Rise of a Merchant Prince (18 page)

They drank, and after the second glass, Duncan said, “You wouldn't have another daughter, then, would you? A pretty one, perhaps?”

Roo covered his eyes but was taken aback when Grindle laughed. He uncovered his eyes and was surprised to see Helmut Grindle genuinely amused at the question.

They drank the bottle dry and spoke of many things, but mostly Helmut Grindle and Rupert Avery made plans, discussing various trading strategies and cargoes, which routes to take, and after a while neither man noticed that Duncan had fallen asleep in his chair or that Karli Grindle had come down, removed the bottle of wine, replaced the low, guttering candle, and retired, leaving the two men to talk late into the night.

Roo said, “Look alert.”

Duncan nodded. “See them.”

They were driving a wagon along the coast road,
just south of the town of Sarth, the next safe harbor north of the city of Krondor. The wagon had been restored to Roo's satisfaction and the horses were fine animals, and Grindle assured him that his share of the profits from the silk would prove ample for his participation in this undertaking.

A band of armed men gathered near the roadside, holding some sort of discussion. As the wagon approached, one of the armed men called it to the attention of the rest, so that by the time Roo and Duncan were upon the group, the men were arrayed across the road, with one in front holding up his hand.

“Who disputes my right to pass on the King's Highway?” demanded Roo.

“No man,” said the leader, “but these are difficult days and we need to ask if you've seen armed men riding past to the south.”

“None,” said Duncan.

“Who are they?” asked Roo.

“Bandits, and they hit us late last night. A full score of them, or more,” said a man nearby.

The leader threw the man a black look over his shoulder, then said to Roo, “Bandits. Late last night they robbed a couple of merchants, ransacking their stores, then robbed the two inns in the town.”

Roo glanced at Duncan, who looked amused. It was nearly midafternoon, and there was a small ale cask nearby, so Roo was pretty convinced these “soldiers” had been debating the best course of action since dawn.

“You're the town militia?” asked Roo.

The leader puffed up a bit. “Yes, we are! In service to the Duke of Krondor, but freemen protecting
our own.”

“Well then,” said Roo, as he urged his horses forward, “you had better get right after them.”

The man who was doing the talking said, “Well, that's the problem, then, isn't it? We don't know where they went. So we're not too sure which is the best way to take out after them.”

“North,” said Roo.

“That's what I said!” The man who had presumed to talk before was speaking again.

“Why north?” demanded the leader of Roo.

“Because we've been on the road since leaving Krondor. If raiders had hit you, then fled south, they would have passed us on their way. None came by us this morning, so it's safe to assume they're heading north up toward Hawk's Hollow or Questor's View.” Roo was no student of geography, but he knew enough about trade routes to know that once past the northeast branch road that led up the eastern edge of the Calastius Mountains, there was no easy route across them south of Sarth.

One of the more drunken soldiers said, “Why not west or east?”

Roo shook his head. To the leader he said, “Sergeant?” The man nodded. “Sergeant, if they were heading west, they would have been in boats, not on horseback, and to the east lies what?”

“Only the road to the Abbey of Sarth and more mountains.”

Roo said, “They've gone north. And odds are they're bound for Ylith, for where else would they fence what they've stolen here?”

That was enough for the leader, who said, “Men, we ride!” The deputation of town militia moved in
something like haste, though some of the defenders of Sarth were having difficulty moving in a straight line.

Roo continued up the road, and watched as the little squad headed for various locations around the town, to get their mounts.

“Think they'll find the bandits?” asked Duncan.

“Only if they are very unfortunate,” said Roo.

“Where's the Prince's army?” asked Duncan.

Roo said, “Off on the Prince's business, I should think.” Sarth lay within the boundaries of the Principality of Krondor, which meant it had no local earl, baron, or duke to answer to, and to provide protection. Krondorian soldiers would ride a regular patrol from the boundary between the Principality and the Duchy of Yabon to the north to the City of Krondor itself. But for local problems, a militia, watch, or town constable would have primary responsibility to keep the peace until such a patrol arrived, or answered a request for help.

Roo and Duncan had been pleased with the beginning of the journey. Roo had tendered his resignation from Barret's, and had been surprised to hear something akin to regret from McKeller. He promised Jason that should fate take a kind turn, he might find him a position that matched his wit someday.

Helmut Grindle had been straightforward enough about bringing Roo into the business. He had spoken several times of matching the boy, as Grindle called Roo, with his daughter, Karli. A couple of passing references had caused the girl to blush when she was in earshot, but Grindle had at no time bothered to ask his daughter what she thought of the matter.

Roo had joked with Erik about marrying Helmut Grindle's ugly daughter, and now that the reality was before him, he wondered at his quips. The girl wasn't ugly, just not very attractive, but then neither was Roo, so he didn't think much about that. He knew that if he were to become rich enough he could afford pretty mistresses, and that his primary obligation to Grindle would be to keep his daughter fat with child and ensure that the old man's grandchildren were well fed and provided for. Roo also knew that if he could build upon what Grindle already had in his possession, he stood to inherit—or, rather, Karli stood to inherit, which would be the same thing—quite a tidy sum, and that with that to work with, why, there was no limit to his future.

Roo had talked with Duncan about several plans he had, but Duncan's interest in business was cursory, beginning and ending with when he would be paid and how much, and where the nearest whore or willing barmaid might be found. Traveling with Duncan had been an education for Roo, and he found himself more likely to spend the night with a tavern wench than alone because of Duncan's influence, but he was constantly amazed at how focused Duncan could become on wooing an innkeeper's pretty daughter. The man had a passion for women that far exceeded Roo's normal young male appetite.

Duncan, on the other hand, had absolutely none of Roo's passion for riches. He had traveled, fought, loved, drunk, and ate, and his dreams were not shared. But while easy money appealed to him, hard-earned money was something that would never come his way.

Roo drove through the south end of Sarth, and
when he saw a store with a broken-in door, he pulled over. “Keep an eye on things,” he said to Duncan as he jumped down from the buckboard.

He entered the establishment and saw at once it had been totally ransacked. “Good day,” he said to the merchant, who looked at him with an expression halfway between irritation and hopelessness.

“Good day, sir,” said the merchant “As you can see, I am unable to conduct business in my usual manner.”

Roo studied the merchant, a middle-aged man with an expanding middle. “So I've heard. I'm a trader, by name Rupert Avery,” he said, sticking out his hand. “I'm on my way to Ylith, but perhaps I may be of some service.”

The merchant shook in a distracted manner and said, “I'm John Vinci. What do you mean?”

“I am a trader, as I said, and I am able perhaps to provide some goods that you may need to replace your pillaged stores.”

The man's manner changed instantly, and he regarded Roo with a studied expression, as if suddenly he had wagered every coin he owned on the outcome of a bet. “What sort of goods?”

“Only the finest, and I am embarked upon a journey to Ylith, and was planning on purchasing goods to return to Krondor, but I may be able to add a leg, as it were, providing you can, in turn, trade with me those goods I was seeking to purchase in Ylith.”

The man said, “What manner of goods?”

“Goods easily transported in small quantity, but of high enough quality to ensure me a profit”

The merchant studied Roo a moment, then nodded. “I understand. You trade in high-priced baubles
for the nobility.”

“Something like that”

“Well, I need little in the way of finery, but I could certainly use a dozen bolts of sturdy linen, some needles of steel, and other goods required by the townspeople.”

Roo nodded. “I can take a list with me to Ylith and return within two weeks. What have you to offer?”

The merchant shrugged. “I had a small cache of gold, but those bastards found it quickly.”

Roo smiled. The merchant had most certainly left a small strongbox of gold poorly hidden to let the raiders think they had captured his only treasure, but almost as certainly had another, richer, deposit of coins nearby. “Some items of worth?”

The merchant shrugged. “A few articles, perhaps, but nothing that might be called unique.”

“Unique is for the very rare client,” said Roo. He rubbed his chin and said, “Just something that might wait a long time to find a buyer here, but that might find a quick home in Krondor.”

The merchant stood motionless for a moment, then said, “Come with me.”

He led Roo through the back of the store and out across a small courtyard and into his home. A pale woman worked in the kitchen while two small children fought over possession of a toy. The man said, “Wait here,” without bothering to introduce his wife to Roo, and went up a narrow flight of stairs. He returned a few moments later and held out a leather-covered box.

Roo took the box and opened it Inside was a single piece of jewelry, an emerald necklace, closer to a
full choker, of matched stones. It was set with cut diamonds, tiny but brilliant, and the goldwork was fine. Roo had no idea of its real worth, but calculated it was probably of fine enough quality to warrant a second look from even the most jaded dealer in gems.

“What do you want for it?”

“I was keeping this as a hedge against a disaster,” said the merchant, “and this qualifies as one, I guess.” He shrugged. “I need to restock, and quickly. My business will be nonexistent if I can't provide goods to the townspeople.”

Roo was silent for a minute, then said, “Here's what I'll do. Give me a list of what you need, and we'll go over it together. If we can agree upon a price, then I'll bring back the goods from Ylith, within two weeks, perhaps as quickly as ten days, and then you'll be back in business.”

The man frowned. “There's a Quegan trader due in less than a week.”

“And what assurance have you he'll have any of the goods you need?” said Roo instantly. “What good would it do you if he's a slaver?”

The man shook his head. “None, but then again, we don't see a lot of slavers in these parts.” Slavery was banned in the Kingdom, save in the case of condemned criminals, and the importation of slaves from Kesh or Queg was illegal.

“You know what I mean,” said Roo. “For a small premium, I can bring you exactly what you need.”

The man hesitated, and Roo said, “The children will continue to eat”

The merchant said, “Very well. Go to the inn at the end of the street and find a room. I'll meet you
for supper and we'll go over the list together.”

Roo shook hands with the man and hurried to where Duncan waited. Duncan was half-dozing when Roo climbed aboard the wagon. “What?” he said in sleepy tones.

“The inn,” said Roo. “We find ourselves a room and make a deal.”

Duncan shrugged, “If you say so.”

Roo grinned. “I say so.”

Helmut Grindle looked up when Roo entered his study. “And how did we do, young Rupert?”

Roo sat and nodded in appreciation when Karli entered with a glass of wine for him. He sipped at it and said, “Very well, I think.”

“You think?” asked Grindle, sitting back in his chair. He glanced through the window where Duncan stood watch over the wagon. “I don't see a wagon large with cargo, so I must assume you found something tiny but valuable.”

Roo said, “Something like that. I took our goods to Ylith and, after three days of shopping them around, made trades I thought were most profitable, and restocked with goods.”

Grindle' s eyes narrowed. “What manner of goods?”

Roo grinned. “Twenty bolts of fine linen, two hogsheads of steel nails, ten dozen steel needles, a dozen hammers, five saws, one gross spools of fine thread—”

Grindle interrupted. “What?” He held up his hand. “You speak of common inventory! What of the long discussions we had on rare items of value for wealthy clients?”

Roo said, “I got a little gold as well.”

Grindle sat back in his chair and fingered his shirtfront. “You're holding back something. What is it?”

“I took those items mentioned and traded them in Sarth for this.” He held out the leather box.

Grindle took it and opened it. He sat silently for a very long time, examining the necklace. After a moment he said, “This is very fine.” He calculated in his head. “But not worth enough more than what I sent north to make this a very profitable journey.”

Roo laughed and reached inside his tunic. He pulled out a large purse, which he tossed on the table. It landed with a heavy clank. “As I said, I got a little gold as well.”

Grindle opened the purse and quickly counted. He sat back with a smile. “This is a profit to be reckoned with, my boy.”

“I got lucky,” Roo said.