Chapter 3: The Merchant's deal

*Sorry I have been gone for a while, I haven't had a computer. But I should be able to post every week now! I do hope you enjoy Chapter 3!*

"Hey, are you alright?" Came a low muffled tone. Lawrence, who was currently lying on the ground only groaned as the voice approached him.

"Hmm, the poor lad doesn't look good."

Fallen in and out of conscious, Lawrence could not remember much.
"Holo..." He spoke softly, suddenly hearing an unpleasant high pitch noise sound throughout his left ear.

As his world spun around him, the peddler soon found himself waking up. Slowly coming to a sitting position, Lawrence winced, as a sharp pain came from his stomach. Glancing down, the merchant notice some bandages and blinked trying to figure out his current situation.

"Ah, it looks as if you are up now?" Suddenly came a voice entering the unfamiliar room. Turning his attention towards the voice, Lawrence, still in a haze nodded before frowning. "Though I'm awake, I can't exactly say I am feeling quite better."

The man laughed before approaching the bed Lawrence was sitting on. "True, but when I first found you unconscious on the ground, I thought you as a goner lad."

"Unconscious?" The very thought confused Lawrence. Any memory of the previous night was a blur after he left the inn.

"Hmm? Do you not remember it? That's quite unfortunate, I was hoping you could explain what happened." The elder explained with mild disappointment.

Resting his right hand underneath his chin, Lawrence closed his eyes as he desperately tried to collect his thoughts. "Well, the last thing I remember is leaving the inn I was staying at with my bag of spices and then waking up here."

"Spices?" The elder spoke in shock.

Lawrence could only reopen his eyes and gaze towards the man with much concern. The spices were his only money source for a while, if anything had happened to them, he was sure to find himself in a bit of a panic. Yet, not wanting to show any weakness towards the man who had most likely rescued him, Lawrence simply nodded, keeping a calm composure. "That's correct. I had a sac of red spices I was hoping to trade at one of of the trading companies here."

Shaking his head, the older man couldn't help but frown. "I hate to brake the bad news on you lad, but you right up got robbed. When I found you unconscious you had no valuables on you...Left some pretty nasty wounds on ya though."

"What?" Though he feared this was the answer, the young peddler couldn't help but be baffled. "I...that was..." Placing his hands onto his head, Lawrence began to think about Holo. The only other money source he had now was the weapons, and even then, those were not going to grab him a good profit to survive on.

"It's truly unfortunate this has happened to you. I can tell those spices must of meant a lot." The elder man spoke, uncomfortably clearing his throat.

Lawrence could tell it was his weakness causing the man to act like this. Taking in a deep breath of air, he regained his composer before releasing it. "Sadly, it was my only means of survival for quite some time. Though, I'm not worried about myself, it's my companion I am more concerned of."

"Companion? Now that is a bit troublesome. Tell me lad, what is your name?"

Glancing over at the man, Lawrence spoke calmly, "My name is Kraft Lawrence, I do apologize for not introducing myself earlier...I want to also thank you for saving me as you did. I promise to repay you once I can."

The man only shook his head, as he quietly took a seat on a wooden chair across from the bed. "No need to repay me Lawrence, it was the least I can do for a guest of Kveir." Smiling, the man went on. "My name is Colin. Though I may not seem like much I'm a well known fur trader and butcher here in Kveir."

With his eyes, now fixated on Colin, Lawrence nodded his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you Colin."

The man simply grinned, a heartfelt one, before crossing his arms. For a moment, the two sat in complete silence filling the room with a sense of comfortableness. Yet, the elder man did not seem to care of the quietness, instead he continued to before finally speaking. "Lawrence right?" He spoke, watching as the young peddler nodded. "Do you have anything else you brought with you for trade?"

Lawrence, not being able to follow the mans thinking, cleared his throat before replying. "Y-yes, actually I have a few weapons like bronzes swords and Iron shields I was planning on selling in case the spices did not make me enough profit."

"Hmm." Crossing one of his legs over the other, the elder man closed his eyes and sat silently. All the younger peddler could do was wait patiently for what Colin was trying to get at. Finally reopening his eyes, Colin sternly glanced at Lawrence before speaking. "What if I told you I would buy the weapons off you and even double your original price on them for a task."

Lawrence's eyes grew wide. For a few seconds, the young man was caught off guard, having no words to reply. "You, haven't even heard the price I am offering are you sur-"
"Listen to me Lawrence, I have a favor, thus I do not care of the price, just so long as you may agree to what I ask of you."

"If I agree to this deal, you are stating my price of 45 treni silver coins will be doubled to 90 correct?" Lawrence spoke, still blown back by the mans sudden offer.

Colin simply nodded before releasing a sigh. "That's correct...So what would it be? Will you listen to my request Lad?"

Lawrence knew whatever this deal was, wasn't going to be something he was going to look forward to. Though, knowing if he'd back down now, Colin might rethink his agreement.

Clearing his throat, Lawrence sternly gazed into the man's brown eyes. With his best merchant smile, he replied, "This request, as long as it doesn't put my companion and I in any sort of danger I'll gladly take it up."

"Oh, you are concerned of your companion huh? Perhaps it's a young lady?" The man smirked as he handed the young peddler a paper. Lawrence only tossed him a quick look before Colin began to laugh. "Matter not to me who your with I am just thankful you are interested...You see, In this contract it should explain what needs to be done."

Resting his hands underneath his chin, he watched as Lawrence sternly read through every line carefully.

"As you may not know, right beside us is the town of Edmundus. As we speak the annual winter festival is starting their and every year my shop is known for selling the finest wolves furs. They're rather popular this time of month." Glancing up from the contract, Lawrence was stunned to hear this sudden statement.

"Wait...You said wolves fur correct?" Colin nodded his head, curious to why the man spoke so Shockley. "Yes, it's quite common for anyone up north to want the fur of a wolf...Unlike a fox, Wolves fur is thick and smooth...Some say, you can even smell the forest of which the animal had driven from...It's one of the main reasons many customers buy it."

"I see..." Was all Lawrence could think of. Holo had once told him that she understood humans hunted wolves, and that she did not care the least about it. Yet,hearing how there was a festival about the death of wolves, sent chills down the peddler's spine. It was somewhat revolting to him, and he knew, Holo was going to feel the same way. "Tell me...in this festival, do you ever praise the wolves for the fine fur?" Lawrence asked, finally getting the nerve to speak again. Colin only sighed.

Gently getting up from his seat, the man stretched before saying. "Nah...Those vermin's hate us...Fact, that reminds me, have you read the contract all the way?"

Almost forgetting that he had the contract in his hands, Lawrence nodding, half telling the truth. "From what is written hear, you're wanting me to travel to the village of Edmundus, to deliver your over due shipment of Wolves pelts, correct?"

Colin nodded his head. With a stern expression, he rested both hands underneath his gray chin before saying, "That's correct...However, their may actually be some danger. Though it doesn't happen often you still will want to stay alert for the wolves. They are quite riled up around this time of year..." Releasing yet another much needed sigh, the elder went on. "I normally have my apprentice do this task, but his mother was struck with the plague, and had to take leave So I do hope your answer is yes?"

The sound of mad wolves, struck a weakness in the merchants heart. Images of the years he was a traveling apprentice replayed in his mind. He pictured the wagon tumbling and falling into the snow, as wolves aggressively attacked a few men. Back then, all Lawrence could do was run. Run in fear as the pained screams of his companions rang through his head. It was these images that promised to haunt the peddler for many years to come and cause him to hesitate with this deal.

"Remember lad, I am offering to double your previous request. I can tell by your puzzled face, you are in need of this money." Colin spoke, watching the young peddler scan the contract for the third time.

Trying his hardest to hide his shaking hands, Lawrence finally let out a sigh. He knew that it was a sign of weakness, but Colin needed to be aware that the young merchant needed time. "If it's alright with you, I would like to sleep this one over for a night?" He asked standing up. Lawrence feared Colin would disagree and chew the merchant down for his weakness. But the male did neither of that. Instead he rested his right hand onto the peddler's shoulder and smiled. "I understand...Then I'll await for your reply in the morning alright." Lawrence bowed to the man and replied calmly; "Thank you."