The conversation about the House of the Undying had come to a halt between Melisandre and Jon. It was not that Jon felt satisfied with the discussion or the knowledge he had gained.
Far from it, more questions and half formed thoughts still pressed at the edge of his mind, demanding to be voiced. But he needed time to process everything he had just heard. He had not expected the story behind the house of undying to be this complex.
He was a transmigrator into this world, and though he had never been arrogant enough to think he knew everything about the world and its stories, he had always believed he knew enough.
Yet today made him realize how mistaken he was. There was far more left for him to uncover. The house of undying had been almost insignificant in the cannon. And it was probably insignificant even now. But its history was surely not insignificant. It was rather important.
It made sense, of course. This was a world with thousands of years of history, legends, and forgotten lore. There would always be countless things hidden beyond his grasp.
With these thoughts still circling in his mind, Jon and Melisandre continued their walk back to their inn. Traveller's Paradise.
"My lord, my lady," the old man at the reception bowed as soon as they stepped inside.
"I have good news for you," he continued. "Though I could not secure a direct audience with Lord Xaro Xhoan Daxos, I have arranged an appointment with a merchant who works closely for him."
"If your offer proves lucrative enough, the merchant can secure you a meeting with Lord Xaro himself," the old man added. "I have done the best I could, now the rest is up to you."
Jon gave a nod and placed a pouch filled with gold coins on the table. The old man snatched it up with glee and tucked it into his breast pocket.
This was one of the reasons Melisandre had chosen Traveller's Paradise as their lodging. It was a place where the wealthy, the powerful, and the elite of Qarth gathered to indulge themselves. It was a place which the wealth often chose to spend wealth and flaunt their status. Top quality food, costly wine and drinks and high grade prostitute was what the inn was famous for.
Over time, it had also gained a reputation as a broker of opportunities. If you needed access to someone, if you sought information, or if you wanted doors opened, the people in this inn could be remarkably helpful.
Of course, gaining direct access to a member of the Council of Thirteen like Xaro Xhoan Daxos was never simple but the inn's networks gave them the best chance.
Jon's plan for investigating the warlocks was straightforward. Alongside the public inquiries he and Melisandre were already pursuing, he wanted to draw closer to one or two warlocks directly.
And who better to use as a bridge than Xaro Xhoan Daxos? In the canon, the man had worked closely with a warlock.
Whether that alliance had already been forged or not mattered little to Jon. As a member of the Council of Thirteen, Xaro would possess invaluable knowledge about the council itself and potentially about the warlocks as well. Also, Jon was a little aware of the psyche of Xaro and it would be easier to deal with him and use him when the need would arise.
The appointment had been set for the evening, leaving Jon a couple of hours to prepare. He used the time to freshen up. He was, after all, playing the role of a wealthy merchant.
Jon and Melisandre arrived a little early at the dining area of the inn, where the meeting was to take place. They took their seats around a circular wooden table.
A few moments after the agreed time, a small group of three entered the inn. Leading them was a middle aged man. One of the waiters at the edge of the room gave Jon a subtle nod, confirming that this was the man he had been waiting for.
"Xleucs Upucys," Jon greeted warmly as he and Melisandre stood to welcome the merchant. Jon has had to practise the name correctly quite a few times.
The mad had pale skin framed by a short beard. His eyes seemed a bit small and nose appeared to be more prominent. He a pot belly and a haughty appearance overall.
To Jon, the merchant's appearance bordered on comical. Flanking him on both sides were two guards armed with swords.
"Aeloros," Xleucs replied with a curt nod as he took his seat. He clearly lacked the enthusiasm with which Jon had greeted the man. Aeloros was the false name Jon had been using in the city.
Jon sat back down and gestured toward Melisandre. "This is my partner, Melinda."
Xleucs gave her only the briefest nod. Jon caught the subtle flash of disdain in the merchant's eyes. It was likely at the idea of bringing a woman to a negotiating table.
"I believe the receptionist has already given your excellency a general idea of what I wish to trade in," Jon said directly, wasting no time on pleasantries. The expression on Xleucs' face was of annoyance and Jon did not want to annoy the man even further.
"Yes," Xleucs nodded. "Alcohol. From the empire of Lord Aeos."
Alcohol from his own empire. This was the bait Jon had chosen. Qarth was a city of wealth and luxury, but it was far from Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen.
As a result, trade in Aeos's alcohols here was limited. Supplies rarely matched the demand, and new vintages from his cities were coveted by the elite. Jon intended to use this hunger as the lure to open doors that would grant him what he wanted.
"Yes," Jon nodded. "And I believe Lord Xaro is interested in this kind of trade?"
"For now, it is I who should be interested," Xleucs replied evenly. "I have heard you brought no goods with you. How can I believe you can truly deliver this alcohol?"
"You want me to strike a deal with a stranger on nothing but a promise, without any certainty of when, or if, the delivery will even happen?"
Truth be told, Xleucs would not normally have attended such a meeting. Plenty of strangers tried to curry favour with him in hopes of reaching Lord Xaro. But the innkeeper had shared some intriguing details.
This Aeloros lacked the entourage or guards of a rich and big merchant, but two things had stood out about him.
First, his bearing. Both he and his companion carried themselves with the poise of aristocrats. Second, the way they had been spending coin in Qarth. It was as if wealth flowed endlessly at their command.
"I see," Jon nodded. "And I agree with your caution. It is not easy to trust a stranger."
Xleucs gave no response, his expression unreadable.
"I will have a total of one hundred barrels of different alcohols delivered to you," Jon said suddenly.
The merchant's eyes widened in shock. "One hundred barrels?"
"Yes," Jon replied calmly. "Tomorrow. At the port. But I want Lord Xaro to come personally."
Xleucs opened his mouth to protest, but Jon cut him off.
"I am showing sincerity by delivering the alcohol before any deal has even been made. Lord Xaro can also show a measure of sincerity in return."
"I want a long term agreement and this is a gesture I am willing to put. Is Lord Xaro willing to make a gesture from his side?"
Xleucs studied him for a long moment before answering. "I will speak with him."
With a final curt nod, the merchant rose from his chair and left with his guards.
"This was rather quick," Melisandre murmured once they were alone.
"Yes," Jon agreed. "Now let us see if Xaro comes tomorrow."
"Oh, he will," Melisandre said with quiet certainty. "He is not a man who would let such an opportunity slip from his grasp."
#
#
#
[Add the book to your collection. Send it some power stones. Leave a rating and a review.]
[Access advanced chapter on P@treon. Replace @ with a. One additional advanced chapter each week on P@treon. ]
[email protected]/imaginarywriter