Chapter 323 - The Assembly (5)
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As Jon took his seat back and High King Torygg returned, the meeting started to review the trade and the economic status.
Outside the talk, Viarmo was sitting on the side in the backseats listening. A figure in robes came out of nowhere and sat in the empty seat beside him.
"Headmaster Viarmo." A barely audible voice talked to him.
"… Lady Sybille."
It was none other than Sybille Stentor, the Court Mage.
"His Grace is concerned, Headmaster. You seem to be making quite the friendships lately."
"…" Viarmo didn't reply and looked between Torygg and Sybille.
"I am afraid I don't know…"
"What did Jon Dare ask for?" Sybille cut his words.
"… Information."
"About?"
"Erikur."
"Good… what is there to know?"
Viarmo turned his head to Sybille bothered by the fact that she was asking a lot of questions all of a sudden. His action made Falk Firebeard aware that Sybille and Viarmo were talking to each other. He, who was standing close to the High King snuck skillfully closer to Sybille and Viarmo.
"Wizard, don't you have other business to attend to?" Falk spoke with a hint of hostility towards Sybille.
"Steward, I am just here attending to my business." Sybille replied with the same amount of hostility at Falk.
The two kept looking at each other until Sybille decided to break it down.
"Fine, if you excuse me." She stood up and went back to where she came from.
Seeing her walk off, Viarmo kept thinking why would that shut-in court mage come out all of a sudden. She is not a usual face around the court even though her work is very important. Also, Falk was unusually hostile.
"His Eminence would appreciate it if you keep your tongue held or you will lose it, Bard."
Viarmo sighed and nodded without much to say.
In this day in particular, the court was really tense. Sybille wants to investigate something mysterious, Jon and Erikur going against each other and Falk looking after every little detail. Everyone was not sure how to expect in this day at all.
The Old Holds (Winterhold, Eastmarch, Rift and Pale) except Winterhold are having not attending this meeting. The ones attending are not fully supportive of the Empire as Whiterun and Winterhold are clear about that. Even though Morthal is taking a similar stance, being close to Solitude is affecting them quite very much.
One can think that this Assembly is going to conclude the sides of the coming conflict and everyone will take a role. Unless Ulfric is willing to speak, things won't end well for Skyrim.
The tension was high between the upper echelons too. Right now, they were discussing how to distribute the trade routes with the other nations around Skyrim now that Ulfric and his allies are closing their routes.
The East Empire Company can mostly go anywhere including Windhelm and all the Stormcloak territories. The Dare Dragon Company has no land routes because Winterhold was surrounded by the Stormcloak territories so it only will depend on its fleet. The other holds were in a much better state but Whiterun was going to have serious problems as it is going to be in the center of a war started and it was also the center of the trade routes thus a lot of security was needed and that is going to shoot up the prices.
The wages will go less because every hold will be arming itself to the teeth from now on. Jarl Korir and Jon skillfully avoided this problem by using the excuse of rebuilding Winterhold and saying that they are crowded on the populace.
In the end, Winterhold has agreed to let in Imperial Legion and it will take care of them but won't be letting any other outsiders interfere in its business. Jon made a firm stance and declined all the requests of the Imperial Ambassador to send in military envoys into the cities itself.
The second break was about time but suddenly a displeased participant voiced his complaints.
"So after all this, you are going to tell me that Winterhold is not going to participate in anything other than opening its roads? Is that even acceptable?" That was Jarl Siddgeir of Falkreath.
"As we said, Winterhold is in a rebuilding phase and it will take years to recover." Jarl Korir replied with the same excuse.
"Are you kidding me? According to what we all know, the population in Winterhold is greater than both Falkreath and Hjaalmarch, also its economy is based on one entity that controls every major resource in the hold! Something is telling me you are not even trying to help, Jarl Korir." Siddgeir kept pressing further and glared at Jon.
Jon kept quiet most of the meeting but he was staring coldly at Siddgeir.
"Tell me, Jarl Korir, Thane Jon. Why isn't that company listed in the Imperial Guild of Commerce? How can we be sure that what you said is true if there is no legal document to support your claims that this company is not some rogue organization that is lawlessly taking over Winterhold?" Siddgeir directed his attack towards Jon.
Jon finally decided to speak.
"My company is Conglomerate that has its unique structure and works by the directions of the Hold Admiration and its Supreme Authority. Jarl Korir has given me a task and we agreed to make the best of everything we can use. Regarding the Imperial Guild of Commerce, our license is taking a bit of time to be issued but our friends at the East Empire Company and the other companies are doing their best to hasten the process." Jon said and looked at Vittoria Vici.
She nodded in agreement to all what he said.
The Nord Businessman and the Imperial Businesswoman were pretty much in a total agreement as everyone could see.
"What is more concerning is not what the Company do, Thane Jon. It is its history and based on what was it established?" A third person joined the fray.
"Please elaborate, Thane Erikur." Siddgeir rhymed with Erikur right away.
"Yes, please do so." Jon also rhymed with them as he sat with an amused face.
"I am not sure what you want me to elaborate, the one who has some explaining to do is you, Thane Jon." Erikur said.
"Do I? Fine, about what exactly?"
"As I said, the Origins or your company, how it started and many other details about your projects and your unordinary methods. I am sure every company in Skyrim whether on our side or the other has already shown displeasure about that Dare Dragon Company." Erikur said disdainfully and no one else stopped him.
It was a full Jon against Erikur and everyone was waiting for the main event.
Jon stood from his seat and walked to the center face to face with Erikur.
"Let's see. I am a fan of the Anarcho-capitalism. It is a mix of the sweet sweet Capitalism and the Anarchy system even though the latter is obviously hard to apply in this day and age. Capitalism is simply an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. It results for certain businesses to grow large and legally take over most of the other businesses in its habitat. For example, rather than having a few alchemy shops scattered around the hold with wasted efforts and toxic rivalry between them, we simply bring them together under one roof and one name with designated wage system, merit system and set of laws. Simply putting all these minds and hands together is much better than keeping them scattered in their workshops and foolery. Great ideas support each other and a week's work gets done in a day. That's how the [Dare Pharmacy] does things."
"Wait! You put all the independent craftsmen of Winterhold in one workshop?" Ambassador Pavo shot up.
"Yes."
"And they worked together? Just like that? No master and disciple relationship between them?"
"Yes."
"How is that even possible?" The Ambassador asked.
Alchemists were simply the most arrogant beings under heaven, even more cranky than most mages. Bringing a few to work together is clearly not possible by normal means.
"I just said how the company does things. I won't reveal anything regarding my internal affairs or secrets of the trade. Please excuse me, Sir Ambassador." Jon said.
"So you force people to work together?" Erikur said.
"I don't know which sick psychology gave you the right to accuse me of such a thing."
"What did you say?"
"It is what you heard, retard."
The atmosphere was chilly around Jon. He was doing his best to not go wild on someone who is bluntly framing him of something he didn't do… or maybe he did but with good intentions at heart.
Erikur was feeling that he was slapped publicly. A boy who is not 18 yet and slandered him in front of the High King with an ever so casual tone.
"Jon Dare, watch your tongue."
"Oh, I love threats. What will you do?"
Jon's Aura was already hard to suppress. An Aura of a Tyrant is impossible to keep in check if its owner was being slandered, it was as if it had life on its own and wanted to shred Erikur to pieces.
"Enough you two." Falk spoke. "Thane Jon, Thane Erikur, this is not the time or the place for your problems. Unless it is a matter of the court and the nation, take it outside."
Jon didn't even look to Erikur and headed back to his seat.
"He still hasn't answered about the Origin of that Company." Erikur didn't back down the slightest.
"A company coming out of nowhere and using unusual activities to rise in the poorest hold to completely control it in the span of two years. Not just that, we are all aware of the Origins of Jon Dare, an orphan from the slums of Riften who happened to have the bloodline of one of Skyrim's big clans. Hear this out; his origins is Riften, a territory of the repels; his bloodline is Firemane, a clan that doesn't follow the Imperial Pantheon and lives in the wilds of Eastmarch which is a Stormcloak territory; he gained a lot of money from Gods know where grew at a speed no one else can achieve by normal means; he never fell into any conflict with the Old Holds regarding his actions and his trades can go anywhere in Eastmarch where Jarl Ulfric rules. My theory is that either he is spying for Ulfric, someone who is in deep cahoots with a clan to take over Winterhold or some sort of Daedric Cultist that spreads the influence of a Daedra." Erikur's passionate speech echoed far and wide in the court. His voice was loud and he looked to everyone in the eyes while pointing the fingers of accusation towards Jon.
Some has already seen some sense in Erikur's words but what they couldn't fathom was the smile on Jon's face. His mood was completely the opposite of some time ago.
"*ClapClapClapClap* Bravo!" Jon was openly mocking Erikur. "Is that really all you got? Accusing me of working for the Old Holds. Well, Winterhold is an Old Hold, the oldest of them all really. The thing between the Old Hold and the New Hold was a really good idea to use, I give you that. It is like the historical Clasico of Skyrim, East vs. West! Well played, almost fooled me myself."
Jon turned around and stood in the middle once again.
"I will entertain you, Thane Erikur. Let's see, you said I am helping the Firemane taking over Winterhold! Hmmm… Mr. Thongvar Silver-Bood, is it against the Law by any chance?"
Jon directed the question to Thongvar Silver-Blood whose clan basically owns every rock in the Reach Hold including the prison of Cidhna Mine which is their private property.
"No." The latter replied.
"Good, that aside, you also suspected me of either being a Daedra cultist or a spy for Ulfric. I am not answering the first because it is dumb and you are dumb too, the latter can be a bit of concern. Fine, I admit it, I like Ulfric Stormcloak… what? Is it new to you? Everyone likes Ulfric, he's a damn war hero, he saved Markarth, he speaks the Thu'um and his voice is so deep that you can't help but hear want to hear him just speak over and over. Everyone knows that!" Jon started walking around with the same smile on his face.
His words caused most of the people to have beads of cold sweat all over them. Jon looked at High King Torygg and spoke.
"Ulfric Stormcloak is a man from the Age of Heroes. Everyone, tell me… when was the last time we had someone like that? Basically, we didn't. At this day and age, Skyrim has no heroes. The world itself didn't see a hero since… let's see, The [Hero of Kvatch] and [Saint Martian Septim] at the Oblivion Crisis, and [Emperor Titus Mede II] at the [Great War]. Ulfric could have been one but simply he is not because he is a man of short temper who was let down by many. Y'all, Ulfric's cause is just but his timing couldn't be worse, we all know that. Am I a supporter of Ulfric? No. Will I raise my sword to kill another Nord because the God we both worship was banned by a treaty that we can simply ignore? No. Will I raise a company and rebuild a hold to wage war with it? ... Hm?" Jon looked around and questioned the people.
He was already taking the lead of the conversation and Erikur was having a hard time putting up anything to face Jon with. Damn, Jon even said Ulfric is a Hero in front of the whole Assembly and no one said anything to stop him.
"Now, you want to know how I brought money to build my Company, right?" Jon stood proudly in front of everyone. "You know I won a tournament two years ago and hoarded a lot of money from that one. Oh! I remember, I almost ruined your gambling house that year, crippled the team you were betting on all by myself while sitting on a chair and hoarded a shit ton lots of money. You hate me for it, right? I took your money and then took over the business with the College of Winterhold, the same business you were trying to establish."
"Lies! All lies! 2000 Septim wouldn't have made a decent amount for anyone to start a business. Who do you think you are fooling here?" Erikur lashed.
"You want to know my dirty little secret, don't you? Fine, I will tell you all here in this court in front of the High King himself. The truth is… always the most boring answer. The truth is… my mama is so rich, she is an Arch-Wizard and she makes a lot of money that she can't even spend in one lifetime." Jon said and spread his arms around to the public while smiling left and right.
"Yep, you heard me right. I am my mama's boy and I make her proud every day since the day she adopted me in. I am her Legacy Apprentice and her only son, she is an Arch-Wizard and she leads the Mysticism Department in the College. Sorry to ruin your fantasies about spy conspiracies and Daedric plots but it's the truth."
People were at a loss for words. Someone was simply admitting that he is his mama's boy and boasting around that she is rich, powerful and gives him all the money he wants. Wasn't this the Recipe of Disaster that makes arrogant noble kids and corrupted rich boys?
Even though these descriptions wouldn't fit with Jon whose heroics are publicly known and his power is already so domineering.
Was it simple to admit that he took money from his adoptive mother and build a kingdom of Business by it? There is no way that this was a simple answer. Hell, all the people around this room are all rich and powerful, if they gave money to their kids at the age of 16 and told them to make something like Jon with it… it is simply a pure waste of money.
And yet, here it is. Someone with an unusual personality and made unusual things. They all look at Jon and forget his real age, according to the reports he is not 18 yet.
Not yet 18 and in the fanciest room in Skyrim addressing the most powerful people.
The realization hit again and again. He is someone who can speak for his own, act for his own and even turn the poorest Hold into the most mysterious one so far.
Just who is he? What is he capable of? How did he do it?
All these questions and more started to dig deep in the hearts of the attendants from the Imperial Ambassador to the Jarls and Thanes. The youngest person in this room was Jon Dare whose still not 18 and the one right older than him is the 22 years old Vittoria Vici then all the rest are over 30.
The one amused from this show the most was High King Torygg, he was keeping tabs on Jon for a while and he knew some of Jon capabilities better than anyone in the room. The way Jon destroyed Erikur was the best thing he saw in court for a long while.
"That's all I've got, Thane Erikur. Happy now? You made me admit that I am mama's boy and she gives me money. Well, at least the money I have a valid source, God knows where others get money from!"
Jon switched from defense to offense and threw a rock at Erikur. His word made people think, Erikur is a vicious character and his money was not the cleanest. It was not proved but a lot of smuggling and shady businesses were managed by Erikur.
Erikur didn't take those words well and glared at Jon fiercely.
"That's a lot of nerve you have, boy."
"Name's Jon Dare, midget. Thane Jon for your likes."
"Don't force my hand. Neither you nor that little Winterhold can withstand…"
"Thane Erikur, choose your next words rather carefully." The one who stood up was Jarl Korir.
Simply using a Hold for intimidation when its Jarl is around is another Recipe for Disaster. Even Torygg and his aides were about to scold Erikur, his words are enough to make him push Winterhold into the Stormcloak camp. Even Jon wouldn't bother by then and happily shake hands with Ulfric.
Still, Erikur had another chip in hand. He looked at Jarl Korir and grinned.
"You! Who in Oblivion are you?" He said while pointing at Korir.
Jon narrowed his eyes and the people around felt that this was still far from over. Jon won the first round but there was that little thing that was still in their minds.
Jarl Korir!
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