Chapter 14 Friends Help Each Other

❄Snow❄

Snow awoke to a loud banging on her door. Based on the chill that ran down her spine, it was probably her mother.

The door was soon shoved open, and the High Queen Entered her room.

Snow still couldn’t bring herself to look her mother in the eyes and maintained her gaze on the bedsheets.

“Yes Mom?”

“Something came in for you.” Her mother flung a letter onto the bed next to her.

“I mentioned two weeks ago that those lords you ran off were worth about a third of the Mountaineer Republic’s revenue.” Her mother’s voice flat and devoid of emotion.

“Yes, I remember.” Snow responded, her voice equally emotionless.

“Open the letter.”

The letter was purple with gold trimmed lining. Close to ostentatious, but with a tasteful design all around, it reminded Snow of only one person she knew.

“The rest of the Republic’s wealth is controlled by another three people: Sir Harper, the Mountaineer Republic’s King, and none-other than Lord Lazarus himself.”

The letter was from Lazarus.

“You lost us quite a lot with those lords. Now is the time to make up for it and pull your own weight as a member of this family.”

Lazarus had requested a meeting. The card wrote:

- - - - - - -

“Hello Snow, apologies, you know I don’t do formalities unless strictly necessary.

I wish to finish my painting of you soon. I’ve taken the liberty to schedule this meetup for you. If you wish to decline, one of my people would hopefully intercept your reply before I get there. Thanks”

-Lazarus

- - - - - - -

Well, leave it to Lazarus to be blunt even in official correspondence. For some reason, that bluntness comforted Snow at this moment.

“…Okay.”

“I wasn’t asking, because you were going either way. I am going to offer Lazarus a very aggressive contract for the funds to build a new section of the Mountaineer Republic. He also owns the deed of the property I intend on buying. So whatever you do, do not get on his bad side.”

Snow was waiting in the royal west garden, on the same bench where they had their last painting session. Some of the birds that settled here flew to her; one going as far as to land on her outstretched hand.

“Sorry little one, no food today.” The bird snuggled with her fingers as she gave it some satisfying pets. She lifted her hand up to the air and the bird flew off. The creaking of wagons and voices of people could be heard beyond the shrubbery and leafy overhangs by the entrance.

“Be careful with those silks. Those are the good ones.” Lazarus had arrived, backed by several of his servants. He spotted her, approached and bowed.

“Greetings Snow.” He held out his hand and she shook it.

“Hey Lazarus.”

Before long, a familiar box was opened, and the half-finished canvas was set up.

“You are quiet today, Snow.” He noted as he began to paint.

“I am? Sorry.” With everything that had happened recently, she honestly didn’t even know what to talk about. Her mother’s order was on her mind, but she didn’t know the first thing about politics.

Lazarus continued for a few brush strokes and then stopped. He sighed. “This is no fun.” And then started to put his paint brushes away.

“What no? No! Um, I have something I wanted to discuss with you, Lazarus. Your tailoring, yeah! That’s it. Why don’t you tell me how you acquire such materials?” Snow asked quickly, desperate to keep Lazarus’ attention.

He looked at the painting, then at her, before he shook his head in disappointment.

“It’s not you Snow, it’s this insufferable feeling of prying eyes and I am not talking about the guard either. Am I seen as a threat? I can leave if you will.” His eyes were sharp and picked up on an indistinguishable figure looking at him from a high window.

“No, It’s not you Lazarus. It’s me. They don’t want me to spoil this.” Snow admitted.

Lazarus continued putting his things back into the box, looking for all the world like he was about to leave.

“Please, don’t leave!” Snow pleaded. But Lazarus placated her fears with his next words.

“We can talk in my carriage. A change of scenery seems to be needed.”

After a conversation with her mother, Snow was allowed to be taken into Lazarus’ care. Mainly because she had been ordered to make sure this deal goes through no matter what. His carriage had gold crested windows, was longer than usual and split into two: one car used to store his materials and servants and the other held long comfortable seats that faced each other with a table in between.

“Here you go.” Lazarus placed a metal cup in front of her, filled with liquid. It looked sort of like tea, but not exactly.

It had shards of ice in it and when she took a sip, it tasted like lemon.

“Tell me what’s going on Snow. Why are we being watched?”

“My mother wants to offer you a deal for the construction of a guild in the Mountaineer Kingdom, she needs a lot of money for the project and you have the deed.” Snow explained to him.

“I see; this must have to do with that rare visit from those three lords of the old monarchy.”

“How did you know about that?” Snow asked, shocked.

“Gossip spreads like wildfire; you should know that. Those three had a lot to say, especially about you.”

“Great, it’s even worse than I thought.”

“To be honest, I was quite surprised you did that to a Lord as influential as Jirminshawl.”

“Yeah, I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have composed myself.”

“No, he got what he deserved. I am glad you embarrassed him. It also gave me a good laugh when I learned you called him an oversized cherry. Do you know he stopped wearing red ever since that meeting? If it wasn’t obvious, those three vestiges are enemies of mine. I took great joy in learning of their arrogance being checked.”

He took a sip of his own drink before continuing.

“I must confess, I already know about the deal your mother has in store for me; it’s obvious she wants the old Mages’ Guild compound, as it has all the necessities already installed or built. It also includes a quadrant of land outside the west wall. She plans on using it as a base for a labor guild. It is quite ambitious, because not only is the deed extremely sought after, but the construction to add a new wall around the plot of land needs to be approved by the Council. Not to mention she doesn’t plan on buying it upfront.”

“But will you sell her the deed Lazarus? I’m sure she will be generous. Please?”

“I would Snow, but I no longer have it. “

Snow ticked her teeth, if Lazarus didn’t have the deed, then the deal couldn’t be made. She gripped the cup tightly, frustrated at the way her life had been going lately.

Lazarus sensed her frustration and sought to reassure her. “I can, however, help you reacquire the deed.”

“You’ll help me?! Lazarus, I can’t thank you enough.”

“It will not be easy. You will have to do some dirty work.”

“Sure, whatever. Who has the deed?” Snow asked eagerly.

Lazarus coughed, startled and amused by her eagerness, but answered her question.

“The deed is held by an old acquaintance of mine, who prefers to simply be called Jack. I learned recently that someone offered to buy the deed from him.”

“Who?”

“Sir Jirminshawl.”

“No.” Not that fat arrogant noble. If Jirminshawl gets that deed, then it will be all over.

“When it comes to money, that fat cherry you described likes to ‘fatten’ himself up more than anything else, it’s one of the reasons why he is my enemy. This isn’t the first time he’s encroached on my business. I found it weird that suddenly, a large purchase was offered for the deed the second I departed for Regalia.”

“If Jirminshawl has it then, I am done for.”

“Correct. Which is why we need to stop him from getting it. I don’t believe the exchange has been made yet.”

“So we need to get to Jack first. Where is he?”

Lazarus smiled.

“Right here in Regalia.”

“So what are we waiting for? Let’s go right now!”

“Where do you think we are headed silly girl? However, Jack won’t simply turn down an upfront deal for the kind of money Jirminshawl is offering him.”

“Can’t you just offer to buy it at a higher price?”

“Hah! Unlike those lords your mother invited, I am not sitting on a mountain of gold. My assets, as well as your mother’s, are all heavily invested. We can’t out bid Jirminshawl. Even if I liquidated everything I had, which would take too long, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“So what can we do? Steal it?”

“The daughter of the High Queen offering to steal something…I really have seen it all now. You are full of surprises Snow, I like that. But the answer is no, we can’t do that. Jirminshawl may have more money than me but, luckily for you, I have something equal to his gold. “

“What?”

“Information.”

“What type of information?”

Lazarus smiled again, a distinctly cunning expression on his face.

“Here is the plan.”