A footman opened the door.
And a leg stepped out first.
Daniel had met a lot of important people in eight years of sales. CEOs. Directors. A minor celebrity who sold vacuum cleaners on TV. None of them had ever stepped out of a car like this.
She had dark wine-colored hair pinned up in curls, a few left loose on purpose. Her dress was deep red city silk, cut the way city dresses were cut, which in a farm town full of brown wool was a little like a firework going off at a funeral. It was generous in every way a dress could be generous, cut low enough to make the farmers forget their own names, and she wore it like she was doing the whole town a favor. She was maybe in her forties, by the way.
Next to Daniel, Old Bram let out a low whistle. "Now THAT is a lady who'd never need a bellows to get a fire going."
"Bram," Marta hissed.
"What? I'm talking about blacksmithing."
"And when did you two get next to me?" Daniel added.
A laugh. It was a warm, bright laugh, the kind that made you want to say something funny just to hear it again. She waved at the kids. She called three farmers by their first names. She touched an old woman's arm and asked about her hip.
Daniel knew that move. Arm touch, first name, personal detail. He'd done it at a hundred client meetings. It was very good. It was so good it was a little scary.
"Madam Velvet, Royal Trade Steward of the Meiden Road," said Garrick, stepping forward and dropping to one knee. "A flawwah. For the fairest flawwah."
"Oh, Garrick." She took it, smelled it, and touched his cheek with two gloved fingers for exactly one second. "You sweet, sweet man. Still the strongest sword in Meiden?"
"Rank C, my lady," Garrick breathed. "For ya, Rank B by wintah."
The adventurers behind him made gagging noises. Garrick did not hear them. Garrick was not on this planet anymore.
"What did she do to him?" Daniel whispered.
"Nothing," said Mira. "That's the scary part."
---
A thin man in a long grey coat stepped down from the carriage behind her, a ledger under his arm.
Daniel's stomach dropped.
Turan Thula.
He looked different in daylight, next to the white carriage. Respectable. Clean. Like a man who did taxes for nice people. He stood at Velvet's shoulder and nodded politely at the crowd. When his eyes passed over Ron's family, they stopped on Liesel for a second, and he smiled.
Liesel looked straight ahead. Ron's hand closed into a fist. Elin grabbed it.
Velvet climbed two steps up onto the fountain's edge so everyone could see her. Turan handed her a paper with a gold seal.
"My dear Meiden," she said, and her voice carried all the way across the square without trying. "I won't keep you from your work long. You all know the roads have been hard this season."
Murmurs. Nods. Somebody shouted, "We love you!!"
"Wagons late. Prices up. And worst of all," she put a hand on her chest, "I've had reports of dishonest sellers on the Meiden Road. Rotten goods. False weights. Men who cheat our good farmers and ruin Meiden's name in Bridge Port."
Gasps. Angry muttering. A farmer shouted, "Who?!"
"So, to protect you," said Velvet, "the Crown has agreed to strengthen the Meiden Road permit. From the first of next month, it will cover not only those who buy, but those who sell. Every wagon, every cart, every basket going out of Meiden must travel under a permit."
She smiled.
"Honest sellers, protected. Cheats, gone. And the permit will now be renewed each season, for only fifty coppers."
The square went quiet.
Not angry quiet. Thinking quiet.
Daniel watched the faces. A farmer in the front was counting on his fingers. Fifty coppers. Almost half a month of what a whole farm family made, every season, just for permission to sell their own goods. Or to carry them.
"And for those who can't spare it," Velvet went on warmly, before anyone could say a word, "don't worry, my darlings. I've approved four buyers who will come to your farms and sell for you, so you never have to travel the dangerous road at all. No permit needed. No trouble. Mister Turan has the list." She laid a hand over her heart. "And every contribution you make is written in the Steward's own ledger, copper by copper. The guild may inspect it whenever it likes. I have nothing to hide from Meiden."
Next to Daniel, Mira's head came up very slowly, like a cat hearing a can open.
Turan held up a paper. Four names.
And just like that, the thinking quiet turned into relief. People clapped. Someone cheered. Marta clapped too, slower than the others.
Daniel did not clap. "What in the fishcake moonwalk under the sun is she talking about?"
"What?" said Elin.
"Nothing. Probably nothing." He frowned. "Elin, who's your herb buyer? The one-copper guy?"
Elin squinted at the list and pointed at the second name. "Him."
---
Daniel's mind was so focused on the list, on the name Elin had pointed at. He figured the names on this list had to be the Steward's trusted men.
But the crowd moved, and Velvet moved, and suddenly she was right in front of him, smelling like roses and something expensive, looking at his suit with real delight.
"Oh my," she said. "Now YOU are not from Meiden."
"Ah ha ha ha. Nahh. Not from here, ma'am. I mean... Madam."
"What a fascinating cut." She ran two gloved fingers down his tie, slowly, like she was checking the quality of the fabric and maybe something else. "Who's your tailor?"
"Aeon... don't worry, you wouldn't know them. From far away. Very far."
"How mysterious." She laughed and put her hand on his arm, just above the elbow, and left it there. "And you must be Daniel?"
"Well, it's an honor to be recognized by the Steward," he said humbly.
"Of course. No one could miss someone as unique and interesting as you," she said, like it was the nicest compliment in the world. "The man who sold the red spice." Then, slowly, she added, "Illegally."
"Of COURSE you knew."
Velvet laughed again and leaned in a little closer, close enough that Daniel forgot what his own name was, with or without an e.
"A man with a skill," she said softly. "We should talk business sometime, you and I. I always have room for clever friends."
Daniel smiled.
The blue screen popped up next to her shoulder.
[New contact detected: Madam Velvet Grisewood]
[Title: Royal Trade Steward of the Meiden Road]
[Trust: Undefined.]
He blinked. He tried again, harder, squinting like that would help.
Undefined, he thought. I can't tell if she's serious or if it's a trap.
"Hm?" said Velvet.
"Sorry, my mind skipped a bit. You have such a lovely brooch."
"Isn't it?" She patted his arm twice and stepped back, and the space where she had been felt about ten degrees colder. "Lovely to meet you, Daniel. Do try not to sell to traders without a permit again." She smiled, but her eyes were darts of warning. "I'd hate for anyone to mistake you for one of those cheats."
It was a perfect smile.
Then she was gone, floating back through the crowd, touching arms, calling names, and Garrick was following ten steps behind her like a very shiny puppy.
---
Daniel stood there, stone-faced behind a fake smile. His arm was still warm where she had held it.
"She likes you," said Mira.
"Nahhh... I don't think so."
"Yeah, nahhh, she's probably in love with you," said Elin.
"Lucky you, kid," said Bram, sounding jealous. "I wish I was young."
Across the square, Ron had pushed his way toward the carriage. Daniel saw him reach Velvet, saw him take off his hat, saw him start to say something. Probably about Turan. Probably about the contribution.
And then Turan was there, at her shoulder, smiling. He said something low and pleasant. Velvet listened, nodded, and put her hand on Ron's arm. Ron left, not looking at anyone.
Daniel didn't hear what she said. But he could guess. Turan turned his head toward Daniel and touched the brim of his hat. A gesture that said "you're on my watch." Or maybe a warning.
The screen popped up, red and small, right in the middle of Daniel's vision.
[Side Quest: Trapped in a Spiderweb.]
[Goal: 1 silver. Progress: 22 / 100 copper.]
[Time remaining: 6 days, 22 hours.]
Daniel looked at the four buyers on the list again. Thinking.
If these four are the only merchants sent to buy the goods, then they're the only ones who get to set the price. And the people here... are just like sheep in a pen, tended by a shepherd and her dogs.
"Classic cartel play," Daniel muttered.
"Fishhhhh," he said under his breath. "At this rate I'll just end up as one of her pawns, like these four merchants... the permit is just bait..."
"Even with a permit, I still can't sell anything in a fair deal."
"Unless..." Daniel looked at the crowd.
"I create my own network."
End of Chapter 4.
ns216.73.217.61da2
and then Add to home screen.