Burston brings the two cups of coffee and places them on the table.
Then he moves on to the tea party to ask if anything else is needed.
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Menan finds that none of the ladies are yet at the restaurant for their weekly tea party. Nevertheless Burston offers you a table for lunch.
Burston stares at the woman. He walks to the door with some delay and stares after those two wondering what that was.
"You're early. I haven't counted out the coins yet." Burston replies in business like tone.
"Come with me." Branston leads Menan into a side room. "What makes you think I know anything?" "Marinelli is the head of a big trading company. He has warehouses at the docks and has a large number of those thugs on his paylist. Dockworkers. And to increase profit he sells overpriced wine. That's what everyone knows. Even you as a stranger obviously know it." "I know nothing else about his family. Neither how many kids he has, or if he's married. He doesn't socialize much. At least not in circles I get to."
"Would you quiet down? If you want to help, you're welcome. Make them stop coming to my establishment." "That would be three silver."
The man lowers his voice. "What kind of stupid question is that. As I asked before: What are you offering? Or to be more precise, what do you want?" "I suggest you try the poulard for a main course. It goes well with your wine."
"Have a nice day." Burston calls after the men. He opens the crate, and takes out a bottle. He walks over to Menan. "Here is the bottle of wine you ordered. It is 10 gold."
"Here is your pay." Branston replies and hands over a stack of coins.
The man seats Menan on a table where he got a view over all the restaurant. He serves him some coffee and pastries. "Enjoy your meal."
"I suggests you stay here and have a meal on this Wealday. I suggest brunch. That way you're here long enough for sure. You'll learn all there is to know." "Table for one?"
"What are you offering? I have a nice business and I have no problems. So why do you bring up the Marinelli family?"
"I'm the owner, what is it." the man replies impatient
"What for?"
The restaurant has a large colored window at the front which allows only a hazy view inside. Entering through a short archway, you come into a room with many small round tables with chairs for one or two guests. At the back, there are three arches, two with glass, one as another passage, that leads to a nice terrace in front of a walled in garden. Outside are tables too. As Menan enters a man, well dressed, with a white cloth over his forearm approaches him. "Good morning. A table for one?"
Burston bows to the young lady "The work will be done withing two weeks. My condolences again." He leaves the way he came.
Burston takes a look at the existing writing. Stepping closer he wipes over it with his hand and feels the contours. "Including refreshing the old writings it would be three days work. That would cost three gold. If you want to leave the old writing..."
Another man enters the cemetery grounds through the northern gate and joins them in front of the crypt. "My deepest condolences to your loss." he tell the young woman with a slight bow.
"Thank you very much. Now let's not delay any further, I need to start making visits immediately." Burston explains and gets up to fetch his coat. Leading his guests outside he tells them goodbye and is on his way to get the surroundings of a large event.
"So I'll try to organize this and if the costs rise above 1000gold I'll tell you beforehand." Burston tells. "You booked that with the authorities already? Or shall I take care of that too, while I'm on my way?"
"So 250 invited gests with white sheets on the table, and 1000 more for unexpected guests from Underbridge?"
"I'm not well informed about the last census of that district. Haw many would that be?" Burston asks. "And I can tell you for sure, that we won't get that much tables with white sheets."
"It is not forbidden, but if hundreds of the Underbridge-Inhabitants would march up there might be a reaction from the city guard." Burston tells. "Even if only someone fears for their roses in the front yard."
"You can have that plain and simple for some hundred gold. Or you go for more style and white sheets and pay several hundred." Burston replies. "We're talking not more than 250 guests, are we?"
"Not complicated. The trick is to find someone who hasn't a booking for the weekend already. But I know of no big event. Which leaves us with a good chance. What's your budget?" Burston asks.
"Well, that is on short notice!" Burston replies. "But please come in." Burston leads the two guests up to the usual room for tea and cake. He offers both a seat, prepares the tea and serves it. The he takes a seat himself. "Since when do you know that you will marry this Sunday?" he asks.
After a while Burston comes and opens the door. "Hello Jimmy. Nice to have you back. You're here without Gwenhwyfar today?" he offers a hand.
Burston comes to say goodbye, a pile of paper slips in his hand. "That was really successful. That will be the hot talk in Magnimar for weeks. Who can say to have had a party so excessive that the City Guard came?" he chuckles. "Not every piece is sold but the complete circle of the Runelords was fiercely fought over. I have to do some accounting tomorrow but it's tens of thousands for sure." "I'll start the deliveries tomorrow and in two or three days you and Mrs. Heidmarch will be paid. As for today, I wish you a good night."
Burston comes along, a glass in hand. "Ah, there you are. It is going really well. At the end of this night you will be rich - er. Well you aren't poor to start with. What I mean is - it's ridiculous what they offered so far." "But I have to move on. There is a bidding race about Karzoug going on." He raises his glass and moves on.
Randolf Burston III enters the stage after a few moments. "I don't know about you, but I'm glad I survived that history lesson." It is obvious that he is still shaken. "Thank you for this impressive demonstration." he tells in direction of Tauriell. But it doesn't sound like a heart felt thank you. "Once you've taken another glass to calm down feel free to approach me if you're interested in some of the exhibits. Please stay with us. The wild part is over and the rest of the evening will be more reasonable."
"You're welcome." Burston replies and checks who else is around he could get into the know about the auction.
"I'm not gambling. I'm not good at it and I don't have money to burn." Burston refuses.
"This is on your own purse then." Burston comments and points to the barkeep.
"We will have an auction of some more Runelord Statues. There will be an event at Heidmarch Manor in the near future. You as my best customers get this information first and of course I'll make sure you get the details as soon as the details are decided." "But I don't want to steal more of your precious time." he bows himself off and takes Jimmy an Gwen with him to the bar. He orders champaign and hand the glasses to them. "To our rewarding partnership."
"That's a good thing. Let me introduce you to someone." Burston suggests and takes you with him to the group whose attention you already drew. "Good evening Myladies and Sirs." he greets them with a bow. "May I introduce to you my business partners that supply me with ancient statues? This is Miss Gwenhwyfar and this Mr. Fiddle."
"Haha, your father is a wise man. For someone who has to work for his money. For others this is not true." Burston replies.
"If you have to ask the cost this club is not for you." Burston replies with a smile. "I too only come here on special occasions for networking. I balance my account before I leave. But that's only for necessitous people like me. The regulars have accounts they can put a birthday party for 500 people on without breaking a sweat."
"Tonight you're my guests." Burston explains. "But if you want to come more often you need to know how it works. You deposit an amount of gold at the bar and they open an account for you where everything you enjoy here is paid from."
"The pleasure is all mine. And I see you both take a liking to upper class style. And you're beating me on my plans to get our little event known. Because everyone is going to ask who YOU are. Especially you Miss Gwenhwyfar." Burston tells and then kisses her and before passing her on to Jimmy. "Would you do me the favour and set Mr. Fiddle and Miss Gwenhwyfar on my guest list, Mrs. Zivatchi?"
__________________________ "I'll better hurry then." Mr. Burston replies and soon he is ready and back with Gwenhwyfar. "Shall we go?" he asks offering his arm.
"That is quite unexpected. I would at least need to put on some different clothes..." but looking into the pleading eyes of Gwenhwyfar he adds "come in. I'll be ready in a few minutes." He offers Gwenhwyfar a seat and moves to the next room to dress up. "What's the reason for you wanting to visit this club and where is Mr. Fiddle?" he asks.
"That would be the Kajitsu family. They have a house here in Magnimar but their factory is in Sandpoint." Burston replies.
"Very well. I will visit her on the morrow." Burston replies.
As he opens the door Burston greets them "Ah, you're already back. With good news I suppose?"
Burston leads them to the door. "Please let me know as soon as possible if Mrs. Heidmarch agrees. Have a nice day."
"The pleasure is all mine." Burston replies.
"Hehe, not that fast. It should be a weekend - preferably oathday in a week. If you manage to get the permission before this weeks Oathday." Burston replies. "I can't do faster than that. You need to give the people some time to sort their priorities and for the gossip to run it's path."
"But don't forget - first you need to get Mr. and Mrs. Heidmarch on board for that." Burston reminds them.
"Having a live Sorshen there might loosen the purse of some of the men. And might cause some resentment in some of their wives. But we're not making that kind of money to get such an investment back." Burston comments.
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