The Girl and Her Machine

Chapter 2~Part 2~

Zacharias’s  heavy brown eyes looked to the door as it opened, a small bronze bell chiming as it did. A wide smile grew across his face, his eyes softened. “ Ah Dani, my favorite customer, what need of a blacksmith do you have today?” He chuckled, his rich voice resonating. Soot covered his ebony skin and Dani giggled. “ I see that you’ve been hard at work Zacharias, I came by to see if you have any info for me.” Zacharias took a cloth wiping his face clean then his hands, tucking it into his apron pocket. The giant man, standing at almost seven feet and nothing but muscle leaned over the counter to peer at her.  “ Well Dani, I’ve got lots of information but you need to be more specific.” 
    Dani, a whopping five foot almost six arched her head back to stare the lengthy sir in the eye. “ This time about the Tower, are there any special finds?” She asked placing a sil, a silver coin, on the counter in front of him. He sighed pulling back, “ Ah Dani you really haven't been in here for a while. Information like this is getting pricey, I’m barely able to make ends meet.” He teased. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, “ Zacharias always one for a barter. I see you haven’t changed much in these past few months have you?” He picked up the silver coin in his hands, itself smaller than his thumbnail. “ You know me well, as I know you pipsqueak.” 
    “ How about I give you one Ani, if  you give me the deep dish of what’s going on, along with possible arrangements in the higher courts of society.” She looked deep into Zacharias’s rich eyes as he chuckled, “ well that I can do.” He pressed the Sil back into her hand as she replaced his with an ani, a gold piece worth ten times of the silver, and a hundred of the copper. A single copper piece can buy a man a hot meal. A lot can be done with an ani piece. 
    Zacharias’s lips curled again joyfully, “ You know how to make a man happy I can tell you that. Alright little miss, come to the back room and I will pour some tea. This will be a long conversation.” He lifted the hinged door of the counter top making a way for her to go through. She followed, as she had done many times before.
    He opened a door, into a stairway up into a loft, a closed off section reserved for a study and secrets. Zacharias is a reliable man and always means his word. After her parent’s disappearance he had been a good go to for hints as to where they might be and on how the competition might be stacking against them. People loved talking to Zacharias like he was a hairdresser, something that Dani found in particular very useful. 
The large man stooped through the doorway revealing a room with a bay window, personal library, and a collection of mechanical and metal items he found intriguing that he wished to put on display. Some artifacts and other creative masterpieces, he had no preference.
He led her to a table with a set of four chairs, pulling one out for her to sit in. He moved to a kitchenette like item, striking rocks to start a flame and a kettle going, He was always prepared for these things. 
    “Dani some of the magesties from foreign lands have taken interest in the fortune of the Leathersby’s and wish to form an alliance with your brother. One of them even being a princess.” Dani huffed, this topic again. She knew this but which families in particular. “ Princess Vye of the Everlest family has been heard trying to buy up all of the stock as soon as it is distributed just to prove how much she is in a way ‘capable'’” he sighed, shaking his head as Dani leaned back with a raised eyebrow her fingers cupping her face. Zacharias moved to the table after the whistling water and steeped the herbal teas for Dani as she sat there.
    “ Yes...that seems right. It’s been hard to keep up with the orders recently. It must be because of her purchases. But just because someone has the ability of buying power doesn't mean that they are capable of running a business even I know that.” Zacharias shrugged, “ and that’s why she has been working on her marksmanship. If she is able to shoot well, it would be in her mind a positive advantage for her endorsement, the entire backing of a kingdom and a very well off one too.” Dani stirred her tea, watching it swirl with the color of cranberries, lavender, chamomile and honey, giving a startling bright pink color. Though it was her favorite.  Zacharias must’ve known she was coming, though being one of his best customers this way he always kept stock. 
    “ I have to give her a point for that one, Free advertisement is a wonderful thing when done well. Hopefully she will be successful in that area.” Dani mumbled taking a sip, the flavor popped comfortingly in her mouth. “ Any other possible suitors? Starting off with a princess, there must be a short list.” She said relaxing into the plush floral chair. “Quite the contrary young miss, your brother is rumored to be as handsome as he is wealthy and intelligent. There is a long line of women vying for his attention.” Dani swallowed hard, some of the warm tea nearly choking her. “ Is-is that so?” She coughed, she felt pale for the second time today and she didn’t like it. “ Yes, you know the Bagnums? The family that sells tea and sugar has almost a monopoly on this side of the world?” She could only nod quietly, “ Their ward, who is their niece, has taken great interest in Jack as well. Two monopolies together would make a very healthy if not gluttonous financial gesture, the two of you would be fabulously wealthy.” He said taking a sip of his own adding a couple teaspoons of sugar and a dollop of cream. 
    “ As if we weren’t that wealthy in the first place.” Dani sighed, imagining her brother run not just one but three businesses. “ If they had multiple children each one could have their own, or he'd retire and leave the company to me if he felt well enough off.” She sighed, placing her hand on the side of her head rubbing her temple with a despairing look. “ Zacharias, are there any of them that actually have a chance of...really loving him for sure? Falling in love, true love, like in fairy tales?” Zacharias could only shrug at that point grasping for an answer. “ Dani, that question I do not know. That will depend on the people who are trying to accomplish that act. I am not God and cannot decide people’s fate in that way.” Dani nodded with a heavy sigh. “ You’re right...you’re right. Well, Zacharias onto other business. How are our competitors doing?”