The Witcher: My Own Path

I handed the rolled-up parchment to Gavorn.

''Look at the drafts, I was supposed to deliver them a little later, but the situation requires me to speed up my plans a little.'' Maybe it was meant to be this way, I thought in my spirit.

The dwarf takes the scroll and after unrolling it begins to look through it, I see Nightingale with a mute look in my direction ask if he can also take a peek, a quick movement of my eyelids is all he needs for an answer.

After a brief moment she asks.

''Furniture? With all due respect dear ladies, but how are these designs going to help us. Admittedly, I've never seen one in my life and I'm sure the nobility will covet them greatly, although... Nightingale spoke up first, unconvinced.''

''But the whole process of making them, finding the right merchants with the right wood, the workshops, the craftsmen, the shops where we could sell them, would take us months, if not years…'' Gavorn finishes, enthused by the functionality and look of the furniture, but not by the whole process that must take place before it can be sold.

I raise an eyebrow at their short-sightedness.

''We have the money to rent and open a shop in the shopping district, I look at Nightingale. We can post one of our girls there to gather information for us from time to time.''

''That is true, my lord, but it is only a small part of the whole process, besides we need people who...''

''Which we have many - I smiled. They both don't yet understand what I mean.''

''The whole non-human area is our people - I announced. How many are unemployed? I am also convinced that there would surely be someone who would make their house available to us, for a fee of course, until we find a suitable place for a real workshop.''

''That's true, but there's still the matter of buying wood.'' the dwarf reminds me.

''That's only half the truth.'' I declare. Once again, I mislead them.

''If we have people, why buy wood when we can get it ourselves?''

''But to find the right…'' Nightingale still unconvinced adds her comment.

''Swamps! The trees in the swamps are part of an ancient forest, the quality of such wood is exceptional!'' I say.

''Ah... So that's why you were so interested in the swamps.''

I smile broadly.

''We know where the wood is, we have lumberjacks and craftsmen, a place to create our furniture is unlikely to be a problem either, well, and we have the funds to organise everything, as well as a place where we can sell everything at good prices. I look both my people in the eye.''

''Is this really such a problem?'' I ask with a sneer in my voice.

They both shake their heads simultaneously.

I focus on Nightingale.

''As I ordered you before, you will inspect the swamps and get all the necessary information we need to legally cut wood from there.'' I turn to Gavorn

''You will look for willing people who would like to work for us, starting with lumberjacks and ending with craftsmen. The marshes are probably not a safe place, so we will need someone to protect the lumberjacks. Also look around for a cheap place to rent where we could open a workshop, and if there isn't one, let Nightingale know and we'll try to buy something inexpensive.''

I pause for a moment and take a deep breath.

''Take your time, be thorough. I'm giving you three months to do this, so do everything you can to make sure there are no shortcomings. If all goes well, many non-humans will have jobs and our slowly emerging organisation will gain another stable source of income.''

''Three months! exclaims an indignant Gavorn, but my lord, we don't need that much time to get everything organised. Miss Nightingale and I can certainly manage in a month.'' I see Loona nod in confirmation.

''I know you can do it, but right now it's not about you, it's about me.'' They are both surprised, but they continue to listen to what I have to say.

''In three months' time I will turn thirteen, I will be a grown man according to Temerian law, and with that I will be able to officially move out from my father and I will be old enough to start my own business.'' I inform.

''By melitele! I always forget that you are even younger than my daughter.'' He declares.

Gavorn didn't comment as he fainted from shock.

''Before I set up my own company, I need to make an even bigger reputation for myself so that no one makes trouble for me or my employees. Therefore, I need to take part in something attention-grabbing.''

''Nightingale, have you found out anything about these fisstech traders?''

''Yes, sire, and it is as you suspected, they have their base in the sewers under the Temple Quarter. Considering the number of utopians who usually hang around there, it's a good place. It deters guards and other people from hanging around there.''

''Have you found out anything specific about them? For example, their numbers, how they are armed, who is in charge of them? Is it just a warehouse or perhaps a laboratory?''

''They are led by someone called The Talon, but personally I am not convinced about that.''

''You are right. Gavorn takes the floor. The Talon is a brute who is quite well known in our part of town for intimidation and harassment. He's the muscles, not the brains.

''Hmm... Maybe he's just the head of a branch in the Temple Quarter. Such businesses make fortunes and are mostly set up and run blind by generally wealthy and influential people, I think aloud.

''I think so too, Lord.''

''Are you going to get rid of it?'' asks the dwarf hopefully.

''Mmm?'' I glance at Gavorn curious about his enthusiasm regarding the elimination of The Talon.

''He's a regular son of a bitch, my lord, what can I say, he's done everything imaginable to people, the world would be a much better place without him.''

''Eliminating this cell of fisstech traffickers would give me some positive publicity, however, it could bring an influential enemy we know nothing about to my head, hindering our development, and at this stage we don't need unwanted attention.

''My lord realises that your plans extend far beyond Vizima, but gaining a better reputation among my people and the elves will also pay off.''

Gavorn continued.

''My point is that The Talon is much hated among the non-humans. If you and a small, willing troop of dwarves and elves were to quietly eliminate The Talon, no one would know about it, and the non-humans we plan to recruit soon would look upon you with a more favourable eye, especially since you are human yourself.''

''What do you think of this Nightingale?''

''I think it's a great idea, my lord, and by the way we can certainly earn something from it. Usually, there's a lot of valuable stuff hidden in such hideouts, and as far as your reputation is concerned, you're not lacking anything after all. If anything, we still have three months to come up with something.''

''Hmm... Gavorn! Would you be able to organise such a group, and if so, in what timeframe?''

''Hahaha Lord, I think you really underestimate the hatred we have for The Talon. I could get at least thirty people together in two days.''

''Nooo! Thirty people is too many, we would draw too much attention to ourselves, ten is enough for us, but you know best.''

''Ahh... That could be a problem, because there will be too many people wanting to attend!''

''Gavorn is supposed to be discreet, remember!'' warned Loona.

''All right, all right! I'll only talk to those I deem best.''

''So, we will meet here, at the Nightingale's house, in two days' time after dark. The exit to the sewers is very close, so it's an ideal place to meet, and before that I'll make sure Captain Ryzza's men are busy in another part of the city.''