Michael
“You have to try the Otcha juice, you will never want to drink anything else,” Sigrid said while signaling one of the servants to pour some for Michael.
They had been called to dinner a short time into their discussion and now they were in a richly decorated dining room that mirrored the rest of the residence. Solon had suggested inviting the rest of Michael’s close retainers in and so the table was populated by Solon, Michael, Kiran, Grur, and Eydis. The last one looked out of place to a hilarious degree.
On the other side of the table were the members of the Uthson family with Valmick and his wife Sigrid and their two adult daughters, Sera and Runeia. Both were mirror images of their mother in Michael’s eyes.
“I hope I can get some of that for home then if I am going to be addicted,” Michael replied with a friendly laugh which resulted in a similar happy reaction from the matron and her daughters.
“Oh, you are such a sweet boy. I can’t believe that my dear brother hid you from us for so long.” Solon looked up from his meal with a raised eyebrow at this comment.
“It is not like there is a huge forest with war-like inhabitants between Reen and here. I got nearly eaten there once by the boar clan and that is an experience I don’t need to relive again.”
“Let’s not talk about such things at the dinner table. Lord Rowan how are things in Telios, we rarely get news from that side of the beastwoods,” Valmick interjected before Solon could go into detail.
Michael thought about the question for a moment. He wasn’t sure if telling them about the weakened state of the kingdom was a good idea when he was to convince them to enter a trade agreement with him.
He finally decided to focus on the positives, “Much has changed in the last year. We have a new king, and many things are beginning to change. In my lands, for example, we are preparing to clear out our part of the Ereic Mountains to claim their treasures for our continuing advancements.”
“I see, your country seems to have settled down nicely after the rebellion and it is stable, I presume?” Michael never liked politics, but he had still learned enough about it to hear the underlying motives of the question.
“The kingdom is strong, and made to last, Minister. The last years have been good to us, at least economically; our agricultural produce for example far exceeds our own needs currently, and with the reforms and development that we have planned it should only rise.” Michael held the minister’s gaze until he nodded and continued eating.
“It seems like it is not only your economic situation that is changing though. Doesn’t the Church of Idas still look down upon mages, but you have one in your retinue.” The dwarf gave Kiran an inquisitive gaze but didn’t keep it up for long, rather focusing back on his food.
“I don’t adhere to fairytales and superstition. I see the value that magic could have for my subjects and am inclined to use any advantage I can gain to improve their lives. I have also seen many things here already that could help in that regard,” Michael said calmly but with a firm voice.
Most other conversations had died down at the table as the heads of both sides poked at each other.
“You will have to come up with better arguments than that if you are addressing the court of clans.”
“How about that we can deliver food, wood, and other surface products for a much-reduced price point and higher volumes than you can provide yourself.” Michael smiled back politely.
“Undercutting our own products would put dwarven suppliers in peril and reduce the profit for dwarves in favor of humans. Why should we do that?” Valmick looked like he was talking about the weather as he picked through his food and not about a political economic debate.
“It would also open up a huge market for your merchants which would easily overcome the losses that your economy would have because of the foreign products. Not to mention that maybe some of your less fortunate citizens could get to taste bread without having to resort to crime.”
“You are suggesting that a trade route might reduce crime,” Valmick asked with a raised eyebrow. “You should try putting that logic to use in your own crime-ridden race before trying to solve more advanced races' problems. I will be damned if we work together with you animals that are closer to pigs than to us.” His tone had suddenly gotten sharp, and his family looked at him surprised.
“Valmick, what …,” his wife began objecting but Michael assured her that it was alright and then turned back to the minister.
“Humans have problems, animal kin have problems, dwarves have problems. We all do. And what do we do? We fight each other, multiplying our problems just so that we have someone to blame. I am not gonna do that. I am trying to fix my lands and if you don’t want to fix yours and continue looking down and blaming others then maybe I don’t even want to trade with you, because what kind of country would yours be if you would refuse a deal that would better the life of your people just because of your pride or hate against other races.”
Michael stared at the dwarf with all the fire in his heart and he simply stared back with a blank expression.
“Alright then Lord Rowan. You will have to endure much more hate and much more ludicrous arguments if you face the court of clans. There are many grudges in the hearts of the dwarves, some of them nearly one thousand years old. Dwarves forget slowly and forgive even slower.”
The tension in the room vanished as even the last person realized that this was merely a test, but the matron looked upset anyway.
“Darling,” she said with a sharp tone, “Could you refrain from hassling our guests with your politics like this at the dinner table?”
“My apologies but I just had to see if even thinking about this was worth it,” Valmick replied with an apologetic tone. “My apologies to you too, Lord Rowan.”
Michael waved it off, “I am a child, I am being challenged on everything I say anyway.”
“That doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a nice dinner,” Runeia said and gave her father an accusatory glance.
The meal continued from that point without any political subjects because no one wanted to be subject to the wrath of the matron.
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Solon
Solon sat on the balcony and looked over the familiar sight that he hadn’t seen in years.
“Why this kid, Solon? Why are you pulling him into this mess,” Valmick asked while pulling on his pipe. “He seems smart, but this is much too big for him.”
“Smart? You don’t know the half of it,” Solon coughed from his pipe. “This ‘kid’ is the smartest person I have ever met, and he is not like other smart ones who that think because they are smart, they can get away with doing squat. He would work the whole day and night if you let him.”
“That might be, but you are still bringing a child into a conflict that has been searing for hundreds of years already.” Valmick sighed and rubbed his eyes. “This is going to get ugly, and I can’t guarantee your safety the moment you leave these walls.”
Solon smiled sadly, “You know, Michael survived a full-on attack on his castle, two assassins that tried to murder him in his sleep, and then led the counterattack. I don’t think the clans know what they are up against if they try to murder him.”
Valmick stared down from the balcony with a sad expression. “He seems rather well adjusted for everything that has happened to him.”
“He nearly broke but through sheer willpower, he pulled himself together again and that kind of strength can’t be taught.”
“You think this is worth the risk? If we try this now in earnest and fail, we will embolden our opposition and probably won’t be able to try again for ten to twenty years. I don’t think that King Jearn will make it that long. I hate to say it but with the stubborn fossil, we at least have some chance. Once his damn son takes over then all chances of reforms will be out of the window until he kicks the bucket.”
“That is how you talk about the esteemed Clan Ignar,” Solon chuckled which gave him an annoyed huff from his old friend.
“Clan Ignar,” he scoffed, “When did the unmoving shield of the realm become the stubborn fearmonger?”
“You can try to wait for a better moment, but I say the time has come and you should take this chance. It is the best one you are gonna get and with Michael, you have the best candidate possible to show these stone sniffers that the outside is not as fear-inducing as they say it is.”
“Stone sniffers,” Valmick asked with an amused tone and Solon simply shrugged. Valmick turned toward him and raised his pipe to him. “I guess we are doing this then, if we fail, we can bury ourselves together at least or I might come to live with you in the human country.”
They both laughed and sat in the light of the dimming light of the capital.
“We can’t stay here long, Valmick. Michael can’t be gone long from Reen, or the nobles will get ideas.”
“And you are telling me this after I agreed? You know how the court is, things like these take time.” Valmick looked at Solon who smiled guiltily, sighed, and rubbed his eyes, “I will try to make it happen. I have some favors I can call in and maybe push around some time slots, but this will make it more difficult than it already is. The clans won’t like seeing a proposal by a human getting preferential treatment.”
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Michael
Michael sat down with a big yawn at the breakfast table. Even in his tired state, he was impressed by the senseless fact that this mansion had a room for every kind of meal.
“Had a long night again,” Kiran asked him with a similar expression.
“Yeah, gotta keep up with my studies.”
“Heh, you are the weirdest kid I ever met,” he said and shook his head.
“Yeah. You look like you didn’t do that much better though,” Michael noted, and Kiran looked miserable. “I am too tall for dwarven beds, but the carpet was actually surprisingly comfortable.”
Eydis entered at this point and sat down next to Michael. “How did you sleep,” he asked her.
She looked well rested and quickly signed, “It was warm and had a roof,” before starting to grab different things off the table onto her plate. Michael smiled as he watched her indulge in the luxurious food.
Grur was the next person to enter and also looked like he had no trouble sleeping, shortly after followed Solon and Valmick.
“Good morning, I hope you all had a good night's rest?” He looked at his guests and after seeing Kiran’s state added, “We will prepare some more adequate sleeping arrangements for the rest of your stay.”
He then sat down and began talking, “I will be out with Solon for the whole day, I hope I can arrange an audience with the court of clans in a couple of days. I would request that your men stay in the mansion for now, it would be detrimental to our plans if there was any trouble with them.”
He then looked at Michael and Grur, “Solon has informed me about your other plans, and I probably can’t convince you otherwise so I would like to request that you go about your business with only my guards as guides and protection.”
Eydis let her hand fall on the table and looked up from her food right at the minister.
“Alright, with her and my guards,” he amended his statement and Eydis returned to her food.
“That is very kind of you to offer, we do not want to complicate things but if we are waiting around anyway then we can at least get some work done,” Michael said and nodded respectfully to the minister.
“Very well, my guards will wait outside and will guide you through the city. My daughter Sera has offered to give you a tour of the merchant district, Mister Grur. She takes care of much in my trading business and can adequately explain the intricacies of the dwarven market.” Michael tried to find any disapproval in the dwarf’s mannerisms, but he found him very hard to read.
“We thank you for your hospitality,” Grur answered, and Michael followed suit.
An hour later Michael was standing in front of a carriage together with Eydis - Grur had already left in his - and asked Kiran, “You are sure that you don’t want to come?”
“Nah, I’m fine. They have an exceptionally nice library here though, so I am probably going to dig into that and maybe take a nap on one of the sofas if I can find a large one,” the old mage said with badly concealed excitement.
“I will join you later, so make a list of interesting books,” Michael replied, he was easily infected by the mage’s excitement, but he had other things to do today.
After waving his magic mentor goodbye he climbed into the carriage together with Eydis. Of course, the dwarven carriage was way more comfortable than their human counterparts.
“We need some dwarven artisans,” he repeated Kiran’s words from the day before and Eydis nodded in agreement while lying down on the opposite bank of the carriage.
“What are we doing anyway,” she then signed while upside down on the bench.
“We are gonna try to get some expertise for our home. Miners, smiths, artificers, masons, whatever we can get our hands on,” Michael answered with a smirk.
“I don’t think that we can drag people out of here without getting caught,” she replied, and Michael laughed. “We are not trying to steal them we are trying to convince them to come work for us.”
She smiled cheekily. “And here I was thinking about how many dwarves I could fit in my saddle bags.”
“You are impossible sometimes.” Michael shook his head and looked out of the window. The marvel of constantly illuminating an entire city he felt quickly faded and he said, “I don’t know if it is because I have a light affinity, but I miss the sun already. I couldn’t imagine living down here my whole life.”
He turned back to Eydis who looked at him with sympathy. “Now you know how I feel about the cities.”
“And you still put up with it for us?”
“For you and maybe Solon. The others are nice enough, but you are my family,” she signed still lying on the bench. Michael smiled at her warmly and made the sign for ‘family’.
Michael’s good mood was quickly crushed as he got a proverbial door slammed in his face multiple times when trying to recruit any artisan. It was always the same, ‘I have work here’, ‘It is too risky for me’, or ‘My ancestors built this workshop’.
After the seventh refusal ended in a smith laughing at him and Eydis nearly beating him up for it, Michael paused to rethink his approach.
“Okay I might have to try to approach some less fortunate craftsmen that have more of an incentive to join me,” Michael thought loudly. “Maybe we should go to worse districts.”
“That won’t help you,” the leader of the guards said, his name was Thobrin if Michael remembered correctly. He turned to the man and asked him to elaborate.
“Struggling craftsmen are that for a reason and those are not the kinds of men that you need,” he explained.
“Well, they could be struggling for other reasons. Like health problems or a gambling problem,” Michael suggested.
“Right and if that is the case then they will ask for some sort of advanced pay for supplies or something and then just split.”
Michael hadn’t thought about it like that. It wasn’t the same as in Reen where he could have an eye on the smithy and check that they were doing their work.
“So, what do you suggest? I seem to be a little bit out of my depth concerning dwarven craftsmen.”
Thobrin didn’t have to think long about it, “Clan roaches are what you need.”
“What in Idas’s name is a clan roach,” Michael asked with a raised eyebrow.