Chapter 8
Galor and his company wasted no time in moving into the apartments apportioned to him by Lady Melanie.
The streets of the City were crooked and narrow, and most of the buildings looked so alike that strangers to it often lost themselves in the winding alleys. For one supposedly from the wide plains of Ettinsmoor, Galor seemed rather adept at finding his way through the lanes and roads. They were soon settled comfortably throughout the building. Servants from Lady Melanie brought at least two wagons' worth of clean food and raiment, and the apartment was situated conveniently near a well. With many praises and blessings for Her Ladyship, Galor accepted the gifts and saw the servants away from the building. Once they were out of sight, he instructed one of his men to draw a pail of water for him, and, in the privacy of his own apartment, began to wash.
I am sure it must have been a sight to see not only the dirt come off with the water, but a bit more scrubbing took off the tired haggardness as well! Galor laughed at his reflection when he finished. It looked as if he had removed ten years of his life and darkened his skin, all with a common sponge! His comrades washed as well, and took care afterwards not to show their faces outside. A completely different group than the one Melanie showed compassion on now met in the apartments she had given them that evening.
"So, Brother Galor, do we prepare to set up tomorrow?"
Galor smiled and shook his head. "I know how eager you all are. We are men of Eveston, the grand jewel of Telmar! It was much too easy to slip out of the city in the dead of night, while the spirit drove our comrades out by force. It was simple to find a field invisible from the castle, rend our own clothes, distress our wagons, and leave our food out to rot while we painted our faces to appear destitute. Lady Melanie is a soft, compassionate young girl, but she is also wise. How will it appear if we—a group of starving men and women—are suddenly hale overnight? No, Brother Finno; we will bide our time, partaking of Her Ladyship's hospitality, for three days. Meanwhile, I want every one of you wooing the villagers: do services for them, pay them compliments, and the like. If I make my guess aright, Lady Melanie will want to know what we are like while she is considering our request. If the report is favorable, we may be able to sway her."
Just as Galor predicted, Melanie did not sit idly by while the strangers recuperated. She regularly polled random villagers for their opinions of the newcomers, and often went out herself, in disguise, to catch a glimpse of the merchants.
Because of the guild's loyalty to Galor, everything Melanie saw and heard impressed her. She watched them helping the other villagers, and keeping the apartment tidy. At night she never heard them carousing and carrying on as the other merchants were wont to do. Hence, when the three days were past, and Lady Melanie sent a summons to Galor inviting him and his two top officials to a banquet, Galor was fully confident that the young Lady was, as he confided to Finno, "ripe for the picking." He called his second closest companion, a swarthy man named Durk, and told them of his plan to pick this ripe fruit of Nast.
Lady Melanie sat in a tall chair before the long, sumptuously laid banquet table. Presently, the butler announced, "Presenting a delegation from the Moorish guild of Galor!"
Melanie smiled in welcome as Galor—looking much stronger and healthier since the last time she saw him—approached, followed by Finno and Durk.
All three bowed. "Hail, Lady Melanie!" Galor cried. "We are indebted forever to your kindness and generosity!"
Melanie felt especially benevolent as she gestured to the table. "Please, sit and eat," she invited them. Her guests obediently sat at the table and ate.
About halfway through the meal, Galor shared a glance with his guild-brothers and said, "Meaning no disrespect to your Ladyship, I wonder if I might inquire as to your decision concerning our fate."
Melanie paused. There it was; she'd been dreading this moment. "I have banned all business of that sort in the City," she reminded him. "Verily, I am in the process of abolishing the merchant trade in Nast. We are quite self-sufficient as matters stand."
Galor's hopeful expression melted. "Oh, but Milady, I assure you we shall live only for the benefit of the province and of you!"
"I believe you, for I have been observing you these three days; but my policy still remains."
"If you have been observing us, you know how we have treated your people, and how we have taken pains to associate among them, and not seclude ourselves." He paused for effect. "Incidentally, it was only the other day that I heard something truly amazing concerning your Ladyship; so amazing, that we can only assume it is gossip unless you can enlighten us as to the truth."
His eyes were so clever and teasing, that Melanie could not help returning with a merry grin, "Tell me what you have heard and I shall do my utmost to ascertain whether they are true."
Galor shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh, it wasn't anything very serious at all. They say you were the one who called out the Spirit that drove all the other merchants away; is this true?"
Melanie's smile dropped as she regained her decorum. "To an extent, Galor; while it is true I know this Spirit, I am a servant of his, and not his master."
"Then perhaps this Spirit would permit you to let us stay if we offered gifts." The merchant's mysterious expression piqued Melanie's curiosity.
"Gifts?" she echoed.
Galor nodded and produced a small chest he had prepared for exactly this moment. Sliding on silk gloves, he unlocked the small, carved chest and pried back the lid.
Melanie gasped at what she saw: the small box nearly overflowed with gold and jewels of every color that glowed so brightly with their own light that all the fine decorations of the room seemed dark and pale in comparison.
"These are our finest treasures," Galor whispered suavely, "handed down from the first generation of our guild." He picked up a ruby and let it shimmer in his palm before placing it back atop the other treasures. It struck the gold coin with an almost musical sound. "Would not your Spirit accept them as tribute and allow us to stay?"
Melanie swallowed as the charm of the riches dimmed slightly. "I'm not sure . . ." she began, but Galor closed the chest of treasure with a most humble, pitiful expression.
"Your Ladyship, we are fully prepared to submit to any requirement or restriction you deem appropriate. Only permit us to do business here."
Melanie glanced at the coffer. Did Aslan have any use for treasure? She could use the revenue to pay the high taxes and fulfill the debt Nast owed to the other provinces. She had quite forgotten about them in her excitement to set things right in Nast.
"I will allow it," she said slowly at long last, "On the following conditions: that you are subject to all the laws and policies of Nast . . ."
"I will see to it that we do not so much as thing of violating them," Galor promised.
"You will pay tribute of ten percent of your earnings . . ."
"It will be done, Milady."
"You will give a financial report each month to my treasurer, to account for every transaction, in order to prevent usury . . ."
"Yes, Milady, just as you have said."
"You may not carry your business beyond the borders of Nast . . ."
"Oh no; we would not even dream of it! Only permit goods to be transported from Eves—ah, Ettinsmoor—so that we can effectively maintain business for your advantage."
" . . . and as long as you do this things, you may stay, but at the first infraction, I reserve the right to drive every last man and woman in your guild out of my lands, back to where you came from. Have I made myself clear?"
Galor led his two companions in bowing at Melanie's feet rather in the Calormene fashion than Ettinsmoorish. "Oh, may your wisdom increase, if that were possible, Lady Melanie! Truly no Lord in the history of our—of this—great nation has been so equitable and just! May we find favor in your eyes and in the eyes of the Spirit you serve." Galor humbly raised his eyes while keeping his head bowed. "Please accept this humble gift in It's name, and allow us to retire, that we may prepare to employ ourselves in a manner befitting the privilege you have so magnanimously bestowed upon us."
Melanie took the chest with a pleased expression. "You may go," she told Galor. The three men bowed low once more and left. Melanie retired into her bedchamber, intensely pleased with how capably she had handled the whole situation.