Chapter 166

Chapter 245: Thithilos and Periusia

Aloof Adil presented himself before Lord Arnav's majestic office desk, "You called, Master?"

"Pull up a couple of parchments and prepare me two documents: a Thithilos and a Periusia."

The servant hadn't caught the words, "Pardon, Master?"

Lord Arnav frowned at his ignorance and then clarified, "A property deed and a patrimony deed. Leave the names unwritten and, when you script the content, make sure there is enough space underneath for my seal."

Aloof Adil nodded, "And the date, sire?"

"Today's. On both deeds. The time on the deeds will be noted as per Mister Sena's arrival for his appointment in the afternoon."

It was only then that Aloof Adil grasped that the deeds were for Mister Sena's purpose, "But sire, we haven't informed Mister Sena that his meeting includes any declaration of deeds."

Lord Arnav leaned back in his armchair, his air confident, "That is alright. I am offering him a proposition that he cannot refuse."

In the afternoon, when Mister Sena duly arrived at the Industry, Aloof Adil showed him into the First Lord's office.

Lord Arnav was standing before the window, watching the afternoon sky, his hands held behind him.

"Master," Aloof Adil bowed to the First Lord before announcing, "Mister Sena."

Lord Arnav turned around, one side of his face glowing with the light from the window.

Mister Sena stepped in, taking his hat off in respect and bowed to the First Lord, "My lord, may I say that every moment I acquire to acquaint with you, I look upon as an honour."

Lord Arnav stepped forward and formally shook Mister Sena's hand and then directed him to sit on the armchair before the desk.

As Mister Sena sank into the chair, Lord Arnav dismissed Aloof Adil with a nod and the servant left with a bow and shut the door behind him.

Lord Arnav slid into his massive armchair behind the desk, his firm gaze on his visitor, "Mister Sena, I know you wanted to see me about the sanctioning of your wool factory but I am afraid I have to answer you otherwise."

Mister Sena was taken aback by the flat refusal of the authorization and politely enquired into it, "Honourable sire, if you are unwilling to sanction the functioning of the factory because it appears to be in competition with yours-"

"Competition?" Lord Arnav's eyebrows rose, "It is no such reason that summons my decision. But since you mentioned it, I want to point out quite clearly that no factory, be it of wool or velvet, will ever be a threat to my marketing. AR Industry is a brand no enterprise will succeed to overcome. Be it assured that my Industry fears nothing of the future."

Mister Sena bowed apologetically but his expression remained confused, "I don't understand. Then why won't you sanction the factory?"

Lord Arnav stated matter-of-factly, "I am a businessman and I am always inclined to consider prospects that promise more possibilities. You understand that, don't you?"

"Most certainly, sire," Mister Sena affirmed optimistically, "I am an aspiring businessman myself though I could never dream of rising to your statures."

Lord Arnav leaned back in his armchair, his poise powerful, "Well then, from one businessman to another, I have a proposition I want you to consider."

"Anything you say, sire," Mister Sena ascertained, though he was slightly apprehensive of what this proposition' would be.

The First Lord's eyes glinted calculatedly, "I would like to buy the factory you presently own."

For a stunned moment, Mister Sena could only stare in silence.

Lord Arnav decided to help him cogitate, "How much did you purchase it for?"

"500 silver coins," mumbled Mister Sena, anxiously fingering the brim of his hat that was on his lap.

"Which amounts to five gold coins," estimated Lord Arnav briskly.

"Yes, sire."

Lord Arnav leaned forward, "I am willing to buy the factory for double the amount. Ten gold coins: take it or leave it."

"I accept the offer, sire!" said the man, instantly enthusiastic, "It is yours!"

"Wait," cautioned the First Lord, "There is more."

Mister Sena's exhilaration dimmed in the premonition of the "more" to come.

Lord Arnav reached into the tall drawer of his desk and drew out a bottle of wine and two wineglasses and placed them on the desk.

Mister Sena watched with bated breath as Lord Arnav popped the cork off the wine bottle and tilted its neck over the brim of the two glasses, the unnerving silence of the room broken by the slight sound of wine trickling into the glasses.

Lord Arnav placed the bottle aside and then offered Mister Sena a glass.

Mister Sena was fidgety in his armchair and he eyed the glass uneasily, "No, thank you, my lord, I-"

"This is one of the best brewed wines from the cellar of the Castle," Lord Arnav pointed out, "Very few are accorded this privilege and it would be a loss to miss tasting it."

Yielding, Mister Sena took the offered wineglass and, under the First Lord's watchful eye, took a reluctant sip.

His unsure expression transformed, impressed by the richness of the wine, "Indeed, this is the best wine I've ever tasted!"

Gratified, Lord Arnav leaned back and sipped from his wineglasses, "You run a Boy's Home, don't you?"

Mister Sena was immersed in the thrill of the royal wine, "Yes sire, all below the age of fourteen."

"How much do you earn with the contracts of a single boy?"

Cheered by the First Lord's interest in his Boy's Home, Mister Sena looked up, "50 silver coins per annual contract, until the boy is 14 and must leave."

Holding his wineglass aside, the First Lord watched the sunlight from the window glisten gold in the red of his wine, "There is a certain boy of yours I am interested in. His name is Ram and he was last the apprentice of Master Happy in the South Village for a year."

"Yes, I know the boy," nodded Mister Sena, sipping his wine, "His contract just ended and he is back in the Boy's Home since today morning." Mister Sena looked earnestly at the First Lord, "Would you like me to draw up a contract on him for you, sire? Do you want him for service in the Industry or the Castle? For a month, a year, two years...?"

"For life," Lord Arnav said indomitably.

Mister Sena blinked, "My lord?"

Lord Arnav placed his wineglass on the table and leaned back in his armchair, "I don't want him on contract. I am removing him from your Boy's Home register entirely."

Mister Sena remained puzzled, "You want me to sell him to you?"

"Absolutely not!!" Lord Arnav sat up and banged his fist on the table in displeasure, "I will not tolerate any selling and buying of people in my land."

Mister Sena's tone was apologetic, "Forgive my rash phrasing, sire, but it is a little hard for me to give away a boy for free, who has more than five years of contract potential in him. He may be devoid of a speech organ but the boy is a quick learner and a dedicated worker. He is in demand and I can't possibly give him up for nothing in return."

Lord Arnav leaned back in his armchair again and narrowed his gaze, "You are a businessman as shrewd as I am."

Mister Sena smiled as though in gratitude for the compliment, "I have to consider things wisely or end up making a risky loss."

"This proposition will reap only profit for you," assured the First Lord, "I will take the boy but I will not have any monetary value put on his head. Instead, I will transfer that amount to the property I am buying from you."

Mister Sena considered: 50 silver coins each in five more years of his contract potential: that makes a total of 250 silver coins. He looked at the First Lord, "If you pay me an addition of 300 silver coins or its equivalent of 3 gold coins to the purchase of the Industry, the boy is all yours."

Lord Arnav frowned, "Three gold coins?"

"It is a just value," said Mister Sena seriously, "One that incurs no loss on my part."

"It is an unjust amount," refuted Lord Arnav, "It is too less!"

"Less?!!" Mister Sena blinked. Had he heard it right?

"Yes, less," asserted Lord Arnav, "Here is my proposition: An extra ten gold coins on the purchase of the factory for the sake of the boy. So you will be walking from this Industry today rich by 20 gold coins."

Mister Sena was astonished by the offer, "My lord, the boy's contract potential in total only costs 3 gold coins. You don't need to pay 10 golds for him."

"The boy has more value than which can be measured in coins," stated Lord Arnav firmly, "There is to be no alteration in my decision: You will buy the Industry for 20 gold coins and write the boy over to my entitlement."

Mister Sena was too stunned to speak.

Lord Arnav picked up the hand-bell and rang it deftly, "Can I close the deal then?"

Mister Sena knew he would be a fool to negate the rich offer, "Most certainly, sire!"

Just then, Aloof Adil arrived at the call of the bell and Lord Arnav told him to bring the documents.

As the servant extracted the documents and slid it on the table, Mister Sena could only think of how he would break the news to his wife that, though they had to sell the factory, they were rich by 20 gold coins!

The parchments were placed to face Mister Sena's reading angle and Lord Arnav slid the inkbottle and quill forward, "Sign the Thithilos on the boy's adoption into the Raizada name. And sign the Periusia writing it out to Master Shashi Gupta as the owner."

Mister Sena had not expected this second shocker, "Master Gupta, the owner?"

Lord Arnav frowned, "It would be wise if you exempt yourself from your questions."

"Pardon my impudence, my lord. I meant no offence," Mister Sena picked up the quill, dipped it in the ink bottle and signed the Periusia. Ofcourse, Mister Sena reminded himself, Master Gupta is the First Lord's father-in-law...

Aloof Adil slid the Thithilos over the first document and Mister Sena was obediently signing upon it when he noticed that the name of the boy's adopter was neither of the Raizada Lords.

"Sire," Mister Sena looked up, "Forgive me for my unrestrained curiosity, but are you not offering yourself as the boy's legal guardian?"

"No," Lord Arnav stood up and he looked so tall and majestic that Mister Sena had to stand up as well to not feel intimidated.

"Send him in, Adil," the First Lord ordered his servant, who stepped towards the door of the office and ushered in an elderly man with a kind face.

"Mister Sena," Lord Arnav introduced the elderly man to the businessman, "Meet Ram's new guardian: Rahim Chacha, the esteemed butler of the Raizada family."

Rahim Chacha bowed to Mister Sena with a smile, "How do you do, Mister Sena? You will remember having seen me when you attended the ball last year at the good Lord's Castle."

"Yes, I do," Mister Sena mumbled, too shocked of speech.

After Rahim Chacha too had signed on the Thithilos, Aloof Adil poured wax on the space at the end of the deeds and Lord Arnav firmly pressed the seal of his ring upon them.

He handed Mister Sena two tiny bags heavy with coins and then shook hands with him, "I do not keep things deferred, so my butler and I will follow after you on my carriage to get the boy immediately. On the way we'll stop by Mistress Madhumati's cottage in the South Village so you can personally hand over the Periusia to Master Shashi while I inform their neighbour, Master Happy, that the Raizadas have adopted his previous apprentice."

"As you wish, sire," Mister Sena bowed compliantly, preferring to clutch the bags of wealth offered to him than to enquire into the why' of the peculiar decisions the First Lord had made in the last hour.

GLOSSARY

Patrimony, Claim, Entitlement (Greek: Thithilos)

Property (Greek: Peri-usia)

An Inquiry I've always wanted to make but finally have the chapter upon which I can: Dear HOOPOE: Of all the many equations and plot decisions I have made for this story, the one I had not given outward ANY hint about or had believed myself to have kept well concealed was Rahim Chacha getting Ram as his adopted son. But Hoopoe, your clever eye spotted this little detail in the beginning days of this FF where no sign of its occurrence was betrayed. How in the world did you assume it right, such that you asserted it CONFIDENTLY over and over again in many a thread? Really, HOOPOE, your accurate prediction of RahimChacha-Ram was when I realized you were too brilliant to hold and that I had to be vigilant of what may be revealed in your outstanding interpretations!