The Blackguard (Book 2) (11 page)

“Ah, my apologies. I am Sordith. I have come to discuss a business matter for the Trench Lord.” Sordith answered.

“I already told the last man that I will not be blackmailed and bullied. I will not be paying protection fees to men who do not even live this tier.” Jespeth spat the last.

Aorun’s hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. He wanted to remove the man’s vile head, but he’d promised Sordith he could handle this matter. His soft snort was the only sign of his disapproval, making his displeasure clear to his right hand. It was then that Aorun picked up on a noise behind the curtain to the living quarters of the shop. He gave a casual signal that they were not alone.

Sordith nodded once to indicate that he’d seen the hand sign. “Well, you see, that is why I am here. Obviously, there has been some sort of misunderstanding. It is not security, exactly, you are being asked to donate funds in exchange for an open supply line.” Jespeth went to speak, but Sordith held up his hands. “Pray, let me continue. For a man in need of good stones to work and yet being on the second tier, he has to wait for the third tier merchants to take their purchases before he can view the stones. Yes?”

“Well, yes… But that is the way of things. I wait my turn like any other.” Jespeth looked about indignantly.

“I am betting you are from an inland city?” Sordith asked with a bit of a smile.

“Yes, I know how the tiers work. I am not new to city life.” Jespeth clearly looked disgruntled, despite his concern, and eyed the three armed men in his shop.

Sordith nodded. “There is one major difference between Silverport and other inland cities. Goods come into the city in two directions. One, like you are used to, across the tier bridge. However, there is a supply that comes from the sea. Now, these stones are from all over the world. We only share that supply with those who have paid for the right so as to ensure they have first access to these rare gems.”

Aorun watched the subtle change in the merchant.  He was fairly sure that Sordith just secured the merchant’s interest. Sordith suddenly flicked his wrist and hit the rope holding up the curtain behind the merchant with a throwing knife. It fell away to reveal the most beautiful woman that Aorun had ever seen. He stood and stared in absolute amazement. Her hair was long and black. It fell all the way to her hip, even gathered at the side of her neck as it was.  It was her eyes, however, that captured his attention. They were the deepest green he had ever seen. The girl froze staring at the knife just inches above her head.

Jespeth moved between the men and the woman. “This is my daughter, she meant no harm! She helps me with the settings, sometimes.” His eyes darted with concern at the three men. “I assure you, what is said here will not leave this room. Keelee, to the back shop with you.”

Aorun spoke even though he’d promised not to. “I think she should stay. You got anyone else back there?” He wanted to keep looking at her. His eyes were undressing her even though she was behind her father. Her waist would probably fit between his hands. Her breasts seemed ready to spill out the top of her gown. He shifted slightly to ease the growing pressure in his pants.

Sordith glowered at Aorun, a look meant to quiet a guard. “I think she should stay. I am hoping our business is almost concluded.” He, too, eyed the girl with swift appraisal.

“No, no one else is here. Sh-she helps me, that is all,” Jespeth sputtered out, clearly uncomfortable with the expressions of the men who eyed his daughter.

“Yes, well, lovely lass. Doesn’t do to spy on your father’s customers. Some might take objection. Sordith nodded to the young lady.

“Yes, sir,” she answered, her voice soft and husky. It reminded Auron of silk as it flowed over him and he shivered. “I meant no harm. Please do not hurt my father for my curiosity.”

“I am not here to hurt anyone.” Sordith gave her a wink and turned back to the merchant.
 “Now, Jespeth, if you were to up the dues say by ten slips, I could insure that an invitation is sent when such stones come in. You could have first pick before they went to the upper tiers. Give you a competing edge.” Sordith smiled at him.

“You mean, I would see them first?” Jespeth licked his lips in anticipation.

“It does seem a fair thing to offer, since you always have to take the leavings of the third tier craftsmen.” Sordith leaned against the board and looked at the man. “I mean, look around us. It is clear you are at disadvantage compared to the third tier shops. I bet you rarely get anything unique.” He indicated the shelves that held some unguents and a few trays of common rings and pendants. “It is clear that your setting work is not what puts you at a disadvantage.” Sordith picked up a ring on a tray to his left, turning it over in his hand. “It is fine craftsmanship that deserves the finest in stones.” He tossed the ring down, causing Jespeth to scramble for it and move it to display properly. “Of course, if you would really rather just keep taking their castoffs…I am sure I could convince the Trench Lord not to put you on his collection routes.” Sordith straightened up. “Yes, that is probably for the best.” He turned away as if he had settled the matter.

Aorun raised a brow at the strangled sound the jeweler made, amazed. If this man took the bait, Sordith would have nearly doubled the income from this shop to his own coffers. Surely such a tactic of manipulation would not really work.

Jespeth moved around the end quickly to try to stop Sordith from leaving. “Wait, wait now. Let us not be hasty.” Jespeth looked at his daughter, who gave a brief nod, and then smiled broadly to Sordith as he turned back around. “I think what you offer is a fair deal. If we would truly have first pick then this price would be worth my trouble,” Jespeth offered hurriedly.  He nodded to his daughter, who skittered off.

Aorun watched the girl disappear into the darkened confines of the shop. Her behind was just as good a view as the front had been; the draping dress showed her back with defined shoulders and unmarked skin. He was going to have to figure out how to get this one in his bed. Yes, he had to have her. He could think of no woman that could hold a candle to her beauty, and he’d held a lot of women.

Sordith, in the meantime, moved back to the counter and held out his hand. “I will come to fetch you personally when such gems are available. You have my word.”

Jespeth shook his hand warmly and, when his daughter returned, handed over a small pouch. “If your previous man had offered to explain this, I would have listened. He just came in demanding the Trench Lord’s share.”

“About that…How did you get the man to leave?” Sordith smile with genuine interest.

“I keep a wand for such occurrences. The man decided a bolt of lightning was not worth a few slips,” Jespeth admitted.

“I will keep that in mind, Master Jespeth.” Sordith grinned wickedly. “It was good doing business with you.” Sordith tossed the pouch to Aorun as he passed him. Aorun caught it deftly and shoved it into his belt pouch, and they both strode from the store. Owen took the time to open the curtains back up before bowing and leaving to join the first two.

“I don’t understand. Why did you not just grab him by the throat, put a dagger to it and demand the slips?” Aorun was considering things. He would have just taken his due.

“I could have done that, and there would have been fewer slips for the trouble. The man’s work is good, and this way he doesn’t hide his true value, nor is he an enemy. Instead, you are left with a man’s goodwill and extra slips in your pocket.” Sordith pointed out. The two were walking side by side and Owen had dropped behind to watch Aorun’s back. The streets were busy and more than one trench lord had been assassinated in such close confines.

Aorun walked silently, considering Sordith’s words. The man was right, though he hated to admit it. His way would have been swift and brutal, but would make an enemy.

They had walked most of the way back to the first tier steps before he spoke again. “You and I both know he is not going to get first pick,” Aorun pointed out.

“Yes, you and I know that. But as he will only see the cargo laid before him, he will never know what was there prior. Sometimes using what one does not know is as important as using what he does.” Sordith words were almost buried in the noise of day-to-day traffic. Silverport was busy by day in the merchant shops and day-to-day transaction. In the night, it was the more leisure pleasures that were frequented, the type of establishments that Aorun owned stakes in.

“I concede. While I find my way to be far more satisfying, yours creates a market for better slips.” Aorun’s mind went to the dark-haired beauty.  “Maybe we can convince him to bring his daughter to dinner,” he mused softly.

Sordith rolled his eyes. “We would have more slips if you thought with the other head,” he pointed out.

Owen piped up from the back. “But not near as much fun!”

Aorun laughed. “Owen has the right of it. Slips are not everything.” He clapped Sordith on the back in good will. “A man has to have a little balance in his life. You might consider it.”

“I will keep that in mind,” Sordith answered with a sigh.

Aorun led them back down into the trenches. He had slipped as far down the first tier as he could to the far end. Slowly, he and his two men worked their way through the trenches. His presence served to remind those scraping a living in the trenches that there was a form of order.
 His men were spread out; it was their job to keep an eye on matters, keep the peace, and insure that certain considerations were kept.

The largest area Aorun had to maintain control over was the warehouses. Goods from ships were brought into the warehouses and sorted by what tier they would be sent to, and each storage area was in a cave carved out below the plain, which helped keep foods protected and safe in the coolness of the caves. In the summer, they helped keep things from spoiling as fast, or from freezing in the winter.

Each storehouse had a keeper who let Aorun know if anything new or exotic came in. It was in this way that Aorun insured that those that served him were rewarded. First pick of goods was one such favor he could offer. Another was the trade of illicit goods that were frowned upon by the council. He had a large quantity of meraweed, tambert root and bitterstalk, three highly-used herbs in smoke dens and baths. All three had a way of relaxing or altering things around the user. Too much tambert root had been known to kill.

Aorun’s favorite storehouse was the one for unusual items. There, all things that were hard to get or had never been seen were sorted. Aorun could spend hours there. He liked to escort influential merchants through the storehouse personally when he could. Not only did it smooth the way for other trades and favors, but it also let him go through the chests and shelves with a fresh eye.

When they’d finished working their way through storehouses and trenches, Aorun sent the two men off in different directions, Sordith to see to the accounting reports and Owen to insure that the gate guards were watching for potential product for Veaneth. Half-Daezun were welcome in the trenches more so now than ever. After all, Aorun had found a market for them.

Aorun had that invitation up to the highest tier. He hadn’t gone to a high tier function in a long time. Most mages ignored his existence unless they needed something, and he found their self-absorbed conversations about their latest spell or greatest deed sickening. However, he was interested in seeing the High Minister’s nephew. It would be interesting to see what new blood had been found for this long family line. Traced back to the first Lerdenian stand, the Guldalian bloodline was all but erased. The two brothers were the last of their kin.

Aorun strode to his rooms with determination. He found a clean pair of black leathers and a fine grey silk shirt, and brushed his long, gold hair back and secured it at the base of his neck.  It was a simple outfit, but would stand in stark contrast to all the mage finery he could expect. He would draw the eye of this nephew better than any peacock in the room. Satisfied, Aorun made sure to slip a knife onto his belt and then one in each boot. He liked his boot knives best, they were solidly weighted and flew with deadly accuracy.

He arrived only a couple minutes after the bell tolled at the High Minister’s grand table. As expected, the man was not present. The one thing he’d learned about Luthian Guldalian is that he liked an entrance. Aorun found a place off to the side where he would not have to interact much, which suited those at his table just fine as they gobbled on and on like a flock of fowl. He didn’t have to wait horribly long: the minister entered with his usual flair for notice. The room rose as one to acknowledge him, all eyes on the simply but elegantly robed mage as he worked his way through the room.

Aorun, however, was eyeing the two gentlemen behind him. The first was Henrick, of whom he was already well aware. Henrick was a deadly mage to cross, but one that liked his pleasures. It had been easy to stay in the mage’s good graces, but at the same time, Aorun had made no headway in gaining the man’s trust or confidence.

His eyes moved to the slightly shorter and younger mage beside Henrick. Aorun eyed the blue robes carefully, taking in every aspect of this youth. He stared at the boy’s face with dawning realization; this nephew of the High Minister was a blooming half-breed! Hatred for the Daezun-tainted man boiled up within him as the room was motioned to sit.

He plopped down at his table and picked up his glass, his eyes on the brown-haired and awestruck bastard child. There he sat at the high table. He would be accorded privilege and power just for his name. Yet he, Aorun, was only a guest in this room as a necessary evil. He was full Lerdenian. He should have what he wanted and how he wanted it. It was not right that a half breed of their enemy sat at that table, and Aorun didn’t care whom his damned father claimed to be.