War of the coppers {Radiant}

by **Ronan Dugal** on March 2nd, 2014, 1:28 am

While Ronan was a little disappointed that his flattering hadn't had the total effect it usually had he was also happy for the couple that they had found their soulmate in each other. It wasn't often you saw people who had found their one true person in life. Whether it was real or not was a different thing all together. Ronan smiled at both of them after the man had cleared his throat. He stepped back from the woman and passed a glance to the man, making sure he could see Ronan wasn't up to anything besides trying to sell his wares.

With a small bow towards the man, Ronan apologized. "Of course. Where are my manners? Ronan Dugal, at your service. As for my stall, I don't have one. Almost all of my business is done on location. But should you ever require my aid you can ask for me in the Rearing Stallion. They will be able to tell you when next I'll visit there." With a smile, Ronan extended his hand and accepted the 16 golden coins the man offered him. A little quick perhaps, Ronan retreated his hand, making sure the man didn't change his mind before he could pocket the money.

The jingle of the gold mizas falling in his purse turned Ronan's smile just a little more genuine. With the usual courtesy, he thanked the couple, once again assured the woman she looked quite beautiful with her latest purchase draped over her shoulders and started to make his way through the crowd again. While he wasn't entirely happy with the proceedings of the day, it seemed like things wouldn't go any better than this for today. He tried a few times to approach some women with the necklace but nobody seemed interested in the end.

After a while, Ronan headed for the food section of the bazaar and bought himself an apple. Since he had left his own home, Ronan had discovered that apples were not only his favorite food but that seemed to calm his mind when eating them. Or eating them calmed his mind, whichever way it worked. With the apple in hand, Ronan walked through the bazaar some more, looking at the stalls and wares presented there as he absently bit into the fruit. The taste and the juice seemed to well up memories of times long past, of a boy trying to make a living out of selling fruits and vegetables for a few copper mizas each.

After a while, Ronan stopped near a pillar, one built to keep the bazaar from crashing down on the many customers and merchants in the place. He leaned himself against it and took another bite from his apple. He took the necklace out of his purse and tangled it with his fingers, holding it up in the light. Looking at it, Ronan let his mind wander and invent reasons why someone should buy it. He didn't want to go with something as often used as a luck-enchantment or a ward against evil. But neither could he go with the plain silver necklace made by a famous craftsman from Taloba. He sighed as he turned his hand over, looking at the necklace from different angles. How was he going to sell this one?

by **Radiant** on March 8th, 2014, 9:36 am

"Ah, you are a traveling merchant then?" Irthan inquired, his eyes genuinely curious this time, there was something interesting about traveling merchants for all he knew, traveling were dangerous and life-threatening, sure the reward might be great, but... was it worth it? In the end, he decided to prod, "Are you traveling from city to city? I recall it's dangerous." He gave a glance at his wife, he couldn't bear the thought of risking his life for riches then ended up dying, leaving his poor wife a widow.

"Dear, we should not keep him," Lisista giggled at her lovely husband, examining the beautiful silk scarf draping over her shoulders. Irthan nodded, then the young couple parted ways with the Merchant Prince.

Nothing of note happened as Ronan bought the fruit, then leaned on a pillar while eating it. He would see a distraught boy, no more than twelve years old, walking towards him... or rather, the pillar he was leaning, the boy leaned on it then his back slid down against it until he was sitting on the ground. The young boy looked rather dirty, his short black hair unkempt and he wore simple brown clothes, he didn't seem to notice Ronan's presence until he sighed, "What should I buy for Mommy?" He muttered under his breath, it was his mother's birthday and he had not enough money to even buy a simple trinket.

The boy then turned his head as a glint reflected on his eyes, it was from Ronan's silver necklace, the boy looked upon it as if it was the most precious thing in the world, then he slowly stammered, "H-... how much?"

by **Ronan Dugal** on March 8th, 2014, 10:02 am

Ronan wondered for a bit why his previous customers had been interested in Ronan's business but discarded it as a lost opportunity as he took another bite from his apple. The sweet juices slipped past his lips and he licked at the drop running from the corner of his mouth. Apples were definitely his favorite. He continued to lounge against his pillar, observing the crowd around him and watching people haggle and trade. Once again, Ronan felt a feeling of belonging rush through his being as he saw the money change hands at one stall and people arguing price at another. He smiled softly at empty air and took another bite from his apple.

The young boy leaning against Ronan's pillar went unnoticed until he spoke, his soft voice drawing Ronan's attention to him. His piercing blue eyes settled on the boy as he watched him for a moment, the necklace running between his fingertips absently. Somehow, the boy seemed to feel Ronan's presence as he turned to stare at the necklace he was holding and spoke. A customer and such a young one. Ronan smiled as he pushed away from the pillar and knelt down next to the boy, lessening the threatening affect large adults have on small children. "Hmm? What is this? A boy with a nose for a bargain?" Ronan smiled at the little man.

Seeing him all dressed up in rags, underfed, close to tears touched Ronan in a way that other people rarely ever, if not never, did. So similar to Ronan's own past, the boy touched upon all the wrong, or right, strings of his heart. He smiled at him and extended the necklace out to the boy so he could look at it from up close. "How much would you pay for it?" Ronan knew that the child would most likely not have the money for it, otherwise he wouldn't be so dirty and sad.

Perhaps, Ronan figured, there was something to be gained from this besides money. He smiled at the boy as he took a bite from his apple with his free hand while making sure to keep a good grip on the necklace as he held it for the boy. Ronan wondered at which point he had gone from dirty, rag wearing, hungry boy to successful businessman. He went over the thought again. At which point indeed had he shifted into something bigger and better than a poor street child? For some reason, Ronan did not think it was because of getting older. He had left behind the street child part of him before becoming an adult.

Shaking his head, Ronan focused back on the boy and waited for his offer. While the money the boy would have to offer wouldn't even be remotely enough, Ronan wondered if perhaps something else could come from this encounter.

by **Radiant** on March 28th, 2014, 8:19 am

The boy fidgeted when the merchant prince asked him about a price, he should have known, people will ask for payment, nothing was free here. Nevertheless, The dirty-looking boy didn't hide the look of despair marring his features. He looked, his fingers kept fidgeting, too ashamed to look at Ronan. He had some mizas sure, but even his child mind knew that it would nowhere enough to pay for that pretty necklace, how he envied some of the merchants here, if he could just get a few golden mizas a day, he would be contented.

With shuddering hands, the boy reached into his pocket then procured... a single silver miza, then he gave a begging look at Ronan, "This is... all I have, Sir, n-nothing more..." He didn't dare to directly ask Ronan to accept it, if the prince refused then he would understand and leave him be.

by **Ronan Dugal** on March 29th, 2014, 8:37 am

Ronan looked as the boy seemed shy to talk to the trader. He smiled for a moment as the boy looked down but adjusted himself, removing the emotion from his face. He was doing business here, no time for emotions to get in the way. Even as the boy seemed desperate as he looked at Ronan, the trader kept his face neutral. When the boy presented his price for the necklace, Ronan simply looked at the single silver coin.

While it was nothing near the price he had wanted for it, perhaps there was something in it for Ronan. Money wasn't the only way of paying off a debt. Ronan smiled at the boy as he took the silver coin from him, only to hold it between his fingers and study it. "This is all you got? I'm afraid that's not a lot." Ronan handed the coin back to the child. He also put the necklace back in his purse.

He was about to turn back to leaning against the pillar when he stopped himself. To the boy, it probably looked like Ronan got a sudden idea. He turned back to the child and looked down on him. "Perhaps... There might be some other way you could pay me." Ronan took the necklace out of his purse again and fingered it absently. "A smart kid like yourself could be useful to me. And I pay people who are useful to me." Ronan let the thought linger for a moment in the boy's head.

With a smile he put the necklace away again and extended his hand towards the boy. "Sometimes I need things carried, other times I require someone to help me deliver something. Every now and then I need help with cleaning my office. What do you think, young man? How about you work for me and I pay you with this necklace?" Ronan kept his hand extended down to the child. While it was a rare thing for people to offer children work it wasn't unheard of either. There were plenty of orphans and urchins working for the business men in Syliras. And for a certain merchant it had been exactly the stepping stone he had needed to learn what he needed.

by **Radiant** on April 8th, 2014, 3:21 pm

OOCAlright, this should be my last post for the thread, give me your final post then I'll give a closing post along with your grade.

The boy dejectedly tilted his head down when Ronan rejected his offer, in a way, he expected it but experiencing it first hand still hurts, not because Ronan rejected him, but because he realized how poor he was. The boy received back his coin with shaky hands then hid it inside his pocket, when the merchant prince turned around, the boy sighed as he began to walk away as well. He stopped when Ronan spoke though, "W-what is it?" He offered him a job, a paid one, the boy turned around, an expectant look on his face.

He listened gingerly to Ronan's proposition, so he was to be a courier. The boy nodded furiously as he approached then hesitated for a tick before giving Ronan a bow, "T-thank you for the opportunity!" He raised his head then fidgeted with his clothes, feeling disrespectful to be so eager but plowed on anyway, "C-can I start now?"

by **Radiant** on May 11th, 2014, 11:41 am

Ronan :

Notes :

My radiance is not bright enough?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, beam me a PM and we can work it out.

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	+5 XP
Socialization	+5 XP
Rhetoric	+4 XP
Negotiation	+5 XP
Persuasion	+4 XP
Leadership	+4 XP
Subterfuge	+3 XP
Disguise	+3 XP

Completed War of the coppers {Radiant}