When Keelan Morrigan had requested a meeting with her, Alinore’s curiosity had been piqued. Though they were of similar ages, she knew little of the Morrigan beyond what he chose to display to the world, namely his prowess as a shrewd businessman. Last she had heard, his interests lay in Coheed, not Arynn Frey, though she knew as well as anyone that men like him never stopped looking toward the future.

“Lord Morrigan.” She greeted him with the elegance and courtesy of a proper Nevermerean noblewoman. Never let it be said that Alinore Thornhill forgot her etiquette, particularly when a member of one of the most significant families in the kingdom was involved. “Please, take a seat. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Whether he sat at one of the seats on the other side of her desk or in one of the chairs positioned on either side of a small table was his choice; she would either sit behind her desk or settle in the other seat. Alinore’s office was like the noblewoman herself. An elegant display of form fitting function, the room was neat and orderly, with enough decorations to personalize it but not so many as to clutter up the space. Along one wall, beside the table and chairs, a window overlooking the gardens supplied the room with the gray natural light of a perpetually overcast sky.

Research. As she recalled his words at open court many months ago, Alinore considered Lord Morrigan for a moment. “Why not indeed,” She agreed, seeing no reason for why establishing a formal trade partnership with their ally would do more harm than good. Not that it was her call, in the end. “Arynn Frey has a robust trading economy with Lorendale, and they traded with Dresmond as well, prior to the Eldouir occupation. I believe they have continued such arrangements with the refugees they shelter in their kingdom.” They had every reason to be as, if not more, open to trade with Nevermere than every other kingdom. “Do you have particular goods that you intend to trade?” It went without saying that he clearly intended to offer his own ships to transport merchandise.

As her area of expertise was mediating the relationship between Arynn Frey and Nevermere, Alinore did not know all of the particulars of the myriad agreements that bound their between their ally to their sister kingdom. But she knew more than most. “Trade between Arynn Frey and Lorendale includes the usual staples,” She explained. “Chief among them are lumber, livestock, and textiles and fabrics.” Hardly anything particularly noteworthy. If Lord Morrigan sought something unique to offer them, it ought not to be too difficult.

Alinore considered the implicit request for a moment before asking, “Are you familiar at all with Arynn enchantments, Lord Morrigan?”

“Of course, Lord Morrigan,” Alinore replied. “Please forgive me for not offering sooner.” She would present him with the options available and allow him to select his preference. Once they were settled again, she would begin to elaborate on Arynnite enchantments. “Enchanting requires souls that have been harvested from a living thing. They are stored in precious stones, from which the soul can be used in an enchantment at any point thereafter. I believe crystals are the preferred container for storage, and should you be interested, we have mountains that are uniquely suited to producing such materials.” Of course, the Arynnites also had Dresmondi with earth dyrs who could fulfill such a role, but last she heard, they had been relegated primarily to construction of the wall.