NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: A Business Proposition
The three Dragons returned to the Ilagron Estate just in time for dinner.
They had stayed at the tavern for a little longer, with Lukas asking more questions about the man they called the greatest pirate Hiraeth had ever seen. But not much was known about Rodan for few had ever come face to face with the Leviathan of the Deep and lived to tell the take.
Just before they had left, Jerry had given them a warning. A warning similar to the one Velena had dropped on them last night.
"I suggest that you three don't stay here for long. It's lovely to see new folks 'round here but there's a reason why this village's become a ghost town. Stay safe out here, my friends. If you see any of those men from the House of Fortunes, steer clear of them. They aren't good people." But Jerry was. Lukas liked Jerry. The bartender reminded him of his old coach, a man who smiled often no matter how hard life got.
Lukas promised he would come visit again but the bartender told them that he wasn't sure if he would still be here. The man would be closing up shop, traveling to Nozar and the three of them were welcome to join him and his family when the time came for departure.
They had a lot to discuss. Even Jesse, someone who usually questioned everything, knew that this pirate had to be Katrina's missing father. And they needed to bring him back to Linemall, without revealing their identities to the rest of the world But with so many likely on Rodan's tail, how in the world were they supposed to get Rodan back without any hiccups?
Lukas had much to think about and he needed to think about it fast. A plan was forming in his mind and he would need all the help he could get, specifically help from the brightest mind he knew: Jesse Sterling himself. So that was what they did. And once Jesse heard Lukas' plan, the young dragonborn knew that if they could pull this off, they could not only get Rodan back to Linemall but also solve the Seas' money problems simultaneously.
The hours passed by quickly and soon Katrina was calling them down for dinner. It was clear that his niece had taken a great liking to the Countess likely because of how alike Velena was to her grandmother, the Lady Kaitlyn Drakos. The two sat side by side, Velena chuckling at something Katrina was telling her.
Even Jesse who questioned everything and anything had no doubt in his mind that this plan could bring economic prosperity to the Kingdom of Dragons like never seen before.
The only problem was how well the plan could actually be executed.
It relied on many factors that were not in their control. One of those factors was whether or not Velena Ilagron would agree to their terms. And they were about to find out if the Countess was willing to work with them for the sake of both their peoples.
On the table Lukas saw pan-seared squid rings laying atop a bed of spiced wild rice, garnished with chopped dill and fried garlic. To its side was a loaf of crusty saltbread, still warm from the oven which sat wrapped in a linen cloth. Velena had even made pickled kelp and preserved lemon slices, their tang cutting through the briny sweetness of the rest.
The whole room smelled of rosemary, smoked paprika, and the ocean.
Lukas and Jesse thanked Velena for preparing such a hearty meal before they all sat down at the table and dug in.
However, as much as Lukas would have like to simply sit there and enjoy the good food of Ilagron, he knew he needed to get down to business. "Velena. May I ask you something?"
The Countess raised an eyebrow, recognizing the change in Lukas' tone from a casual to a more serious one. "You may. But whether I answer that question will depend on what you ask of me."
"How much do you owe those debt collectors?" Lukas asked and Jesse shot him an incredulous look. Lukas had told the young dragonborn he would handle the Countess of Ilagron but Jesse had known he would be this forward with getting Velena on board with the plan.
Velena placed her fork down and clasped her hands together, her small smile fading into obscurity.
The dinner table was silent for a long moment before she spoke again.
"I see that you've been talking to the locals. You understand that business here has not been good. I ended up making a bad choice and borrowed money from the wrong people. Still, I don't see why you would need to know the amount." Velena responded curtly, her body language heavily guarded now.
"I'd like to know the amount so I might be able to pay this debt off." He replied.
Lukas had Velena's attention. Now, he just needed her trust.
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"I don't know who you spoke to but you only know half of it, young man. Even if you pay off my debt, which I doubt you can, the officials from Nozar will arrive at this estate's doorsteps to claim this land as their own. Whatever you're planning, it's not going to work. You all seem like bright young children. You are better off taking your talents elsewhere. Ilagron's days are long over." The Countess replied bluntly, picking up her fork again as if this conversation was already over.
"And what if I said that you wouldn't have to worry about Nozar?" Lukas pushed forward.
"Are you out of your gorydamn mind, Lukas? I know your magic might be strong but you're talking about the bloody Kingdom of Nozar! They have been wanting to take over Ilagron for decades now. And trust me, they will eat you alive. Do not put your life at risk! This is Nozar we're talking about. You are in over your head." Velena was almost glaring at him now but still he would not back down.
"On what grounds is Nozar using to claim this village as their own?" Lukas asked, ignoring Velena's stern words of caution.
"We're talking about the Kingdom of Nozar. They need no grounds. What army is Ilagron going to stop them with?" Velena scoffed.
"You don't need an army. You just need somebody strong enough backing Ilagron. You just need to give them little nudge to keep them in line." Lukas grinned now, the confidence in his voice unshakeable.
Velena laughed, more amused than irritated now. "Allow me to entertain the idea, Lukas. Let's say you are strong enough to act as a deterrence for the strongest Kingdom in all of Hiraeth. Why in Hiraeth would somebody as strong as you fight for a village that you have no ties to? Why would you pay off my debt? What's in it for you, young man?"
"Because I'm a businessman, Velena. As much as I'd like to tell you that I'd do this out of the kindness of my heart, I want to make money. And I think this village will make me a very rich man. I help you, you help me." Lukas answered, without missing a beat.
The Countess had taken the bait. Velena wanted to know where all of this confidence was coming from. In that moment, Lukas thought he had her. But the glimpse of interest that Lukas saw in her eyes faded in an instant.
"I don't know if you've noticed there is no business. It is a pointless endeavour. You're trying to invest in something that has already failed. And I cannot in good conscience agree to whatever it is you're trying to propose." Velena told Lukas with a sigh, her anger replaced with great sadness.
"And what if I told you that I could bring business back to Ilagron? What if I could breathe life back into this village and bring it back to where it once was ten years ago?" Lukas pressed forward, refusing to give up.
"And how do you plan to do that?" She asked.
"I'll do it by making the seas safe once again. You will no longer have to worry about the Leviathan. I will put an end to the greatest pirate Hiraeth has ever seen. Is that a proposal you can get behind?"
"You think you can stop Rodan? You make it sound so easy," she spoke with a laugh but her voice was weary, "do you know how many promises I've heard over the years? Do you know how many brilliant young men and women gave their all to Ilagron, only to be buried in shallow graves when the tides turned against them? Do you know how many widows I have gone to in the past year, how many children that were left fatherless because of Rodan?"
"Ilagron wasn't just a village to me," Velena's voice was hoarse now, threatening to crack under emotion. "It was my heart, my family, my past. I've lost friends. I've lost my family. I've had to bury my husband, my son and my grandchildren with my own hands. I can't bury anyone else."
Her eyes glistened in the reflection of the lamp's light.
"I'm grateful for your intentions. Truly. And maybe…maybe years ago, I would've welcomed them. But I don't want any more blood on my hands. I don't want to risk any more bright-eyed dreamers throwing their lives into the sea for a cause that has long since drowned."
The Countess faced Lukas, her voice firm once more. "So no, Lukas. I cannot accept your proposal. It is not because I don't believe you but it is because I've already faced a lifetime of misfortune. And I refuse to invite any more into my home."
"Velena," Katrina interjected suddenly, her voice firm while still filled with warmth and understanding. "I know we have not been here long and I know I don't understand all that the village has been through. But I know for a fact that the people don't blame you for everything that has happened. They respect you more than anything and they want nothing but the best for you. You've held them together for years. We can help you. We can help this village together. Please, Velena, let us help you."
Velena's gaze lingered on Katrina.
"You are a brave child, Katrina. Braver than most. But bravery does not bring back the dead. I don't want to see another child laid to rest in this soil." She looked to Lukas now, her voice gentle; almost kind. "I don't want gold. I don't want power. I don't want to rebuild. I just want peace. And when my time comes…I want to look my family in the eye and tell them I didn't drag more souls into the pit of Tarturs. I want to be able to tell them that I let it end with me."
She stepped back, the firelight casting her silhouette in warm gold. "So no. I thank you all, truly. But my answer will have to be...no."
Velena gave them one last look, an almost maternal softness flickering behind the exhaustion in her eyes then turned before quietly leaving the room; dinner unfinished. Velena's footsteps echoed down the hall, and then there was only the crackling of the hearth and the distant call of waves crashing against the cliffs below.
Lukas did not have the appetite to stomach his meal after the Countess had left and neither did Katrina and Jesse.
Lukas rose slowly, his chair creaking beneath him. He did not say anything at first, simply staring at the door that Velena Ilagron had closed behind her, his expression unreadable.
"Where are you going?" Katrina asked.
Lukas turned toward them, his eyes dark and steady. "Before we leave, I would like to ensure that the Countess finds peace in her final days. It's the least I can do for her. The two of you should stay here and keep watch while I'm gone."
Jesse frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I'll be paying those debt collectors a visit."