Chapter 76 - With Eyes Turned North.

[Chapter Size: 2500 Words.]

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Third Person POV

King's Landing, 105 AC.

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"The Blackwoods and the Brackens are fighting again," said the Master of Whisperers.

Viserys could not help but frown. "Again? Hadn't my grandfather already settled this at the Great Council more than 4 years ago?" said the king with dissatisfaction, while several glances were exchanged around the room.

"Unfortunately, it started with a fight between their sons, my king, and ended up escalating into something more dangerous involving the lords of each of the houses..." said Lyonel Strong, making Viserys frown.

"Those Blackwoods and Brackens are always fighting. What is Lord Tully doing?" said the king, before looking at an empty chair. "And where is Daemon?"

"The prince was contacted, but he was at a tavern drinking, according to what my men reported, and he was with some whores..." Otto Hightower, as Hand of the King, said, making Viserys frown.

It was at that moment that the door opened and someone appeared. "Ah, Otto, it's so good to see you talking about me," Daemon said with an ironic tone.

"Were you listening to the conversation from behind the door?" Otto grimaced.

"I only just arrived, by coincidence. And I wasn't drinking like your man says, much less with prostitutes... I was merely resolving a few disputes involving a customer who left the brothel without paying. After all, the City Watch is mine, right?" Daemon spoke calmly before sitting down in his chair, with Viserys merely staring at him in silence. "So, what's the news, brother?"

"Your Majesty," Otto said, correcting him.

"Of course, Your Majesty," Daemon said with an ironic smile, looking at Viserys.

Viserys merely sighed, closed his eyes, and turned his attention back to the Master of Whisperers.

"My contacts also speak of the conflict Dorne is close to starting with the Reach along the southern part of the Dornish lands, mainly involving the Daynes and Blackmonts," the man explained.

"We have already discussed this for several moons. I think we should keep our eyes fixed on this matter, given that we are already dealing with it. It is obvious that the Martells want to provoke the houses of the Reach... Those two houses would not act if they did not have the support of Sunspear..." Otto said, while the Master of Whisperers picked up some parchments and began to read.

"There is also some information about the North, mainly about that young boy who won the archery tournament and also met with King Jaehaerys many times..." he said, causing Viserys to immediately raise an eyebrow.

Deep inside, Viserys could not help but remember the promise he had made to the old king that he would bring the boy to the Red Keep, a promise that had still not been fulfilled, even though he had heard about him in the North. He had never actually summoned the boy, especially since they still had some time, with him having only 14 namedays.

At the same time, he also remembered the king's request to marry the boy to his only daughter, something Viserys had vehemently rejected in his heart.

"We've heard a few things about this boy, about him bringing more direwolves to House Stark and also that he regularly meets with the Starks to discuss certain matters. Rather unbelievable for a boy of fourteen namedays."

"The old king held the boy in high regard. There must certainly be something special about him," Lyonel Strong said from the side.

"I remember your son went to fight him and ended up getting quite a beating," Daemon said with a chuckle.

"Yes, but that was four years ago. My son is becoming a fine knight," Lyonel Strong replied. "And his dream is to serve in the Kingsguard. What do you think, Lord Commander?"

"Ser Strong has many qualifications, but I believe he still lacks experience, so I recommend him for the City Watch as a gold cloak," said Ser Ryam Redwyne.

After that, everyone looked at the king, who merely nodded thoughtfully, oblivious to the discussion about Harwin Strong. His thoughts were still on the North.

"So, you still haven't finished. What is the news about the North?" Viserys finally asked.

"The boy, the heir to Winterfell, and Lord Stark's brother went to Braavos with Lord Manderly and his sons."

"To Braavos? And what did they want there?"

"They met with an agent of the Iron Bank, but later they had a private audience with even more powerful men within the Iron Bank. Those they call keyholders."

"The North is negotiating with the Iron Bank?" Otto immediately asked, frowning.

He did not care much about the North, so he did not have many spies there. Now, learning about certain dealings the Starks might be having with the Iron Bank made Otto frown.

'Their economy has grown quite strong in recent years, but nothing that would threaten the Reach, but now... Are they creating some kind of business between House Stark and the Iron Bank?'

"As if the North changing so much over these past few years wasn't enough," Lord Velaryon said cautiously.

"Yes. The North has managed to greatly increase its production, so much so that taxes paid to the Crown have never been this high since the loss of the Gift to the Night's Watch. They are also beginning construction on something strange, according to what my little birds have said. It is a kind of tower that helps grind grain, rather than leaving the farmers themselves to do that work."

"What is this now? Suddenly, the North is inventing things?" Otto muttered, while Daemon seemed amused by his concern. He did not care about the strange ideas coming from that kingdom; he merely wanted to see Otto uncomfortable.

"Anyway, continue about the Iron Bank. We'll talk about that later," Viserys insisted, while his Master of Whisperers nodded.

"Of course, my king. Well, besides the private conversation, apparently their dealings were successful. The North secured a contract for the production of some product, a kind of perfume, from what we've heard. It will be made using a plant from the North, produced in Winterfell, and taken to Braavos to be sold and traded there."

This immediately made Otto Hightower and Lord Corlys Velaryon widen their eyes. "They're producing a perfume in the North?" they asked, frowning.

"And, from what I know, apparently it was the boy himself who negotiated it. I'm not certain about that, since my spies were unable to confirm it, but everything indicates that the boy was the one who did it all."

"You must be joking," Otto grumbled, not believing it. "It's rather difficult to believe that a boy of fourteen namedays could negotiate with the highest ranks of the Iron Bank. Not even my brother managed to get an audience with them," he grumbled.

"Oh, you didn't, Lord Hightower?" Lord Corlys Velaryon said with a small, triumphant smile. "I must say that I had better luck in that regard. I've already had an audience with them, and I'm negotiating a marriage treaty with the Sealord involving my daughter and his son," he said, while the lords exchanged glances.

"Are you sure you want to waste good Valyrian blood on that salty blood, Lord Velaryon?" Daemon stared at him with a certain disdain. "Anyway, this boy seems quite intelligent. No wonder he has our blood," he said in a mocking tone, making Viserys frown.

"Daemon..." Viserys said in a warning tone.

"What? I'm not lying. Everyone here knows, they just pretend they don't."

There was no point in hiding it. Everyone knew that the boy from the North was a great-grandson of Jaehaerys I. The king himself, who had died two years ago, had even written a letter for the boy, still being kept for when the boy came to King's Landing. Viserys and Daemon knew this, as did Otto and a few others.

"Anyway, so the North now has business dealings with Essos. Send a message to Lord Stark. Tell him that we are also interested in this perfume. If Braavos is buying it, that means it must be a good product. We would also like to see it, and perfumes are not something easily obtained in Westeros. If they truly manage to establish good production, why not trade with the Seven Kingdoms as well?" Viserys said.

Lords Velaryon and Hightower certainly became a little wary. The Hightowers and Velaryons had their own trade in products of that category, as did Dorne, and there was already commercial rivalry between them as competitors. And now a new one would be emerging in the North... Knowing there was a third competitor, even if they were products they could not easily obtain, left them somewhat uneasy.

"There is one more thing about the boy, if the king wishes to hear it," said his Master of Whisperers, while the king raised an eyebrow again.

"Then continue," Viserys said.

"My king, don't you think a nameless boy, without title, lands, or family, may be taking up too much of the king's attention?" said Lord Lyman Beesbury, Master of Coin, with some caution.

"A boy who negotiated with the Iron Bank. Why wouldn't I pay attention to that?" Viserys scoffed, causing the man to fall silent.

"Anyway, the farm where the boy intends to grow the raw material is his family's farm, while production will take place in Winterfell. After that, the Manderlys will handle the transportation and, by all indications, this was discussed by the boy with Lord Stark inside the castle itself, even before going to Braavos to negotiate."

"So the boy will, in a way, bring money to his family, bring money to the Starks and to the Manderlys. But how will he make money? I imagine he didn't do all of this just to sell the raw material," asked Runciter, the Grand Maester of the Red Keep.

"I don't know, but I think it's more than that. I believe the amount he earns will be tied to the deliveries to Braavos. When the product is sold, a portion should go to him, since it seems he was the one who invented all of this."

"I remember that I was fighting with my swords in the training yard to become the best when I was, well, fourteen namedays old, not negotiating with Braavos, brother," Daemon said, looking at Viserys and laughing, although his eyes showed that he was impressed by all of it.

"The boy is now planning to come South," said the Master of Whisperers, making Viserys raise an eyebrow.

"Really? Why do you think that?"

"Because he and the heir to Winterfell have begun training in jousting at Winterfell. Everything indicates that they will be going to the tournament in the Vale," the man replied.

"But they aren't knights. What makes you think they can enter?" Otto replied disdainfully.

"They aren't knights now. What might happen by the time of the tournament? There are still several moons until then," said Lord Lyonel Strong.

"I see," was all Viserys said, seeming thoughtful, while the other men wondered whether the king was truly turning his attention toward a nameless boy from the North.

Anyway, the meeting continued with other matters for some time, before everyone began leaving the room. Lord Otto Hightower quickly headed toward his chambers, not failing to notice his daughter running through the corridors with Rhaenyra.

"Come on, Alicent! Let's fly together!" said the little princess.

"No way! I don't want to!" Alicent immediately replied.

She was being invited to fly alongside Rhaenyra on her first dragon flight, but it was obvious that she didn't want to.

"Father!" she said as soon as she saw him.

"Lord Hand," the princess said as well, giving a proper curtsy befitting her position.

The girl of eight namedays was the king's only daughter, while he was trying to have a son, but so far, he had been unable to do so.

"Princess. Alicent, behave yourself," he said, giving one final warning to his daughter, who nodded timidly before he continued toward his chambers.

After walking through the Red Keep again, he entered his room and immediately went to the desk, where he began writing several letters. He needed more information about the North.

He had failed to pay as much attention to the North as he should have in recent years, even though there had suddenly been an explosion in its production. Grain production had increased greatly, and even food sales from the Reach to that region had decreased considerably, since the North no longer bought as much as it once did.

He had thought it was some stroke of luck during that winter, since there was no history of anything like it, but now, besides certain changes they were making to the cultivation of their farms and to production, they were innovating in other areas as well.

Perfume and that strange tower.

Otto Hightower felt that he should pay much more attention to the North as he began scribbling a letter to his brother and also to some of his men, ordering them to send more spies to the North. He also wanted to discover the secret of that perfume immediately. If it was good enough to attract the attention of the highest ranks of the Iron Bank, it meant that it had to be truly exceptional, after they had made that deal...

While Otto Hightower was scribbling several letters, Viserys looked at Daemon, who remained inside the Council chamber in silence.

"Daemon, I have a request for you," Viserys suddenly said, making Daemon look at him in surprise.

"What is it now, brother?" he asked, while Viserys sighed.

"I need you to go to the Vale."

"Me, go to the Vale? Why would I do that?" Daemon asked, displeased.

"I want you to meet with this boy. I have a promise to fulfill. The old king asked me to bring the boy to King's Landing, but I would like you to personally extend that invitation. And you are a member of House Royce, you can go to the tournament and get in contact with them easily," he said, making Daemon frown.

"You don't expect me to speak to that..." he replied in a dark tone, making it clear that he did not want to see his wife again.

"Daemon, stop acting like a child. You are a grown man and married, and you have been scorning your wife all these years... You have your responsibilities as Rhea Royce's husband. I want you to go to the tournament and speak with Jon. It's nothing serious, nothing you can't do," Viserys said.

"Whatever," Daemon grumbled before leaving the room.

"My king, Princess Rhaenyra is here to speak with you. Shall I let her in?" said a Kingsguard at the entrance, while Viserys merely sighed.

"All right, let her in," he said, knowing that she would already be shouting about flying Syrax. After all, he had given her permission to do so soon.

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