24th April 1563

Annibale stood at the train station with his carpenters, who he had asked for some to help him bring the crates here. Since today was a day of rest, he would compensate them.

“So, what should we do now?” A carpenter of his asked.

“Wait for them to get the bottles from the train.”

He found the car containing all of his crates, from the receipt that he received. They unloaded the crates, and Annibale could see them putting on a crate of his wine.

“Are you waiting for the freight you left with us?” A worker on the train came towards him. Annibale showed him what he had. It had become more common to use this for personal storage and welcomed any way to earn more.

Since this wasn’t in Rovirna, it was near the mountains between the borders of Itoro and Helseen. Rovirna laid in the middle of the country, maybe just a little further north. And hence, he had to transport them.

Most of his workers followed him. There were seven of them by his side. Most of them were only a couple years older than he was.

Once finished, they got him to sign that he had already taken all of his crates he entrusted them to bring to the agreed upon location. All of them took two at the least, the number of beers totaling two hundred and fifty..

It was a gathering of maybe forty people, a little too much was the word, but there could never be too many drinks in Annibale’s opinion.

He was going to hand them one crate once they finished. It was maybe too much so he could afford to give it to someone else. He took a crate into his hands. It was rather heavy, but the walk would not be long.

Once they had arrived at the building, a rather cozy hotel by the mountains. Solitude was something, with many of the visitors making plans to go to the mountains. Though Annibale might have imagined something a little more grand, but this was discreet enough for a large private party.

“I need to find the organizer,” he said. They agreed to watch over this.

Annibale didn’t need to take long, Guillaume was in the room behind them, talking to another man.

Annibale put his hands into his pockets. “Well, I brought the drinks.”

“I was pretty sure that you might need help. Anyway, there’s people who can handle bringing it up to the room. I’m just here to make sure we know where are all the committee members.”

Guillaume already called upon all of them to appear. This seemed to not need them. He moved back to his carpenters. They finished their job, but he held onto one particular crate. Once cleared, he handed it to them.

“You all may leave, as for the work, just tell it to Ezio and he will give you all that you need, and as for the crate, it was a little too much,” he said. All of them not really minding less work, but for the same pay he promised.

“How many people would be in this party? I would assume a hundred.”

“Maybe half of that,” he said.

“That is a lot,” he said. “I can see why you gave us one. Thank you.”

They all did. His former guardian went from wine to dealing also in beer. Since she found it was easier to break into the northern countries, with wine being a beverage for the wealthy.

Annibale had gotten an entire stack of business cards that he would hand out, to suggest that he was one to help with any furnishings that they may need help. There always was someone who knew a person who needed his services, whether it was for business or personal. But business was more profitable, as there was more furniture involved.

“This is a fantastic location,” he said. There was a fireplace set aside, with it not really being used. But they set it up, since the weather here, closer to the mountain passes, would be colder.

“Bertram’s friend, Arnold, whose family owned a hotel here,” he said.

At a good price, or perhaps to host private parties. There was a lot more to Bertram if he had asked for this and going this far to offer it. Most knew that the people here were sons of distinguished men, or from families with incredible connections. This was valuable, but most of it wasn’t a lot. It could be helpful, but he would never think of it as the most important.

Once they opened once all the crates, Guillaume took a single glass bottle and placed it on the table. Allowing him to see the brand.

Annibale didn’t mind if he just drank it, but the temptation was strong for him. “Take a drink, we have so much more to go.”

“You’re free to do what you want now,” Guillaume said. He could lounge around.

“I think I’ll go help Emiliano.” He hung his coat on the rack, with Guillaume putting it on the rack too.

And there were a great deal of things that needed help, but he felt that he should find his closest friend.

Emiliano was in another room, taking a seat with a map laid out before him. His friend was staring at it, along with a few others going to him.

“Is there anything that I can help?” Annibale asked, taking a seat. Emiliano looked up with a slight smile on his face at him.

“Not much, we just need to set up the tables for the games,” he said.

“Just like old times, want to play a game once it starts?” He asked.

“How about that game, you know the one we all loved to play,” Emiliano said.

Pointing to a game, pretending to be a banker during the Itorian city states and dominating each other. There were many behind it, some of them a competition to see who could make a city admit them as her ruler or until there was only one left. It was a game for those who wished for hours. It could have up to six players.

“How about we invite Guillaume to this?” Annibale proposed to his friend.

“Maybe we can extend it to the entire committee,” Emiliano said.

Emiliano giving a wave to Bertram, who looked at the board they were setting up for that. It was one of the stranger and more niche games. Although they had packs of cards, Annibale knew it would become gambling from the start.

“I hope we don’t have top pay each other using the assets gathered,” Guillaume said.

“No, it’s just for fun,” he said. “Besides, it’s the best game for any prospective capitalist because it involves money worthless in reality. Play with no cost, then make it real.”

Emiliano looked at Guillaume. “Do you want to join us?”

“I’m in,” Guillaume said. Before he turned to Bertram, checking about him. “So is he, can you give me na update how many tables there are for games.”

Emiliano folded his now arms before he could have. “I have enough tables for two different games of this, and another two more for a board, and a lot more of cards, which should be enough.”

Annibale was more than eager to start. “So, when can we play?”

“Maybe later, we are waiting just for the moment to bring the food in. But the kitchen has began their preparation.” Because they had to time the food. The kitchen would continue to prepare, but soon the first would come up.

“I guess I’ll help you in getting the food,” Annibale said.

Guillaume showed a sense of skepticism at his offer. “I worked in a restaurant, it was the punishment my mother gave me.”

Guillaume looked at him with perhaps a smile. “I would not expect that at all as punishment.”

“It kind of was, I ended up being sent to the farm for a few months. Working on it changed my perspective and made me think I should quit school,” Emiliano said.

He agreed, helping to take out the first plate of food. They thanked him for the work.

“How about we do an exchange?” Emiliano asked. Annibale agreed, handing him the pack of cards. It was something that they agreed to do. Since they could help each other.

He looked at it. “Well, I guess you’re a luxurious shoe shop, so this is something that is a must.”

He nodded. Annibale turned, he came to see someone new. A familiar face that he hasn’t seen in a while.

“Annibale,” he said. This was actually from a year ahead of him, and one that was a lot closes to him than anyone else.

“It’s surprising to see you here, Baldassare.” Annibale moved forward, shaking his hands. Since he didn’t know that he was inviting him.

“I got a friend who would like me here, I guess it might be time to meet up with some old friends,” Baldassare said. Introducing just why he had been here.

“But maybe you can join me on the next meeting, I know you missed the last few years since you were busy,” he said. Admitting it for what it was.

“I think I’ll be joining you on the next meeting, I’m moving away a little from business to my personal interests.” Annibale said.

“There’s something huge that they’re promoting would happen, and I thought that originally I would have written you a letter or paid you a visit.” Except that he didn’t need it any longer.

They walked, Baldassare picked up a bottle of the beer. “Is the beer your gift?”

“How did you know?”

Baldassare looked at his friend. “No one in this party can afford Solemaria beers, other than you, because you know the owner.”

Annibale gave a grin to Guillaume.

“So, maybe we can meet together?” Annibale asked.

“That would do fine,” Baldassare said. Before Annibale joined his friend, as most of the people already knew him. “I look forward to seeing you with me.”

“I guess I waited long enough, I should go, especially if it is huge,” Annibale said.

“Well, there is something rather huge that they’re waiting to reveal there,” he said.

“I get it,” he said. It would be good for him to go, since there were new things there. As no one cared. “How has everything been going for you?”

“It’s been okay,” Baldassare said. “I worked for my family shop, it’s not the best thing, but it gives me time to do what I want. My father is getting on in age, but I guess he understands my passions as long as I continue to work for him.”

This seemed to have been something that he could understand and then go on for them too.

“How did the restoration go?” Baldassare asked, taking a sip of the beer.

Annibale leaned against the back. “Good, it’s restored to the old way, and it’s a usable space. The income from just the rents is more than enough for me to repay it.”

“You don’t seem elated. Just tell me, I mean I’m only working this job for my parents our of necessity.” Baldassare observed. He didn’t really hide his feelings for those who knew it, unless it was a crucial deal. But for his friends who he trusted, he didn’t have a choice.

Annibale drew in a deep breath. “I don’t know what I’m chasing, now that I’m trying to follow my mother’s footsteps. She was an investor, and her path so far wasn’t something that I enjoyed.”

“It’s ironic, you have all the choice in the world, but you follow your parents. How I wish that be the same for me,” he said. “That I never need to meet any of their expectations. And well, convincing them I’m happy just working for them was hard.”

Annibale craved that immensely, the chance to meet with his mother’s disapproval one last time. Over nothingness, a path he had to go without the people who knew him best, from the moment he entered the world.

Annibale took a drink, his friend noticing his truth. “I’m sorry, I went out of line.”

“Has the last few weeks been tough?” Annibale asked.

“My father is trying his best to show me how unforgiving it can be, although I already told myself to never bother with it.”

“Well, I already knew it long before you were my friend. Besides, need any help from me.”

“Nope, you already did a lot for the furnishings and the renovation for the shop. I sure he was trying to sink me then, but I survived only to face him constantly, trying to hint that I should go back.”

“How about we play a game instead?” Baldassare had an interest.

And so, with him as an addition, it split them five ways. The rules of the game for this round were simple, to see who could conquer a city the fastest.

Annibale played this game many times. Though in his years in school, he and Emiliano developed a variation of it coming out of their boredom with cards and creative rules. It only got better, but it has been a year since their last game.

“Is this some strange version?” Guillaume asked, already aware that this wasn’t the typical game.

“With additions, we played it between each other. Well, with cards that can bring good news or bad news,” Annibale said.

Annibale played the game with his parents, who used it as the chance to teach him the world and money. They disliked the way books taught them, not by practice but by memory. Playing to them was the closest to the real thing.

.

Annibale took a lot more effort to just rolling the dice, but also moving along with it. Luck had always been his game, along with a loose strategy and an eye for the right assets.

Emiliano was always the most cautious against Annibale, when they played this game. He understood that his friend, Annibale had a propensity for getting the things that he wanted just at the right moment. But he was also the most cunning in terms of strategy.

Guillaume gave a smile, suggesting his enjoyment despite the change of rules.

“It was just from the stories I heard from my side,” he said. This had been something that they could have comprehended and understand it on their end too. And the random variables that they have tried.

“Annibale, you just your business, you need to pay all the partner’s back,” Emiliano said. Surprise was the word before he willingly paid. He was down to what he had on hand and returning to when he started.

He knew he would win, even as he would need to stop by the next round. And hopefully someone would stop by his carefully made plans that would make him very rich. If he held anything good cards, then it would work. But so far, he didn’t have any other chance. None of the cards in his hand were good.

The game went on for them, continuing to go further. Annibale knew he was lagging, Guillaume had been a far better player than he thought, narrowly trailing behind Guillaume.

Although it would all depend on the next card that he would draw. It was his turn for an event. He looked at it putting the card down, he didn’t have any chance. It was between Emiliano and Guillaume now.

“It looks like I win,” Emiliano said. They had recognized him as the Lord of this fictitious city.

“Congratulations on winning,” Annibale said.

Guillaume stood up. “I was too close, I have other work I need to attend to. It’s been an hour and we already have our first drunk.”

Without Guillaume, Bertram would leave too, since neither of them had much to say to each other.

“Don’t worry, the both of us can do it. Besides, I think that’s your friend there,” Emiliano said. Annibale knew he was cornering him. “Would next week be fine?”

“Yes, it would be fine,” Annibale said, agreeing with his words, helping to restore the board to the state they found it in.