Chapter 3: Villa of medellin

’brother can we go to the villa’s Isabella runner to Francisco and interrupted his thoughts

’Sure, let me talk to dad and we go with some servants maybe a walk can help me organize my thoughts’ say Francisco to his little sister who was hugging him

After talking with his dad and taking a couple of servants Francisco and his sister went in horse to the villa, almost anyone of middle to high class knew how to ride one, it was a necessity because most of south America has divisions based on the mountain range is called “The Andes” and they trifurcate in three part Wich makes the country hide between mountains Wich is one of the reasons why guerrillas are as common in mother times, sum to that the forest and jungles and is hard for any army to fight and eliminate a whole guerrilla

at the time Medellin was pretty small and requiere people, only a couple of shops an inn and nothing much else to see

Isabella liked to go to the town to play with other children after all living in a villa far of any community for a kid is hard, they may be able to someway play with servants kids like Francisco with Catalina, but not all kids have Pijao blood like thick skin and unafraid of anything most servants are conscious of their status and don’t dare to treat with careless a master and their sons, but in the villa is different some powerfull families live in the villa so it becomes easier for them to talk with other kids and play with them,

Looking around the villa Francisco was thinking about what to do but based on the future he remember something

’it doesn’t matter what action I take joining the independence or the crown to fight for anything I need money, and an army powerfull enought to even if It cannot defeat the rebels or the crown at least generate deterrence to anyone who wants to harm me or my family’ stopping in the inn Francisco thought of one of the most profitable industries at the time, alcohol it could not only help make a fortune but in times of war it can even works as medicine for the soldiers causing less deads but we need to start with the tool used for the destination.

Having resolved the first objective he can enjoy expending time with his little sister,

’Brother, look what is that ?’ in the market there were some birds with beatifull colors and some kids were around him screaming and talking

’oh that’s a Loro, is a pretty common bird around here’ it may seem strange to think that for someone of Bogotá a Lori may seem like something strange but the reality is that for the clime loros cannot survive in Bogota in the past when the first Spanish came to the new world they ended up amazed by this talking bird, they were considered exotic and in Europe it was considered a luxury for the rich to have one in their house, Isabella is pretty young and having lived in Bogota most of his life it was extremely rare for her to see one.

’welcome welcome, we sell loros of every kind, we have Amazon for 6 pesos already trained it can repeat your words, we also had a guacamayor only 4 pesos they may not be as good as the rest but is pretty good, for the kids we also have periquitos at just 5 reales, come and buy, this is a luxury for every high class to have, buy before it is too late tomorrow they are going to Europe’ says a grease merchant who seems to deal with exotic animals, they were called dealers in wild beasts, they were pretty common after the discovered of the new world a lot of nobles in Europe developed desires to buy strange animals from that world, not only the Americas but sometimes from Asia or Africa, behind the merchant there was a cloth covering what it seems to be a jail, probably a jaguar or a puma pretty known felines of the andine zone.

’do you want one ?’ says Francisco to his little sister

’young master, you are from the Gomez house right ?, my respects I had worked with him sometimes, you know for my job sometimes when the king or the royal family want some animal he comes to me for it he is a brave men, I hear what happened in Bogota, those blind fools are destroying the empire for their greed, sigh there too little capable people in the government these days, even Spain is pretty bad the new king is pretty weak and his wife can manipulate him with a finger, some even say she has a lover and the king doesn’t dare to say anything’s whispered the merchant ’ I miss the days of the Habsburg if only their last king wouldn’t have left this world without herederos, sigh forget it forget it leave that to the royalty we just deal with what we have here, so do you want one I’m leaving for Spain tomorrow and need to deal with some animals before the travel, after all some day in the ocean so selling them here may not leave so many gains but at least is a save bet than risking them in the boat’

’brother I want that’ Isabella points to a majestic loro 1 meter big with a intense and brilliant blue

’whoah I have never see one like that’s says Francisco observing the Lori

’ the little girl has a good eye that’s a guacamayo Jacinto, is a pretty exotic Lori from Bolivia, I was lucky to find it in the hands of another merchant in the amazonas ir can break nuts with his garras, pretty smart and with a elegant fly, is a little expensive at least 7 pesos’ says the merchant his eyes looking with greed

You must known the value of the coins at the time, 8 reales was equivalent to 1 pesseta I Spanish dollar, you must know that a farmer winner aproximadly 2-4 reales at the time and that was in a month of work, 5 pesos is the equivalent to sixteen months of work for a farmer, it was an extremely expensive bird but seeing his sister Francisco could only accept

’fine but I can only pay 5 pesos is the only thing that I brought’ says Francisco taking out five silver coins

’Deal’ says the merchant happy, ’honestly even if I can make more in Spain the kisses in case of death are greater this bird eats a lot and requieres More delicated care’

’Thanks’ says Francisco ordering his servants to carry the jail with the bird ’ be careful is a pretty expensive bird’s says Francisco

’yes young master’ sweat running out of his head, and taking it with extreme care after all if is harmed in any way, even by selling himself he wouldn’t be able to pay for it

Walking around with his sister, Francisco kept scanning the streets for a slave trader. Considering what he wanted to do, he needed blacksmiths and skilled men in different trades. But hiring free workers was risky — they could sell his secrets to other families, and then any advantage he gained would vanish.

After failing to find what he was looking for, Francisco asked his servants to watch over his sister while he stepped into the inn.

The building was made of adobe, roofed with red clay tiles. Its whitewashed walls were stained with smoke from the kitchen. The common room was wide, its furniture rustic; some chairs were padded with leather for wealthier clients on the upper floor, while those on the ground floor were plain wood.

Behind the counter stood a man with sharp Spanish features — probably a criollo, perhaps even of pure Spanish blood. As Francisco approached, the innkeeper studied him with a penetrating look, as if searching for something

“Are you from the Gómez house?” the man asked.

“Yes. I’m the first son and heir of the Gómez family,” Francisco replied. His voice was steady, but inside he was tense. He knew he couldn’t afford to show fear. If word spread that the heir of the Gómez house had been shaken by an innkeeper, the entire family would be seen as weak.

“You…” The innkeeper held his gaze, as though peering into his very soul. Then he gave a faint smirk. “Interesting. You’ve got courage. My name is Óscar, second son of a merchant. Even if I look like this, my mother was mestiza. To avoid inheritance problems, my father bought me this inn in this desolate place and handed me the keys. So no, I don’t much like monarchist families. But I heard what happened to your father, so… consider yourself lucky. You’re one of the few I can accept. Now—what will you drink?” he asked, polishing a jug.

“Give me some liquor. And some news,” said Francisco, laying a peso on the counter.

Óscar raised an eyebrow at the coin, studied Francisco’s face once more, then picked it up. He poured him a cup of strong liquor. “What is it you want to know?”

“I need to buy skilled slaves. But I’ve been looking and haven’t found a single trader,” Francisco admitted, taking a drink. The liquor burned on the way down.

“There are no big companies here, not like in the capital,” Óscar explained. “Here you deal with merchants, with intermediaries. You know how slavery is in this land — different than elsewhere. With the risk of slaves buying their freedom, who wants to pay a fortune for someone who could be gone tomorrow? Still…” He reached under the counter, tore a scrap of paper, and scribbled something quickly.

“Take this. It’s the password. Go down two streets; you’ll see the church. In front of it, there’s a red house. Knock twice and say this to the porter. He’ll let you in.”

Without waiting for a reply, Óscar turned and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Francisco alone with his drink.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep