Silver Phoenix Energy & Utility

"You crafty old man," Will said after entering the king's office.

"Are we to drop the honorific so soon?" the king asked laughing.

"I admit, at first I fell for your schemes. Now, I realize my mistake," Will said.

"Oh, and what mistake was that?" The king asked slyly.

"This was never about cultural affairs, this was the whole time, you were trying to sell me on your dwarven products to increase the negotiated price. I am impressed," Will said amused.

"To be honest I'm surprised to figure it out. Now, where do you want to start the negotiation," the king said rubbing his hand.

"I don't. I plan to leave. I have my luggage packed. However, Nisha and I wanted to bid you farewell first," Will said.

"Oi, remember lad you approached us first. We are not so desperate to chase after a lost sale," the king said.

"Then shall we negotiation in fairness?" Will asked.

"Why should I negotiate against my interest?" the king said.

"Our trade agreement for iron ends in five years. As much as I enjoyed Master Duncan's company, in five years I plan to kick the dwarves out of my valley and replace them with humans.

Ha-ha, I must thank you for building all the mining infrastructure for me. But, if you want to keep your 30% in the mountains, then I suggest we negotiate in fairness," Will said.

"What's to stop me, from convincing the Wolf Clan to cut you out of the deal?" The king asked.

"Impossible, you already know the Wolf Clan, and I are too intricately tied together," Will smiled, he knew he was gaining ground in the conversation.

"I can convince the Bear or Orca Clans to go to war with the Wolf Clan. The Tiger, Wolf, and my territory shall fight as one. After we win, I shall encourage those clans to seek retribution," Will said confidently in victory.

"And should we attack your territory?" the king hinted.

"The Fermion and Albania shall stand as one!" Will bluffed.

"Never! You and I know that shall never happen!" the king stood from his throne defiantly.

"Your majesty, if an invading army was that close to their border, you don't think the Albanian would join the fight?" Will asked.

"Back to the honorifics are we now," the king sat down upset, knowing he lost his advantage.

"Now you want to keep your percentage in my mine and gain my gold, I want the same. Please let us negotiate in good faith, you diabolical old man," Will said.

"I should be concerned. You act more like a dwarf every day, laddie," the king mocked in a Scottish accent.

The king led Will to his Royal Study. Soon Will found himself inside a cozy room, filled with amenities. Sitting on a sofa table was a chess set.

"Relax! You drink?" said the king.

"I'll take a whiskey," Will said playing along.

The king's study was small and intimate. A great room to conduct negotiations and build a trade relationship.

Will examined the room. Bookshelves stood floor-to-ceiling tall around the room. The bookshelves were filled with expensive-looking books about algebra, geometry, chemistry, physics, and more advanced subjects. There were also books on theology. Will saw a few of his cadet textbooks, like the origin and principles of Aether.

The statement piece in the room was an ornate gold and mithril desk, and four comfy chairs all with armrests. For humans, this was similar to recognizing them as kings. As a king of the industry, Will naturally appreciated the armrest.

Will sat across the desk from the king. The king looked fairly pleased

"Shall I begin the negotiation? I want our iron trade to last in perpetuity and trade between us to be duty-free," the king said.

"I don't like eternal deals. I'll agree to a five-year extension for jeweler, runesmith, and clerk for my general store, and with the caveat, Savage Wolf must also agree," Will said.

"That's all you fancied after living with us for almost a week? You may be more pious than a thought.

The last human to entire our kingdom went mass with greed. He physically was unable to concentrate, we had to send him back to Yorkshire. Ever since then, the humans refused to trade with us," the king said sadly.

"Are we in agreement on the five-year extension for three shops in your commercial district?" Will asked.

"What no casino, cafe, or theatre?" the king taunted.

"I do not doubt if your race wanted those facilities, you were capable of building those businesses long before I was born," Will said.

"Very insightful! Very well, I agree with those terms. Is there anything else, you like to discuss?" the king probed.

"Yes, I want you to build the ingot machines in my city," Will shared.

"That machinery is privileged technology, and cannot be shared outside this kingdom!" the king said.

"Alright, what would it cost me?" Will asked.

"The rights to your entire mind!" the king laughed.

"Fine, what about sulfur? I'll buy the sulfur and bat guano from you," Will said.

This got the attention of the king, who immersed leaned forward and asked, "Why?"

"I want to do some experiments?" Will said blasé.

"Experiments, tell me what you have in mind?" the king probed again.

"It's a secret the size of your ingot machine," Will said offering to trade.

"That's a risky trade. I know how capable my machines are, I don't know the significance of the secret nor how trustworthy are you," the king said.

"Indeed, you make a good point!" Will agreed.

"Wait, that's it? You're not going to try and convince me of the trade. Indeed, you are a fierce negotiator.

Since you are not telling me why you want to purchase sulfur and bat guano, I believe it must be important. You are not a man who suffers from flamboyance. You are calculating and conniving," the king said staring at Will's poker face.

"What deal are we to strike?" Will asked bluntly, indeed he had no time for frivolities.

"One hundred kilograms of sulfur and bat guano a month, and our dwarves can use your trade route tax-free, the king said," King commented.

"My dear king, does metal not weigh more than dust?" It'll reduce your taxes by the best on the number of kilograms I receive.

Two hundred kilograms of sulfur and guano equals a 2% permanent reduction in tariffs. Deal? Soon, you'll have your duty-free trade route," Will said incentivizing the deal.

"I believe we have gotten the small things out of the way. I got a five-year extension on the mining rights and path to free trade. You got your shops and chemicals.

I believe we were both fair and equitable in our dealings, were we not? Let's be friends and not seek damages as we move forward. I want to build a settlement on your property, what shall we trade?" the king said.

"I will happily loan or let you purchase property with the king's blessing. I have no qualms about such a settlement. I believe it shall benefit my city.

But, since you shared your big request, I'll share mine. I want to build rail from Albania to Guidon. Must I purchase the patent from you?" Will asked.

"No patent required. You may build a railway as you like. It's a simple blueprint, you can have it for free. As for the settlement, may you give your king a letter from us?" the dwarf king asked.

"Most certainly, I also do my best to convince him to let your purchase property," Will said.

Will knew if the dwarves owed property, they would work to invest in the settlement, as opposed to if they were forced to pay rent.

"Now, and I must stress this point, if we are to be neighbors and trade allies, I must ensure that any of your countrymen never enslave my people and that you will assist as our ally in the recovery of any dwarven slave found to be within either your Kingdom or within a Kingdom with which you have a peaceful relationship."

"I agree, I hate slavery. I'm certain you are aware I made owning beastmen slaves illegal in my city. I, of course, have the same principles when it comes to dwarfs or elves," Will said.

"Yet, your purchase human slaves?" the king asked pointedly.

"Yes, I purchased human slaves and paid them a fair wage to grow my population. However, I was not prepared for migration toward my city would be so severe. In less than eight-month, my territory went from a population of zero to 500,000 thousand. That number does not include the number of beastmen or dwarves that live in my city walls," Will said.

"Now, asking, I cannot prevent you or any nation from punishing any dwarf who breaks your laws.

I know your city prohibits slavery of other races, but I ask that in the case that slavery would be the punishment they would instead be handed over to our nation and not made a slave.

In this case, I would be willing to offer a bond of goods or coin in exchange for the safe return of any of my kin who breaks a law that results in slavery in any nation," the king said.

"Do you not believe, offering such a deal would incentive enslaving your race?" Will asked.

"You are different, from the rest of your race Baron William vont Ballard. In your eyes, everyone is the same color, gold.

But, where you see equality, most humans see inferiority.

When you speak to the king about our settlement, ask that he will enact this policy within your borders and assist in the negotiations with other Kingdoms for the same thing. I would like to see all enslaved dwarfs freed in my lifetime," the king asked.

"I shall relay, your message to my king," Will said.

Druker Flameworn nodded and signaled to a nearby attendant to refill our glasses of whiskey.

"Your majesty, I will negotiate one more item before we toast to a successful negotiation," Will asked.

"You acted fairly thus far, and you're a much better negotiator than I originally thought. What do you wish to trade from us dwarves?" asked King Druker Flameworn asked curiously.

"Your majesty, I would like to purchase access to pipe out the volcanic heat underground. I want to build a pipeline from these peaks to Yorkshire," Will said.

"A pipeline, are you thinking about heating your home in winter?" the king asked surprised. Never would he have imagined such a question.

"Yes, to my home and many others," Will said.

"Pipelines burst, pressure can back up, you must dedicate a staff to watch the pipes and control the pressure," the king advised.

"Yes, I'd like to pay you gold to build and monitor the pipes," Will wanted to outsource the construction, maintenance, and operation of the pipeline.

Will only wanted to control, the energy flowing into Fermion. He would start with the capital, before spreading out to the rest of the country.

"That won't be a problem. I can charge you 100 gold a kilometer, and a million gold to operate the pipeline," the king said casually.

"You know you're going to make a killing off this deal, but only if I can afford to get my business going. Five gold a kilometer, and 50,000 gold to operate the pipeline the first five years," Will countered.

"Fine, 80 gold a kilometer and 500,000 the first five years," the king smiled.

"Listen, this deal is too unattractive. I'll put my cards on the table. The most, I would consider would be 10 gold a kilometer and 10,000 gold to operate," Will said honestly.

"Fine, you've operated in good faith with me. I'll do the same with you: 10 gold a kilometer and 10,000 for two years and 25,000 gold for twenty years," the king smiled.

"20,000 for twenty years," Will replied.

"No, 20,000 gold for 10 years and then 50,000 for 40 years," the king said.

"Damn! I haven't been on the losing end of the bargain, in a long while. Final offer:

10,000 gold for 5 years, then an increase of 20,000 gold for 20 years, the finally 50,000 gold for 35 years?" Will asked.

"Deal!" said the king reaching out to shake Will's hand.

"Great, you can build the power station on my property, I'll pay for the construction," Will said.

"Oh…I'll be sure to charge you the friends and family rate," the king smiled.

"Just don't make the final price to crushing to my accounts," Will jokingly pleaded.

"Aye, too crushing it won't be," King Druker Flameworn laughed along with Will.

"To a successful partnership!" Will said lifting his glass of expensive whiskey.

"Aye, to loads of gold!" the king replied.

"Cheers!" Will and Druker Flameworn toasted.

Quickly before parting, the duo decided all of the small details regarding their trade alliance, free trade on goods crossing the border, and the regular shipments of Dwarven whiskey and beer, until the dwarves could create a settlement outside Will's city.

With any luck, hopefully, the first Dwarven traders and construction workers would begin as soon as Will left the mountain.