"Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon - Valdemar - Darians Tale 03 - Owlknight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

whispered.

?Presents, bribes, whatever.? Barda shrugged the insinuation away. ?We aren?t
asking for anything specific, and I certainly don?t want him to go giving them
to tariff-officials, or anything of the sort. These are a different design that
we?re hoping will catch on, and we?re looking for someone who?ll give us a
decent price for the privilege of exclusivity. We made too many agreements back
when the village wasn?t as prosperous with traders who are making a great deal
of money from our work. We aren?t going to go back on those agreements now, but
- well, you know.?

Lord Breon turned to Val. ?Think you can handle that??

Val took his time in answering, his dark brows knitted as he thought. ?If you
don?t expect results immediately,? he said at last. ?If you trust me with this,
I need to take my time with it. And I?ll want the use of a couple as outright
gifts from Kelmskeep to important people.?

?That?s reasonable,? Barda agreed. ?In fact, that might well whet the right
appetites, if you give those gifts out first. Nothing like having someone with
influence take a liking to your work for getting traders interested. It?s always
better for the buyer to come to you.?

?Done, then,? Val said instantly, and another agreement was concluded.

?We want someone as - ? Chief Vordon searched for the word he wanted and finally
leaned over and whispered something in Starfall?s ear. Starfall whispered back,
and Vordon straightened. ?As agent,? he said carefully. ?For our goods. Someone
who bargains well.?

Barda nodded. ?I didn?t want to mention this before, because I didn?t know how
your people would feel about it, but I?ve been thinking you could get better
return if you had someone in the village working for you.?

Harrod bobbed his round head earnestly, and his lank, blond hair fell into his
eyes. ?My wife will do it, if you like,? he offered diffidently. ?She?s sharp
enough that the Lutters complain all the time about the prices they have to pay
for jars. If you?d rather pick someone else, though, just say so.?

?No, no, your wife-mate will be good,? the Chief said instantly, giving Darian
the feeling that he?d been on the wrong end of a bargain with Harrod?s wife
himself a time or two. ?Honest and - what was it? - sharp. Good.?

The rest of the meeting was concerned with other such things; requests from the
village for Tayledras products and that Lord Breon supply the new village
militia with some replacement arms, since the blacksmith of Errold?s Grove,
though good with ploughs and hinges, knew little of arms and armoring. The kyree
wanted permission to dig emergency lairs in the bluffs along the river near the
village, and the hertasi wanted help from Ghost Cat on a fishing expedition.
Most meetings were like this, where the details and difficulties of three