Youth and wisdom [Lance]

[Anonymous]

The horse upon which Baron Stonesthrone sat was a timid and well trained dapple grey mare; unlike his sister he didn't feel to ride his destrier all the time, or his jousting stallion either. Yes, he had a different horse for jousting than he did for war, although he rode Shadowstone once a week in full armour as he had done ever since taking the horse on at the age of sixteen. His grey mare, though, whom he had fondly named Fae Silver, was suitable for this occasion, providing an honour guard for a businessman noble visiting the barony.

His steward had complained, of course; the Baron himself should not provide part of the honour guard, since the honour guard was supposed to safely deliver the guests to the baron. Tarys had pointed out that if he was a part of the guard then his guests would be safely delivered to him, whereas if he wasn't the soldiers under his command would wonder why he could spend so much time doing business stuff and jousting and not bother with them at all. He was a knight and a baron and he wanted all of Stonesthrone to know it.

So to provide for Nicolas Fleming, he had dressed himself and his horse on Stonesthrone colours (although he also wore the Fallial crest as a brooch holding his riding cloak) and dragged his personal honour guard away from the drill yard to meet the older man. Tarys hadn't seen the businessman since before he'd been knighted, and despite himself he was quite looking forward to talking with nicolas again. Bargaining with the man was always an interesting challenge, and Tarys did so like a challenge every now and again. Especially one that didn't involve his steward.

They had ridden out that morning with a scout riding ahead, and when that woman had seen dust on the horizon they had stopped to await the arrival of the older man and his party. Nobody ever travelled alone any more, after all; even though Tarys could personally attest to the safety of the roads of Stonesthrone and to an extent Fallial, safety in numbers was always advised.

[Anonymous]

(He's basically a merchant for everything. Just ask.)

The carriage bobbed up and down as the wheels of it clattered over the occasional pebble or bump on the road. Nicolas was going to meet Baron Stonesthrone, a man he had worked with since he had become a baron. The immortal human flipped the watch open, making sure that he was on time before he closed his eyes again, placing his hands on his lap. The Baron had given him the honour of providing part of the honour guard for him, though Nicolas had insisted that there was no need for the honour guard. He was safe enough with his own guards, all handpicked not from the army, but from the mercenaries that came by the city.

Moving his sleeve up to his elbow, Nicolas appraised the artifact on his wrist. The golden armlet on his wrist had a ruby set inside it, glowing dimly. Its purpose was to seal his aura and magic, making sure he would never use it again. His quest for knowledge and power had brought a heavy toll on his social life, killing off his children and wife. Nicolas' vision turned blurry as tears formed in his eyes, with one of them streaking down his cheek.

Unforunately, that was the time when Jerry, his secretary popped in to check. Opening the window flap Jerry had poked his head in, though his smile was quickly wiped off as he saw the tears.

"Are you okay, sir?"

Nicolas hastily wiped away his tears and gave a shaky laugh, before saying casually, "I'm fine, I'm fine. Something got into my eye thats all, darned carriage-makers." Expertly diverting the subject, Nicolas said again, "How long more till we reach the Baron's place?"

"I expect we will reach it in about .. Ten minutes, sir."

Dismissing his secretary with a wave of his hand, Nicolas scolded himself silently. He cannot be caught crying like that, else there would be a risk of him revealing his past life. His past life was .. Well, past. It wasn't Nicolas the Alchemyst and Magician now, but Nicolas the Shrewd Businessman. Adjusting his collar slightly, Nicolas looked into the mirror set in the door of the carriage. Attire was always important when meeting with the bigwigs.

He felt the carriage stop moving, as his secretary opened the door of the carriage for him. Stepping out from the carriage, Nicolas walked towards the familiar figure on the horse. Opening his arms in a gesture of friendship Nicolas smiled brightly at the young man and said, "Long time no see, Tarys! What service do you need of me?"

[Anonymous]

As the merchant party arrived at the point where Tarys and his guards had stopped, the nineteen year old smiled. Trust Nicolas to be in a carriage! It was slower than a horse, of course, but it suited the businessman much more than it would have suited Tarys. The young knight was too active to get around in a carriage, he was sure that such a method of transport would drive him insane with boredom. At least on a horse he wasn't subject to damaged wheels and spooked horses; his own steeds were well trained, and their shoes were runed against slipping.

"It is nice to see you again, Nicolas. But before we talk business we should get back to the fortress."

He slipped off his horse to give the man a comradely hug, although Nicolas was no knight. Of course, the last time he had seen the man Tarys himself had not been a knight either, but the man he had squired for was now happily teaching some younger lesser noble the art of gearing up a horse. Tarys had been judged worthy of a knighthood two months ago now, and in the king's absence his father had done the honours in the knighting ceremony.

"We still have a way to go, old friend. If you wish, i'm sure we can find a mount for you."

[Anonymous]

Patting Tarys' back lightly, Nicolas dared not go into a full-fledged comradedly hug with Tarys, lest it wrinkles his clothes. Yes. He didn't want anything to wrinkle his clothes. Ever. Wrinkled clothes put a dent in his figure and stuff like that. They also took ages to straighten out - Without magic. Sigh .. Too bad Nicolas had sworn off magic so definitely that he couldn't find a loophole in that oath. If Nicolas, this shrewd businessman who had placed many other wannabes in their places couldn't find a loophole, there's a likely chance that there's lesser than a handful of people who could.

"Yes, yes, we should. This place isn't exactly fit for a meeting, eh?" Nicolas chuckled as he let go of the boy, the smile still on his face. He wasn't very sure how he was going to get to the fortress, since that carriage isn't exactly a thing to go through streets with. Too many a time has Nicolas found that his carriage tended to get stuck in alleys, and he had to spend many a hour to un-stuck the carriage.

Nicolas had almost forgot that the boy was a Knight now. He had attended the Knighting Ceremony, which the boy's father had done in place of the king who had went missing a while ago. "Ahh .. I can walk, Tarys. Horse-riding creases my clothes." Nicolas said with a cheeky grin and wink as he smoothened his goatee. Despite swearing off magic Nicolas had kept himself in tip-top physical condition, rivalling that of even an average Serenian - Not to forget that Nicolas was a human.

[Anonymous]

Tarys rolled his eyes as the older man stepped back and made some comment about not riding because his clothes would get creased. It was something that he himself rarely thought about; whilst his magic held best within metal, he had runed his riding gear to stay pristine. As long as he remembered to renew the invisible runes on his clothing he never had to deal with creased clothing at all.

"I can make sure your clothes don't crease," he commented, with a smile. "And imagine the impression you'll make on everyone, cutting such a dashing figure on a horse draped in Stonesthrone colours. You'll have most the merchants in town begging you to be middle man for them."

Three years as Baron of Stonesthrone had taught Tarys to play people. Even though he never hid the fact that he was playing them, since they all knew their own weaknesses and should recognise he was using them if they were actually paying attention, it still seemed to him that he got away with a lot more than he probably should. Still, it was also true that he had been doing this all his life, if what his mother had told him with her dying breath was true.

"After all, while a man might have a headstart on a horse for a couple of seconds, I've yet to meet one who could keep up once a horse gets going. Keeping the procession slow will annoy my steward greatly, and while I would normally do anything to inspire the man to quit I think that would be taking things a bit too far."

[Anonymous]

Other Knights have looked in wonder and awe at Tarys at how his riding gear stayed pristine and in tip-top condition no matter how much he rode. Tarys had shown him the runes and the spells he had used to preserve his gear, and Nicolas had felt a twinge of longing. If he hadn't sworn to stop using magic, he wouldn't have to worry about his clothes wearing out and other minor things anymore. He wouldn't have to worry about the fighting. Why would a businessman be involved in a fight? Even if they were getting raided, it'd be his guard that would make short work of the very foolish raiders.

When Tarys had commented on his clothes, Nicolas' face lit up in a bright smile, like a child who has seen the sky rain chocolate and all kinds of sweets. He would be dashing, of course, like he always was. But being dashing, and on a horse at the same time? Perfect! P-E-R-F-E-C-T!

"W-ell," Nicolas started, dragging the double-u out as he pretended to consider the very, very tempting offer. "It'd be rude to refuse." Nicolas had ended, somewhat sheepishly. Crossing his arms, Nicolas was careful not to wrinkle his clothes as he remarked at Tarys doubting his abilities, "I'll pretend you didn't say that. Get on with it, boy. I haven't got all day!" Nicolas ended with mock exasperation.

[Anonymous]

When he was riding to joust (he had never ridden to war, after all) Tarys usually left his clothes unruned. His armour was runed of course, but by someone other than himself; he had it firmly in his head that his 21st birthday present to himself would be a perfect suit of armour that fit him like a glove and was runed to whatever specifications he deemed necessary at the time. It would outshine even the armour he had made for his sister, and that set was as beautiful as they came at the moment.

He quickly looked at his friend's clothing and cocked his head on one side as he twisted his mind around the necessary runes. he gestured with his hand for one of the spare horses to be saddled and brought forward, then looked at the businessman with a smile.

"Ready when you are, Nicolas. It is only a temporary runing, but it will last until we get the Stonesthrone. One of my men will direct your carriage through the longer, wider route."

Stonesthrone being what it was, it had well laid and wide roads in certain areas, particularly en route to and from the mines. But they were pressed for time, if Tarys' steward was to be believed, and sometimes it was better to humour the old crow and get things done to some schedule that Tarys was sure the old man made up as he went along. Hence offering the man a horse instead of just taking the long way around.

[Anonymous]

Nicolas hadn't felt anything when Tarys had did the runing, but he just had to trust the boy. Oh wells, if his clothes got creased halfway to the fortress, he'll just turn around and ride away plus never do business with Tarys again. Thats a good compromise. Congratulating himself with a smile, Nicolas expertly climbed up the horse and set a trotting pace, gesturing Tarys to ride alongside him.

"So, Tarys, why do you ask me here?"

Nicolas looked out and over the marketplace that they were riding through. Children were running around chasing each other, laughing and screaming. Stallholders were shouting out their wares, or else they were haggling with fussy housewives. A few of the women had even stopped to look at Nicolas, gushing over him as he sat straight backed and elegant on the horse.

Grinning to himself Nicolas waved at a few of the women, some of which promptly fainted after he smiled at them. Yes, he always had that effect on women. But then again, the only woman he ever loved was his wife, and he wasn't about to go back on that.

[Anonymous]

Tarys confidently mounted his horse with a few quiet words of praise to keep her calm, then trotted her up the the head of the procession. Sitting straight in his saddle he was taller than Nicolas, but since he was Baron and Nicolas wasn't it was Nicolas, thankfully, who got the attention, even if he didn't seek it or return it. Tarys was already certain that someone in his father's household was trying to find someone to marry him to, and besides, he couldn't go about marrying a non-noble. People would talk.

"I requested your presence so that we could talk business, Nicolas. Not so that you could make my father's subjects faint. But as I said, business talk can wait until we reach the fortress. How have you been since we last spoke?"

Tarys couldn't claim to know very much about Nicolas, for all they called one another friend. He could sense that the gold encircling the older man's arm was restricting magic, but he didn't really know much else about Nicolas that nobody else was aware of. The man was pretty secretive about things, or he was around Tarys any way. Still, asking after a friend was only polite, instead of jumping straight into business.

[Anonymous]

Nicolas' grin grew wider as Tarys remarked on how he was there to talk business, and not to make the girl's faint. With hint of teasing in his tone Nicolas replied to Tarys, "Do I sense a twinge of jealously? Or is it just because I have more charm than you?" Emphasizing, on the word "than", Nicolas looked back to the front again, where he blew a kiss to another girl, and a cacophony of "Ahhhsss" rose from the group of girls, before they started to argue who he was blowing the kiss at.

"Of course, of course. We shall talk business when we reach the Castle. Well, its more or less the same, Tarys. Doing my business, making girls faint and etcetera. How about you? Any plans for marriage yet? I remember your sister begging me to find a good-looking girl for you."

Nicolas had a feeling that Tarys could sense the magic that was sealed behind the armlet, and Nicolas was worried. His past life was a secret, his power was a secret. No one can be allowed to know of the power inside Nicolas.

[Anonymous]

Tarys rolled his eyes; with the right clothes he could walk into a room and demand attention without saying a word. Unlike his siblings, who mostly looked like their father, Tarys Thandryon was almost identical in features to his mother, with white-blond hair and pale green eyes, although he had the tall, well built physique of his father. And being a Thandryon, he was polite, chivalrous and not afraid to break a person's face should he see someone else being taken advantage of. Such things made him more straight laced than Nicolas, that was true, but he was no less charming. Just less vain and less aware of himself and the effect he could have without even thinking.

"If Vethrys asked you for help, I'm sure it was purely to keep you occupied," Tarys commented. His sister was very much an independent type, who liked doing things for herself. Of course, that didn't mean that she wouldn't ask other people for opinions, it just meant that she wouldn't pay any attention to them at all. "But no, no marriage plans yet. I have too much to do running the Barony."

[Anonymous]

"Of course it was to keep me occupied! How could you hope to get a girl with me around?" Nicolas said loudly, his tone one of mock disbelief at how Tarys could be that dumb. Clearing his throat softly, Nicolas kept one hand on the reins as he adjusted his collar and inner shirt again. The spider silk and damocles steel worked perfectly together, and the shirt continued to retain the soft and slippery feel of the silk.

"Too much running the Barony? You know, Tarys, a wise man once said that it was best to leave the empire to its own, than spend day and night worrying about how to run it."

Within minutes they had reached the gates of the fortress, and Nicolas paused at the gates, unconsciously adjusting the armlet on his wrist and various other personal effects. He made sure that the bandana around his head was still in place, and he straightened his hair again. Nicolas just needed to wait for Tarys to give the command, and they would be discussing business over a feast and glass of wine in minutes.

[Anonymous]

"Youth and money will almost always win out over experience, old friend. But my wife will be of noble blood, Nicolas. I can't just walk into a room, close my eyes and pick a girl to marry."

He could, of course, walk into a brothel and pick a girl, although he kept that to a minimum too. He wasn't his sister, who had a slight reputation for promiscuity, but he wasn't a wet blanket on naive innocence either. Being virtuous was not the same as being stupid, whatever some people might think.

"And that wise man of your was obviously an idiot. If you give people an inch, then they will use than inch to stick you in the gut and take all you have."

He could, of course, have delegated some of the ruling of Stonesthrone to those who made up his court, but he figured that since he had to sign off on everything any way he might as well know how everything worked. Letting the Barony run itself would end in anarchy, and with the king missing that was the last thing Tarys needed.

Reaching the stable yard, Tarys dismounted and stretched his entire body until he felt comfortable with it. A stable boy took his horse, and he gestured a servant over, giving the man orders before turning to Nicolas.

"We shall go to my study," he stated. "Food and drink shall be brought up as it is prepared, and we shall talk about everything."

[Anonymous]

"Idiot? You callin' me an idiot?" Nicolas shook his fist at Tarys while his horse slowed and entered the stable, getting off, Nicolas continued, "Thats what worked for me. I gave a third of my land back to the people who originally lived there. They make fortunes for me in my rice business."

Perhaps it was different for a Barony, since everything was so much larger and complicated. He didn't have a ruling court to advise him, though he had to consider the feelings of his workers. Unhappy workers dont make good ones. When Tarys had invited him to the study, Nicolas nodded quite too eagerly. The temperature here was slightly too high for Nicolas' liking, as he preferred his estate by the beach.

Beads of sweat had started to form on his, and Nicolas fanned himself with his hand as he walked towards Tarys' study, where food and drink would be waiting, he hoped.

"After you, Tarys."

[Anonymous]

Tarys grinned boyishly at Nicolas' semi-irate outburst; at only nineteen he still had a slightly immature look to him for all he was already shaving daily and running part of his father's lands. He might be all serious a lot of the time, but he was allowed to smile, even when he was being ranted at by his elders. Elder, after all, didn't always mean better.

The young Baron didn't bother to apologise for the heat, mainly because he didn't notice it himself any more. The fortess and the town that had developed around it was dedicated to smithies in the whole, men and women making weapons and armour and coins and jewelry for trade within Serendipity and beyond its borders. On the whole that meant that fires were going day and night; in summer it could be sweltering hot, but in winter it was quite the cosy little place.

He led Nicolas up to his study in one of the fortress' two towers, throwing open the windows to let in air that was slightly fresher than that down at ground level for all that heat had a tendency to rise. They had barely entered the room when a servant arrived with chilled juice, kept cool by runes that had been etched into the bricks around the chill room centuries before, and a message from the cook that said that food was on the way. Taking his own glass Tarys took a seat in one of the more comfortable chairs near the fireplace, although he was glad to see that the fire was unlit. He left the pitcher and the other glass for Nicolas, and waited for the older man to either join him by the fireplace or sit in the widow seat. Either way, they could have a good conversation.

[Anonymous]

Walking after Nicolas into the Tower Room, he was about to open his mouth to speak before the servant walked in carrying a tray and some chilled juice, along with a whole pitcher of it. Rubbing his hands together as if he had seen gold, Nicolas in his joy of seeing something chilled tossed a gold coin to the servant, which bit into it, offending Nicolas to an extent.

First taking a sip from the juice, Nicolas let out a sigh of satisfaction as the mixture of many fruits moved down his throat, soothing the heat in his body and taming the thirst. The main reason why the fortress was so sweltering hot, Nicolas had discovered was that it was a smithy! Metal items were being made twenty-four seven, so the furnace was always kept burning. Nicolas had learnt that the chill room's temperature was kept down by runes inscribed in walls. Then this discovery led to another question, why couldn't those idiots inscribe the runes in the bedrooms too?

Draining the rest of the glass of the juice, Nicolas poured himself another glass before he moved himself to an equally comfortable seat right by the window, where the cooling breeze was blowing in.

"Now, Tarys. Business. What service do you require of me, Tar?" Nicolas emphasized the last word, just to infuriate the young Knight.

[Anonymous]

Tarys noted the servant checking the gold and smiled to himself; Stonesthrone inhabitants were not poor, and a gold tip for a glass of juice would be welcome but still subject to testing. Especially when it came from someone outside the barony, like Nicolas. Not all Fallialians were as accepting of face values as Tarys appeared to be, although in reality he wasn't above being a duplicitous... Well, he wasn't going to use the word, since it made him edgy, but most would get the idea.

"I know you meant to say Tarys then," he said, calmly but coolly, "so I will make every attempt not to rune you out of the window. Trying to annoy me will merely make me less inclined to doing business with you, and you know the things I make get you a healthy cut of profits."

Everyone wanted runed items. They cost more, sure, but they lasted longer, looked prettier and had a general type of prestige to them. Even if you weren't a noble, being able to afford a runed item meant a lot.

"I have been looking at the stored food records for Stonesthrone, and we're running low on wheat and flour. I was wondering what advice you could give me on who to trade with, and what I should offer."

[Anonymous]

Drake, I'm sorry about this but my exams are just right around the corner (They start on Tuesday and end on Thursday). So do you mind if I put this thread on hiatus till I come back on Thursday?