Pick up, Party of One (Fenilen)

[Dreamcatcher]

Morning of the 6th in Fall Set just a short walk from the inside the Sanikas Gates of Wind Reach on the ground level of the 'City' the Valintar's office is an impressive display of the glassworks of the Inarta. The office itself is in essence a huge stained glass atrium visible from both the air and the ground floor of the twin lakes as a platform that extends out partially on stone pillars over the lower lake itself. It has a small dock and pier attached to it, as well as an 'inner sanctum' portion that runs deep into the walls of the volcano where a small reception room is sheltered inside the volcano proper. A magic called 'sheilding' protects the exposed glass atrium from rock falls and landslides that often frequent Mt. Skyinarta. The reception lacks a secretary as Kaden handles most of his affairs himself and always maintains his office hours. If the door is unlocked, he's there. And if he's not there and the door is barred, there's always a sign with the return time clearly posted in neat magnetic-backed glass lettering. There's a large bird stand near the door to his office proper, and one can often see one of the large thunder bay eagles (though far smaller than a Wind Eagle) perched. Kaden keeps several birds as pets and often carries them with him save for the thunder bay eagle whos name is Starvine. Starvine roams the twin lakes areas and maintains a permanent residence in the Valintar's office or Kaden's personal quarters. The space itself looks out over a pier which has a sailboat tied up to it. The sailboat was one Kaden hand crafted himself. Meals can be taken on the dock part of the atrium, while business is conducted inside the reception itself. Kaden's office is offlimits to most people who aren't craftsman or riders, and is probably one of the most magnificent structures in Wind Reach. A side door off the atrium reception leads to Kaden's personal quarters, a large stone suit with its own set of windows looking over the lake. One doesn't need to knock to get Kaden's attention. All they need to do is open the door to the reception and walk in. They can marvel at the lit glass covering the walls and ceiling illuminated from behind until the structure stretches out over the water itself past giant double glass doors. There is a comfortable sitting area with sunken couches that people can relax in while they are waiting for an audience. Kaden at times seem to be a man devoted to his work, he was often up before some of the earliest of dek crews and stayed late at night. However, Kaden understood that this was harvest season. He was organizing the huge work force of Wind Reach to do one thing. Harvest the rice and potatoe fields, while hunting and salting meat for the winter, yes his mind rotated about food and how many people it would all feed. Winter was the cruelest of times for Wind Reach, but it was also one of the happiest. Women would become preguant and babies would be born in the spring or summer. So Kaden had to make sure there was enough food for all. Grey slates covered Kaden’s table with figures and predictions of crop yields and work to still be done. He had organized several of the major projects to be done in winter, it was often the best time for people to do work inside, espiecally with the farmer work force returned. Overall, plans and proposals laid about, while Kaden worked hard at finding the perfect balance of work and food rations. It was in this state the Fenilen found Kaden in, he was staring at several grey slates mumbling about rice yield and how it could offset some of his loss due to the unexpected births last year and low amount of trading. He was looking at maps and Fenilen could tell he was trying to find some hidden valley or another way to make more farm land.

[Fenilen]

Deep breaths, Fenilen. Deep breaths. The red-headed man stood before the door of the Valintar's building, eyes closed. His breaths came in deep gulps, followed by long periods of silence. If he were to have his requests granted, then he would have to approach the Valintar with as cool and level a tone as physically possible. Anything less, and he was sure to be denied, and denial would mean that he was walking back. Not something he wanted to do. All right, once more from the top. He would walk in, and present his case after introducing himself politely and formally. What was his case to consist of? He definitely wasn't going to bring up the visions, he was one hundred percent certain of that. If he brought up the visions, Fenilen had no doubt that he would instantly be denied on the grounds that he was mentally unstable, even if he had really seen was he was reporting.

Aha! He would tell him that he wished to study the culture of the people of the snow, see how they survived in a winter that was never ending, if the stories Val told were indeed true. He could also bring glassworks with him, and produce more there, and trade them with the people of the snowy city for whatever goods they had to offer that simply could not be found or obtained in Wind Reach. Trade *had* been extremely low that year, after all. Traders had simply not been willing to make the journey to Wind Reach, he supposed. Then he would just have to make the journey to them.

Plus, there was always the added bonus of the language skills he would pick up during his time in the City of Snow. Learning a language from the people who spoke it, and the culture that came with said language, would be useful in dealing with outsiders that came to Wind Reach once in a blue moon. Or at least, he hoped it would be.

Aye, these three points, he hoped, would be enough to get the Valintar to approve his trip. After all, all he would have to do is assign an Endal or two to take him there (depending on how much glass he was given to bring), and maybe two or three to bring him and whatever he had bartered for back, and that would be after the hunting season was already over due to the encroaching cold of Winter. There wasn't much to lose. Or at least, he thought there wasn't. The Valintar was quite likely to see things differently. He could only hope his views weren't too different from his own.

Focus, Fenilen! Two more deep breaths. Time to shine! His arms pushed the door open gracefully-- or rather, as gracefully as one could open a door-- and he strode inside, micromanaging every little aspect of his breath and gait. He would do this, and he would get his will.

His gaze swept across the room once, then twice, and then settled on the Valintar. Finally, his brisk pace brought him to the desk. Time to introduce himself, as he was quite certain that the Valintar did not know him by appearance. "Greetings, Valintar Kaden," he spoke formally and politely, bowing ever so slightly to show his respect. "I am Fenilen, an Avora, and I hope I am not disturbing your work with this conversation," a brief pause to allow Kaden to put in any comments he wished, and then he spoke again. and I come to you with a proposal," his speech was slower than normal, most likely due to the formality of his request. He had to control everything. If he slipped even slightly, he would fail. Failure was simply not an option.

When permission was granted for him to proceed, he did so, speaking in an even tone, filled with hand gestures. Better to look lively by moving naturally rather than standing there emotionlessly! "As I am certain you and every Inarta knows, Winter is the hardest season to survive in Wind Reach. We are trapped within the confines of the mountain that we call home for the entirety of the season, our only food supplies being what we have gathered and prepared beforehand. However, we only struggle through Winter for a fourth of the year. Val tells us of a city that knows nothing but snow and bitter winter, for the entirety of the year,"

Another quick pause as he gathered his thoughts. Hands rose up and shook quickly in front of him. "I know, it seems fanciful that the legends may be true, but I have faith in them, and I plead that you have faith in them as well, at least until I finish my proposal," Fenilen said quickly, and with an understanding tone, trying to ease any doubts that may have entered Kaden's mind. "This City of Winter is said to lie to the North, across the Bay of Thunder... but if they suffer Winter forever, why have they not left? Would it not be miserable to suffer that weather and death that accompanies it forever? The legends say they are no different from us-- only taller, and with black hair that sparkles with color and eyes that shift like a living portrait-- so it can't be how they are built. No, it has to be something cultural," another pause, to let his reasoning sink in.

"If it's cultural, that means it can be learned and used here. To get to the point, sir, I want to go across the Bay of Thunder and find this City of Snow, so that I can learn how they survive a Winter That Never Ends. The soil there would never be fertile, it would always be frozen solid, buried under feet of snow. They do not have the blessings of the Eagles, as we do, so how do they sustain their people? Either they have found some way to till the frozen soil, or they have a way of hunting that we have never seen, one that yields amazing amounts of food," Fenilen stifled a sigh. He was, no doubt, coming across as insane, or at the very least, unorganized.

"If I could learn how they survive the bitter cold without the warmth of Mount Skyinarta at their backs, how they feed their hungry mouths when the soil can not be used, perhaps we could use some of that knowledge here, to feed our people, to allow more to survive Winter. Plus, in a place said to be so different from our own, they must have goods we have never even heard of, never even imagined. If I can get there, if I can take some of our crafts with me, I could barter with them, show them the paths that they must take to make it to Wind Reach on a map. I know that trade has been low this year, everyone has noticed it. If I have your blessing, your aid in this, I know I can do it. I, like every other Inarta, have dedicated my life to the whole of our people, and I feel that if I do this, that that whole will be bettered. And if I fail... Well, then there is one less mouth to feed."

Fenilen bowed his head humbly. "I have conquered my fears to present this to you. I, and my proposal, are at your mercy."

[Dreamcatcher]

Kaden looked up at Fenilen as he entered the room, he had noticed the young Inarta outside the room and knew that something was troubling his mind. Kaden was normally a cheerful man but reviewing the documents and resources of Wind Reach was always troubling. If they didn’t have enough food, people or babies would die, so Kaden worked long hours to make sure that every year the population of Wind Reach had a chance to grow. Some years it had been harder than others, some years he had even failed in his goal, but it never stopped him trying to achieve it. So with a look of relief and disgust Kaden put down his chalk and motioned Fenilen to come in. “Please speak, I need a break from all the figures” “Fenilen, I have listened to your proposal and have a few questions. One, you assume that these people have a hunting techniques they are willing to share, and that those techniques can be used here in Wind Reach. Now, if we could survive on just meat, we really wouldn’t have a problem, since we could just hunt the entire Unforgiving mountain range. Our problem is with scurvy and other diseases that come up from fruits and vegetables Fenilen. Now before you say it…. Even if they have a tree or bush the problem is that we don’t experience winter all year long. Plants transplanted from extreme climates tend not to do well against our stock.” “And I suppose you think I should just let you go with an Endal? Hmmmmmmm? So if you are successful on your trading expedition how much food are you going to bring back? Should I send hundreds of Endal back and forth creating flying trade route? How much food and danger will all those Endals be in over the crossing? Though personally I don’t have a problem you freezing to death out there, it’s my job to make sure that everyone survives and makes it through the winter. Now the only thing that you have presented worth anything is the idea that they might contain hunting knowledge.” Kaden looked dark for a moment. “Fine, I will let you go, on the fifth of every season we will send an Endal to you, you will have four seasons to gain their trust. If for any reason you have to come back, know that all of your rations will be allocated to someone else, and you will not eat till you have produced twice what was has been normally scheduled for you. If you turn down the Endal contact we will presume you are dead or lost. This is the best deal I can offer you and your flight of fancy. You can take any glasswork that you have made to trade with these… ice people. Now, what do you need to make the trip?” Kaden wasn’t happy, a trained Avora should have been working through the winter to store up more glassware’s, or replace needed dishes, lamps, and mirrors. It was time for negotiations and Kaden was a master. A hard look came about him, it was a better offer the Fenilen could have ever hoped for, and Kaden was willing to negotiate on survival gear, seeing that all in Wind Reach belonged to Wind Reach.

[Fenilen]

Fenilen shifted uncomfortably as Kaden shot holes through his logic, tearing it at every single turn. Why hadn't he thought of any of this? He would never get to go. They would find him here, and They would kill him and everyone close to him! "Not hundreds, no, we wouldn't need that many," he said somewhat hopelessly, frowning slightly. His gaze darted from point to point every time Kaden pointed out how one of his suggestions were invalid. "A lot of danger, sir," Fenilen said quietly in answer to his question about how much danger the eagle riders would be in. "Although, with respect, sir, I was more suggesting that they send caravans here than we send eagles there. They likely know the land better than we do," Oddly, he met Kaden's eye when he said this, his voice carrying a sort of foolish certainty in it. What Kaden said next almost made the Inarta jump out of his boots.

He had accepted! Fenilen was overjoyed, but he didn't let it show. He needed to keep his calm. The negotiations had only just begun, and he couldn't compromise them with excitement. A small bow was offered to Kaden, along with a few thanks, but the was it. Then, Fenilen locked in for what he felt was going to be a very long and difficult session of negotiations. It didn't help that he had no experience in any form of debate, whilst the Valintar's entire job was based around defending his decisions.

Well, here goes nothing. "I assume that if I finish my mission early, I can come home without repercussions?" Fenilen asked curiously, tilting his head. "I doubt it will take me the entirety of four seasons to collect the information required, and I do not wish to be away from Wind Reach longer than I have to be." Once that point was addressed and out of the way, he moved on to the next point-- what he needed to make the trip.

"It goes without saying that I will need an Endal to carry me across the Bay of Thunder, but in addition to that, I'm going to need a tent and supplies for maybe three days. I'm may or may not be able to find the city on the first day I'm dropped off. I can take my own Katinu and scarves for warmth, so those shouldn't be a problem..." he trailed off, thinking for a few brief moments before speaking again. "I'll also need to exchange some of my pinions for mizas. I don't think the people of Winter use pinions," he then added, nodding slowly.

"What if the Rider does not survive the trip there or back? Will you assume them hostile, and send no more? How should I signal them from the ground? Should I start a giant fire as a beacon on the fifth of every season?" Fenilen returned his focus to the more technical aspects of his trip, feeling that those little details were slightly more important than the details of what he needed to make the trip-- which wasn't actually that much.

[Dreamcatcher]

Kaden looked at Fenilen as he counter bargained. “In bargaining, Fenilen, assume nothing! You have not negotiated your return nor have you logically thought out what I have said to you. By claiming that you have no food rations on the books, you are logically dead to my records.” Kaden slept his hand over the tablets and lists. “I have based my bargaining position on the fact that you will die out there, so it’s in my best interests to expend as little as possible on resources for you. In fact, I view this trip as an entire waste of resources. However, it is a gamble should you find something to bring back. Your food rations can go to new children, ones that are more interested in building the nest around them, then leaving it, while your work will be missed, we can just shuffle some of the glasswork to others.” “So let us talk terms for your leaving. You assumed that there is no fault in you returning early, that is wrong, I am willing to negotiate with you, an emergency supply of food for one season to be held here in case you come back early. In order to protect that investment of food from usage, I will keep some of your crafted glasswork. If you require it I am willing to send it to you on the condition I release the food to the general populace. If you are not willing to settle for the lost of your goods, I am willing to negotiate price with pinions. Or you can choose to stay away for a full year…” “We have a supply of Miza’s, but they are for Wind Reach use only. Traders come here and we keep the coins to trade for excess or take them for the next year. I am willing to exchange your pinions for goods, nothing else. As for the Endal to carry you to your destination, food for three days and a tent…” Kaden pulled up a slate and began working on figures, he took up several other slates and cross examined everything. “So about 13 pinions for the tent and food… and 300 pinions for the lost of work of an Endal. Like I said, I won’t charge anything to send an Endal to check on you, you will start a bonfire at the drop off point to let them know everything is ok. If you wish to be picked up then be at the drop off point and signal them with red clothing. If you miss a check in, we will consider you dead, now if you are willing to offer us more pinions for them to land and stick around for a day, then I will gladly hear your offer.” “What is not negotiable is the following, should an Endal lose their lives on the journey, I will deem it all as too risky and not send any further help to you. Let me put it bluntly so that you understand… One man, woman, or eagle dies and consider yourself stranded. No help or relief will come, and don’t bother coming back, because their lost will be on your head.” Kaden had a deadly look on his face. Fenilen knew that he dealt with life and death every day, and though this man would fight hard to keep every Inarta alive, he also knew that should anyone break the common good Kaden wasn’t above making them an example. Kaden arched his long fingers waiting for the Fenilen to make a counter offer.

[Fenilen]

Youthful shoulders sagged as term after term was piled upon them. So much to consider, so little time. No time to collect his thoughts, no time to lick the wounds the master debater had freshly opened. He simply had to make due, think on the fly. Keep his facts straight, and everything would turn out all right in the end. Kaden began to speak of the conditions under which he could return. If he were to leave, but return before he had spent a full year amongst the people of Eternal Winter, than he was to be penalized. Wonderful. He had no choice, though. He had to take the food reserve option. A quick, silent glance at his gut confirmed this for him. He was not in need of what was quite possibly one of the most extreme diet plans on Mizahar. So, it was with quiet resignation that the young man before Kaden spoke, his voice low. Despite the gaping wounds the more experienced man's words had opened upon his skin, Fenilen met Kaden's eye as he spoke. "How much of my works do you require for a Chiet's food rations to be reserved?"

It was when Fenilen Ruin, normally a springy young man, heard the next set of numbers that his youthful heart truly sank to new depths, his green eyes glazing over for a few moments. Three hundred pinions? His whole seasonal income? No, wait, not even three hundred pinions, three hundred thirteen! More than he made in an entire season for five days of an Endal's time, along with a tent and some food! This was an outrage! He was not going to spend an entire season's worth of his income on five day's of one Endal's time! His head began to crunch numbers required for his argument, Hope flaring in his heart. Fenilen knew he could talk the price down. Confidence replaced the doubt, uncertainty, and anger that had permeated every fiber of his being what seemed like a few moments beforehand.

Endal were paid five hundred mizas a season. There were ninety one days in a season. A Long Division problem! Before even setting it up in his head, the acronym and the steps rattled off in his head. DMSCB! Do Masters Sell Cotton Bryda? Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Check, Bring Down! Keeping his hands at his side, he lifted a finger as he began to count off multiples of ninety one in his head. Ninety one, one finger. One hundred eighty two, two fingers. Two hundred seventy... three, three fingers. Three hundred sixty four... four fingers. Five fingers, four hundred fifty five. That was as close as he could get to five hundred without going over. So, he took the five, put it over the second zero in five hundred in his mental equation map, and subtracted five hundred by four hundred and fifty five. That was steps One and Two of his five part plan out of the way. Now, he had to borrow to subtract from the zeros. The five turned into a four, the second zero a nine, the last zero a ten. Perfect. Ten minus five was five, nine minus five was four, four minus four was zero. Subtraction, complete! He rattled through all the numbers again, checking his answer. Checking, complete! Now, just to bring down the next number... No more numbers to bring now! Now all he had to do was start the process over! Long division was easy! How many times did ninety one go into forty fi- wait... ninety one didn't go into forty five. Petch. What did he do now? The young face contorted in confusion as he was met with the obstacle he had never been met with before. A remainder didn't work here! He wasn't dividing things into groups, so he couldn't say: "Oh, well, they make five pinions a day with a remainder of forty five!" That made no sense! Did that mean they made somewhere between five and six pinions a day? Five and a half pinions? Hell, that was a better guess than saying five and a remainder of forty five!

Let's say five pinions was a quarter of what they produced every day. To find what they produced every day, he would have to multiply five by four. Five plus five plus five plus five equals twenty. Now, to deal with those pesky halves he had no idea how to multiply. When added together, the four halves came together to make a nice, round, even two, bringing the number to a plump twenty two. He guessed a flight to this legendary City of Snow and back, wherever it was, would take four or five days, depending on the weather conditions... Four times twenty two was... He set up the equation in his head, the larger twenty two over the smaller four. Then, he started multiplying. Four times two equals eight, four times two equals eight. Four days gone was eighty eight pinions. Add another twenty two onto that, and you got one hundred and ten. Now, to get the price of three check ins. Eighty eight times three. His mind once more set the numbers up in a nice pretty pattern and began. Three times eight was twenty four. Put the four at the bottom, carry the two. Eight times four was twenty four, plus the two he had carried was twenty six, giving him two hundred and sixty four. That was the bottom range of his price. One hundred times three was next. Once more, pretty arrangements were made, and nice crunching was completed. Three times zero was zero, three times one was three, and one times one was three. Three hundred thirty!

So, it was with incomplete information that Fenilen began his speech. "Endal make five hundred pinions a season, which boils down to about five and a half pinions a day. This is, of course, not the entirety of what they produce, which I estimate to be around twenty two pinions worth of goods per day per Endal. Of course, this fluxes depending on how much they're hunting, but let's move on. For a four to five day trip, it would cost eighty eight or one hundred and ten pinions to pay off their work at this amount. For three seasons of check ins-- one in Winter, one in Spring, one in Summer, the pick up and drop off in Fall are not check ins-- the total price would be anywhere from two hundred and sixty four pinions to three hundred and thirty pinions. Instead of bridging this price entirely in pinions, I have a counter offer.

When traders come to Wind Reach, they purchase so many of our goods at the rates they do because they are unlike anything they have seen before, because to them, we are a far away place. The City of Eternal Winter is a far away land to us. Far away lands have many goods that we can not obtain here in Wind Reach. I shall pay a quarter of the price you put forward-- the midway price between the two extremes-- but in exchange, every month, I shall send back enough trade goods, such as food and whatever goods and crafts the Snow People produce, to cover the gap I am not paying. I shall do this from my own pocket, with the income I secure in the City of Eternal Winter. I know you wish to invest as little as possible in my venture, but think of it this way. The trade goods in The City of Eternal Snow could be worth even more than the three hundred base pinions you're asking me to pay. All I'm asking is for you to show a little faith. I have shown my dedication to the community time and time again throughout my entire life. Trust me just this once. This is a chance to better Wind Reach, to make a profit, to learn new things that could help us," green eyes watched Kaden, pleading. "One hundred thirteen Pinions, plus trade goods every season."