NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: Make Them Come to Us
Morning came and they were back to work. There was much to do and much to discuss. Lukas leaned against the wall of the candlelit chamber, arms crossed, his eyes quietly fixed on the two figures at the center of the room. Velena sat across from Jesse, who looked far too small in his oversized coat. Lukas had told them he was just here to observe and he meant it.
The thing about Jesse was that Lukas knew very well what the young dragonborn was capable of. But the problem was that Velena Ilagron did not see what Lukas saw. What the Countess of Ilagron Village saw was but a child, who was trying to take on a task that was far beyond his years. Even after being told that Jesse was actually around the same age as Velena Ilagron herself, Lukas could still sense the unspoken doubt that hung heavy when it was said that Jesse would be the acting Head of the Merchant Guild.
"The people of Ilagron do not see a future here which is why nearly half the town has already packed their bags and left. We need manpower. We need them to stay." Jesse stood on his chair, voice even and resolute, "We give the people a reason to believe in Ilagron again. And it starts by giving them a future to believe in."
Velena looked curious, almost skeptical. "And how on Hiraeth do you plan on doing that?"
"With the gold Lukas and Kraken stole from the House of Fortunes, we'll pay them," Jesse replied. "We'll offer contracts: not just to laborers and builders, but to everyone. Metalworkers, woodcutters, even cooks and cleaners. They're all hungry for work and I'm sure they'll pick up the skills needed for the work they're signing up for. If Ilagron is going to become the trading powerhouse I need it to be, then we are going to need ships."
"Ships?" Velena blinked.
"And I don't mean just a few ships, I need a fucking fleet." Jesse grinned, eyes glinting with the fire of ambition. "It will be the Fleet of the Merchant Guild. Right here, in Ilagron. We'll use the docks to build ships that aren't just for nobles or generals, but for the people. Traders. Explorers. Every man and woman who wants to take charge of their lives, they'll sail under Ilagron's banner; not as slaves or soldiers, but as merchants. If they want to continue doing what they do, then they can sell their services and crafts to the kingdoms beyond Ilagron. Whatever it may be, they will be the Merchants of Ilagron. We send them out, they bring business back. And when people see ships returning with gold, goods, and stories from across the seas…"
He leaned forward, resting his hands on the table.
"…they'll know Ilagron is alive again."
Lukas watched quietly, something warm stirring in his chest. Jesse wasn't just planning to rebuild a village. Jesse Sterling was trying to build an empire. Velena narrowed her eyes, folding her arms.
"And what happens when the first batch of ships sets sail and never returns to us? Pirates, storms, sea beasts; Ilagron isn't exactly protected waters anymore even if you somehow do take out the Leviathan from terrorizing our seas."
Jesse didn't even blink. "We build small, sturdy, fast. Not the hulking ships of the old fleets that I saw in these paintings. They must have made up the majority of the trading ships that Ilagron had. Cut down the build time, minimize loss. And we send them in convoys, not alone, never alone. There is strength in numbers and we will hire sellswords and train our people to defend themselves when the time comes. I've already got routes mapped that hug coastal lines instead of open waters. Safer, faster."
Velena raised a brow. "And the funding? You think that gold you stole will last forever? Paying builders, crews, supplies—"
"It's not supposed to," Jesse interrupted. "The gold from the House of Fortunes, it's a spark. It's the catalyst. Once the first wave of traders returns, they're taxed a small percentage of their profits. A merchant tax, regulated through the guild. Fair, but consistent. The guild becomes self-sustaining. All of them will be licensed under the Merchant Guild if they want to sail under the flag of Ilagron."
"And what of guild corruption?" Velena pressed. "If Ilagron rises too fast, you'll attract the greedy. The type who manipulates prices and hoards supplies."
Jesse smirked. "We operate on open ledgers. Weekly audits. Every transaction recorded in public forums. And we offer incentives: merchants who report fraud get rewarded, not punished. You can't out-manipulate a system where honesty becomes profitable. And if there is anybody who dares go against us, remember that I am the acting Head of the Merchant Guild. And I am a dragon. If push comes to shove, no human is going to pose a threat to me and I mean that in the humblest way possible."
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Though it would seem like a boast, even Velena knew that he was right. From the glimpse of power she'd seen Lukas capable of, right now, there were very very few humans who could even pose a challenge to the draconic race. Lukas caught the moment Velena's expression shifted. Just a flicker of admiration. Yet she still had to make sure she was placing the future of her village in the right hands.
"Ships aren't everything. You need exports. Ilagron's lands aren't as fertile as they once were. What does Ilagron have that it is going to be trading, exactly?"
Jesse leaned forward, tapping the table with two fingers. "Salt. Dried fish. Craftsmen's metalwork. We contract wandering smiths and artisans. And finally, you will have resources that no other has a ready supply of. Dragon scales. We melt them down into decorative trinkets and armor plating. Just fragments, but they sell like divine relics in the western kingdoms. Especially to nobles obsessed with power and symbolism. We can bring in a constant flow of dragon scales from Linemall and market it as a high value limited product. I doubt that scales are the only product on the market we can provide, anything that comes from a dragon will bring in gold to the Guild's doorsteps. Word of mouth will spread. Soon, everyone will be coming to Ilagron to get their hands on these scales."
"…You've thought of everything." Velena whispered, in awe. There was no point in trying to hide the fact that she was thoroughly impressed. It was hard to believe Lukas when he'd told her that the one who would be responsible Ilagron's rebirth was Jesse for he was but a child. But now, it was clear.
This kid was going to run the economy of not just Ilagron but potentially...the entirety of Hiraeth. Velena exhaled slowly, her fingers tracing the rim of the goblet before her.
"All right," she spoke at last with a reluctant smile on her face. "I'm in."
Jesse leaned back slightly, surprised at how quickly she shifted tones.
"But," she added, "no one, let alone the people in Ilagron, is going to believe you are the one running things. Not when you look like a grumpy twelve-year-old with an attitude."
Jesse opened his mouth, offended. Lukas let out a laugh because it was true. The kid looked like a brat. The people of Ilagron Village, let alone the thousands who would come under the Merchant Guild in the distant future, were going to listen to what looked to be a child no older than 10.
Velena raised a hand. "Relax. You've got the mind for it. I know you do. But image matters. Especially in politics. Which is why, officially, I will serve as the Head of the Merchant Guild. Publicly. I'll be your mouthpiece, your shield. You speak, I echo."
She leaned forward. "And to explain your sudden appearance in my circle, I'll claim you are Kaelen's child. His bastard son, one he sired with a random whore. One I raised in secrecy, to protect you. No one can prove otherwise."
Jesse's brows knit together. "That's… a lot. Are you sure you're okay with that?" Even as brash as Jesse could be, the young dragonborn recognized the sensitivity of taking on such a role. He had seen Mister Rabbit's confession, he knew how painful it must have been to learn of her son's true demise.
"Yes. Or I wouldn't have suggested it. It's the most effective story we can go with," she said smoothly, unbothered. "You get authority. Legitimacy. I get to keep the vultures at bay until the guild has enough weight to stand on its own. And by the time you grow into more of a man, they will not be able to take away your right as the Head of this guild. Until then, I will act as the figurehead in your place and you will remain by my side till then."
Jesse hesitated, clearly mulling it over. It was a bold move, a tangled lie, but one that gave him exactly what he needed. Slowly, the young dragonborn nodded in agreement and held his hand out to make it official. As they shook hands, Lukas crossed his arms and let out a quiet breath. Relief, mingled with respect. The young dragonborn was growing up and he'd need someone with wisdom and experience like Velena to guide him. This was a partnership now and it was one that Lukas thought just might work.
Velena's voice took on a sharper edge as she turned back toward Lukas, her eyes narrowing with genuine concern. "Everything you're building here: the Merchant Guild, the fleet, the licensing and job contracts; it's a foundation, yes. But it's brittle."
She gestured toward the maps and parchment scattered across the table. "Nozar will see Ilagron rising, and they will not allow it. Not when they believe the village is unclaimed, undefended. They killed my son. They killed his family. They will be willing to do anything to ensure that they make Ilagron theirs, especially if they see the village is doing well once again."
She leaned back. "So tell me, Lukas—how do you make it clear to the rest of the world that Ilagron is not open for the taking?"
Jesse's brows furrowed, lips tight. Even he had no answer this time. The silence stretched.
Then Lukas spoke.
"We don't wait for Nozar to come," he said, stepping forward, his voice calm but final.
Velena blinked. "What?"
"We make Nozar come to us. Invite them here. And we'll show them that Ilagron is not theirs for the taking."