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112 AC
Andalos
Daeron Nymeros Martell
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I kick aside my bedroll as I exit my small tent and I feel a deep pit in my stomach as I look around my current location. I am currently where the Andal race originated before they invaded Westeros for their seven who is one god. I think it's more likely they got spooked by what was happening to the others in Essos and they knew they had better weapons than the First Men of Westeros. They put two and two together and realized they may be at the bottom of the food chain in Essos but they could be Kings in Westeros. I mean I would not hang around when Valyria is at its prime and expanding, it was time to leave as far as they were concerned.
Even as I try to distract myself I still can't get over the melancholy of not having my new hug pillow to cuddle with in the morning and keep one another warm. I am hating this decision to go to war more than ever right about now but I still need to fly the rest of the way to Braavos. I don't have time to sit around and cry about my lonely heart, it's time to take to the sky and finish this mission. The sooner we get our ships the sooner we can load them down and hit the Stepstones like the wrath of a god.
""You ready partner?"" I pat the snout of the large dragon who is refusing to open his eyes even if we both know that he is wide awake.
I shake my head and turn back around to pack up my little campsite and climb on his back. He just wants a 'few more minutes' and I guess he will get them since I still have to roll up my sleeping roll and tent.
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The titan is both larger than I expected and not, how I can be both pleased and disappointed as I look at it I do not understand. But I know for a fact I am giving the Arsenal a wide berth with the damn thing littered with 'anti-air' weapons. Passing the Titan Gaelithox lets out a thunderous roar that I am sure has some people praying to their gods. But my eyes do not leave the Arsenal not far beyond the entrance of the Titan, the thing is imposing for what it is.
But as I pass by it I am soon flying over buildings of the city that look like they fell into the water and I look down curiously. There are many different large structures all around Braavos but the one that screams 'Sea Lord' is quite impressive. I guide Gaelithox toward it as I look for a spot to land and am feeling a bit unlucky.
My dragon is a bit too big to land comfortably close to it so we will have to make do with something not far from the actual palace.
""Land somewhere close."" I will leave it up to my buddy, hopefully, he does not decide to just drop down onto a building.
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"Not to be rude but even if I was armed to the teeth, the dragon flying around nearby should be your main concern." I can deal with a lot of things when it comes to keeping up appearances, my time in Kingslanding proving that, I did not attack anyone for staring or 'whispering' about me where I could hear them.
But the First sword of Braavos is something else, the man has a glare like my Mother when I do something stupid. I thought he was supposed to stick hand in hand with the Sealord but he is waiting in the meeting room with just me. I think my visit was expected as it should have been since the guards at the gate guided me in. But the Sealord was obviously doing something or is just making me wait to be a dick.
"Any idea when the Sealord will be here?" I ask the man and he keeps his lips sealed but his eyes narrow a bit more.
Thankfully before I speak up again to further make it awkward the door opens and a woman walks in with refreshments and snacks. Tiny little cookies and some kind of juice, not what I would mix but I am hungry enough to not complain.
"Ahh, thank you for waiting Prince Daeron, it is nice to meet you in person after all I have heard. Your Father spoke highly of you when he said it would be you retrieving the fleet he purchased. It is not common for us to sell ships like this but I suppose helping my friend Prince Qyle was worth the hassle." I nod as he walks over and takes a few cookies from the tray himself and sits across from me at the small table with the titan's head engraved on it.
"That and you charged a fortune for the ships." He cracks a small smile while chewing away at one of the cookies, almost seems like he is making a show of it.
Might be trying to show there is nothing in the cookies but I did not worry anyway, I am nigh impossible to poison. I convinced my Father to let me go through the poison resistance training when I was ten, and I never felt anything he gave me. He thought something was wrong when I did not react until he upped the dosage and still nothing happened. After some testing, rigorous testing at that, we discovered I have almost complete immunity to poison.
I know it's because of Shimmer but he thinks it's something to do with the ability to use 'water magic'. I did not specify but I have felt a whole lot safer in this world since I learned that little tidbit of info.
"Well I did not ask for you to come here to the palace to talk just about the ships, I don't want to waste your time after all. That and people are swarming the palace gates after the dragon flew up higher, they are concerned and I think it best if the dragon leaves as soon as possible." I smile as he waves someone over who came into the room with him.
"What's this?" I ask as I am handed a sheet of parchment and I start reading it not getting an immediate response from the Sealord.
It seems to be a report of activity in Pentos, something about slavery-supporting magisters causing some problems. There is not much written but it seems to be detailing the movements of a few individuals as they buy up resources and corner the market on various goods.
"That is the reason for this meeting in truth, I have a proposition for your family." I raise an eyebrow as I set the report aside.
"What is it that you want, and how much are you paying?" His smile grows wide as he leans forward against the table.
The man is not fat by any means but the way the chair groans I fear he might fall straight onto his face. He seems the type to try and be dramatic as he talks with his hands a lot and each word comes out with a cheery note added to it.
"Braavos has been to war with Pentos multiple times over the issue of Slavery, we who are escaped slaves from Valyria detest slavery. We have knocked them down a few times and banned slavery with the threat of us taking a more hands-on approach should they not cancel the practice. It worked for a while, but they find ways to wiggle around the rules and are becoming more bold. they even have been puffing up like peacocks along the coast as they build a large fleet to compete with our own. There will be yet another war and I am looking to have dragon support, your dragon's support." He leans back in his chair and looks proud of himself as if he just solved world hunger.
It is a simple concept that I am sure most people think about when they are going to war. more power. And nothing beats dragon fire raining down on ships and armies, that is what they want. A quick way to end any fighting and not take any big losses, Braavos is rich but no reason to waste resources if you can end a prolonged war much easier with the right connections.
"I see, you want Dorne's dragons to help should a war over slavery actually kick off once more." He nods and I start thinking about things to try and squeeze out of him for an agreement to support them with our dragons. "What are you offering in the way of payment." They have the faceless men in Braavos who could deal with any Magister but I guess they want to send a big message.
If the Magister dies more will replace them, if a dragon burns armies and maybe knocks down some walls or towers... well that sticks longer than a few dead bodies from poison or a dagger in the dark.
"Trade agreements to start but also a deposit of two million golden dragons to the Martell account at the Iron Bank." That is a lot but I would rather it deposit into my hands directly instead of being locked up over here so far from Sunspear.
"My Father left me in charge of anything discussed here, I am sure you assumed as much." Getting a nod of confirmation I lick my lips before pulling up my cup that was filled with some pretty good wine. "I will need more information about what you want to be done, I can't just leave an open end on your side of the agreement. For all, I know you will try to push me to crush Slavery all over and say it falls under the agreement. I need it in writing what you want and anything I have to do extra will cost more and we will go ahead and agree upon 'bonus pay'." I am not just going to give them a blank check of Dragon Fire.
"Of course, we will discuss the ideas that have been mentioned and the plans that have been thought out. This is not coming solely from me and my coffers, it is coming from many different people in Braavos who are aware of the growing tensions between Pentos. Let's have lunch served as we talk this over and you can see what we are thinking about." I nod slowly while trying to put a value on a Free City and how much I should be expecting for burning one if needed.
At the end of the day, once my dragon starts spitting fire, Me and Mine will be the ones that people target with their anger. Even if it's done on behalf of Braavos they will still be furious with Dorne and House Martell, maybe even House Targaryen by extension. I even think I heard recently that Daemon Targaryen has many friends in Pentos.
Would be shitty if it's the slave enthusiasts because I won't hesitate to burn them to ash for some serious coinage.
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"This is perfect, I think this is about as good as it will get without stepping too far." His voice carries a little more happiness as he looks over the draft we wrote up together and nods once more before sliding it aside.
He has to run my additions by everyone involved on his end but we hammered out a pretty solid deal. There is still some back and forth to be had and more additions and stuff to be taken out but it looks promising. But that will be all for today and I will either be coming back in the not-too-far future or they will be sending a representative to Sunspear. Personally, I think a representative will be sent to Sunspear to finish it with my Father but it is what it is.
We will be getting more than fair compensation depending on how things turn out and if we are called upon. If the war breaks out between the two Free Cities it won't be over fast anyway, so it's not like there is a rush. I expect to end up getting involved from the looks of their ideas, they want to take Pentos down a peg or two and prevent any future instances of this happening.
"Go ahead and bring it in." He waves at one of the serving girls and she steps out confusing me as we already have eaten a full-course meal. "A gift to my new friend on behalf of Braavos, something that was acquired by one of my predecessors. They have been passed around quite a few times as they became a bit dangerous to hold onto, many feared the wrath of the Old King. I heard it was only the threat of Faceless men that held his hand from flying his Bronze Fury over here to recover them." I can hardly follow what he is saying as I feel like I am missing some information before a small chest is set on the table. "Once more this is a gift on behalf of all of Braavos in hopes of a continued good relationship." He stresses the point as he looks around at the servants with narrowed eyes, probably spies for other Key holders and people of influence.
The chest opens and my eyes widen as the pieces come together and I wonder how in the heck this happened. My hand is moving before I can stop it and I pick up a cream and gold dragon egg. I would be a fool to now know what eggs these are, or rather who these eggs would have belonged to one day. How they ended up where they did one day I will never know as I thought it involved Asshai or something, but now they are in my hands.
"Probably the best gift I have ever gotten, I wish you attended my wedding if this is the kind of gift you give to friends." He starts laughing joyfully and I set the egg back into the chest as my fingers graze the green and bronze one and land on the black egg with red swirls.
Balerion reborn is beneath my fingers, a good gift indeed.