Chapter 57: Throwing the dice
Aldric Marren was from a small village near Ironhold. When he was young, unlike the other boys who wanted to be knights, mercenaries, or bards, he had a different ambition. He wanted to be a merchant.
He dreamed of traveling far, meeting interesting people, and selling curious things. Not only that, but merchants were the ones who made real coin."
Even as a boy, Aldric had a nose for what others wanted before they did, be it fresh goat cheese or handmade wool gloves. Small comforts no one knew they needed, until Aldric offered them.
Which seemed quite a useful skill to have, especially for someone like him, who was aspiring to be a merchant.
Aldric worked hard to get enough coin to go to the capital and register with the merchant union. He brought a few items from his hometown and went to Norvaegard’s capital city, Caelhart, filled with hope for the start of his dream.
Unfortunately, reality was a heavy hammer that brought down many a dreamer. The capital wasn’t kind to no-name merchants. His hometown goods didn’t sell that well, and without connections or coin to secure prime stalls or backroom deals, Aldric was squeezed out before he even had a chance to begin.
His savings bled away with every passing day, from stall fees, lodging, bribes, and spoiled goods. He tried everything: peddling in alley markets, hawking wares to nobles’ stewards, even making deliveries for established merchant guilds. But it was like trying to grow flowers in winter soil.
Still, despite so many setbacks, Aldric continued chasing his dream. After gaining experience over the years, even through his failure, he gained a talent for sensing how the trends will go.
Unfortunately, without enough coin, he could not use this talent effectively. In the end, after years of struggle, he had no choice but to pack up what little he had left and leave the capital behind.
’I guess this can be the start of my dream as a true traveling merchant... Yeah, the capital wasn’t really for me. The scenery was getting boring.’
Now, wrapped in a threadbare cloak, frost clinging to his boots, with pride weighing heavier than his satchel, Aldric wandered north once more.