Year 10 of the SuaChie Calendar, Twelfth Month. Link City, Cape Verde.
One week after the Iberian delegations arrived at Link City, the commotion of the port had reached a controlled frenzy.
Chewa, Leader of the Suaza Kingdom's Chamber of Commerce and now responsible for commercial dealings with Europa Quyca, resided in the ascetic tranquility of his private home. The midday sun filtered through the membrane windows, illuminating the fique-fiber parchment upon which he was writing his report to Chuta.
The initial days had been marked by a tedious predictability. Chewa had been forced to rely on Spanish and Portuguese interpreters—some brought from Dawn City, the city in the Isles of the Rising Sun, and others advanced apprentices in Link—for the initial formalities.
Every delegate, from the merchant Luis de Santángel to the explorer Christopher Columbus, had attempted to parade the virtues of their kingdom as if seeking approval, searching for a hint of superiority that Chewa was never willing to grant.
The cynical diplomatic dance that followed was the most irritating aspect. Throughout the week, the envoys of Spain and Portugal had approached him privately, each attempting to undermine the other.
Juan Cortizos, the Portuguese nobleman, had been the most insolent. His private visit had concluded with an attempt at a direct threat.
"The Crown of Portugal is master of these routes, Chewa," Cortizos had declared, attempting to instill authority in his voice. "We could seize this island from you should we deem you a nuisance to our interests."
Chewa had countered with the calm of one who does not fear a discussion. In his mind, the threat was hollow for two key reasons: first, Link City was strategically close to the Suaza settlements on the western coast of Guanza Quyca (Africa), where the warships were stationed; second, and more importantly, the Young Chuta had given him explicit permission to defend any territory of the Kingdom with whatever force was necessary.
"Sir Cortizos," Chewa had replied, his Spanish, though still rough and direct, left no room for uncertainty. "If the Kingdom of Portugal decides that war is preferable to trade, we will defend what is ours. The Suaza Kingdom is a peaceful nation, yes, but it is also a warrior nation. We are not your vassals."
The Spanish case was no better. Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, with the bearing of a seasoned soldier, had come to remind Chewa, without pretense, that the Crown of Castile possessed one of Europe's most powerful navies and that the Suaza Kingdom was expected to show due respect. Chewa dismissed the veiled threat for the same reasons.
In fact, Chewa privately almost wished for a naval engagement. He knew that a victory, or even a dignified retreat by his Tequendamas against a European fleet, would grant them an unmatched commercial advantage in future negotiations.
Chewa finished writing his report, satisfied. The delegations had exhausted their tactics of intimidation without success. Now, it was time to establish the commercial rules.
The reception hall in the improvised City Hall of Link City was spacious and well-ventilated, decorated with simplicity yet with imposing dignity. The formal meeting between the three kingdoms began with an atmosphere visibly different from the previous days. The Europeans no longer attempted to impose overt superiority; they understood that Chewa would not be intimidated by mere words or threats of force.
The first thing that happened was a fresh wave of conflict between Spain and Portugal. Luis de Santángel and Juan Cortizos engaged in a tedious dispute, with Fray Álvares and Fray Talavera observing with expressions of fatigue.
"Castile is the kingdom that discovered and endorsed the route where we encountered the Suaza Kingdom," argued Santángel, with the fervor of a merchant who fears losing his primacy. "By right, commercial exclusivity belongs to us."
"Impossible!" Cortizos retorted. "That does not grant them exclusivity, and furthermore, this island belongs to the domain of the Atlantic Ocean (which Chewa recognized as Dawn Ocean), a sea that Portugal has dominated for a century. We demand preferential treatment. Our King has invested centuries in cartography and exploration. Not to mention that we grant you this island and our friendship."
The debate stretched for nearly half an hour, an exchange of historical vanities that Chewa found profoundly boring and irrelevant. They were, in essence, two children fighting over the same toy, oblivious that the toy's owner was in the room.
Chewa put an end to the dispute with a dry strike of his hand on the wooden table.
"Enough!" His voice resonated through the hall, his Spanish, though rough, was undeniably authoritative. "The Suaza Kingdom came to trade. Not to listen to your lineage squabbles."
The abrupt interruption and the commanding tone, coming from a native who had barely spoken all week, silenced the Europeans. Columbus, ever the observer, recognized the tactic: Chewa was not merely negotiating; he was establishing the protocol.
To expedite matters, Chewa signaled to his assistants. Several young men, with the same cold discipline that Columbus had noted in the Sogeking sailors, entered the hall carrying three large, carved wooden boxes.
"The Suaza Kingdom wishes to show you what it offers its friends," Chewa announced.
From the first box, Chewa and his assistants drew forth small, woven cloth pouches. Inside lay a profusion of foodstuffs that neither the Spanish nor the Portuguese had ever seen. Shining fruits, strangely colored vegetables, and earthy tubers; vessels containing fermented liquids and aromatic oils, and intense spices.
Chewa, with Apqua's help for the more complex descriptions, presented each product. "Here you have the potato, which is cooked beneath the earth and serves as sustenance for our legions. Here, the tomato and the avocado, fruits that transform any meal. And here, aromatic spices. Here, you have cacao…"
The already prepared assistants handed out small samples: cooked potatoes, a vibrant tomato and avocado salsa, sweet tropical fruits, and the famous hot cacao, thick and bitter.
The reactions were varied. The Spanish, especially Columbus and Luis de Santángel, were euphoric. Columbus, for his part, recalled the food served to him in Dawn City, and Luis had witnessed the stir a handful of these products caused in Palos and Seville. They knew that if sold in large quantities, they would transform European gastronomy. The Portuguese, who had only begun trading later and with less enthusiasm, tasted the dishes with avidity and astonishment.
No sooner had the tasting ended than the Europeans, formality forgotten, began to demand products.
"I want two ships full of cacao!" exclaimed Santángel, the merchant in him overriding the diplomat. "And I want seeds of those 'potatoes'!" cried Cortizos, thinking of the agrarian potential of the Portuguese islands.
Chewa smiled inwardly. He had created the frenzy. He halted the avalanche of orders with a tranquil gesture. He, as a good merchant, knew that the real game had not yet begun.
From the second box, Chewa had several smaller boxes brought out. The first was opened to reveal a dazzling array of gold and silver jewelry, worked with intricate details characteristic of the cultures that composed the Kingdom. From the second box emerged precious stones: deep green jades, ambers, pearls, and emeralds of an unmatched brilliance, some already inlaid in ornaments and jewelry.
The sight of this second box was a master psychological stroke. Temptation was painted on the European faces, an elemental greed that Chewa and his assistants observed with clinical distance. While in the Suaza Kingdom these were valuable elements of exchange, to these Europeans they seemed to be treasures pulled directly from the legends. Chewa made a mental note that gold, though abundant in Suaza, was an end in itself for the Europeans, not merely a medium of exchange.
From the third box, Chewa produced items that elicited no gasps, but which drew the gazes of the more pragmatic men, such as Fray Talavera and Columbus. He brought out rolls of light cream, nearly white, paper of an incredibly smooth texture, fine wool and cotton fabrics that surpassed many common textiles in softness, vibrant natural dyes, colorful feathers used for high fashion, and exquisitely useful handicrafts.
With the demonstration concluded, and everyone catching their breath after the exhibition, Chewa rose to his feet, his expression returning to seriousness.
"You have seen the products of the Suaza Kingdom," Chewa began, his voice resuming its solemn tone. "These products will be available to all. The prices will be fair and the same for each kingdom. Unless, of course, deals are offered that are truly beneficial for the stability and future of the Suaza Kingdom."
The Portuguese nobleman, Juan Cortizos, was the first to speak, his mind already on numbers. "What prices do you ask for in gold and silver? Your nation must have a need for precious metals to mint currency."
Chewa looked at all the Europeans for a moment, ensuring he caught the surprise he was about to unleash. His answer was the final blow of his commercial strategy.
"Gentlemen, we appreciate your generosity. But the Suaza Kingdom does not have an urgent need for that kind of payment," Chewa declared, his nationalism implied in his disdain for foreign gold.
The shock was palpable. Gold was not the currency.
"We prefer other types of goods," Chewa continued. "We see a much better exchange in large-scale products with an equivalent value."
The Europeans were stunned, but not entirely, as bartering still existed in rural markets. Now it was the turn of Luis de Santángel, the shrewdest merchant, to take the floor.
"Sir Chewa," Santángel asked, with a seriousness he had not displayed all week. "If gold is not your primary interest… what are the products that the Suaza Kingdom desires from Europa? Are they the same ones requested as payment in Palos?"
Chewa took a calculated pause, letting the shock of the gold rejection ferment among the Europeans. The silence became heavy, filled only by the rustling of the parchments in the hands of Luis de Santángel; the Castilian merchant whose face reflected the deepest confusion.
"The Suaza Kingdom seeks an exchange of products… Barter," Chewa repeated, solidifying the concept.
Then, he began to enumerate the goods they desired from the distant Europa Quyca.
"First, that which nourishes the people," Chewa said, gesturing toward the table where the trays of fruits and tubers from Great Quyca still rested. "We desire your seeds, your fruits, and your vegetables. We want the ability to cultivate in our lands what prospers in yours. This includes your highest-yielding grains and your fermented spirits."
A murmur of relief swept through the Iberian delegation. These were affordable and renewable resources, far removed from the effort of mining or manufacturing luxury goods, or even the gold and silver they were reluctant to hand over.
"And we desire your animals," Chewa continued, naming a list that had already been observed at the port of Link City, where European merchants were already bringing specimens: "Horses for transport, cows for milk and hides, chickens and pigs to improve breeding throughout all our regions."
"Second," Chewa said, and this time his voice grew graver, "that which nourishes the mind. We ask for books. All you can give us, especially those concerning your history, your basic sciences, your technology that is not forbidden or too sensitive. We want your special handicrafts, your fine glass, your precision instruments… We want knowledge."
This was an intentional nod that Chewa knew Columbus and Santángel, the men of reason and enterprise, would understand: in the Suaza Kingdom, the accumulation of knowledge was valued over the accumulation of precious jewels. Chewa had noticed Fray Hernando de Talavera taking notes, likely marveling at this apparent thirst for learning.
"Third, and this is a requirement of the Young Chuta," Chewa said, pausing to generate maximum tension. "The Suaza Kingdom will purchase slaves."
The hall filled with a murmur of surprise, but Chewa raised his hand before anyone could speak.
"However," he specified, with a severity that admitted no debate, "if these slaves arrive mistreated, emaciated, sick, or with evident health problems, they will be rejected without exception. We will only purchase those who are healthy and strong."
The Spanish and Portuguese, accustomed to the inhumane treatment in the markets of Lagos or the Antilles, understood that the Suaza Kingdom, with its demands for quality and health, sought a luxury product in the commerce of people.
What they did not know was that Chewa was simply following a policy driven by the Young Chuta: the strategic purchase of slaves in European and African markets with the goal of their liberation and eventual integration into Suaza communities, a tactic he would never reveal.
The requirements of the Suaza Kingdom were scandalous, not for being expensive, but for being too simple. On the Silk Road, gold and silver were the fair and undisputed price. To ask for seeds, books, and animals in exchange for jewels, emeralds, and fine paper was commercial folly.
The Europeans murmured, unable to grasp the logic behind paying so much for so little, but at the same time realizing this benefited them. They could empty their granaries and stables, and in exchange obtain a wealth that surpassed all their current mineral production.
After a few minutes of discussion about the logistics of the exchange, Chewa stood up. "My assistants will handle the details of prices and quantities. I will withdraw for a moment."
Chewa walked away to one of the hall's windows to take fresh air. Diplomatic politics was a game of attrition that he hated.
The two priests approached him there: Hernando de Talavera of Castile, and Fray Juan Álvares of Portugal. An assistant of Chewa immediately stood beside him to help with the translation, although Chewa grasped the essence of the conversation.
Hernando de Talavera began to speak, with a tranquility and solemnity that Chewa respected. He presented the Christian faith, mentioning the key elements: the values of goodness, the Commandments as a moral guide, the belief in a single Creator God, and the concept of salvation.
"Sir Chewa," Talavera said, his face illuminated by conviction. "Our Crowns do not only bring commerce, but also the true light. We hope you will permit us to teach your people the faith in Our Lord, so that every Suaza soul may know the promise of eternal life."
Chewa, at that moment, was deep in thought. He remembered similar conversations with the priests of his own religion, and even simple discussions with Mexica and Maya merchants who visited the coasts of Central Quyca. All believed in different things, but those beliefs defined their morality and their being.
The Young Chuta, with his divine knowledge, had warned him about the stubbornness of certain people regarding the imposition of their beliefs, but also about the importance of religion as a cultural pillar. Therefore, the central policy of the Suaza Kingdom had always been religious tolerance, without imposing any faith above another.
Chewa took a deep breath, meditating on Talavera's words. After a long sigh, he formulated a question that had been designed by Chuta to break the dogmatic solemnity.
"Fray Hernando, Fray Juan," Chewa inquired. "If your God is the creator of all… has He ever appeared before you?"
The two friars were surprised. It was a brutally direct question.
"Our God does not physically appear before people," Hernando de Talavera replied, cautiously, while Fray Álvares beside him nodded vigorously. "He is present in His creation, in nature, and in the spirit of every man."
Chewa, making use of his simple and unadorned logic, asked: "Then, how do you believe in Him? How do you know He is not a dream, or a story told by your ancestors?"
The question caught them off guard again. After a moment of tension, Talavera and Álvares began to explain. They mentioned Jesus, the son, as proof of God's existence on Earth, the miracle of his resurrection, and the promise of Heaven. Juan Álvares intervened with the part about morality: the duty to be good people to join God in Heaven, and the terrible threat of Hell for non-believers.
To Chewa, much of this was similar to what was professed in the religions of his Kingdom. However, he immediately noted that Christian precepts, as presented, excluded anyone who thought differently, leaving out millions of souls in the Great Quyca and other parts of the world.
The Young Chuta had anticipated this 'direct' religious approach. The secret reports of the Young Chuta's aide who was in Spain and reported to Apqua, had already warned about the evangelical zeal of the Catholic Monarchs.
Chewa, who already feared the friars' intention to impose the faith, asked the final question, the one Chuta had marked as the philosophical breaking point.
"If your God is infinitely benevolent," Chewa stated, staring intently at the friars, "why would He exclude from Heaven those who did not believe in Him? Would the people of my Kingdom, who fulfill the commandments to be good, honest, and to help their neighbor, go to Hell simply because they never heard of Him?"
This question, which appealed directly to the morality of the dogma and not to its existence, left both friars in an uncomfortable silence. They had expected to debate idols and demons, not the divine justice for the innocent who never knew Christ. The translator waited for the answer, but there was only silence and thoughtful glances.
Two weeks later, Year 10 of the SuaChie Calendar, Twelfth Month.
Chewa was in his office at the City Hall, reviewing the exchange contracts. He had spent the last weeks in a bureaucratic tedium of back and forth. Confirmations from the Catholic Monarchs and the King of Portugal regarding the exchange terms would take at least a month.
The slowness of European diplomatic politics was boring him, but it also gave him great strategic peace of mind. If they reacted so sluggishly to such a favorable trade deal, Chewa could imagine the paralysis they would face in organizing a naval attack. And what caused him internal laughter was that the person the Young Chuta had sent to Spain would dispatch the 'secret' reports on any movement before the Europeans even realized they were being monitored.
Chewa mentally noted one more task: in a couple of days, it would be the Young Chuta's 11th birthday. He would not be there for the ceremony, but it was highly likely that his son, Chesua, would be present, bringing the family's gifts and respect.
Just as he was about to request some minor corrections to the animal shipment reports, his chief assistant entered the office with an expression of controlled surprise.
"Sir Chewa, envoys from another kingdom have arrived at the port. They request an urgent meeting with you."
Chewa arched an eyebrow. "Another one? Who?"
The assistant consulted a small parchment. "They say they come from an island north of Spain and Portugal. They speak of England."
Chewa immediately agreed. The inclusion of a new player on this commercial board, although it would make things take a little longer, meant that Suaza's negotiating power increased. Now he had three powers competing for his products, which would make the trade deals even more favorable for the Kingdom.
After a few minutes, several men entered the office, clad in noble attire—heavy cloths and sober colors, quite different from Spanish austerity or Portuguese luxury. They greeted Chewa in a language he did not recognize, a guttural, harsh sound. Fortunately for him, the English brought with them a Spanish translator, which, combined with Chewa's basic comprehension, would allow for communication.
Through the translation, Chewa learned that they came from the Kingdom of England and, immediately, sought to establish commercial ties.
Chewa smiled at them, his face regaining its analytical energy. He made a gesture with his hand toward the door to the assistants waiting outside, a sign that meant: "Bring the boxes. Let us begin again."
The game, suddenly, had become much more interesting.
.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
Here we are again with Chewa's perspective. For those who forgot, there's the supplementary chapter. This one picks up right where the last chapter left off.
Here we have the negotiations, but in broad strokes. I won't discuss the items exchanged in detail; they'll just be mentioned, but you can probably guess how things will go.
By the way, the questions about religion aren't the typical ones meant to belittle the other person's faith, but rather to gauge how much people know about their own religion. Also, keep in mind that it's somewhat similar to the conversation Chuta and Motezuma had some years ago.
UFD: For those who don't know, before the arrival of African slaves through Portuguese exploration, slaves were mainly prisoners of war (generally Muslims), debtors, or criminals. However, the sale of Slavs as slaves also persisted in some kingdoms (the Khanate of Crimea).
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 88)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 33) (INTERMITTENT)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 13) (INTERMITTENT)
You can find them on my profile.]