Mr. Businessman
The scratching of a quill over rough parchment permeated the room, not my room in Casterly Rock nor my study in the barracks, but in the office of a recently liberated brothel dealing in slaves. I found it a decent location to go over the accounts of money and goods we have seized in the last couple of days. I sigh, placing down my quill after finishing the last document from one of the brothels subsidiaries in the poorer area of Lannisport. I really need to develop a pen of some sort, having to dip the quill into an inkwell so often was starting to get on my nerves.
After my chat with Alysanne, who is currently seeing to the rescued slaves, I had disclosed my knowledge of slavery to father and then uncle Kevan, chances were that Kevan would most likely resort to dealing with the problem of his own and I didn't want that as the slavers could get away once they caught wind of it and I saw it as a good experience for my men. Father agreed and had let me and my men, as well as reinforcements from the Lannisport City Watch, oversee the planning and execution of the task. Information from Alysanne and other prostitutes allowed us to find businesses linked to the slavery ring, ranging from brothels, taverns to craftsmen and construction.
The operation was an overall success for the most part, the capture of business owners and merchants dealing in slaves went off without a hitch, now they sit in the Lannisport dungeons, waiting to be interrogated by my father's men for information on any other slaving in the West, father has always hated slavery. However it did not come without its cost, three members of the Lannisport watch were bludgeoned to death at the hands of an angry mob of thugs and bandits affiliated with slavery as well as the several dozen injured men from the watch and my guards.
The rewards from the operation though does outweigh the costs. After a percentage has been given to uncle Kevan as the Lord of Lannisport, Alysanne will find herself to be quite the rich and influential person. Several hundred thousand Gold Dragons, businesses as well as a potential skilled labour force is enough to make her quite the player in the city. Of course, I cannot trust a woman I have only known for a maximum of a week and so whilst she will manage the brothels and the now freed prostitutes, I have direct control of all the other businesses and their former workforce, who have been freed as well. Whilst this agreement goes against what I had told her on the walk, we never expected the slavery ring to be so big and Alysanne is not capable of managing all those businesses, neither am I to be honest.
If the majority of the former slave workers were to stay and work in their craft, with pay and the rights given to any other Lannisport citizen, then that would be a major advantage in terms of production and development of my projects. Jogg has been stretched pretty thin in producing steel and has been requesting extra workers for a while now. Furthermore, I can delegate management of these businesses to the most experienced former slaves who work there and the money I would be making should be able to fund my research.
Father knows of Alysanne, that is certain. However he has not talked to me about her nor stated his opinions of her being associated with me, though I am sure he would not hesitate in taking action if she was to try to 'reach above her station' even if I were to allow her to. She knows this as well, after all everyone knows what my father did to grandfather's second mistress and the punishment would most likely be worse due to me being his heir and legacy.
Leaving the responsibility to build a spy network to Alysanne is risky, I know, and there is also the possibility that if she succeeds it may be incompetent. That is why I will build my own network, not a large one that expands across the known world, but one based solely in the Westerlands. Mostly to make sure there is no discontentment amongst the vassals or that no one is making a play in our territory, doing this should make events such as my kidnapping almost impossible if done well, there is also the added effect of knowing any acts of banditry or other crimes that need to be dealt with. Operating under a pseudonym should relieve any responsibility off my shoulders even if they get caught, I might be suspected but it is a risky manoeuvre to incriminate someone of my standing with little evidence.
The question was how to start it. There isn't really any guides or instruction manuals on how to make a spy network. I could ask father, true, however I cannot rely on him all the time and even then I don't want him to know what I am doing as he'll no doubt have questions about my plans and such. The former slaves were a good start, working in businesses, especially shady ones does give you the opportunity to overhear things. Bards, innkeepers, mummers and merchants could also be useful at gathering information and I could use the money made via my newly acquired businesses to fund them.
"Monty." I call out to my Page, who was sat at the end of my desk sorting through the accounts as well, he raised his head and looked at me curiously, "Can your bring in Talaq please." I ask, Monty gets up and exits through the door, emerging a minute later with an Essosi man. "Please, sit." I give a hand gesture to the chair in front of me.
You could describe Talaq as common looking. Dark hair and olive skin was natural for most Myrmen, a weak chin and bushy brows were the most predominant of his facial features. Talaq used to be a slave in Myr, born and raised as one and was in service to a wealthy merchant who sold Myrish lenses and other glass products since birth. He was raised learning maths and finances, via the investment his former master had put into him, wanting to grow a capable slave. However getting trampled over by a horse led to Talaq requiring a cane to walk and the medicine needed to treat him was too much at the time and was considered a burden. He was sold at an auction and transported to Westeros, similarly to Alysanne, and ended up as an accountant for brewery here in Lannisport.
"How are you Talaq? I hope this change hasn't caused you much stress this last few days, though I wouldn't blame you." I ask him, wanting him to relax a little bit in my company.
"I-I'm fine Milord." He stammers, "This change has been most w-w-welcome." He possessed a thick accent to his words and a stutter, though the latter could be due to nerves. He was quite an intelligent person from what I was told and was useful in my plans. "That's good. Anyway, I have a task for someone of your intellect." I say, Talaq nods at my words, looking curious.
"I have been told that you are quite a good administrator and accountant by a few people and that you are well-liked amongst the former slaves, would my sources be correct in saying so?" I ask, curious to how he will respond. "I-I just believe that others may treat me better if I extend the same behaviour to them, Milord. And I have been taught how to do my sums since I was a child." I nod my head at that, noting his humble, albeit naïve response.
"Good." I say, "I have the plans to form a council of sorts amongst my businesses. As I am to busy to fully manage them as a whole, I need a group I can trust to delegate on my behalf." I have planned to have the council be made up of some of the most experienced, skilful and overall trustable people amongst my workers, people who know what is needed in order to manage their craft well and efficiently. I wanted to segment businesses into categories: Artisans, construction, entertainment and so on.
The proprietor of a business would go to the council member of their category with a problem and that council member will then relay that problem to me at either the next council meeting or as soon as possible depending on its seriousness. The council members are not voted in, they will be selected by me mostly to reduce the chances of corruption or nepotism and the like.
I relay most of this to Talaq as he digests the information, "My task for you, Talaq, is to visit all of the businesses in every category and rank every the workers on those three attributes I mentioned before: Experience, Skill and trustability, I know that the last is difficult to judge but it is your own opinion. It is absolutely crucial that you do not tell anyone of this, I want to see someone's genuine behaviour, not a façade. Do you understand?" Talaq nods his head as he writes down on a piece of parchment what I want him to do, "Yes, Milord."
"Excellent, you are dismissed." As Talaq excuses himself, I turn to Monty. "You see Monty, just like that. I want you to repeat exactly what I said to the other eleven people I have lined up." Monty nods his head and I give him a smile as I head to the door.