So a collaborative work between myself and Dragontrapper.
Index:
Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting...
Index:
Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting...
Wheat and Crow (Spice and Wolf)
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Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting in a Bar.
DB_Explorer
Purveyor of alternate realities.
- Location
- San Diego, California
- Pronouns
- He/Him
So a collaborative work between myself and Dragontrapper.
Index:
Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting in a Bar.
Chapter 1, Part 2 - A Meeting in the Morning
-----------------------------
>>Wheat and Crow, Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting in a Bar <<
"You're certain of this?"
"Positive." The travel-tanned man across from Chloe grinned, but she remained unconvinced. The din of the crowded bar around them made the conversation a chore to hold, but it at least ensured some level of privacy. Tucked away in a little town south of Pazzio, the bar was almost a basement, the rooms of the inn on the floors above with the bar taking up the entirety of the lowest level. She glared at the man over the edge of her own drink; he just smirked back.
"This had better not be a waste of my time, Sirocco." She had met the southern trader during her brief time at the church, and after the debacle with Medio, he was one of the few people still willing to talk to her. "I don't have time for stories about sunken treasure."
"Ah, but these are very good stories, my dear," he replied back, taking a sip of his own drink. "And the Magudara would be quite the boon for you right now."
"It would be a boon for anybody, Sirocco," Chloe muttered. The Magudara de Nemure was a legend among both merchants and treasure hunters alike. A ship, supposedly laden with treasures from the east, that had been an ambitious merchant's massive gamble. Sunk in a storm and taking all of his assets - tied up in that treasure - to the bottom of the sea. The story goes that the merchant threw himself from a cliff in despair. It was a sobering tale of never putting all your eggs in one basket.
"But most are not as troubled as you are," Sirocco pointed out, "nor do I know them. The Church has all but formally declared you a persona non grata. I am taking quite the gamble just talking to you."
"So what do you want out of pointing me toward a wreck on the southern coast?" Chloe leaned back in her chair, the chatter of the room around her a soft buzz in her ears. "You know what my purse is like at the moment." What it was, was thin. The Church had needed a scapegoat after the Medio incident, and she was the outsider. In a way, her own planning had been her downfall - She had kept her association with the church at arm's reach, and had made sure Pasloe had been well set to handle her absence. In the end, it had given the Church enough reason to cast her out, and her home had no more need of her, whatever they might have said to the contrary.
"Nothing," Sirocco shrugged. "My informant was vague on the exact location of the wreck - all I have is the general location. I have no time to pursue a story on the off chance there might be treasure. You do. All I ask is you sell anything you find through me."
"All the rewards, none of the risk." Chloe narrowed her gaze at her associate.
"Quite clever, no?" He grinned at her before draining his mug and dropping enough coins for his own drink onto the table before rising to his feet. "Fair winds and even roads, Miss Chloe."
"Sirocco." She nodded curtly to him as he left, and she was soon alone with only the company of strangers. One particular stranger was the center of attention for a noticeably larger than common knot of people. At its center was a tall, lean figure - a roguish looking type with dark hair, dark eyes and an easy smile. He was leaning back in his chair, tilting it back onto two legs as he sipped at his drink, and animatedly talked with the group around him - most of it girls. Whatever he said must have been quite funny, as the entire group broke out into laughter, and the man started gesturing for them to calm down before he continued.
Chloe watched the young man - he was actually fairly good-looking, in a 'pretty' sort of way, she would admit - as he seemed to be wrapping up his story. She watched as he looked around at his little group of fans, smiling and offering several of the prettier girls some flattering words, before his gaze alighted onto Chloe. She tensed up ever so slightly, very aware that she had been caught staring at him. They stared at each other for a moment before the young man gave her a knowing smile. Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes as she turned away and grabbed her mug before rising to her feet and heading toward the bar for another drink. "Another drink, please." She dropped a few coins onto the bar as she reached it and set her drained mug down; the bartender simply nodded and collected both before walking off.
"Enjoying yourself?" Chloe turned from the bar and found herself staring at the cavalier smile of the dark haired man she had been watching before. "I do hope you enjoyed the story."
"Didn't catch a word of it, actually," Chloe replied with a shrug. "Besides, I was busy watching you be a shameless flirt."
"Well, that is a shame, really." He leaned closer to Chloe. "The other girls seemed to quite enjoy it. Perhaps I could recount it to you in private?" His smile at this point had transitioned to a suggestive little smirk. "I'm Corvos, by the way."
Chloe gave him a falsely sweet smile in return. "Chloe."
Then she kicked him.
Corvos clutched at his now bruised shin, spitting out a very impressive string of expletives as Chloe simply accepted her freshly arrived drink and took a sip. Chloe couldn't help but smirk as he finally reclaimed his seat, a small scowl on his face on hand still rubbed at his abused leg. "You," Corvos started, "are the least appreciative traveler I have ever met."
"I take it the others are far more desperate," Chloe shot back over her mug. "And who said I was a traveler?"
"Your clothes, for one." Corvos shrugged, tapping on the bar and dropping a few coins of his own. "That sort of cloth is more common in the North. You roll your r's as well." He paused as his own drinkarrived,served in a much smaller cup and smelling far more potent, and he took a quick sip. "Oh, and you paid in Trenni silver. Most northern traders don't venture this far south - no profit in it when they can sell in somewhere like Pazzio for better coin and save the time. As for desperate, they were - but so are you, in a different way, if you're considering a treasure hunt."
Chloe arched an eyebrow. "You have sensitive ears, Mr. Corvos - what business of yours are my travels?"
"My whole business, actually," he replied. "I am something of a traveling performer - and a treasure hunt sounds like a perfect story."
"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you," Chloe tried to keep her voice level but the man's attitude was grating on her. "But I haven't actually decided to take the job."
"A wise choice, in all likelihood." Corvos nodded, his expression suddenly serious - or, at least, a caricature of seriousness. "The fees to get across the Mab can be quite steep at best, and navigating around Lena can be tricky enough that most don't think it a worthwhile alternative." His facade broke and his grin returned as he saw Chloe's blank stare. "Never been this far south, have you?"
Chloe schooled her expression and quickly took refuge in her drink before replying. "Trying to sell yourself as useful now?"
Corvos shrugged again. "Flirting wasn't working, and you seem like the girl who likes a man that's actually useful."
Crovos all but jumped out of his seat as Chloe kicked him in the shin again. "Gah! What did your last lover do to piss you off!?"
"He was not my lover!" Chloe spat back before she could catch herself. She went back to her drink as Corvos retook his seat.
"So there was a man." Corvos sipped at his own drink briefly. "Well, his loss." He recoiled back as Chloe prepared another kick. "It was a compliment!"
"What do you want, Mr. Corvos?" Chloe all but spat at him. Her mood had gone quite sour.
"I'm hoping to find a way out of this town," Corvos explained. "And I think you could use some help traveling south. Perhaps we can help each other."
"You came over here just to suggest that?" Chloe asked.
"Of course not." Corvos waved a hand dismissively. "I came over here to see if I could make you smile, but you seem to be a veritable thorn bush. But you are a merchant traveling south - which is exactly what I need right now."
"I, unfortunately, do not need you," Chloe replied flatly.
"Are you sure of that?" Corvos asked. "How about this - you give me transportation, I give travel advice for the area. You won't even have to feed me. If I am not to your satisfaction within the week, you can drop me off at the nearest village - you don't even have to pay me." He grinned. "I can take care of myself."
Chloe found herself actually considering the idea. The shipwreck was, at least, a direction to go - and one that took her away from her past mistakes. Corvos, if he proved to be a problem, would be easy enough to deal with. Weighing the costs and the benefits, it was looking like a reasonable offer. "I shall consider your offer." Chloe spun around and stepped down from her seat at the bar before looking back to Corvos over her shoulder. "I am departing from the stables at sunrise. If you are serious with your offer, meet me then and we can discuss this further." She gave him a curt nod. "Have a pleasant night."
Corvos watched as she walked off, grinning as he reached for his drink, not noticing the black feather that slipped out of his sleeve and tumbled to the ground below. "Until morning then."
Index:
Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting in a Bar.
Chapter 1, Part 2 - A Meeting in the Morning
-----------------------------
>>Wheat and Crow, Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting in a Bar <<
"You're certain of this?"
"Positive." The travel-tanned man across from Chloe grinned, but she remained unconvinced. The din of the crowded bar around them made the conversation a chore to hold, but it at least ensured some level of privacy. Tucked away in a little town south of Pazzio, the bar was almost a basement, the rooms of the inn on the floors above with the bar taking up the entirety of the lowest level. She glared at the man over the edge of her own drink; he just smirked back.
"This had better not be a waste of my time, Sirocco." She had met the southern trader during her brief time at the church, and after the debacle with Medio, he was one of the few people still willing to talk to her. "I don't have time for stories about sunken treasure."
"Ah, but these are very good stories, my dear," he replied back, taking a sip of his own drink. "And the Magudara would be quite the boon for you right now."
"It would be a boon for anybody, Sirocco," Chloe muttered. The Magudara de Nemure was a legend among both merchants and treasure hunters alike. A ship, supposedly laden with treasures from the east, that had been an ambitious merchant's massive gamble. Sunk in a storm and taking all of his assets - tied up in that treasure - to the bottom of the sea. The story goes that the merchant threw himself from a cliff in despair. It was a sobering tale of never putting all your eggs in one basket.
"But most are not as troubled as you are," Sirocco pointed out, "nor do I know them. The Church has all but formally declared you a persona non grata. I am taking quite the gamble just talking to you."
"So what do you want out of pointing me toward a wreck on the southern coast?" Chloe leaned back in her chair, the chatter of the room around her a soft buzz in her ears. "You know what my purse is like at the moment." What it was, was thin. The Church had needed a scapegoat after the Medio incident, and she was the outsider. In a way, her own planning had been her downfall - She had kept her association with the church at arm's reach, and had made sure Pasloe had been well set to handle her absence. In the end, it had given the Church enough reason to cast her out, and her home had no more need of her, whatever they might have said to the contrary.
"Nothing," Sirocco shrugged. "My informant was vague on the exact location of the wreck - all I have is the general location. I have no time to pursue a story on the off chance there might be treasure. You do. All I ask is you sell anything you find through me."
"All the rewards, none of the risk." Chloe narrowed her gaze at her associate.
"Quite clever, no?" He grinned at her before draining his mug and dropping enough coins for his own drink onto the table before rising to his feet. "Fair winds and even roads, Miss Chloe."
"Sirocco." She nodded curtly to him as he left, and she was soon alone with only the company of strangers. One particular stranger was the center of attention for a noticeably larger than common knot of people. At its center was a tall, lean figure - a roguish looking type with dark hair, dark eyes and an easy smile. He was leaning back in his chair, tilting it back onto two legs as he sipped at his drink, and animatedly talked with the group around him - most of it girls. Whatever he said must have been quite funny, as the entire group broke out into laughter, and the man started gesturing for them to calm down before he continued.
Chloe watched the young man - he was actually fairly good-looking, in a 'pretty' sort of way, she would admit - as he seemed to be wrapping up his story. She watched as he looked around at his little group of fans, smiling and offering several of the prettier girls some flattering words, before his gaze alighted onto Chloe. She tensed up ever so slightly, very aware that she had been caught staring at him. They stared at each other for a moment before the young man gave her a knowing smile. Chloe couldn't help but roll her eyes as she turned away and grabbed her mug before rising to her feet and heading toward the bar for another drink. "Another drink, please." She dropped a few coins onto the bar as she reached it and set her drained mug down; the bartender simply nodded and collected both before walking off.
"Enjoying yourself?" Chloe turned from the bar and found herself staring at the cavalier smile of the dark haired man she had been watching before. "I do hope you enjoyed the story."
"Didn't catch a word of it, actually," Chloe replied with a shrug. "Besides, I was busy watching you be a shameless flirt."
"Well, that is a shame, really." He leaned closer to Chloe. "The other girls seemed to quite enjoy it. Perhaps I could recount it to you in private?" His smile at this point had transitioned to a suggestive little smirk. "I'm Corvos, by the way."
Chloe gave him a falsely sweet smile in return. "Chloe."
Then she kicked him.
Corvos clutched at his now bruised shin, spitting out a very impressive string of expletives as Chloe simply accepted her freshly arrived drink and took a sip. Chloe couldn't help but smirk as he finally reclaimed his seat, a small scowl on his face on hand still rubbed at his abused leg. "You," Corvos started, "are the least appreciative traveler I have ever met."
"I take it the others are far more desperate," Chloe shot back over her mug. "And who said I was a traveler?"
"Your clothes, for one." Corvos shrugged, tapping on the bar and dropping a few coins of his own. "That sort of cloth is more common in the North. You roll your r's as well." He paused as his own drinkarrived,served in a much smaller cup and smelling far more potent, and he took a quick sip. "Oh, and you paid in Trenni silver. Most northern traders don't venture this far south - no profit in it when they can sell in somewhere like Pazzio for better coin and save the time. As for desperate, they were - but so are you, in a different way, if you're considering a treasure hunt."
Chloe arched an eyebrow. "You have sensitive ears, Mr. Corvos - what business of yours are my travels?"
"My whole business, actually," he replied. "I am something of a traveling performer - and a treasure hunt sounds like a perfect story."
"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you," Chloe tried to keep her voice level but the man's attitude was grating on her. "But I haven't actually decided to take the job."
"A wise choice, in all likelihood." Corvos nodded, his expression suddenly serious - or, at least, a caricature of seriousness. "The fees to get across the Mab can be quite steep at best, and navigating around Lena can be tricky enough that most don't think it a worthwhile alternative." His facade broke and his grin returned as he saw Chloe's blank stare. "Never been this far south, have you?"
Chloe schooled her expression and quickly took refuge in her drink before replying. "Trying to sell yourself as useful now?"
Corvos shrugged again. "Flirting wasn't working, and you seem like the girl who likes a man that's actually useful."
Crovos all but jumped out of his seat as Chloe kicked him in the shin again. "Gah! What did your last lover do to piss you off!?"
"He was not my lover!" Chloe spat back before she could catch herself. She went back to her drink as Corvos retook his seat.
"So there was a man." Corvos sipped at his own drink briefly. "Well, his loss." He recoiled back as Chloe prepared another kick. "It was a compliment!"
"What do you want, Mr. Corvos?" Chloe all but spat at him. Her mood had gone quite sour.
"I'm hoping to find a way out of this town," Corvos explained. "And I think you could use some help traveling south. Perhaps we can help each other."
"You came over here just to suggest that?" Chloe asked.
"Of course not." Corvos waved a hand dismissively. "I came over here to see if I could make you smile, but you seem to be a veritable thorn bush. But you are a merchant traveling south - which is exactly what I need right now."
"I, unfortunately, do not need you," Chloe replied flatly.
"Are you sure of that?" Corvos asked. "How about this - you give me transportation, I give travel advice for the area. You won't even have to feed me. If I am not to your satisfaction within the week, you can drop me off at the nearest village - you don't even have to pay me." He grinned. "I can take care of myself."
Chloe found herself actually considering the idea. The shipwreck was, at least, a direction to go - and one that took her away from her past mistakes. Corvos, if he proved to be a problem, would be easy enough to deal with. Weighing the costs and the benefits, it was looking like a reasonable offer. "I shall consider your offer." Chloe spun around and stepped down from her seat at the bar before looking back to Corvos over her shoulder. "I am departing from the stables at sunrise. If you are serious with your offer, meet me then and we can discuss this further." She gave him a curt nod. "Have a pleasant night."
Corvos watched as she walked off, grinning as he reached for his drink, not noticing the black feather that slipped out of his sleeve and tumbled to the ground below. "Until morning then."
Last edited:
Chapter 1, Part 1 - A Meeting in the Morning
DB_Explorer
Purveyor of alternate realities.
- Location
- San Diego, California
- Pronouns
- He/Him
>>Wheat and Crow, Chapter 1, Part 2 - A Meeting in the Morning <<
The morning was still young, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon, when Chloe made her way to the stables. Given the early hour, she was surprised to find the entertainer from the previous night feeding apples to her horse. "Morning," he said amicably as the horse took the last apple from his hand. "Ready to discuss last night's arrangement?"
"I hadn't expected you to show up," Chloe replied. "Color me surprised."
"Well, you can hardly expect an entertainer such as myself to be late for appointments," Corvos replied. "That's a very quick way to be out of business."
"And what does feeding other people's horses get you?" she asked as she unlatched the stall's door.
"Thanks, normally," Corvos replied as he stepped out of the way. "From you, though? I'd wager bodily harm." He returned Chloe's glare with a smile.
There was a moment of quiet as Chloe went about hitching her horse to the aforementioned wagon. "Our arrangement is simple," Chloe started. "Your payment for helping me is getting a ride in the wagon - that's it. If I end up paying for your lodging or food, rest assured that I'll be making sure you pay it back before we're done."
"And if I pay for your food or lodging?" Corvos asked as Chloe stepped into the wagon.
"Then I will be obliged to pay you back, as a matter of course," she replied, looking down at him from the wagon's bench. "Do we have a deal?"
Corvos looked up at the merchant. "Agreed," he replied before leaping into the cart to Chloe's protests as the entire wagon rocked. "To fortune and glory, then!"
"Someone is optimistic," Chloe replied as she set the wagon off.
"Your goal at the moment is to find a shipwreck," Corvos replied, "known to most as mere rumor. Even if you put that aside, I make stories, and bombast is a necessity."
"Then maybe you can tell me a story about the south," Chloe replied as she guided the wagon out of the town, "without any bombast."
"Not one for spectacle, are you?" Corvos asked.
"I've had quite enough spectacle in my life," Chloe replied. "The South."
"Alright. You northerners have your duchies, and your kingdoms and baronies and what have you," Corvos explained. "But, they are all under one nominal crown, and this keeps things civil to a degree. The south has none of that. What you do have is almost a dozen different cities acting as their own states trying to control the whole region by hook or by crook."
"Sounds dangerous," Chloe said, briefly considering if Sirocco was in fact trying to kill her indirectly.
"Only if you're stupid enough to drive through a battle," Corvos replied. "It's more dangerous between wars when the mercenaries are looking for coin. But even then it should not be too bad, the cities need their trade. They won't let it get waylaid unless it helps them - which it doesn't during peace."
"Arms and armor must be in high demand, then," Chloe replied with some distraction as her mind turned the matter over. "With the hunt into pagan lands canceled for this year, you can purchase it quite cheaply here in the north." Corvos watched as the first real smile graced her lips – shame it was about indirectly killing people, he thought.
"Perhaps," Corvos agreed. "But you're going to get fleeced by the first merchant you talk to, or at least they will try."
"Why do you say that?" Chloe asked as her thoughts turned away from profit margins and back to the present.
"You look nothing like a southerner," Corvos pointed out, "and what little I know of merchants seems to show they don't like allowing new competition into the market. That aside, you're going to find yourself miserable in those clothes once you get far enough south due to the weather."
"Something you could mention before we are almost out of the town" Chloe replied tersely.
They town they had stopped over for the previous night was situated around a crossroads which it seems had lent it more growth than most towns on the road. More importantly, Chloe thought, as she looked over the bustling market that was near the town's center, the town's location meant it was a center of trade.
"Seems lively," Corvos commented as he passed some coins to a stall owner before plucking a piece of fruit from his stall as they walked by, having left the wagon at back at the inn's stable for the time being. "I could do quite well at a place like this."
"We stopped here for clothing, not for you to flatter the local girls," She replied as she surveyed the stalls until she spied a tailor's stand with a prominent sign proclaiming it was newly opened. "Good day, sir." Chloe said as she approached the stall, Corvos eying her wearily as she plastered on a smile for the tailor. "My associate and I are traveling to the south and were hoping to acquire some clothing more suited to the clime."
"The south, hm?" The tailor rubbed at his chin. "Don't get a request like that very often - not too familiar with the region."
"Warmer than here," Corvos replied, still eyeing Chloe like she was up to something. "Wetter too. We'll need cloaks."
"And preferably for less than two silver." Chloe added. "Think you could help us?"
"You know," The tailor replied. "I think I have just the thing. Give me a moment." A minute later, he emerged from the back of his stall with a pair of bundles. "Two outfits, plus cloaks. Got these off a pair of soldiers heading north - with the campaign canceled, I bet their regretting it! I can assure you though that these cloaks will keep you nice and dry in the worst of rain storms."
Chloe picked up one of the bundles, running a hand over the fabric. It was rough but durable - common sort of material for travel ware. "These will do wonderfully," Chloe announced, and next to her Corvos nearly fell over from where he was leaning. Chloe ignored him as she fished two silver coins from her purse.
She was a moment away from dropping them onto the counter before she paused. "Actually, while we are talking, I was wondering if you had anything else as well?"
The tailor arched an eyebrow. "Anything else?"
Chloe nodded. "As a Merchant, first impressions are very important. I'm currently looking into setting up a trade route between here and..." she turned to Corvos. "Dear, what was the name of that other town again?"
"Uh," Corvos replied, thrown off by the term of endearment. "...Roundio?"
"Ah, yes." Chloe replied with a smile before turning back to the tailor. "Roundio. I'm still setting up my contacts in both cities, so I need something suitable for negotiation."
"I believe I have just the thing." he said before fetching a white dress. "I bought this from the family of a trade house owner." He explained as Chloe ran a finger over the cloth, the dress was a simple one piece affair and not dissimilar to what she had worn for her trip to Pazzio.
"Do you have anything easier to get into?" She asked.
The tailor gave a thoughtful gesture before replying. "I may have one item." He said before once again heading back into the shop to grab an item, he has gone for but a moment before returning with a blue bundle of clothes and laying it out in front of Chloe. "This is very high quality, the stitches are reinforced to keep them from fraying, and if you notice here, the skirt is cut to not get in the way of movement." The blue cloth looked to be of similar quality to the last dress and the short sleeved top was well cut. The skirt it seemed would fall to her ankles in the back though its hem arched upward so that in the front it would a little ways below the knees.
"This might work." Chloe said as she ran a hand over the fabric. "How much?"
"Seven silver, miss." the tailor replied. "But since you've been such a nice lass, I can make it six and five copper."
"Six silver?" Corvos echoed, raising an eyebrow. He was about to comment on the price when Chloe interrupted him.
"It does seem rather steep." Chloe mimed agreement with his non-existent thought. "I thought that other tailor was fleecing us, but..."
"How about this then." The tailor quickly cut in. "I can give you the two traveling outfits and the dress for seven silver."
Chloe's smile became a little sharper as she reached for her purse. "That sounds perfect..."
They were maybe a block away when Corvos finally turned to Chloe. "Okay - what just happened?"
Chloe shrugged. "Business."
"Care to elaborate?" Corvos replied as the pair came to a stop along the street.
Chloe sighed as she began to explain. "That tailor? His business was new and thus he was desperate for an advantage. I presented myself as that advantage."
"By mentioning the trade route thing." Corvos replied, catching on. "But why the first two outfits?"
"I needed an opening." Chloe explained. "He was going to be far more willing to haggle when he already had one deal secured. I lost about a silver on the first two outfits, but managed to shave 3 silver off the dresses price by offering potential future business."
"He cuts you a deal now, you send business his way in the future." Corvos summarized. "Three silver would be worth the extra traffic if you actually meant to set up a trade route."
"It was a matter of buying favors," Chloe defended herself. "Not a contract. Now come on - we have a trip to prepare for."
((A/N - it only took.... 261 days..... I assure you updates shall now be more timely.))
The morning was still young, the sun just barely peeking over the horizon, when Chloe made her way to the stables. Given the early hour, she was surprised to find the entertainer from the previous night feeding apples to her horse. "Morning," he said amicably as the horse took the last apple from his hand. "Ready to discuss last night's arrangement?"
"I hadn't expected you to show up," Chloe replied. "Color me surprised."
"Well, you can hardly expect an entertainer such as myself to be late for appointments," Corvos replied. "That's a very quick way to be out of business."
"And what does feeding other people's horses get you?" she asked as she unlatched the stall's door.
"Thanks, normally," Corvos replied as he stepped out of the way. "From you, though? I'd wager bodily harm." He returned Chloe's glare with a smile.
There was a moment of quiet as Chloe went about hitching her horse to the aforementioned wagon. "Our arrangement is simple," Chloe started. "Your payment for helping me is getting a ride in the wagon - that's it. If I end up paying for your lodging or food, rest assured that I'll be making sure you pay it back before we're done."
"And if I pay for your food or lodging?" Corvos asked as Chloe stepped into the wagon.
"Then I will be obliged to pay you back, as a matter of course," she replied, looking down at him from the wagon's bench. "Do we have a deal?"
Corvos looked up at the merchant. "Agreed," he replied before leaping into the cart to Chloe's protests as the entire wagon rocked. "To fortune and glory, then!"
"Someone is optimistic," Chloe replied as she set the wagon off.
"Your goal at the moment is to find a shipwreck," Corvos replied, "known to most as mere rumor. Even if you put that aside, I make stories, and bombast is a necessity."
"Then maybe you can tell me a story about the south," Chloe replied as she guided the wagon out of the town, "without any bombast."
"Not one for spectacle, are you?" Corvos asked.
"I've had quite enough spectacle in my life," Chloe replied. "The South."
"Alright. You northerners have your duchies, and your kingdoms and baronies and what have you," Corvos explained. "But, they are all under one nominal crown, and this keeps things civil to a degree. The south has none of that. What you do have is almost a dozen different cities acting as their own states trying to control the whole region by hook or by crook."
"Sounds dangerous," Chloe said, briefly considering if Sirocco was in fact trying to kill her indirectly.
"Only if you're stupid enough to drive through a battle," Corvos replied. "It's more dangerous between wars when the mercenaries are looking for coin. But even then it should not be too bad, the cities need their trade. They won't let it get waylaid unless it helps them - which it doesn't during peace."
"Arms and armor must be in high demand, then," Chloe replied with some distraction as her mind turned the matter over. "With the hunt into pagan lands canceled for this year, you can purchase it quite cheaply here in the north." Corvos watched as the first real smile graced her lips – shame it was about indirectly killing people, he thought.
"Perhaps," Corvos agreed. "But you're going to get fleeced by the first merchant you talk to, or at least they will try."
"Why do you say that?" Chloe asked as her thoughts turned away from profit margins and back to the present.
"You look nothing like a southerner," Corvos pointed out, "and what little I know of merchants seems to show they don't like allowing new competition into the market. That aside, you're going to find yourself miserable in those clothes once you get far enough south due to the weather."
"Something you could mention before we are almost out of the town" Chloe replied tersely.
They town they had stopped over for the previous night was situated around a crossroads which it seems had lent it more growth than most towns on the road. More importantly, Chloe thought, as she looked over the bustling market that was near the town's center, the town's location meant it was a center of trade.
"Seems lively," Corvos commented as he passed some coins to a stall owner before plucking a piece of fruit from his stall as they walked by, having left the wagon at back at the inn's stable for the time being. "I could do quite well at a place like this."
"We stopped here for clothing, not for you to flatter the local girls," She replied as she surveyed the stalls until she spied a tailor's stand with a prominent sign proclaiming it was newly opened. "Good day, sir." Chloe said as she approached the stall, Corvos eying her wearily as she plastered on a smile for the tailor. "My associate and I are traveling to the south and were hoping to acquire some clothing more suited to the clime."
"The south, hm?" The tailor rubbed at his chin. "Don't get a request like that very often - not too familiar with the region."
"Warmer than here," Corvos replied, still eyeing Chloe like she was up to something. "Wetter too. We'll need cloaks."
"And preferably for less than two silver." Chloe added. "Think you could help us?"
"You know," The tailor replied. "I think I have just the thing. Give me a moment." A minute later, he emerged from the back of his stall with a pair of bundles. "Two outfits, plus cloaks. Got these off a pair of soldiers heading north - with the campaign canceled, I bet their regretting it! I can assure you though that these cloaks will keep you nice and dry in the worst of rain storms."
Chloe picked up one of the bundles, running a hand over the fabric. It was rough but durable - common sort of material for travel ware. "These will do wonderfully," Chloe announced, and next to her Corvos nearly fell over from where he was leaning. Chloe ignored him as she fished two silver coins from her purse.
She was a moment away from dropping them onto the counter before she paused. "Actually, while we are talking, I was wondering if you had anything else as well?"
The tailor arched an eyebrow. "Anything else?"
Chloe nodded. "As a Merchant, first impressions are very important. I'm currently looking into setting up a trade route between here and..." she turned to Corvos. "Dear, what was the name of that other town again?"
"Uh," Corvos replied, thrown off by the term of endearment. "...Roundio?"
"Ah, yes." Chloe replied with a smile before turning back to the tailor. "Roundio. I'm still setting up my contacts in both cities, so I need something suitable for negotiation."
"I believe I have just the thing." he said before fetching a white dress. "I bought this from the family of a trade house owner." He explained as Chloe ran a finger over the cloth, the dress was a simple one piece affair and not dissimilar to what she had worn for her trip to Pazzio.
"Do you have anything easier to get into?" She asked.
The tailor gave a thoughtful gesture before replying. "I may have one item." He said before once again heading back into the shop to grab an item, he has gone for but a moment before returning with a blue bundle of clothes and laying it out in front of Chloe. "This is very high quality, the stitches are reinforced to keep them from fraying, and if you notice here, the skirt is cut to not get in the way of movement." The blue cloth looked to be of similar quality to the last dress and the short sleeved top was well cut. The skirt it seemed would fall to her ankles in the back though its hem arched upward so that in the front it would a little ways below the knees.
"This might work." Chloe said as she ran a hand over the fabric. "How much?"
"Seven silver, miss." the tailor replied. "But since you've been such a nice lass, I can make it six and five copper."
"Six silver?" Corvos echoed, raising an eyebrow. He was about to comment on the price when Chloe interrupted him.
"It does seem rather steep." Chloe mimed agreement with his non-existent thought. "I thought that other tailor was fleecing us, but..."
"How about this then." The tailor quickly cut in. "I can give you the two traveling outfits and the dress for seven silver."
Chloe's smile became a little sharper as she reached for her purse. "That sounds perfect..."
They were maybe a block away when Corvos finally turned to Chloe. "Okay - what just happened?"
Chloe shrugged. "Business."
"Care to elaborate?" Corvos replied as the pair came to a stop along the street.
Chloe sighed as she began to explain. "That tailor? His business was new and thus he was desperate for an advantage. I presented myself as that advantage."
"By mentioning the trade route thing." Corvos replied, catching on. "But why the first two outfits?"
"I needed an opening." Chloe explained. "He was going to be far more willing to haggle when he already had one deal secured. I lost about a silver on the first two outfits, but managed to shave 3 silver off the dresses price by offering potential future business."
"He cuts you a deal now, you send business his way in the future." Corvos summarized. "Three silver would be worth the extra traffic if you actually meant to set up a trade route."
"It was a matter of buying favors," Chloe defended herself. "Not a contract. Now come on - we have a trip to prepare for."
((A/N - it only took.... 261 days..... I assure you updates shall now be more timely.))
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