 Winter, 78th, Year 513
Leo Valini's business, The Docks
The weather was cold and snow wouldn't be long for. Wrapped in his cloak, Ronan walked through the cold. While left and right of him he saw people wrapped up tightly in their clothes wearing thick furs to protect them from the cold. Blue noses and lips and red cheeks were all around him. While Ronan wasn't spared their fate, it seemed that his trip north to Avanthal had helped his body build up some resistance to the cold. He was still cold and miserable but at least he could still feel his nose as the wind howled past him. He held his cloak closed with both hands as he walked down to the docks.
Lately, Ronan had found himself in this area more and more. Upon his return, he had started out again, trying to find old contacts and continue his business with them but most of them had been taken up by one of two men. Leo Valini or Kale Belmont. One was a rich, flirty shyke and the other a rich, fat shyke doting on his daughter. At least until she got kidnapped not a few days ago. But Ronan had to admit that both of them were highly skilled merchants and their wealth spoke more than words and rumors could. Each one lived in their own big mansion and they had several warehouses constantly filling and emptying with goods they bought and sold.
Ronan had spent a few days in the past season scouting out both of them, spending a few coins to get some proper information about both of them. While the fat Belmont had one distinct advantage over the flirty Valini in regards to his very beautiful daughter, Ronan found Belmont's actions left a bad taste in Ronan's mouth and he had focused more and more on Valini. He had spent some time observing him, passing by his places of business in hopes of catching a glimpse of him. And when that wasn't possible, to catch a glimpse of how his staff worked and handled things. All in all, Valini ran a strict and well oiled business.
The wind picked up as he got to the open ground of the docks. Here, nothing broke the path of the icy winds from the open sea apart from a few ships docked in the harbor. Ronan pulled his cloak tighter around him and continued on. The dock location of Valini's empire wasn't far away and he soon reached it. Even now, with winter having rushed in so suddenly, people were working hard and crates were brought into the building from one of the ships docked just in front of it. Valini's goods came from other cities, both by ship or by caravan. The more he had found out about the enterprise the more impressed Ronan had been.
Here was a man who had exactly what Ronan wanted. A big trade empire stretching over several cities, contacts in all those cities and enough money and power to do whatever he wanted. The only thing Valini didn't have was a Ronan and that would soon be remedied. Ronan walked over to the building and stepped inside, out of the harsh winds. People were coming and going at such a pace that nobody even bothered to look at Ronan or to think it weird him walking in the building. There was always an office somewhere, where the scribe kept track of numbers and inventory.
Ronan stopped one of the laborers and asked him the direction to said office. He was promptly pointed to one corner of the building, where a small room occupied the corner. He moved over and knocked politely. When the voice from inside called him in, Ronan opened the door and stepped inside . He closed the door behind him, keeping the cold and the noise out, and unhooked his cloak, folding it over his arm. "Yes?" The greeting was short and commanding. The moment he opened his mouth to reply, Ronan recognized Leo Valini sitting at the desk.
His mouth remained open for a moment as he stared at the man. He had not expected Valini to be here personally. His plan to steamroll the clerk with big words and quick talking suddenly vanished before his eyes. Ronan closed his mouth with a small pop as the man looked up at him. "Well?" Ronan tried to formulate the words in his head first. Would he go and ask for a job or would he try and talk to the man a little and get himself into his business that way?
Ronan composed himself rather quickly and responded. "My apologies, Ser Valini. I did not expect you here in person. My name is Ronan Dugal. I'm a trader of minor renown." Ronan spoke clearly, all trace of doubt he had had a moment ago gone from him. He knew where he was, what he wanted and who he was getting it from. "Things haven't been going well lately and I was hoping to find a temporary assignment in your care. I feel I can learn a lot from you." Leo Valini stopped his writing and put the quill aside in order to look up at Ronan. His eyes were critical and Ronan could feel how the man was weighing off his options.
"You're a busy man and I'm sure you have more important matters to attend than to interview every passerby who wants to work for you." Ronan exhaled slowly, hoping his breathing didn't make too much noise. He didn't want to annoy one of the most important traders in the business. "Ronan was it?.... I think you misunderstand. People who work for me are the core of my business. I always make time to interview everyone of them." Ronan gritted his teeth and cursed himself for his words. Why had he used those specifically? "I see. And that is why you're at the top of the trade." He didn't like it but he had to admit it. Valini was, together with Belmont and a select few others, one of the most important traders in the whole of Syliras, if not the Sylira region.
Leo Valini looked up from his parchments to study the young man's face in front of him. "That is indeed one of the reason. But not the only one." Leo smiled at Ronan before looking down at his parchments again. Ronan didn't know if he had found what he had been looking for in his face. While Valini wrote a few things down on his parchment, numbers of stock or prices, Ronan couldn't tell for sure while reading upside down, the silence grew a little uncomfortable. Ronan leaned from one foot on the other, shifting his weight a little as he seemed to sway somewhat.
"Ronan, was it? Why would I hire you? Give me a good reason." Valini spoke confidently, not demanding anything, just giving Ronan a chance to explain why he would be of use to the trader. "I'm a trader, I have experience in getting the right price for the items in trade and I already have a few contacts in the city that I use as suppliers or regular buyers. While it is in no way as successful as you operation, it serves it purpose. As I mentioned, Winter has been a bit lean for me but that doesn't diminish my skill or knowledge." Ronan spoke quickly and, once he was finished, managed a few breaths before he seemed to calm down again.
Valini finished scribbling on the parchment and looked up once again. Ronan was starting to feel a little insulted by the man's lack of attention or interest in Ronan. "Hmm... That's what they all say, of course. Everyone seems to have their own little empire until I come along. Then it all vanishes before their eyes. What would you sell?" Valini shifted the subject of the conversation so quickly Ronan needed a moment to follow. Then he though for another moment, all the while with Leo Valini's eyes on him. He brushed his fingers over his clean shaven jaw as he went through the facts and rumors he knew. "Well. The fur trade has been doing very well in the first half of the season with the Inarta coming to trade for them. Although this half it's gone down a bit, it's still decent. I'm sure food brings in moderate profits during the winter times. Perhaps wood for fires as well, since it's nearing the end of winter and people are starting to run out of firewood. Furs are still in, though, winter is cold this year and people need the warmth they can offer them. I'm not very informed about the higher class customers but for the middle and lower class I think food and warmth is their main concern and to have it they might decide to pay a little extra. That's what I would go for." Ronan said as he let his eyes focus on Valini again.
For a moment, Ronan wondered if he had made a mistake as Valini's eyes seemed to harden. Then it was gone. Ronan watched as the man gave him a small smile before returning his attention to the parchments before him. With a casual wave of his hand, he dismissed Ronan. "Come back tomorrow, Ronan, and I might have something for you to do." Then he went back to scribbling on the parchment. For a moment, Ronan blinked and stared at the waving hand and then he turned around. How he disliked those in power. He walked out of the office and the warehouse and back into the cold air of winter. His teeth were pressing together as his hands pulled the cloak around his shoulders once again. Valini's answer had been too vague and Ronan couldn't help but wonder if the man was toying with him for his own amusement or if he really thought Ronan could do something for him the next day. |
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by Ronan Dugal on February 9th, 2014, 3:13 am 
