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Post by Satra on Jan 3, 2008 23:56:05 GMT -5
[OOC: sorry this took so long, I was unsure on how to start it at first. P:]  Heilyn had recently come across some very interesting information. There was a man, a Queen of Diamonds, who was the head of a shipping company. West Lakes Shipping Firm. She'd heard of he was of the Selkie Lakes. She'd heard of their reliability and competency, despite their outward lazy demeanor. She'd contacted the man and sent him a piece of glasswork and he seemed interested. Granted, the Raemblers could produce more than glass, but the glass was their pride and one of the few things they could relate with the outside world. It was also one of the few things that could be completely cleansed of the Realm's poisons and be safe for these people. She'd had arrived early in the meeting place. It was the public rose gardens. She took some time looking at the flowers only casually looking over her shoulder for the Queen. She honestly expected him to be late. The high class seemed to expect the world to wait for them and like it. Fine. Heilyn would get what she wanted out of the encounter, and that's all she wanted. However, she'd have to engage him in conversation first. Being social and kind was not her specialty, but this man was a Queen. He couldn't "convince" her like she had done to Miss Amethyst. He would crush her instantly. She had to find other weaknesses and get what she wanted in a more subtle matter. And who knew? Maybe she would actually like the man and not have to be too cruel. |
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 4, 2008 0:11:23 GMT -5
The sparrow traveled though the streets at a normal rate. He would be early by five minutes with the way he was walking. Theofilus wasn't particularly sure why this client insisted on meeting him in a rose garden, but he wasn't one to argue. She wanted to ship glassware, which was well made and needed proper care to ship. And getting a contact in a place that no one else did Theofilus would be quite ecstatic. More money coming in and going out. He came to the rose garden five minutes early as he calculated. There was only one other card in the area, and he figured from her coloring that she was the client that had sent him the glassware. It only made sense. "You must be Heilyn I presume?" he asked as he took his at off in greeting. Being polite to a customer this valuable was a must. "You're interested in shipping your wares with my company, The West Lakes Shipping firm, correct?"Getting to business as quickly as possible without exchanging pleasantries seemed like a plan. From her letter she didn't seem to be the type to gossip. If she was, he would just have to grin and bear it for the sake of money wouldn't he? After all, Rogers would be very disappointed if he walked away empty handed. |
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Post by Satra on Jan 4, 2008 0:49:29 GMT -5
Ears perked up at the sound of a voice. He was... early? This certainly was a point for him in her favor. She looked him over. He was very well dressed and he held himself very well. Respectable. Give the man another positive point.
"Yes, I am," she answered him for both who she was and her intent, taking a step or two toward him. She had to be careful not to exert too much dominance in this situation, like she usually did. She was making a conscience effort to come off as kind a personable as she could muster without it coming off as fake. She however, could not make herself be anything but absolutely blunt and she had no idea how to start talking in a friendly manner to someone she didn't know. Maybe he would start. He was a member of the courts, he probably excelled in pleasantries.
"I will warn you, I am very honest and I have found this tends to offend some people. If anything bothers you, let me know without too much hesitation. I have no use for mind games and false smiles. If you don't like me, let me know and we can both stop wasting out time on an entrepreneurship neither of us would enjoy." she stated very clearly and strongly, but not in an unpleasant manner. The statement was never neutral. "That said, it is both a pleasure and an honor to meet you, your Majesty." She said, sitting right in front of him, holding out a paw. Her ears were up and most of her attention was on him. Every once in a while one of her ears would swing around to catch a noise, but she did her best to subdue her paranoid tendencies.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 4, 2008 1:03:32 GMT -5
"Well then, Miss Heilyn, we should get down to business. I appreciate your honesty, it's quite refreshing after dealing with pussy footing around with nobles and royalty." He shook her paw before continuing with a smile. "So, I imagine you want to establish an account with the firm so you can ship your goods at a flat and cheaper rate. Glass is one of the most expensive things to ship properly, and we would reimburse you if any of your goods were damaged. That means we have to come up with an agreement for an insurance."
Business was much easier to deal with when you were blunt. "However, these are complicated matters, do you mind if we find a bench to sit down and discuss matters?" Theofilus asked. He may have been a Queen, but he wasn't the client being tended to. The customer always came first regardless or rank.
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Post by Satra on Jan 4, 2008 1:24:35 GMT -5
Pussy footing. He was a Queen and he used the term 'pussy footing' in a very casual manner. He was a practical business man before royalty. Heilyn was very quickly coming to like this man.
"It's good to know that I've chosen someone of like mind to do business with," she stated in a rare occasion of voicing a somewhat irrelevant opinion. I don't particularly care. I can sit just about anywhere I choose, but a bench would be better for looking eye to eye. "Yes, a bench would be nice. Let's start by how your firm works and does business." They began walking over to a nearby bench. It was fairly private, but it had a good view of its surroundings should there be any eavesdroppers. It was a lovely day. Sunny, but a decent breeze going and so it was cool, but not cold.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 4, 2008 12:15:39 GMT -5
Apparently he did something right. Score one for being a frank businessman. The sparrow took a seat on the bench, briefly admiring the view before he continued with her request. Theofilus was quite happy about having such an honest customer, though he was starting to wonder about that strange smell. It must have been his imagination.
"With an account at our firm, all you would need to do is send is notice rather than coming to us directly to notify us of a shipment. If you want to come to our office to notify us of a shipment, our Josiggy Marshes customer enjoys doing that. After notification we send two of our employees for pickup, in your case it would be our glass specialists Alex and Rose. They would be able to pack the materials right there and load them to start the shipping process. After that it's just a matter of getting the goods the proper places. You would get proper confirmation that the items were shipped." Theofilus took a breath. Speaking so much at once was just something he was used to, but he paused for a reaction before continuing.
"Payment can be given to us before or after your shipment is sent off. We honestly prefer before, but the customer is always right." And all of their clients were very valuable, and losing them was never an option.
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Post by Satra on Jan 4, 2008 13:07:36 GMT -5
This was good. Before shipping was difficult. Nobody knowing or really trusting the Bog residents, they had to do their own shipping and they had very few contacts in the outside, and therefore very few locations for their goods to be sent. That, and a group of Raemblers caught far too much unwanted attention. This man, he would have many contacts. Many people to send to. Granted, there will be growing pains in stepping up production, but she would ensure quality was compromised as little as possible. Granted, no deals were sealed just yet, she was still asking questions.
"The customer is always right," she repeated quietly, "I hate that statement. The customer is a person and therefore just as prone to mistakes and dishonesty just like everyone else," she mused in almost a mumble. She shook her head. "But that's irrelevant. The process sounds simple enough. However, there may be complications in your people going to the Bog to retrieve the goods. With my connections, I should be able to get them high quality masks and guides easily enough. I would also be more than happy to accompany them myself on their first trip there."
She'd explained the situation of the Bog so many times before to people who'd asked questions bout the glass ware back in the shop that she hadn't realized that she'd gotten completely ahead of herself.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 4, 2008 14:47:38 GMT -5
"Unfortunately, Miss Heilyn, not everyone believes they can be wrong. We have to entertain the clients who always think they're right." Theofilus explained without a second thought. The clients who didn't pay him always got what was coming to them. However he didn't foresee a problem with Heilyn. She seemed like a straight headed business woman.
"Yes, I imagine my workers would have to be escorted. Considering I have no contacts in that area it would be difficult to do it by themselves. Of course, any assistants would be taken off the bill and we would cover the costs. I imagine Rose would be enthusiastic about your region, she's always been curious." Theofilus hoped the woman would be willing to go to such a territory. She was amazing at her job, and she had always been curious about the unexplored regions, though she was never brave enough to go there.
"For an estimated shipping cost I would probably need the books, but off the top of my head and judging from the glass you gave me it would cost about 10 to pack each individual glass. We could probably fit thirty of those sized glasses into a small padded crate for shipment. Plus the cost of the crate itself it would probably be 45 to ship one crate at a flat rate." Theofilus nodded at his figures. That sounded about right, give or take a cent or two. " I would have to double check the books, but it wouldn't be more expensive that 50 for one crate."
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Post by Satra on Jan 4, 2008 15:28:46 GMT -5
Something about the math didn't quite add up to Heilyn. Ten per glass, thirty glasses per crate, but no crate above fifty? Was fifty just the rate for the crate by itself? That was probably it. Well, she definitely have to shown from their books what exactly the numbers were before she signed anything. She knew it would be pricey, but that's what low morals and connections in high places were for. But let's not get into that part of her life, shall we?
She looked at Theofilus. She liked him. A little. She still didn't know him very much and didn't want to trust him just yet.
"I am interested in hearing more. We could go a check the books now. Is it possible to get it out of the way today? I understand if you are too busy and I need to schedule something else with you." Though I'd like less forgery time as possible for you, but I have to play by the rules to be trusted.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Jan 4, 2008 16:36:27 GMT -5
"The office is a twenty minute walk from here, if you don't mind the walk we can get this all done and settled today. Actually I would prefer that, since my day is completely open." Theofilus had made sure of that. Heilyn was a valuable customer and she would make an amazing connection.
It was a good thing the sparrow was an honest businessman. He would never forge the books. He would charge extra if someone was a pain in the ass, of course, and usually they were too cocky to argue a price with him. That was probably the only good thing about dealing with nobles. They assumed you would take their crap without retaliation. Of course both Theofilus and Rogers had pride that was far too large to take that sort of beating. They had extra pocket money thanks to those cocky bastards.
"And of course, if you ship things in bulk it will be cheaper. Ordering things in mass quantity is usually less taxing on our workers." The sparrow said as he stood up. Would she accept his offer to the office? Would that comment be enough of an incentive?
(( OOC: Feel free to skip the walk an have them at the office if she wants to go there. <3 ))
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