the merchant training - draft 1
“Just be silent and watch how the transaction is being done between tradesman, you understand?” my father ordered and I nodded and couldn’t withold my giddiness. This would be the first time I would accompany him and my brother to an actual trade. It was also the time when I started to have this weird tingling sensation in my fingertips whenever touched objects and felt something about them. I still can’t really tell what these are but it’s something I had a way of perceiving things my family members could not. I just wasn’t sure whether that was a good or for the bad until this day.
The place was underground, barely lit with lanterns, the only light was the candle on the stony table and across sat a bearded man, a dwarf. He was about my height but thrice my girth and beard that covered half of his view, a thick brown braided with polished bronze rings, engraved with small crossed axes. My father, Kenneth Wiles sat across from him, tall wry man with steely gray eyes with thin lips to at least show he is grinning at the person across from you. But you can tell his eyes are like a hawk preying on his target looking for weakness. He gives that looks to everyone, even to me and Ollie.
My brother Ollie was standing on the right side of my father, slightly behind him and able to look over the table while I was on Ollie’s right, behind him barely coming up to his height. My brother was weak from birth and despite two years older than myself, when standing next to him we were about the same size and maybe I was slightly bigger than him. What he lacked in physical he made it up for the mind. He ha the keen insight as my father did and sure he loved that compared to me. He was a brilliant chess player, also my father’s favorite pass time activity. I never once won a match against him.
They were trading some goods, because we were away from the main city coins had very little worth or wasn’t really the effective tool for the trade so they ended up bartering. ‘understanding the value of the goods are essential and what’s greater is to understand its leverage against yours versus theirs.’ my father repeatedly say to my brother and I. He wasn’t so appreciative of me, I wasn’t sure what it was back then, I wanted to look as good as my brother was but the things he looked for wasn’t there in me. I wasn’t keen, smart, but I had health. I know I’m not the first choice as a heir to the family trade and a substitute if anything happens to my brother and by gods I hope that day never comes. but sometimes I wished that was the case but that’s for another time.
“So, mister Wiles, I heard that you have acquired some fine barrels of reserves from Fort Eisenfort as the rumors say, it’s been a while since I left my hometown and had a sip of that special reserves.” the dwarf pursed his lips and grinned at Ollie and I.
“Yes and I heard the mining here has been very profitable and you’re willing to part with some of them for some barrels of them?”
“Your hearings are correct mister Wiles, I can show you some of the ingots we have processed, it was a stroke of luck we hit some load here…”
“You may skip with the introduction, I just would like to examine them and compare with my tools.”
“Of course, of course, as a fellow merchant you should always examine your goods. Are these lads your apprentices?”
“They’re here to observe the process.” My father curtly answered as he took out a small wooden chest filled with scale and weights. He also took out a small ingot of gold from his pocket and placed it on the table along side the tools. The dwarf also took out a similar sized ingot, it must have been a standard thing to create a ingot like this for comparison.
My father wasted no time to measure the ingots. first he weighted his own ingot, then the dwarf’s. the ingots were about the same size and weight. I could see a slight curl on my father’s lips. then he picked up a small pick to press firmly onto the both ingots and compared the indentation. There was some pause and he looked at my brother, who was observing the proceedings in silence. he rewarded him by passing the ingots, he glanced over the dwarf to get an approval, and he nodded back.
Ollie held the ingots each in his hands and compared the weights and its size. then leaned closer to the ingots and compared the indentations father made on both. Ollie looked at my way and looked back at my father.
“Can he examine too?” he requested. “Yes please?” I couldn’t hold my tongue and spoke up, that was a mistake. My father’s thin smile faded, cold grey gaze shredded my excitement in a flash. “Yes let the lad examine it, more training for him no?” The dwarf insisted and that dispelled the icy stare from my father and he smiled back at the dwarf. “Of course, he can examine it, I just don’t want to keep you here too long.” my father agreed and nodded at Ollie.
the ingots were dropped in my hands, they were lot heavier than I expected them to be. So this is what gold weight feels like. I thought, but there was something more to it. They’re about the same shape and size, crudely shaped bar with rough surfaces and my father’s bar had a seal imprinted on it; a scale with wolf’s head and goods. But something was different for sure.
I could never express them with words, it’s like a tingling sensation on my finger tips. the best way I can explain it is like dipping my finger in the flowing water. when I move my fingers I can feel the tingling sensation, some are heavy, some are mild. there are places that snags my fingertip as if there’s an invisible hook to it and I feel like I can tug it like it’s a knot I can unravel if I pull it. It was more recent thing and I haven’t brought it up to anyone so far.
The dwarf’s ingot had gave more tingling sensation than my father’s, with more resistance when I moved my fingers along the bar. There were places where knots were seemingly in a pattern, I focused on the pattern by running my thumb along the sides and making a comparison.
“Are you done?” I jolted at my father’s voice and looked up and greeted with his irritated look with his hand in front of me. I placed both ingots on his hand. I glanced over to Ollie and he nodded with a wary smile and motioned his eye towards the dwarf. The dwarf’s beady eyes were boring at me across the table, fixated at my fingers as if I’m doing something wrong. His stony expression relaxed when I handed the ingots back at my father.
“Very keen apprentices you have there mister Wiles.” He chuckled and scratched his head before taking the ingot back. “They feel different.” I muttered, Ollie widened his eyes and my father frowned. “What did I instruct you before we entered the place?” he questioned and kept his cool. “You said they’re the same, but they’re different.” I insisted. If he was about to make a deal this was not a fair trade since they’re not the same. I wanted to help and I felt I know something my father and Ollie doesn’t that would help. “Disregard the errand boy, we will have a talk after this.” He quelled my suggestion with sharp words and I stopped, I felt like I was embarrassing him in public. My brother leaned closer to whisper. “What are you doing, you trying to get punished again?” he whispered, semi panicking. “But it’s true, they feel different, can’t you feel it?” “No the only difference I see is the stamp on our father’s ingot. we’re here to observe in silence remember?” he nudged lightly at the word remember. Yes I do remember but I felt it’s bad to lie when I notice the difference. But for speaking up now I am in trouble, probably. Our father ignored our whispers and resumed the transaction.
“Yes, shall we craft a contract?” my father requested and before the dwarf’s agreement he opened up a scroll case on his waist and pulled out a piece of scroll and unfurled it on the table, holding them open with two pieces of iron bars. his index fingertip faintly glimmered and he placed his fingertip on to the paper and words started to flow from this ring on his finger and snaked its way onto the paper and left trails of words as his finger skimmed along.
“Ah are you a weaver?” the dwarf asked and wiped his forehead, while his eyes traced the words. “No, just enough to use some of the weave forged goods.” he passed the finished draft and passed to the dwarf, who was putting on his own ring on his index finger and examined the contract with a nod of approval. “I’ve heard the founding Wiles is a skilled weaver. " the dwarf added as he took out a red wax and a seal. our father mirrored him. “Wild accusations, in my years with him, I have never seen him weaving anything other than lighting his pipe.” he jested. “Where did you hear such tales from?” “Wiles senior is rather well known in Eisenfort, I’m surprised you are unaware.” he chuckled as he made a copy of the contract and sealed both of them before passing it back to our father. “Perhaps I would inquire from him once I see him.” he replied, examined the copy and sealed both of them. I know his words are empty. He never talks to grandfather, like he never talks to me unless there’s a good reason, which I am going to have after this. I wished this moment would last longer because I was not looking forward to what he was about to say to me.
Both sealed the papers and shook hands and we left the dark underground dwelling. Ollie silently followed and I was behind my brother carrying the small chest with the ingots inside. When we exited, some of my father’s men were rolling barrels down the caravan and into the stone carved building. I wanted to drop this chest and join the rest of the workers to hide away from my father’s looming threat. I walked behind him and Ollie and I both knew we’re both going to be in trouble.
“What did I tell you before we entered?” “Be silent and watch.” both of us said in unison. “Correct, was that so difficult?” He raised his voice a bit, looking out the small caravan window. We did not answer. Both of us looked at our feet and exchanged glances. I know I should be scolded since I spoke up but my brother didn’t do anything. I pursed my lips. “No, and we won’t do that again.” Ollie said it before I could. “Soon I will let you do some of the transactions yourself, right now you’re just watching my son.” He answered to Ollie. I felt left out. “You’re lucky that your brother is looking out for you all the time, be sure to be his good muscle when he starts his own trade.” It was always him and I’m left to pick up the crumbs of my brother’s greatness. Always. “Why can’t I be my own merchant?” I spoke up looking up at my father, his face twisted and flushed with anger. “Remember child, you’re an insurance for family heir, know your place.” He snapped at me and waved his hand to dismiss. “Olianous, you’re staying to recite what you have learned from the transaction.” He added and snatched the chest from my hands.
That’s when I felt the snag in my fingertips, the invisible knots got caught and pulled and unravelled around my finger as I can feel it tickling my fingers before it dropped down to the floor. For an instant, I thought I saw the strands shimmered like a spider’s web in the sunlight as the knots untangled, but they faded as just as fast as they shimmered. Nobody else seemed to notice what just happened.
I walked out of the caravan wishing I hadn’t spoken up.