Chapter 347 - The Moonshadow Trading Company Short Stories: 4 - The Dominant (II) (1/2)
The cool breeze that filled Ishta's sitting room that afternoon just after he'd dismissed the servants was becoming annoyingly familiar.
”Mr Moonshadow,” Ishta huffed as he put down the teacup that he'd lifted to his lips, ”One of these days I really must insist that you learn to use the door…and knock before being invited in”.
Rassa chuckled as he came before Ishta, flopping down rather elegantly into the couch opposite, ”But that would be so very boring…and orderly”.
Ishta sighed, ”Two visits in as many days after not hearing from you in over a year, you really must be confident”.
”Well, you can interpret it that way if it makes you feel better,” Rassa replied, his eyes not leaving the ornately decorated roof high above them, ”How did you get that painting up there? It looks to be done there rather than placed, what an awkward position to work in”.
”The Artist was well compensated for his work,” Ishita replied, ”And for the record, it does not make me feel better. To what do I owe the inconvenience of your visit today?”
Rassa sighed, ”Remind me what it was we agreed upon last time Ishta…”
Ishita could not resist the opportunity, ”I would sell my Evanine to you at 80% of the Market price and in return, my company would receive a 10% discount on Moonshadow orders, plus 10,000 charms or the equivalent every year”.
Rassa burst out laughing as he sat up, leaning over as he gathered himself, looking up at Ishta with the amus.e.m.e.nt of a father who knew his child was lying but was willing to play along and entertain him. Ishta found himself preferring the look of a King from the night before.
”How old are you Ishta? You don't appear old enough for your memory to be failing you but perhaps the Head of Golden Sands has access to a particularly miraculous cosmetic,” Rassa stated.
Ishta gritted his teeth, ”I am old enough to have several bastard children, a Golden Token Trading Company, and to know to take an opportunity when it presents itself,” stated Ishta.
Rassa nodded, ”Fair enough, I will admit fault, I should have stated my memory of the event first if I d.e.s.i.r.ed the upper hand. As I recall it, we agreed that I would buy your Evanine at 60% of the market Price, and your company would receive a 10% discount plus 10,000 small charms or equivalent every Trader's Festival…My, I was in a generous mood upon my return, wasn't I?”
Ishita smiled, refusing to be intimidated despite the fact that he felt the dark presence of Rassa filling the room before him, ”Without my Evanine Supply, you will fail to establish a decent foothold with your company in the south, even with such a commodity as the charms”.
The two stared each other down for a moment before Rassa sighed and sat back, ”Perhaps, but if I am providing you with 10,000 charms for free biannually, I should expect that what you give me will far exceed that”.
”You wish to impose a quota?” asked Ishta, ”The mines can extract a minimum of 100,000 of your small charms a day. I highly doubt you can meet that”.
”Ah, but I believe the market is still very much of the mind that Evanine on its own is useless. It may have taken them some time to work it out, but surely you would not be so stupid as to believe, like the others, that you can hope to make the Charms without Moonshadow's expertise,” Rassa stated.
Ishita sighed, ”Then I will take a gold coin for every kilogram of Evanine”.
Rassa chuckled, ”Oh no, you will take 50 silver”.
”Don't be absurd, that's daylight robbery,” stated Ishta.
Rassa put a hand to his heart in mock surprise, ”Ishta, I am offended by the insinuation. We agreed on 60% of the market price. The Market price on average for a kilogram of Evanine is currently at 80 silver coins. After all, we still have those who believe that the Evanine is useful in anyone's else's hands but Moonshadow's, leading to it being more expensive than it was prior to the appearance of the Vanguard. At 60% market price that is roughly 50 silver coins. Of course, I am being generous considering our previous dealings”.
Ishita huffed, snatching up his teacup and taking a sip, ”This feels more like coercion than a business discussion”.
Rassa smiled, ”You are getting something out of it are you not? After all, if you decide to sign the deal with me, you can make your first request for charms at this Trader's Festival. I'll even throw in a bonus Protection Charm for free”.
”You think your old trinkets have any weight anymore?” asked Ishta.
”They do if they are designed to protect an entire building…or ship…or whatever other structure you d.e.s.i.r.e. Free installation, of course,” Rassa stated.
Ishta tsked in disgust, ”So Moonshadow really is keeping the best for themselves”.
Rassa smiled in a way that could only be described as smug, ”If I do not create something to aspire too, my Empire will only last so long. It's changes to this world will only be skin deep”.
”You are perhaps the most ambitious man I have ever met,” Ishta scoffed, ”And that is coming from me”.
Rassa stood, ”I am not ambitious, I am bored”.
Ishta frowned.
Rassa caught his confusion and smiled enough that two needle-like fangs protruded from beneath his upper jaw, glinting from the afternoon sunlight that streamed in through the windows, ”It is not ambition if it is already yours”.
Rassa flipped up his hood, which up until that point Ishta had barely realised wasn't up considering how dark Rassa's hair and eyes were, then he walked back towards the window.
”I'll have your answer before the end of the Festival, Ishta,” said Rassa.
Ishta couldn't help but watch as Rassa seemed to simply vanish between one step and the next. Clearly not shadow magic considering the shadows did not move nor bend as they had around Illai. The younger man, or whatever he was, did not need to wait for his answer. He already had it.
***
Iah tried not to grit her teeth in annoyance as she greeted another guest for the night's celebration. This night was not just about Moonshadow employees, but also those companies that Moonshadow had invested in over the years. The vast ball room that Iah stood in the entrance of was a part of a hotel that Moonshadow had finished building just 8 months before in Port Leis. A hotel that was already booked out 6 months in advance. It was anyone's right to feel jealous and envious of the success that Moonshadow had. But the company also commanded much respect, especially from those that resided on Rouke Island. And the man who had begun it all? The one who garnered such respect and envy from those both in attendance tonight and not?
Nowhere to be seen.
”Mr Penworth, and Miss Penworth,” Iah smiled warmly at the two guests from the Calligraphy Store on Charm Street, ”Such a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to have you with us tonight”.
”The p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e is all ours, Lady Moonshadow,” Mr Penworth bowed his head as he took Iah's outstretched hand and planted a light kiss to her knuckles. The Miss Penworth, Helena, whom Rassa had bed and fed from the night of his return from the south, curtsied gracefully. There was no shamefulness in her eyes, no girlish wonder. She appeared m.a.t.u.r.e and dignified. Though Iah could not help but wonder if it was a result of Rassa's Allure.
Rassa seemed to be good at attracting untouched women who knew better than to latch onto the one who would be their first. The three women whom had approached her seeking a night with the Moonshadow Patriarch were a prime example. Iah had been suspicious and thought it strange at first, but upon consulting with Ebony, both had decided that whatever they planned, Rassa would be able to handle it with ease.
It had seemed, since Iah had yet to hear a word from any of them of their night, and Rassa had not been particularly angered or annoyed, that they had approached from pure curiosity and been satisfied of it. Or at the very least, Rassa had led them to believe they were.
”Please,” Iah insisted with a sweep of her arm, ”Enjoy yourselves”.
She turned to another guest and greeted them. When Rassa arrived, he'd certainly face her wrath for being late.
As if summoned by her anger, Rassa Moonshadow himself swept inside, waving and smiling handsomely at the line of guests before pausing to kiss Iah on the cheek.
”Welcome, welcome all!” he called out as he continued passed Iah and into the ballroom to mingle. Iah barely had a chance to glare at him for his inappropriate entrance.
As he began to mingle with the crowd however, his red overcoat with silver buttons standing out splendidly amongst everybody else, Iah could not help but let her earlier anger dissipate.
***
Rassa stepped up onto the stage, taking with him a goblet of what appeared to be red wine. Really it was horse blood. Not as good as the human stuff but at least not as unpalatable as actual red wine was.
The room turned their attention to him, a hush falling over the crowd with the unspoken command his presence on the stage was.
”Once again, welcome. As head of the Moonshadow Family, I welcome you and thank you for your presence here this night,” Rassa began, noticing Iah coming to stand slightly behind him on the stage, ”When I began Moonshadow four years ago, I merely had the idea for something ground-breaking. Never could I have imagined that my family would grow so exponentially, that my name would take on the meaning that it has. Yet, here we stand. Here and now we celebrate four years of prosperity. Four years of astounding growth and expansion. And of course, we come together to in the consensus that this is only a beginning. That we may continue in our prosperity, and create something even more miraculous and life-changing. So now, I ask that you, as honoured guests, both of the Moonshadow Family and our closest friends, raise your goblets with pride and celebration. To Moonshadow”.
”To Moonshadow!”
Rassa tipped back his goblet, swallowing despite the bland flavour, then turning to Iah who shook her head. Rassa had said all that needed to be said.
”Let us celebrate!” Rassa called. The room cheered and he took Iah's hand in his. Both of them descending from the platform, apologising to those that began to swarm them as they temporarily stepped away for a respite.
”You were late,” Iah huffed as they stepped into the hallway behind the ballroom under the pretence of resting a moment.
”I am always late,” Rassa replied, ”But I have never let you down in the end, have I?”
Iah rolled her eyes, ”One of these days, Rassa, being late will be something you regret”.
”What happens will happen,” said Rassa, ”There is no guarantee that my arriving on time will change events, and therefore no use pondering it any further”.
Iah sighed, taking her hand from Rassa's before she took his goblet, ”I'll be back in an hour, I find myself hungry due to the stress your antics cause me”.
Rassa gave a small smile, ”Then I shall hold the fort in your absence”.
”You'd better,” Iah nailed him with a glare before she turned and continued down the hall at a leisurely pace.
Rassa smiled after her, then frowned at the other presence he sensed in the hall.
It felt so strange to him. Like it was supposed to be wrong but was somehow not. He turned to find the source, and found himself looking at a young woman in a white gown with a scarf over her head and the lower half of her face. Dark blue eyes looked directly at him with a knowledge that Rassa found somewhat unsettling.
”You are unfamiliar to me, are you with a guest from the event?” asked Rassa, disliking her stare enough to want to end it.
”I come to you at this hour, Lord of Night, to show my subservience,” the woman stated as she pushed away from the wall, ”I am not a guest of your event, but I have used tonight to meet with you. After all, you are a hard man to find. Or rather, a hard Vampire”.
Rassa raised an eyebrow, turning to fully face the woman, ”You are rather bold for somebody who knows what I am”.
”You are not the first I have met,” she admitted as she stepped forward, ”And frankly, I could not be absolutely sure that you were whom I sought had you not confirmed it for me now”.
Rassa gave a small smile, ”No? So, you were not aware after those three you sent returned to you?”
She frowned, clearly confused as to why she was being caught off guard and not him.