189 [Bonus chapter] A Deal With The Dragon.
Arad hit Jack’s pouch in his pocket, sneaking it into his stomach. “Merida, do you have any clothes for us?”
Merida nodded and looked back. “We have those leather jackets, pants, and coats. I’m sure they will fit you.” She brought them to the clothes lined up on stands.
Arad and Jack looked closely, “Most of them are large.” Jack smiled, “There isn’t much for me.”
Merida smiled, “Here are more. I’m sure you will find some here.”
As Arad and Jack went through their clothes. A new and interesting conversation started between the girls.
Roberta approached Aella, looking at her long ears with a stern face. “Those are some nice earrings. Where did you get them?”.𝒐𝙧𝒈
“Arad gifted them to me.” She looked at the other girls. “All of our jewelry did.”
Roberta looked at the necklace on Aella’s neck and then at the other girls. “I have never seen such craftsmanship before. It’s delicate but bold.”
Most jewel smiths had a simple formula to follow. For a ring, for example. It’s creating a ring of gold or silver and sticking a gem on the top when needed.
Aella’s earrings were made of twisting vines of gold and silver. Tiny shards of fragmented gems were inserted between the twisting. It gives them an alluring glow.
It was clear from a glance that the smith used the waste gem fragments, but he made an art piece. And looking at the necklace was made from two things golden chains with rings in the shape of hearts. And it is decorated with a leaf at the end.
Roberta smiled. Most smiths would shy from such fine shapes as they are hard to make and could cost them a lot of money if the item broke. But when pulled right, those things are priceless.
“Aella, where did Arad get those?” She looked at her with glowing eyes. “Father, come look at those. Aren’t they beautiful?”
Gerald approached, remaining a bit away from Aella and Roberta, “Can I see them?”
Aella took her necklace off and handed it to Gerald, and he inspected it. “This is a true art piece. I can see the ladies in the noble houses fighting over them. I would say this necklace won’t go for less than five gold coins.” He smiled, “But since they will fight over it, I bet the price will be much higher.”
Gerald smiled, looking at Arad, “How much did you get I for?”
Arad did hear them talk earlier. “Seven gold coins.” He replied after adding two coins to Gerald’s price to make it seem real.
Gerlad approached Arad, “I know this is rude to ask, but can you sell it to me for ten gold coins? Or at least, show me where did you buy it.” In his eyes, the necklace is worth much more.
Roberta was different than her father. Profit was second in her mind. The first thing was a strange feeling in her chest.
^One, two, three, seventeen, eighteen…^ She counted all the weird jewelry she could see on the girls. ^Did Arad gift them all? Is that what Aella meant earlier? If that’s the case, and considering I didn’t see those pieces of jewelry anywhere else. Is he the only one that knows the Smith?^
She tilted her head, something is still off. ^No, even if he’s the only one who knows the smith, why spend so much money? I doubt they are all his wives, where did he get all that wealth.^
Arad could feel two eyes glaring at his back as he talked with Gerald. He ignored it as Mira was already staring at his back.
Roberta approached Aella with a smile, “Why did Arad give you all this jewelry? For the party?”
Aella shook her head, “No, it was for me. But since they were there, they got some as well.”
Roberta smiled, “I see, I wish I was there to see everything.” She started to put things together.
^Aella is his only woman. The others got some because they were there. Someone with such wealth and loose hands won’t exist among humans. He is him, the black dragon I saw before. Or at least, someone affiliated with him.^ She smiled, glaring at Arad, ^I need to find proof.^
“Are you sure?” Gerald smiled, laughing, “I wouldn’t have expected such a thing.” He patted Arad’s back.
“I will give you a simple set to sell. The smith will then decide based on how much profit it gets.” Arad shook hands with Gerald.
“A necklace, two rings, two bracelets, two ankle bracelets, and two toe rings. Nine pieces in total.” Gerald looked at Arad’s face with a grin, “I guarantee at least 90 gold coins. And I bet you will get even more.”
“Father, you made a deal?” Roberta approached them.
“Roberta, we will be staying in this city for another week. We might have just found a literal gem.” Gerald was keen on getting the smith on his side. An easier way is to provide a profit.
Roberta’s eyes darted between Arad and her father. She can’t get the idea from her head that Arad could be a dragon, and they are taking from his hoard. She could see the massive lizard’s shadow behind Arad’s large frame, one mistake and they will die.
“We should take this deal more seriously.” Roberta pulled a paper from her pocket to write the contract. “We will also pay the base price right away.”
“You don’t need to do that. 90 gold coin is a lot of money, wait till you sell.” Arad looked at her.
“I would prefer if we set everything straight and on paper from the start,” Roberta replied. ^I better treat any deals with him like the ones with nobles or lords. Dragons can be unreasonable at times, so agitating them is a terrible idea.^
She started writing the contract on one of the tables, and then something came to her. ^If Arad was a dragon, does this mean his territory is close? Including the city?^ There couldn’t be more than two dragons in one place, so he’s the one who saved her.
^The forest is a part of his territory.^