ALL NOVEL 28. Coal Trading
Kivamus understood the gravity of their situation. He had brought just twenty-three hundred gold crowns with him from Ulriga, which was everything that Gorsazo had managed to save for the original Kivamus till now. Including the two hundred gold crowns that were remaining in the treasury of the barony, they barely had around twenty-five hundred gold crowns in total. And for buying just four months of grain, they'd have to pay above seven hundred and fifty gold crowns, including the cost of the grain Pydas had already brought here.
Once the coal mines were reopened, they'd have to pay wages to the miners, as well as the looming taxes that Count Cinran was surely going to ask for, if not immediately, then in the next spring for certain. And these were just the immediate expenses that he could think of…
This purchase would leave a significant dent in their treasury, but the alternative, a village starving in the winter, was unthinkable. Taking a deep breath, he turned to the merchant. "Pydas," he began, his tone conciliatory, "given the substantial amount involved, I believe a slight rounding down wouldn't be unreasonable, would it? Let's settle on six hundred and fifty gold crowns."
Pydas, after a moment of hesitation, offered a reluctant nod. "Very well, my Lord," he conceded. "We have a deal. One hundred and forty-five sacks of grain for six hundred and fifty gold crowns. However, with such a large order," he pointed out, "I would require around half of the payment in advance for each trip, to buy the grain swiftly from the suppliers in Cinran. Usually, I would buy it on credit with only a small advance payment that I'd provide myself, but winter is not far away now. So time is of the essence for me to buy and deliver the grain here before the road is blocked with snow, and the advance payment will allow me to secure the grain without any delays."
Kivamus, understanding the logic behind the request, readily agreed. "Of course, Pydas," he confirmed with a nod. "We'll arrange the down payment immediately. Now, with the grain situation settled," he continued, a hint of a smile gracing his lips, "let's discuss what we can offer you in exchange."
A sense of accomplishment, tinged with the lingering worry of the hefty price tag, filled the room. The first hurdle had been cleared. Now, they needed to secure a good deal for the coal Pydas would be transporting back to Cinran.
Pydas nodded in agreement. "Very well, my Lord. Including the three wagons you've provided, I can haul a total of six wagonloads of coal back to Cinran on this trip. Of course, while we'll be taking the damaged wagon with us as well for repairs, it won't be able to carry anything for now."
"Indeed." Kivamus leaned forward, his voice tinged with curiosity. "And how much are you willing to offer for each wagonload of coal?"
Pydas sighed, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "Under normal circumstances, my Lord," he began, his voice laced with a hint of regret, "I would offer twelve gold crowns per wagonload. However, with the rising food costs plaguing the land, the common people, as well as the blacksmiths and the like, are tightening their belts and have less money to spare for coal. That means a decrease in demand, I'm afraid."
He grimaced slightly. "Considering the current market conditions, the best I can offer you this time is eleven gold crowns per wagonload."
The offered price fell far short of Kivamus' expectations. It barely made a dent in their financial woes. "Eleven crowns, hmm…?" he muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "That's a significant drop. Well, at least it's something…"
He forced a smile, masking his disappointment. While the coal sales wouldn't significantly boost their coffers, Pydas would be returning in a week, offering them another chance to sell more coal. He did a quick mental calculation and said, "So, that means you'll be able to transport sixty-six gold crowns worth of coal in your six wagons."
Duvas chimed in with a sly smile. "But Pydas," he pointed out, his tone laced with a hint of challenge, "that price applies when you have to shoulder the cost of hiring guards and renting the wagons yourself. This time around, we're providing both of those services, which translates to more savings for you."
"Wouldn't you agree," he continued, his gaze unwavering, "that this reduction in your costs justifies an increase in the price per wagonload?"
A considering look crossed Pydas's face. "You have a point," he conceded reluctantly. "At most," he finally proposed, "I can increase my offer by three silvers per wagonload of coal."
Duvas nodded in satisfaction. "That's certainly a step in the right direction," he acknowledged. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "But consider this, Pydas," he continued. "Usually, you'd have several traders competing for the available coal. With fewer buyers this time, you'll be able to purchase a much larger quantity than usual, thus raising your profit."
"Taking all that into account," Duvas concluded, "how about we settle on eleven gold crowns and five silver coins per wagonload of coal? I believe that strikes a fair balance for both parties."
Pydas let out a chuckle. "You drive a hard bargain, Duvas," he admitted with a shake of his head. "Very well, it seems we have a deal. I'll pay eleven gold crowns and five silver coins for each wagonload of coal I take with me."
Duvas, a satisfied smile gracing his lips, looked towards Kivamus, who gave a small nod. "Excellent!" Duvas declared. He reached for his ever-present quill and parchment. "With that settled, let's factor in the cost of the grain you brought with you. Since we'll be filling your wagons with coal after unloading the grain, we'll owe you the difference."
He scribbled some figures on the parchment. "Subtracting the sixty-nine gold crowns you'll be paying for the coal, from the one hundred and one gold crowns we owe you for the grain," he muttered to himself as he calculated, "leaves us with a remainder of… thirty-two gold crowns to pay you, in addition to filling the six wagons with coal after we unload the grain."
Duvas then shifted his focus to the larger grain deal. "Now, as per our agreement," he explained, "you'll be bringing back between sixty and eighty sacks of grain on your first return trip, depending on whether you manage to secure those extra carts in Cinran." He paused for a moment to scribble on the parchment. "The total cost for that grain, at a rate of four gold crowns and five silver coins per sack of grain, will range between… two hundred seventy gold crowns and three hundred sixty gold crowns."
"Since you asked for half of that in advance," he concluded, "we're prepared to offer you an advance payment of one hundred and fifty gold crowns. How does that sound?"
Pydas drummed his fingers on the table, his brow furrowed in thought. "One hundred and eighty-two gold crowns, is it?" he muttered to himself. After a minute of consideration, he finally spoke. "That will do," he conceded.
Kivamus, relieved to have reached an agreement, offered a reassuring nod. "Excellent!" he declared. "Duvas will ensure you receive the full amount before you depart from the manor with the wagons."
He leaned forward, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity. "Now, Pydas, before you head off," he inquired, "tell me, what other goods did you bring with you on this trip?"
Pydas shrugged. "Just the usual goods, my Lord," he replied. "A good portion of it is salt, a necessity for any household. And the rest of it are tools - picks and shovels for mining, mostly. I also have a selection of smaller tools - nails, hammers, that sort of thing."
A shadow of concern crossed his face. "However," he continued, his voice dropping to a low murmur, "I heard rumors that the recent heavy rains had caused flooding in the coal mines. With that in mind, I wasn't sure if you'd still be interested in purchasing it."
"Before we discuss anything else," Kivamus interjected, "tell me, when do you plan to set off for Cinran?"
Pydas scratched his chin thoughtfully. "There are still a few tasks I need to attend to before I can leave, my lord," he explained. "Unloading the grain sacks here will take time, and I also have deliveries to make to merchants who purchased from me yesterday. Since my wagons were kept here overnight, I couldn't make those deliveries yesterday as planned."
He chuckled ruefully. "Then, of course, I have to load the wagons with coal. By the time I finish all that, it will likely be well into the afternoon. That would make it too late to depart today. Therefore, I plan to make an early start tomorrow morning."
