6 Yearning for ore

"Alright, I'd like twenty pickaxes, twenty chisels and ten axes." Theodore ordered.

"In short notice, huh." Wesley took on a pondering look. "I won't be able to deliver them quickly myself. It will take some time. To be honest, you might want to order some of those items at some of the other smithies if you want it to be delivered swiftly." Wesley admitted. "They also don't require a master like me to make 'em. Most apprenticed could do a decent job as well. Cheaper too. I only have one apprentice. Some smithies 'round here have more apprentices. They can do a quicker job."

This earned him some free kudos from Theodore.

"That's quite honest of you, Mr Wesley. Why do you only have one apprentice, If I may ask?"

"I believe in quality, ya know. I have one great apprentice. If I took on four or five, would I be able to push them all to become master-blacksmiths? I doubt so. The other blacksmiths don't care as much as me about their legacy. I really want to have a master blacksmith continuing my work someday." He admitted. "My son is my only apprentice. He'll make it, I believe in him." Wesley smiled at the thought of having his son succeed him.

"Just the one son, Mr Wesley?"

"Yeah. My wife passed away quickly after the birth of my son, Hugo." His voice tinged with sorrow. A tear could be seen welling up in the corner of his eye for a second before it disappeared and Wesley regained his calm.

"Sorry to hear this, Mr Wesley. I'm sorry to have asked." Theodore also felt affected by the genuine feeling of the big man.

"It's alright. Been long ago. Me and my boy are doing fine now." He said "Anyways. You can still order with me. I can do half of the order and deliver it by the end of the week." Wesley quickly steered the conversation back to Theo's order.

"Alright, that's fine by me. I'll pay upfront. Can you deliver it to the castle?" Theodore played the part of a customer. He didn't want to ask personal questions again soon.

"Sure. Since you're acquainted with Barn, I'll give you a discount too. Ten pickaxes, ten chisels and five axed it is then?" Wesley asked to confirm the order.

"That's all, yes." Theo nodded affirmatively.

"Alright. Delivery will cost six Gulden. Pickaxes are eight guldens each, Chisels are three Gulden each, and lastly, the axed come at six-fifty each. The total comes down to one-hundred-forty-two-and-a-half gulden. I will round it down to a hundred-thirty, on account of your friendship with Barn 'ere."

"That sounds fair to me." He actually had no idea but trusted his instincts. Wesley sounded like a fair man. "Heres fifty, one-hundred, one-hundred-twenty, One-hundred-thirty." He counted the cash on the counter. His pouch was now considerably more empty. This investment was not a small one. To Theodore however, it was not much.

His personal assets amounted to over ten-thousand. Not to mention whatever was stored in the castle that now belonged to him. His dad might have sent him off to the coldest place on the continent, gave him no fatherly love and judged him a failure - he still sent him packing with a decent amount of money.

Ten-thousand wasn't that much for a viscount anyways. Besides, his father would not want to lose face publicly, even though most people knew Theodore was sent away to strike him out of the competition.

"How's business been lately? Since you can deliver quickly, I can't imagine it to be booming." Theodore asked after having his payment confirmed.

Wesley frowned "Not too great, but not too bad. Around here there's always some work. The farmers need tools, the carpenters need tools, the woodcutters need tools. People at the harbour need tools. It's a slow life around here." He answered. "Anyways, when 're ya gonna tell me you're the new lord?" Wesley said in a jesting manner.

"Why?" Theodore looked at Wesley. Wesley simply looked back at him, unperturbed. "Ah, great. Where did I mess up?"Theodore asked.

"You signed it with your full name. Your writing is too neat, your last name it too well known. Pretty easy, m'lord." Wesly said, making the entourage laugh out loud.

"Guess I gave it away rather easily, eh." Theodore smiled ruefully as he scratched the back of his head.

"Still need that order, m' lord?" Wesley inquired.

"I do, thank you, Wesley. I want to have my men cut away some trees around the castle. The chisels and pickaxed will be used to inspect the mountain area. I refuse to believe they hold no ores." Theo remarked.

Wesley perked up at those words "Ya think? Would be great to have ore from the mountains. Make my life a Lil' easier. How bout' I join your expedition to the mountains? At the least, I can offer my professional judgement?" He offered.

"That would be well appreciated, Wesley. When the order is complete, we'll go and inspect the area. I'll be glad to have you join." Theo smiled, having someone familiar with various ores with him was a big bonus!