The armored man was surrounded. Two with swords at his front, covering his left and right sides, a third circling behind him with an axe. He turned, wary, trying and failing to keep all three of his leather-clad opponents in his line of sight.
Two of them struck at once, a blade and an axe scything through the air at him as their wielders closed, seeking to catching him from both sides at once. The man made no effort to block. He was unarmed, but the thick plate he wore absorbed the blows, barely even denting as the two weapons slammed into it. Grinning beneath his visor, he charged forwards, slamming a gauntlet into an attacker's face and prompting a collective gasp from the watching crowd.
Some distance away, from atop a raised chair with an excellent view of the ongoing battle, Rosa Mariane watched their reaction, and was pleased. Putting on an impressive show paid big dividends. Even if the sight of a man shrugging off sword blows didn't impress her buyer, it'd certainly impress the other men (and occasional woman) of means who saw it. That would mean more potential dealings, pressure on her original target from his peers, and most importantly, tales and rumors of the invincible armor spreading throughout the land.
The plate was good, of course- she had the resources now to hire some truly skillful blacksmiths, and had ensured that this armor in particular was of the highest quality. She'd also made sure that the weapons currently being used against it were not so well-made, and were of the kind that didn't fare well against armor in general. But of course, the crowd didn't know that, and when they spoke of this moment in the following days and weeks, they'd exaggerate as far as they could.
Secondary effects aside, however, she appeared to have won over the man she'd hoped to. A young lord of a small domain of Thule, whose father had died on the battlefield some months earlier. According to rumor, he was itching for vengeance, and showing off shiny armor and weapons for him practically guaranteed her a deal. It wasn't the main reason she'd come here, but it was a nice bonus.
Noticing that her gaze had drifted his way, the young ruler shifted in his seat, and nodded to her. "I cannot deny it, the craftsmanship is excellent."
She flashed him a smile for that. Not the wicked kind, but a genuine one, or a least a very good imitation of it. "Good eye, my lord. Plate of this caliber is hard to come by- and men to match it, harder still. The armor is a powerful weapon, yes, but its true value lies in the warriors it may serve to protect."
A ploy of sorts. If this man knew his generals, his captains, the men who'd proven their worth in battle, he would be thinking of them. Or perhaps thinking of his father. The lives of heroes were far harder to dismiss than a shiny suit of metal. It made her offer more enticing, while at the same time painting her in a more positive light.
She could see his eyebrows rise, as he considered the implications, and noticed that the merchant of coins and death was extolling the value of human life. "I cannot deny that." She had his full attention now, as he turned further towards her, raising one hand to his chin and making eye contact. "And your arms? They are of similar quality?"
"Certainly, my lord." She gestured gently at the crowd, who were cheering now as the armored fighter rounded on his last standing opponent. "Ask anyone who has heard my name, and they'll tell you of the kingdoms carved out with my blades." She was exaggerating about the quality, perhaps, it would be far too expensive to produce masterworks en masse, even with the prices she could get for them. However, she was betting that what she had was better than anything they could easily get their hands on around here, and anyone clever enough to tell the difference between a good sword and a magnificent one would also be clever enough to know how much good ones were needed. "When you succeed in your conquests, I can return here, and offer further weapons. It is in my interests. Besides..." Her tone and expression grew a little more tender. "I do have a certain affection for this place and its people. They're hardy, and kind at heart. A strong army and a good ruler would do them well."
That last part was utter bullshit, but it was a lie she could sell. For one thing, her earlier words concerning the armor would have induced doubt as to her supposed ruthlessness. For another, she was a woman, and men liked to believe that women were kind and filled with emotion. Especially pretty ones. Another thing she'd learned to be good at feigning.
Sure enough, he was smiling at her. "You are right indeed, this kingdom shall prosper with every battle won. Perhaps our contract could ensure that this occurs..." He was thinking again, remembering the offer she'd send to him, all the numbers and goods and prices, laid out on paper. "I must say, however, the amount you ask for may be... taxing, for my domain, and its people."
Exactly as intended. She'd put together a rough estimate of how much he'd be able to afford, and had gone slightly over that. "I understand, my lord." She let slip the tiniest bit of concern in her voice. "There is more to governing than winning wars, even in these hard times. Perhaps I should have given more consideration to this." Submission, letting him feel like he was in control. "However... perhaps we can strike an alternative bargain, my lord?"
He gestured. "Do tell."
"I can cut the amount in coin by one-fourth, my lord, if you would grant me a small gift. Do you know of a man named Rantham Darrow?"
Her buyer nodded, frowning. "The alchemist. I know of him. You wish to recruit him, then?"
Rosa smiled. "Indeed, my lord."
"The man is not without value. His kind produced great devices, war-winning creations of fire and thunder. He has knowledge, valuable knowledge, and it is my hope that he could craft such weapons in my service, given time."
"If I may ask, has he, my lord? No doubt you have given him resources, but what has he produced in return? Perhaps a few fiery tricks, perhaps even useful ones, but nothing like you hear about in the tales." Based on his expression, and the slight shifting of his fingers, she wasn't far off the mark. "There is only so much one man can do. Give him to me, however, and I'll pair him with his fellows, give him all the books and powders he needs. He will produce alchemy of pure lightning, the kind of weapons no barbaric foe can possibly stand against- weapons that I can bring to you and your allies."
It was a dangerous choice, for him. If he gave her the alchemist, there was a chance the weapons the man produced in Rosa's service would one day be used against his armies, by others who had dealt with her. On the other hand, if he didn't, it was likely that her alchemists would make her something devastating regardless- and she'd sell it to his enemies, rather than the man who had spurned her offer.
"Very well," he said after a while, "I will consider this. You are certain the alchemist will go with you?"
Rosa smiled. "I'll make sure of it, my lord."
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