Who are you?” Alaric laughed, “I'm the merchant that was interested in your work last night.” Jed eyed him up and down a moment before his face brightened, “Ah, so you are, and who is this with you?” Brisco took a step forward, “I'm Brisco.”
“I helped this young man get away from some rather nasty people. I was hoping that maybe you could use an assistant, or apprentice.”
“Hmm, yes, I might have use for someone like that, but I can't pay him.”
“Oh that's fine. He'll work for free for awhile. He owes me and I want him to be able to have a better life and not get stuck with the same type of people I saved him from.”
“Very well, but you don't touch anything unless I tell you to. I don't want to lose anything. I'm so close to finishing this; just a little more time.” Jed started walking back into the building, but he stopped and waved for them to come in. The boys went inside, shutting the door behind them. “I just need a little more time, but I don't know how long it will be before these people throw me out. I haven't made any money you see, so I haven't been able to pay them.” Alaric sighed, “How much do you owe them?” Jed didn't seem to hear or didn't want to answer. He just kept on moving things around on the table. After a few moments of silence he finally said, “Ten dollars.”
“And when do they want it?”
“Two days from now.”
“I'll pay it for you tomorrow. Just teach Brisco and I expect to be the first person you tell when you figure that gun out.”
Jed's eyes widened, “It's a deal. You'll be the first I tell and the first I sell to!” Alaric laughed, “I'll hold you to your word. Get to work, and Brisco work hard and do whatever he tells you.”
Alaric walked out the door and back down the stairs. He hurriedly went back to the wagon and explained to Emilia what had been decided. Emilia was a bit concerned, “You keep spending money as soon as we make it, to help people you barely know. If you keep this up, you're going to fail as a merchant.” Alaric shook his head, “My pa did this sometimes. He said it's good to make connections wherever you go. Help people and someday they might help you too. It's a good long term business plan, and I hope that what we build here will be long term, since I can't exactly go back home right away.” Emilia sighed and hoisted herself down off the wagon. “If you say so. Let's go get something to eat. I'm hungry.”
“You're always hungry,” Alaric laughed and followed after her. Aerahagen seemed like it would be a good place to make a new home.
Chapter 5
After having been in Aerahagen for almost a month, word reached Alaric that Estad had fallen. The Kudranian army had crushed the army of Estad within about a week, but pockets of resistance fighters sustained the conflict for another three. There was supposed to still be some fighting going on from small groups scattered around the country, that the Kudranians couldn't seem to find, but for the most part things were quiet again. Not only had word reached the city, but it was Kudranian traders that had brought the news. Many of the merchants were normal merchants just like Alaric. There were however a few that seemed to have been specifically sent by the Kudranian government to make certain purchases. After speaking with several other merchants, Alaric discovered that the Kudranians were in the market for new, more advanced firearms. Maitland Arms Manufacturing, which was based in Aerahagen, jumped on the deal.
Silas Maitland was a brilliant man, and his family had been in the business of firearms for three generations. After Warren Bray's idea of the brass cartridge was introduced, Maitland set to work to create the very first firearms to use this new ammunition, and, thus, the Maitland Rifle was born. The rifle was only about two inches shorter than the rifled muskets most militaries used. The gun opened up at the breach, so that it could be loaded even faster than the cartridge innovation had already sought to provide. This created a deadly weapon that would allow a soldier to get off many more rounds than they had previously been able to. The Kudranians bought Maitland's entire stock of ten thousand rifles and ordered another two hundred thousand to be manufactured.
While Alaric was distressed, to hear about his home nation, he was far more concerned that he still hadn't been able to find Charlie and had no leads as to where he could have ended up. Alaric did however suspect the slave ring that he had uncovered. When he went back to the place where the men had taken him to purchase Brisco, there was nothing there. Everyone and everything had been moved.
Business on the other hand had been wonderful. Alaric had sold his entire wagon, not just the goods in it, but the wagon itself as well. While this was a good thing and had given him enough money to rent a place to live and work for awhile, it also meant that he had to get new products. Alaric realized that there were many inventors in the city that wanted a place to sell their inventions. There were some inventions that did not seem to Alaric to be very useful or like they would sell very well. There were others however that seemed to already have a demand, and, once Alaric had managed to track down their creators and work out a deal, he had a thriving store.
One day, while Alaric was moving a machine meant to make washing clothing easier, a man approached him. He seemed to not be much older than Alaric, he was tall, had brown hair, and carried a revolver on his right hip. “Good afternoon, I'm looking for Mr. Wyverstone, do you know if he's in?”
“I'm Alaric Wyverstone, how can I help you?”
“You? Uh, yes, well, I didn't realize you were so young. My father seemed to know you very well... but you seem too young for him to have known you as long as he claims.”
“He may have been speaking of my father. He was a merchant for much of his life.”
“Oh, I see. Where is he now? Maybe he remembers my father.”
Alaric went silent for a few moments before responding, “My father passed away a little over a month ago. I run the business now.” The man frowned and shook his head, “I am sorry for your loss. My own father is on his deathbed. I was to inherit his business but I know nothing of what it is to be a merchant. I'm a soldier. I fear I would cause his business to fail.”
“He didn't teach you?”
“He tried, but I never really understood any of it. He was disappointed in me when I joined the state's military.”
“I see, but how does that involve me or rather my father.”
“Well, when I voiced my concerns, my father told me that if I had to sell it, he'd prefer it go to old Ezekiel.” Alaric's eyes widened, “He must have held my father in high esteem.”
“You might say that. They were each other's greatest rivals.” Alaric laughed, “So you're Cornelius Beggley's son?” The man nodded, “So you have heard of my father.” Alaric then donned a more serious face, “Unfortunately I don't know that I have the money currently to buy a business.”
“As I said, I wouldn't know what to do with it. I'll sell you the whole business for a hundred dollars now and another five hundred when you've made the money.” Alaric's eyes once again widened, it could be a very good deal. It would give him more stock and possibilities. “What comes with the business?”
“Four wagons with their own teams of horses. A storefront over on Smoke Street with its entire stock and a storefront in Ravenburg.”
“Ravenburg? Isn't that several hundred miles from here?”
“It is. My father felt that it would give him more diversity to have the stores so far apart.” Alaric nodded, and gestured for the man to follow him into the store. Alaric went into a back room and counted his money. He wouldn't have a lot to work with if he accepted this deal, but it was indeed a very good deal, that he might regret passing up. After a few moments of weighing the positives and negatives, Alaric decided he was going to take the chance, but he wanted to see the store here in Aerahagen before handing over the money.
Alaric walked back out front and explained to the man that he wanted to see the store first. The man nodded, “Of course. I figured that you'd want to see it. Follow me.” As