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Chapter 9: An Intimate Welcome!
🕑 Added 2023-04-23 17:58:12 +0000 UTC"Nothing much, just some fresh green vegetables and fruits that you wouldn't see in the North and dairy products like cheese and clarified butter. Also, a variety of fish native to the sea around Bravos." Damian said and then went on to explain how much he brought with him. He also informed him about the Grey Whale body that he found in the sea and how he managed to drag it to the White Harbour.
Lord Wyman was impressed. Food was a commodity that was always in demand in the North, especially, fruits and vegetables. With the volume that Damian had brought with him, it could feed a hundred men for three months at least. Add in the meat from the Grey whale, which would feed them for one more month or perhaps two.
"And what price do you wish to sell your goods for? I'm ready to buy it all." Lord Wyman did not want Damian to suffer a loss in his first trade plus the North was going to war. Every crate of food was important.
When Damian revealed the price for his goods, Lord Wyman was dumbfounded.
"Damian, don't be stupid. If you charge only 300 Golden Dragons and 100 for the Grey Whale, you would not make much profit. Seven hells, you might even be making a loss. Even if you managed to keep your perishable goods on your ships from decaying, you still need to take in the cost of your transportation, time on the journey, crew's salary, docking charges, taxes plus the cost of cleaning your ships of barnacles and any other maintenance. Not to mention." Lord Wyman hurriedly said. What Damian was asking for his goods was half of what the southern kingdom would charge them or even the Bravosi Merchants. Seven Hells, even he sells the goods acquired by his fleet for more than what Damian is charging.
"Lord Wyman, trust me. I'm making enough profit and I'm satisfied with it. I'm of the North. I can't act like the Southerners and charge exorbitant prices for some meagre gold. I've already told my men to sell it to the shops in the city. Don't worry, I've told him to keep a share of your House." Damian explained his reasoning for the price tag. He bought 200 gold dragons worth of food and 100 gold dragons worth of weapons, and shields. He was only selling 120 Gold Dragons worth of food to White Harbour for 400 Dragons and half of the Grey Whale's meat for 100 Gold Dragons.
After taking out the salary of his crew which wasn't a lot, the maintenance cost of the ships which he avoided by putting them in the warehouse and taxes, he was still left with 270 Golden Dragons. Taxes to the crown amounted to 10 Golden Dragons and the Starks amounted to 15 Golden Dragons while the rest 5 Golden Dragons would go into Lord Wyman's pocket. Know this, that he wasn't selling anything which was considered as a luxury like Myrish Carpets or glass, or alcohol, therefore, the taxes he had to pay wasn't big.
He could have doubled his profits, hell in this time of war, he could easily sell his good for eight hundred and he had even decided to do just that before coming to White Harbour. But after some thinking on the Journey, he decided against doing that. Damian wished to see the North progress as he was of the North and liked the place and its people very much. He wanted to help his brother and his house increase their wealth and power.
The base of his dream of starting a trading fleet was to help the North get richer like Corlys Velaryon did for his house. He had seen the winter and heard about the horrifying story of the old men that sacrificed themselves to give their families a chance to survive the winter.
Damian had seen the poor state of the North, lived in it for fourteen years and he knows about the future.
He could profit from the Southern Lords and the free cities but he could not profit from the North at least, not from goods like food which affects the small folks the most.
"You won't change our mind?" Lord Wyman asked one more time.
"No, I've already said it. I'm making enough profit from this trade, you don't have to worry. Just see, old man, in a few years I will become richer than you." Damian challenged.
Jory almost fell down in shock on hearing Damian call Lord Wyman old man. But the said man only seemed amused hearing Damian call him an old man.
"Hahaha, I don't see you becoming richer than me by doing charity. But I will hold onto your words. If you managed to achieve that I will give you one of my granddaughter's hands in marriage if you still remained unwed." Lord Wyman said with a cunning smile.
"I don't see you losing anything but only gaining a rich and handsome son-in-law. Plus, Wynafryd and Wylla are too young and I consider them my niece if not younger sisters." Damian said quickly. He wasn't surprised when Lord Wyman tried to offer the hand of one of his granddaughters to him. He had a keen eye for coins and talent. He must have seen that in him and more.
'I'm indeed quite talented and handsome. Lord Wyman couldn't find a better man for his granddaughters, unfortunately, that won't happen,' Damian couldn't help being narcissistic.
"Grandpa, has Damy come back!?" a childlike voice rang in the hall.
When everyone turned to look at the gates they saw a small girl of four name-days running towards them as fast as her small feet could take her. Behind her was an older girl that seemed nine or eight-name days old.
"Wylla! Come here, my little mermaid princess. Did you miss your uncle?" Damian said aloud, getting on a knee and opening his arm to catch the running girl into a hug.
But his smile soon turned to an expression of pain and regret when the little ball of cuteness dressed in green dashed straight into his arms but instead of hugging back, she landed quite an intimate kick on his groin.
'My...balls!' Damian's mind could only think about his family jewels at that moment.
