A Mythical Match Up IV - Futures Market

Four plastic mugs clinked together, nearly spilling their frothy pale amber contents as they collided.

"Cheers!" cried Daniel.

"Cheers!" replied the rest of the group.

They drank.

"Doing alright there, bud?" inquired Daniel as they set their mugs back down on the table.

"Huh?" said Nathan, wiping his lips.

"You sounded a bit down there," said Daniel, half-shouting to be heard. Behind them, another group of college students were laughing and a pair of toddlers seated to their left were alternately screaming and squealing as though competing to see who could make the most noise. The massive flatscreen television on wall above them seemed set to a volume slightly below the point it would cause deafness.

"Oh, no, I'm fine," said Nathan, with a weak smile. "Just tired."

"Heh, fair enough," said Daniel.

Nathan took another swig of his beer, savoring its cool, sour flavor. He turned and looked around the pizzeria. There wasn't a single empty booth or table in the place and a dozen or so would-be patrons were standing by the entrance. Apart from fellow college students out celebrating the end of the semester, Nathan spotted families, couples, office workers and other townies out enjoying their Friday night. Servers in black T-shirts and aprons emblazoned with the pizzeria logo maneuvered between the densely packed tables and chairs. Some carried enormous trays laden with still-steaming pizzas, baskets of wings, fries or poppers and pitchers of soda, beer, lemonade, ice tea or water. The kitchen, partially visible through the serving window, thrummed with activity. Bright flashing lights and loud electronic noises emanated from a small arcade in the far corner. The air itself seemed infused with warm, greasy energy.

Nathan realized his friends were talking again.

"-isk of spoiling the mood, how did everybody's finals go?" asked Daniel.

"I'll be alright," said Kaitlyn. She absently brushed back her long blond hair. "I'm pretty sure I did well on my physiology final. That's what's important."

"No actual exams for me this semester," said Khan, smiling brightly, his perfect white teeth contrasting with his chocolate-brown complexion. "Just had to write a bunch of essays. I finished the last one a day ago."

"Yeah, similar situation for me," said Nathan. "Just had this one written exam for linguistics. It was harder than I thought it'd be, but I'm pretty sure I passed." He paused. "Really glad this semester is over."

"I'll drink to that!" said Daniel, raising his mug.

"We already did," laughed Khan.

"Well...hell, let's do it again!"

"What're everyone's plans for the break?" said Khan.

"Sleep," said Kaitlyn promptly.

"Okay, then what?" laughed Khan.

"Sleep some more," said Kaitlyn.

"Same here," said Nathan dryly, to the amusement of everyone at the table.

"Hey, aren't you going to take the opportunity to visit your girlfriend?" said Daniel, grinning.

"Daniel!" hissed Nathan angrily.

"Huh? Girlfriend?" said Kaitlyn, looking up.

"First time I've heard about this," said Khan.

"What? It's not like it's some big secret, right?" said Daniel. He motioned for a passing waiter to bring them another pitcher.

"Well, uh..." began Nathan.

"Is she a student?" inquired Kaitlyn.

"Oh, uh, no, not at all," said Nathan.

"What's her name?"

"Um..." said Nathan, clearly reluctant to say anything more on the topic.

"Her name is Melinan-" Daniel paused, cleared his throat and continued "Er...Melina."

"Oh, you've met her?" said Kaitlyn, obvious or indifferent to the murderous look Nathan had just shot Daniel.

"Eh, not really," said Daniel, wiggling a hand. "But I've heard plenty about her from Nathan," he said, gesturing at the fuming college senior.

"Well, come on, dude - spill," said Khan, turning to Nathan "What's she like? Where did you meet?"

Nathan's lips tightened. He looked around the table, weighing his options. A waitress detached from the crowd and set a fresh pitcher of beer down on their table, for which she received a perfunctory nod from Daniel. Nathan took a moment to glare angrily at Daniel again - noting his frizzy brown hair (carefully conditioned to appear wild and unkempt), sharp nose, unshaven chin and the shit-eating grin that seemed permanently etched upon his face. Nathan decided that reprisal in kind was warranted.

"Well, if we're going to go there," said Nathan. "Funny story - Daniel met his girlfriend on the same dating app I used."

The group was silent for a moment.

"Wait, you have a girlfriend too?" exclaimed Khan, looking at Daniel.

"And you didn't tell us about her?" squealed Kaitlyn, sounding equal parts delighted and incensed.

Daniel shrugged melodramatically.

"Busted! I only met her couple months back but...things are going pretty good between us." He paused, scratching his nose. "Her name is Sheila and yeah, we met on a dating app. She's not a student; she's already done with school. She lives far away but the commute is really easy so I visit her every chance I get." His already wide grin grew even wider. "She is one wild gal, let me tell you. Right up my alley. Plus, her folks are loaded."

"Congrats, man," said Khan, raising a mug.

"Why didn't you mention her before?" asked Kaitlyn.

"Like I said, we only started dating a few months ago," said Daniel. "Wasn't sure if it was going anywhere." With that, he turned to Nathan. "Alright, bud, your turn. Fair's fair."

Nathan sighed.

"Melina and I met a couple of semesters ago on the app. She's...nice. Kind of high maintenance."

He sipped his beer and said nothing more. Daniel, Kaitlyn and Khan stared at him expectantly.

"That's it?" said Kaitlyn.

"You gotta give us more than that, dude," whined Khan.

"If he doesn't, I will," laughed Daniel.

"Um, her family's a bit much but they mean well - most of the time, anyways" continued Nathan reluctantly. "They're pretty well off too. Not Jeff Bezos rich or anything - not even Kardashian rich - but comfortable. Thing is, she's not great with money. I actually gave her some pointers vis-à-vis investments, asset management - basic stuff, if I'm being honest, but it helped."

"Wouldn't she have, like, a bunch of accountants and agents for that sort of thing?" said Kaitlyn, cocking her head.

"Yeah, basically," said Nathan, grimacing. "But she doesn't trust them."

"She doesn't trust them?" chuckled Khan.

"Yep, go figure."

"What does she do anyways?" probed Kaitlyn. "You said she wasn't in school."

"...Property management. She, uh...it's a family business. Her mom and dad gave her a piece of their company."

"So, she manages apartments? Offices?"

"Both. It's kind of complicated. There're some...confidentiality issues. I really can't say anything else."

"Confidentiality issues?" said Khan, bemused.

"Yes, confidentiality issues."

"That sounds kinda shady," said Kaitlyn, sounding concerned.

"It's nothing like that," said Nathan. "It's just....look, I had to sign some stuff when I helped her out with her finances. Nothing untoward - just some boiler plate nondisclosure agreements." He gave Daniel a meaningful look. "But you gotta watch out with those NDAs - they can really bite you in the ass if you aren't careful."

Daniel had been in the middle of taking a long drink from his beer when Nathan had spoken. He put down his mug, exhaled, and nodded at Nathan. "Yeah, sounds good," he said vaguely. "Hey, I gotta rock a piss. Be right back."

He rose.

"Actually," said Nathan narrowing his eyes. "I got to go too."

Daniel regarded him for a moment, shrugged, then turned and started wading through the crowd. Nathan followed. Eventually, the pair reached the men's bathroom. Though not exactly pristine, the floors and counters were basically clean and only smelled faintly of urine. Around half of the stalls were occupied and two the five urinals were in use. Suddenly, Nathan gripped Daniel by the shoulder.

"Whoa, hey!" protested Daniel, laughing nervously.

"Inside the big stall," whispered Nathan into his ear. "Now."

Nathan maneuvered him into the double-wide handicap stall - which proved, fortuitously, empty - and then shut and locked the door behind them.

"Bud, don't take this the wrong way, but you're not my type," said Daniel, hands raised in mocking defense.

"Wha-...keep it down," whispered Nathan, his face turning red. "And you know that's not why I brought you here."

"Huh?"

"Why the fuck did you bring up Melinanatha and Mythic Matches, huh?" he hissed, stepping closer.

"Hey, the conversation just...drifted that way," said Daniel. "'Sides, it's not like I told them she's an eight-foot tall super-thicc dragon princess who lives in parallel universe straight out of the wet dreams of just about every isekai fanboy that we can access on our phone. Or that you two are engaged. Sort of."

"Do you have any idea how strict and complex the MM user agreement is? Huh? I've spent so much time pouring over it that if it were worth credit hours I'd have already graduated and I STILL don't understand a ton of it."

"Yeah, I know, but you know they don't enforce all those rules. Shit, you and me both probably break a half dozen of them every time we visit the Realms. Everyone does it."

"Geez! Keep it down."

"What, you think they're listening in on our phones or something?" chortled Daniel. He leaned forward and spoke as though addressing something in Nathan's pockets. "Hey there, Mythic Matches, two weeks ago I smuggled a JBL speaker and power source into the Realms and sold it in Do va Vaska."

"Gah...I wish I never showed you that app!" groaned Nathan.

"But you did and I still owe you one for that," said Daniel happily. "I love that crazy fucking world. And I really, really love Saelia."

He paused.

"Bud, real talk time," said Daniel. The sides of his lips curled into something resembling a frown. "Why are you really getting bent of shape over this?" he asked, his voice devoid of its usual carefree joviality.

The sudden change in demeanor caught Nathan off guard. He stared at Daniel for a moment, gazed down at the vinyl floor (noting with mild disgust a wet fragment of toilet paper near the drain), and then looked back up at his friend, who was waiting patiently for his reply.

"I just want you to be more careful," said Nathan earnestly. "I know it all seems like fun and games but that app can get you caught up in some real trouble."

"Yeah, I know, bud," said Daniel. "Correct me if I'm wrong, you're still caught up in some shit." He paused. "Hey, maybe that's what's got you so bent outta shape," he said, grinning triumphantly as though he had solved some great conundrum. He waggled a finger at Nathan. "After everything that went down in the Realms, you don't like being reminded about the app or Melinanatha."

Nathan felt a sudden surge of anger, resentment and embarrassment.

"Ah! Bingo," crowed Daniel upon seeing the look in Nathan's eyes.

"That's not it!" snapped Nathan, fully aware that the son of a bitch probably had a point given the way he had reacted. He took a deep, long breath and exhaled. "I just want to keep the world of elves, dwarves, dragon princesses and anthropomorphic lionesses separate from the real world. Okay?"

"Fine, whatever, bud," said Daniel, smirking.

"Can you PLEASE not bring up the topic of our magical girlfriends or the interdimensional app? I'm begging you."

"Okay, okay," sighed Daniel. "I won't bring it up again. But if they ask about the app, I'm showing it to them."

"No! No!"

"Hey, if they download the app the nondisclosure thing doesn't apply anymore," said Daniel. "Sounds win-win."

With that, he turned towards the toilet and unzipped his fly.

"Dude!" protested Nathan.

"Hey, I said I had to rock a piss and I do," said Daniel. "Get out."

Nathan hurried out the stall door and shut it behind him. He saw to his horror that a middle-aged man by the sinks - hands still wet from washing - was staring at him. Saying nothing and avoiding the man's gaze, Nathan marched past him and left the bathroom.

"Hey, no shame, man!" called the man.

* * *

The pizzeria was fifteen minutes from closing by the time Nathan slipped out - alone - onto the sidewalk. He sighed and stretched his arms. The cool evening air was welcome relief from the stuffy interior of the restaurant. Despite the late hour the walkways and streets were alive with pedestrians and motorists and nearly half the bars and eateries were still open. The crescent moon and dim stars twinkling in the cloudless sky above coupled with the glow from various storefronts suffused the block in a soft, soothing radiance. Though pleasantly buzzed Nathan felt in complete control of his faculties and so started heading towards his car.

A minute or so later, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He took it out and swiped the screen. Someone had texted him.

"Oh!" said Nathan, evidently pleased by the message. He started tapping away on the screen.

thanks! I hope your exams went well too :)

do you want to do anything to celebrate? not tonight of course

sure! i'm not going home for the break so I have plenty of free time

cool! I'll text you later. good night.

Nathan tucked his phone back into his pocket with a reassuring pat. He smiled.

Then, mere seconds later, his phone vibrated again - this time accompanied by a jaunty tune. Nathan stopped dead in his tracks. All color drained from his face.

"Oh no," he croaked

First stepping to the side so as not to impede foot traffic, he retrieved his phone and checked the screen. Sure enough, the Mythic Matches icon had appeared, indicating that someone had sent him a message. Someone from the Realms of Shaltae. That could only mean...

"Okay, stay cool," said Nathan to himself. "She probably just wants to schedule a date. Meeting. Date-meeting."

He opened Mythic Matches. As usual, it took a good ten seconds to load and the power draw noticeably warmed his phone. Nathan anxiously tapped his foot. At last, the menu appeared. Nathan opened his inbox.

You are urgently needed in Northcliff. Depart at once. A portal has already been commissioned through the guild.

Nathan stared glumly at the message.

"At least she actually paid for the portal this time," he muttered.

He briefly considered ducking into a quiet, inconspicuous alley to portal directly to the Realms of Shaltae to avoid or diminish the harangue Melinanatha would inevitably subject him to for being late. That said he didn't know how long he'd be gone and didn't want to leave his car in the parking lot overnight. Plus, Melinanatha's definition of 'late' was rather unforgiving; chances are he'd be deemed 'late' for not appearing the instant she sent the message.

Might as well take care of things here before leaving.

Nathan pocketed his phone again and continued along the sidewalk, his carefree smile replaced with a glower. Upon reaching his car he got in, started the engine and drove back to his apartment.

Once home he dropped his keys in a small bowl near the door and hurried into his room. He opened his closet and retrieved a small, weathered-looking backpack. After shouldering it, he turned off the lights, air conditioning and router inside his apartment. Satisfied, he took out his phone and re-opened the Mythic Matches app. Sure enough, his account had been credited with a portal to (and from) the Realms of Shaltae, Northcliff castle. He tapped the 'accept' button. Seconds later a glowing oval scintillating blue light erupted soundlessly before him. He shut his eyes, drew in a deep lungful of air through his teeth, and then stepped through the portal.

* * *

A disorienting moment later, Nathan found himself standing in a wide, high-vaulted hall with stone and motor walls supported by thick wooden beams. Enormous tapestries with complex and colorful geometric designs hung from the rafters. Clusters of glowing yellow lights hovered in the air above providing illumination. Nathan peered up at the skylights and saw that it was evening here as well. A dry, dusty smell permeated the air.

At first it appeared he was alone. Then, his ears perked up. The sound of approaching footsteps echoed throughout the cavernous hall.

Melinanatha, dominatrix of the peak of Valt, Northcliff and the hamlet of Snails' Rest, emerged from a side corridor, closely followed by a pair of kobold footmen - small, skinny, horned reptilian humanoids draped in simple brown robes. While they scurried along demurely, heads held low, Melinanatha strode confidentially and brashly. The Draco ruler stood a good eight feet tall, possibly eight and-a-half if one counted the tips of her scaly green chiropterous wings. She wore a white dress with gold trimmings and a wide skirt - almost to the point of being a ballroom gown - that went down to her knees. The bodice and skirt were embroidered with intricate, multicolored patterns. Like nearly all of the garments she wore, the dress seemed designed to hug her astounding curves as tightly as possible - perhaps out of necessity given how much mass they held in check. Her thick, swaying hips would have struggled to pass through any human-sized door. Her stupendous, watermelon-sized breasts seemed to float in the air in front of her like overinflated silky balloons. Yet no one, least of all Nathan, would be inclined to call her fat. Powerful muscles bulged beneath her arms' thick scales. Her fierce yet feminine draconic countenance - human-like, but with a beak-like nose and small ivory horns - had little to no pudge or drooping softness. And then there were her bright blue eyes and flowing ebony hair. She was, simply put, a very big girl. She brought Nathan to mind of a certain vampiric noblewoman antagonist from a particular Resident Evil game, though Melinanatha was not quite as ruthless as her. And far more pleasant on most occasions.

Unfortunately, this was not one of those occasions.

"Where have you been you lout?" she snapped, hands on hips. "I languished in my parlor for what seemed a demihour! When I deign commission a portal I will tolerate a minute's delay at most! And if that did not occur to you, I made it clear in the missive that circumstances demanded alacrity on your part."

"Hello to you to, Melinanatha," said Nathan, voice and face deadpan.

"Urrrrggg!" fumed the dragoness, wringing her claws. "What truly galls is that it was your turn to pay for a portal!"

"No, I paid for the last one," said Nathan slowly. "Remember? We had dinner at that fancy restaurant downtown - the Four Seasons - and you made me stiff the waitress because you said she was rude?"

"That was an unplanned visit, not one of our regular meetings," sniffed Melinanatha. "As such, it did not count."

"For fuc-...YOU called me saying you needed to get out of the keep and-...." Nathan stopped, sighed, and continued. "Look, I'm here. Sorry it took so long but you caught me in the middle of something. Now, what do you need?"

Melinanatha's nostrils flared. She glared at him for a few seconds.

"Perhaps your tone will wax more apologetic when you learn your tardiness has inconvenienced those other than your dear betrothed," she said. "Two representatives of the Trading House of the Green Claw await us. They have already supped on betha biscuits and platinum tea; their cups are empty and their plates hold naught save crumbs."

"Huh? The House of the Green Claw?" said Nathan, genuinely curious. "They're here?"

"Yes, but if we delay any further they may not be," said Melinanatha. "Come!"

She turned and started walking down the hall, tail swinging in the air. Her kobold retainers dutifully followed her. Nathan had to jog a few yards to catch up.

"You know, I've never actually met anyone from your trading house," said Nathan, looking up at Melinanatha.

Though he kept his gaze fixed on her face his eyes were level with her bosom, which jiggled provocatively with her every step. It still took effort on his part not to gawk.

"Indeed. You have been quite fortunate," said Melinanatha.

"Geez, you STILL don't trust them?" groaned Nathan. "They did a great job bringing in investors for the mill project - you said so yourself. They also found that band of charcoal burners - they practically set up that entire industry."

"That is precisely WHY I do not trust them. Their influence infects our endeavors. Put it another way; do those charcoal burners serve my domain or the trading house? I suspect the latter."

They turned and entered a narrow corridor branching from the main hallway. The light grew noticeably dimmer as there were far fewer glowing orbs in the passageway.

They passed two sets of wide doors before Melinanatha turned and opened one on their right.

Beyond lay a small yet cozy-looking room. A heavy wooden table with six padded chairs dominated its center. A tall, fair-skinned man with long blonde hair - an elf, Nathan realized, upon spotting his pointy ears - in a silky green robe occupied one of the seats. He had a thin yet oddly handsome face and was smoking a pipe with an almost comically long mouthpiece. Next to the elf sat a red-scaled kobold dressed in an almost identical robe. The kobold was larger than Melinanatha's footmen and, more to the point, did not stoop or avert its gaze as they did; rather, it held its snout high and stared aloofly at Melinanatha and her small retinue. A beautiful tapestry depicting a verdant woodland scene hung on the far wall. A cluster of yellow orbs floated above the table.

"Ah, at last he arrives," said the elf in a smooth tenor, lowering his pipe.

"Yes, the human-thing graces us with its presence," said the kobold. He had a surprisingly deep, raspy voice.

"I would thank you to speak with more respect when addressing my future consort," growled Melinanatha.

The elf and kobold lowered their heads.

"Of course."

"Forgive us."

Melinanatha folded her arms and glared meaningfully at the two of them. She did not move to enter the room. Seconds ticked by. Then, as one, the elf and kobold rose to their feet.

"Apologies, dominatrix," said the elf, grinning foolishly.

With a haughty snort Melinanatha finally stepped through the doorway. Her servants followed. Nathan reluctantly entered the room as well. Melinanatha took a seat at the head of the table; her chair strained under her considerable bulk as she sat. The elf and kobold then lowered themselves back into their seats. After a moment's hesitation, Nathan sat in a chair next to Melinanatha. The kobold footmen hurried up to the table, collected the empty plates and goblets littering its surface and then scurried out, shutting the door behind them.

A few seconds passed in silence as Melinanatha, the elf and the kobold eyed each other like poker players about to start a high-stakes game. Nathan, for his part, avoided their gaze and waited patiently.

The elf blew a smoke ring. He glanced at Nathan.

"I confess, o Nathan of Veles," he said "I have never met one of thy kind before today. What they say is true; humans do bear a striking resemblance to the Folk."

Nathan gave a little shrug.

"Ah, where are my manners?" he said jovially. "I am Aetesh Starglimmer and this worthy fellow," he gestured at his kobold companion "Is Scritterseer. We speak on behalf the Trading House of the Green Claw and, I believe, the good miners and tradesfolk of Snail's Rest."

"An exaggeration at best and a bald-faced lie at worst," said Melinanatha sharply. "You speak for your house and your own interests, nothing more."

"As you say," said Aetesh, bowing his head.

"Was your journey to Northcliff pleasant?" inquired Scritterseer.

"Uh, I supposed," said Nathan slowly. "I mean, I just portaled directly to the keep."

"Yes. A great convenience. For those who can afford it."

"Would you rather he'd slogged all the way from his world by steed or foot, were it even possible?" said Melinanatha incredulously.

"Excuse me," said Nathan, raising a hand. "Could someone please tell me what's going on? Why did you guys call this meeting?"

"Did you not inform him, dominatrix?" said Aetesh, turning to Melinanatha. He sounded mildly surprised.

"I wanted him to hear it from you, here," said Melinanatha firmly. "Some matters are best discussed in private and face-to-face - not through conveyed missive."

"As you say."

Scritterseer laced his fingers and leaned forward.

"We convened this meeting to discuss trends in the price of copper in the region," he explained. "Are you aware, master Nathan, that the price of copper in city Bellvale and the outlying coastal settlements has increased by seven-tenths over the last fortnight?"

"A seventy-percent increase?" said Nathan, surprised. "Over two weeks?"

"Last month, a copper ingot could fetch ten talents or as many as fourteen. Now our agents tell us one would be hard-pressed to find an ingot for less than eighteen talents, even in bulk and even if one could find a seller."

"Hmm. Nice little jump, especially over such a short time," remarked Nathan.

"Several months ago one could purchase ingots at three talents or less if purchased in bulk," continued Scritterseer. "The price grew so low that some merchants no longer accepted copper bits."

"Okay, wow, that is a substantial increase," said Nathan, shaking his head in amazement. "Any clear reasons why copper prices are skyrocketing? Demand? Has our mysterious competitor stopped flooding the market? Both? Or am I way off?"

Aetesh puffed on his pipe. Nathan wrinkled his nose. Though the smell of whatever he was smoking was not particularly pungent, he'd never been a big fan of tobacco.

"Our agents' reports suggest a single buyer is acquiring vast quantities of copper through multiple intermediaries," said Aetesh. "Furthermore, several coastal cities have commissioned fleets of a new ship - something called a schooner - which incorporates a revolutionary copper sheath around its hull to guard against woodworm and rot."

"Oh, that's...clever," said Nathan as faint memories of an early modern history class flickered in his mind. He wondered if the innovation had been made independently in the Realms or been imported from Earth, secretly or otherwise.

"As for our 'mysterious competitor,' our agents have yet to identify any such entity," said Scritterseer skeptically. "If some cabal did flood the market with cheap copper, they have stopped. Or market demand is so high that even they cannot meet it."

"Okay, market forces are converging in our favor," said Nathan. "This is good news. We can off-load the copper we have and jump-start the mines."

Everyone in the room save Nathan winced.

"Okay," said Nathan, looking around. "Who wants to tell me the bad news?"

Melinanatha slowly turned to him.

"Northcliff coffers are empty, as are the trading house's," she snarled.

"What?" said Nathan, shocked. He looked over at Aetesh and Scritterseer. For the first time, the two seemed to be avoiding his gaze.

"Even with the aid of the merchant investors the mill proved costly beyond our wildest reckonings," said Melinanatha. "Much had to be imported from neighboring Bellvale and the transportation costs alone were ruinous."

"To be sure, it is a fine mill," said Aetesh diplomatically. "Cuts the hardest wood like steel slicing butter."

"Yet it hardly earns more than the copper mine did at the worst of times," said Melinanatha angrily. "At this rate, it will be a hundred years before it returns what it has cost, or so my trading house calculates."

"That's not unusual," said Nathan patiently, though in truth he did feel a twinge of panic. "It's a new industry - it will need adjustment and will not be immediately profitable."

"And we've yet to see a single bit's return on the charcoal burners!" continued Melinanatha, now practically shrieking. "We exhausted the treasury building those holes in the mud they call kilns for those damned itinerant beastfolk. For what? For the privilege to buy charcoal from them?"

"At cost," said Scritterseer. "They migrated to Snail's Rest in exchange for residency and the construction of kilns. And will pay taxes on their enterprise at rates we negotiated."

"We need money now! Not a small trickle every season."

"Why do we need money right now?" said Nathan, cringing. "The mines-"

"The mines are moribund," snapped Melinanatha.

"What?"

"All resources were directed towards growing the lumber mill and charcoal industries," said Scritterseer softly. "The mines have been all but shuttered. Not only have miners departed to find work elsewhere but the mines are in desperate need of maintenance - support columns to repair, tools to sharpen or replace, smelters to clean, and so forth."

"Look, I admit I don't know a lot about copper mining - especially in the Realms - but how could the mines fall into disrepair so quickly?"

Both Aetesh and Scritterseer looked uncomfortable upon hearing this. Melinanatha raised an eyebrow.

"Aetesh...Scritterseer...?" she growled dangerously.

"The truth is...the mines have long been in need of such repair," said Aetesh, squirming under her fiery gaze. "But...the yearly lease and the percentage of each sale owed to the treasury - not to mention the one-tenths directed to thy personal hoard - proved too burdensome to affect regular maintenance. That the mine operated for so long at profit to all parties is testimony to the skill and effort of the miners."

"Many of whom have now gone in search of greener pastures," said Scritterseer.

"Why did you conceal this from me?" roared Melinanatha, rising from her seat.

"We...did not wish to bother dominatrix with piddling details of trade, as is custom," said Scritterseer nervously.

"And we had faith in the acumen of master Nathan," said Aetesh. "His schemes seemed quite sound."

Nathan shot Aetesh and angry surprised look.

"I am surrounded by fools!" cried Melinanatha, throwing her arms into the air. "Before long my domain will fall to ruin!" She started pacing back and forth. "I will be reduced to some pathetic lordling, peddling charcoal and kindling by the roadside. At this rate I will be forced to draw upon my personal hoard. Have you any idea the shame that will bring my family?"

In the resulting, chilling silence, Nathan cleared his throat and raised a hand.

"How much do you owe?" he managed.

"Eh?" said Melinanatha, swinging her head.

"How much is Northcliff in debt?" said Nathan, bracing himself.

"Idiot! We are not in debt. We simply have no money. Have your ears rotted along with your brain?"

"W-Wait, you didn't have to take on any loans to pull this off?" said Nathan in surprise, sitting up. "I know we got a ton of capital from those investors in Bellvale and Do va Eins - and me - in exchange for shares, but taken with what you invested from the treasury, it was enough to pay for everything? The lumber mill? The kilns? The new worker housing?"

"Yes! Of course," said Melinanatha, now confused and angry. "We even sold what litter copper we had hoarded - far before its price rose like a phoenix, I might add."

"A loan would have been out of the question," said Scritterseer. "We'd receive favorable terms since it wouldn't be used to finance a war, but moneylender would have demanded at least forty-five percent interest."

Now it was Nathan's turn to yell. "Forty-five percent?!" he cried, standing. "You gotta be..." he trailed off "...Shit, I keep forgetting," he said, lowering his voice. He shook his head. "Medieval loan terms - nasty, brutish and short, with interest rates that'd make a loan shark blush."

"Er, I don't believe there are any sharkfolk moneylenders, but-"

"What about income vs. expense?" continued Nathan. "Are you actually losing money every month now?" he said, addressing Melinanatha.

"I have already lost a fortune, lout!"

"Come on, Melinantha, assuming you don't take on any new expenses - no new mills, no new kilns, no new puzzle sticks - will you still able to pay for food, servants, all that stuff?"

"... Zeszintha has assured me that, through careful parsimony, we will be able to cover Northcliff's sundry expenses for the foreseeable future," said Melinanatha sourly, sitting down. "But to live lik-"

"What about you guys?" said Nathan, turning to the elf and kobold. "Any chance of the Trading House of the Green Claw going in the red?"

"Going in the-?"

"I mean going bankrupt," sighed Nathan impatiently. "Not being able to cover what you pay with what you make."

Scritterseer cleared his throat.

"Though income from sale of copper has all but evaporated, we have secured buyers for lumber in Bellvale and beyond. And several of our smaller enterprises - tanned hides from local hunters, for instance - remain profitable."

"That's a yes, then," said Nathan. "What about Snail's Rest?"

"Eh?" said Aetesh.

"Snail's Rest?" said Melinanatha. She now seemed more bewildered than upset.

"How is it doing?" said Nathan. "You said we lost a lot of miners - a lot of people. Is it, like, a ghost town now? Businesses shutting, people fleeing for better prospects? Is it doing alright?"

Melinanatha turned to Aetesh and Scritterseer and gave them a questioning look.

"While the departure of miners was unfortunate, beastfolk charcoal burners have occupied their homesteads," said Scritterseer. "Though I am not tax collector, I foresee no loss in the hearth tax come Spring. The mill has attracted new workers to Snail's Rest - more than those we recruited from the town. When last I visited several new homes and third tavern near the mill were under construction. And last week's market was as busy as I have ever seen it."

"Okay, see, things aren't so bad," said Nathan, almost excitedly. "The domain isn't insolvent and we've diversified Northcliff's holdings. It's a liquidity problem - we can't take advantage in a market reversal because we've exhausted our budget."

"Wha-?" said Scritterseer.

"I...understood some of that," said Aetesh, bemused. "Does he speak in another dialect, lady Melinanatha?"

"He might as well be," sighed Melinanatha.

"We don't have to get the mines functional right away but we'd be missing a huge opportunity if we couldn't," said Nathan. He flopped back in his seat and pondered.

"If we had spent the same money refurbishing the mines and not building worthless mills and filthy holes, my domain would be flourishing and my coffers bulging," snorted Melinanatha.

"It was still the right move," said Nathan firmly. "I've told you a thousand times; economic diversification is absolutely essential for developing nations - domains. Basing your entire economy off a single resource is way too risky. If you had had a more robust timber industry when the price of copper dropped you wouldn't have been in such dire financial straits in the first place. And then there's the resource curse, Dutch disease..." he waived a hand "Long story, not going to get into it." He took a deep breath. "That said, I agree we need to revitalize the mines. Soon."

"All that talk just to reach the same conclusion we did days ago!" said Melinanatha, rolling her eyes. "Well then, o sage, o prophet of the market and champion of the downtrodden, what do you propose?"

Nathan frowned.

"Er, Ates-...Aetesh, Scritterseer," he said slowly. "Let's assume we did have the money. How long would it take to get the mines working again? And I mean fully functional."

The two seemed taken aback for a moment.

"I am no engineer," said Scritterseer. "However...with promise of generous pay we could attract new miners forthwith. The mill is fully operational yet some still clamor for work. And if we sent messenger to Bellvale by Senersday we could request new tools and equipment and they would arrive with upcoming caravan...two months, perhaps sooner."

"Okay, two months is pushing it, but should be within the economic window."

"You're not thinking of funding the mine with your family's fortune, are you?" said Melinanatha suspiciously. "Make no mistake, I would welcome it, but Mythic Matches would not permit such a large expenditure on your part."

"Oh, God no," said Nathan, shaking his head. "But I do have an idea. It involves selling the copper before we mine it."

"What?"

"Before we mine it?"

"Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"Just hang on," said Nathan quickly. "Is there a futures market in Bellvale or some other city?"

He stared at their uncomprehending faces.

"I mean, is it a thing here to make an agreement to sell a commodity at a set price at a future date? Like, a farmer agrees to sell a hundred bushels of barley at, I dunno, five talents a bushel once the harvest is done? The farmer is gambling that the market price will be lower than five talents and the buyer is gambling that it will be above five talents, but it locks down a sale."

"Oh," said Aetesh, blinking. "Er, yes, I have heard tell of this practice - if not in Bellvale then in some of the coastal cities and certainly Azenpyr. It is...novel, but-"

"Okay, great, here's what we do," said Nathan, grinning. "We go into Bellvale and find a buyer for the copper - maybe the city itself? You said they need a lot of the metal for the ships. We offer them a futures contract - a price per ingot slightly below the current market rate, paid when we finish mining and smelting it."

"Why would we trade below market rates when the prices are so high and may rise even...oh!" said Aetesh, eyes widening in understanding.

"Right! Incentive. Remember, we don't actually HAVE the copper yet. We'd be agreeing to supply it in the future. The price couldgo up even further by the time the mine is operating and then the buyer would get a real bargain. The price could also drop. Then we'd benefit more. But either way, they'd get their copper and we'd have a guaranteed buyer." Nathan grinned. "But here's the kicker: we'd ask for an initial margin - five, maybe ten percent of the cost upfront to lock down the sale. We'd use that to fix up the mine." He exhaled. "Not saying there isn't risk; we fail to deliver and we break the contract - the penalties could be stiff. But the way I see it, if we want to revitalize the mine sooner rather than later, this is the way to do it."

He sat back and waited as they digested his words. Aetesh looked thoughtful. Scritterseer was staring into space, mouthing something under his breath. Melinanatha's lips were pursed. She absently tapped the table with a clawed digit.

"Mmm...there is risk," said Aetesh at last. "But great reward. Assuming we can supply the copper we promise - and I don't think we'd fail barring some unforeseen catastrophe - the mines would be open once more. We'd miss making a great fortune should the price rise, but be guaranteed a small one even if the prices drop."

"Do you think we'd find a buyer amenable to these unusual terms, cousin?" said Scritterseer, turning to the elf.

"In fact, I have little doubt that we would."

The two of them exchanged nods.

"If you wish to pursue this enterprise, Lady Melinanatha, you will have the full support of the House of the Green Claw," said Aetesh, smiling munificently. "If you wish, we can begin drafting a contract immediately based on the current market value of copper and the projected costs to reopen the mines."

"I have old friend in Bellvale who can procure tools and equipment for the mine," said Scritterseer. "Assuming we agree to compensate them within month's time, they will send what we need to Snail's Rest without immediate payment."

"In the meanwhile, we will send representatives to Bellvale, Do va Eins, Do va Iesk, perhaps Errinhöld, to find a buyer and negotiate terms," said Aetesh. "Magical communication will be necessary, given the deadlines and distances."

"What say you?" said Scritterseer.

Melinanatha gazed owlishly at the two representatives. She slowly leaned back; a wooden groan emanated from her chair. Her lips alternately twitched and tightened as she sat there, thinking. Nearly a minute passed. Nathan watched her with nervous interest.

"So be it," she said finally. "We shall - how did you put it? - sell copper on this futures market."

"Wonderful, Lady Melinanatha!" said Aetesh, beaming.

"However," said Melinanatha quickly, raising a claw. "Neither you nor your house will seek a buyer nor negotiate terms. I will see to this personally."

She turned to Nathan and smiled wickedly.

"Accompanied by my dear betrothed."

Nathan's jaw dropped.