Julan tensed up when he heard his father's voice, but as he had not been doing anything actually embarrassing this time, it subsided quickly. [i]"Yeah, I'm fine. We were just...talking."[/i] He answered briefly. 

Kaleeth remained standing just behind Janius, doing her best to hide her suspicion and worry. After what Janius had told her about Julan and Leeus, she was uncomfortable with him spending [i]any[/i] time alone with her, even if it was entirely innocent. [i]"We could see that you were talking, son. I'd like to know what you two were talking about."[/i] 

Before Julan could speak, Leeus answered calmly, and with surprisingly little hesitation. [i]"It's nothing serious or anything. Julan was just talking to me about how he likes me and is lonely back home, but we can't stay together since he's leaving."[/i] 

For a second or two, Julan was wide eyed, stammering as his mind tried in vain to come up with some way to undo what Leeus had said. [i]"Leeus! What are you doing? You weren't supposed to tell anyone that!"[/i] 

Hal-Leeus, in turn, looked surprised at Julan's reaction, and subsequent embarrassment. [i]"What are you talking about? You didn't say anything about not telling anyone!"[/i]

[i]"I thought it was obvious!"[/i] Julan practically shouted. 

Once again, Leeus calmed her voice and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. [i]"Besides, it's not that big of a deal. Everyone knows you like me. You don't hide it well. And I know you're going back home. You're...just a visitor. I knew that from the start."[/i]

[hr]

"There are certainly many words of wisdom in that." Gwindir replied, almost immediately. Pausing to take another, slow sip of wine, which he lingered on for a few seconds. "But, I daresay, I still agree with my wife. You do have a quality product. You mentioned you've been in the wine business for..." He began, glancing over to Fendros to make a quick judgment on his age. "...a few decades, at least. I'm certain you have already encountered many of the trials a small, growing business has to deal with. Distribution, I would say, is the greatest barrier that a growing business can face, if they want to move beyond just serving one single village or city. The ability to get your product, wine in your case, to a tavern, on display, somewhere that a customer can even [i]see[/i] it, can be even more challenging than making a quality product to begin with. Transportation can be expensive, dangerous, you can lose entire shipments at once. Trusting the wrong people to move your goods can ruin a business. But again, you strike me as more than experienced enough to know all of that."

Gwindir smiled, leaning forward and holding his hand forward with his elbow resting on his knee. "And that, I would say, is my real strength. I've never been a man with the talent to make some sort of quality product. I've never produced a fine vintage, or cooked food fit for nobility like my wonderful and talented daughter-in-law, but the logistics of operating and growing a diverse business? [i]That[/i], I do know. To borrow your analogy, my web of connections and trade partners has matured quite nicely over the last few hundred years. I have preferred rates with two different shipping companies between the Empire and Dominion, and am on familiar terms with major traders in nearly every port city in southern Tamriel. What's more, I've done this before. Introducing a product to a new region, that is. I know how it might be accomplished with no financial risk to you. I think the tariffs, as they are now, might actually present a long-term opportunity."

Gwindir spoke with an abundance of both friendliness and confidence. Indeed, his business, as he described it, had an impressive of assets and connections that could take ages to build and maintain. Ahnasha was not surprised that business was one of the first topics that her father had latched onto. He had almost as much passion for trade as Shevari did for her cooking, and he was never one to pass on potential opportunities.