20 The First Step Of Many

She quite liked Lannisport, better than Lys or Volantis at least. It's architecture austere and streets relatively symmetrical, whereas Lys was gaudy with it's marble buildings and decorated manses or Volantis, where whole streets are shadowed by the Black wall and the great temple of R'hllor. She also preferred the people of Lannisport, simple and honest, not afraid of a hard days work. Lys, as she remembered it, consisted of hubristic Magisters and slave owners with silver tongues and pockets that can never be full. Volantis is a cesspool of suffering with the Fiery hand doing as they wish under the cover of their God, the Triarchy and the Tiger Cloaks look on, either due to an infatuation with said god or not wishing to be made an example of on the steps of the temple.

Lannisport was different. Slavery was outlawed in Westeros, though still present in some ways such as herself. People got on with life and the Lord of the city, Lord Kevan Lannister was a pragmatic man who cared about his subjects and offers them a life better than most. However every person is different and those less honourable at heart still were many, the bruises on her body were proof of the unfavourable existences in society.

Her favourite place within Lannisport was definitely the place she found herself in now, the market. Merchants and trade caravans venture from the far east to the other side of the world just to sell their goods within this very market, refraining from setting up shop within the more closer Sunspear or Oldtown for the chance to earn Lannister gold. People of every race strolled the market: people from the Free Cities, Summer Islanders, Ibbenese, YiTish and even the rare appearances of masked men and women hailing from Asshai.

The scents of Lannisport's famous honeyed-wine along with the fragrances of spices and herbs, even the smell of saffron from the far east merge into a plethora of aromas so thick that you can almost taste it. Mummers and fools perform plays and tricks for coin as entertainment as they dance around and act in a melodramatic fashion. A more upbeat and lively atmosphere than anywhere else she has ever been before. She pulls her shawl tighter around her head as she tries to navigate through the crowded street, her looks were not the problem as she can see several other people with Valyrian like feature walk about, she was worried about someone recognising her as a whore.

She wasn't meant to be outside, at least here anyway. More than half of the girls in the brothel were forced into their line of work and are still being enforced into it now. The Madam gives them a day off each week, some days being different to every person as a way for the girls to relax and take a break from work. The things someone could do in that day are limited, most opt to still work and others lounge around in their rooms with each other.

But not her, whenever the chance presents itself, which is rare, she would sneak out. A foolish and reckless thing for someone as cautious as her, yet rewarding in a way that she feels free. The girls help her by lying about her whereabouts whenever asked but no more than that. Sneaking out is easy, being a mummer in one of the most famous troupes in Lys gave her a wide skillset in changing appearance and behaviour, even being a whore helped improved those talents.

She didn't walk through the market for the objective of buying something, it was just as a way to clear her head and explore. She rarely saw any of the money her body made, only a little if the customer was richer than most. She could steal and prior experience has made her quite adept at it, however if she was caught than the consequences would be dire.

"MAKE WAY!" A loud, harsh voice calls out nearby, drawing her eyes as well as her her ire as she was getting squashed in a mix of bodies. A decently sized litter was manoeuvring it's way down the market street, decorated in crimson and gold with the sigil of a roaring lion on the door. A company of soldiers dressed in heavy plate accessorised with red features surrounded the palanquin.

House Lannister. Even she had heard about the ruthlessness of Tywin Lannister, soldiers in his service often spoke about the Tarbeck-Reyne rebellion and Robert's rebellion when they were at her place of work. Though they fail to mention the murdering of Princess Elia and her children. Tywin Lannister is often described as many things: Cruel, cold-hearted etc, however as a Lord he has her respect.

She was curious as to where the litter was travelling, after all most Lannisters travel via horse in Lannisport. 'Maybe it has something to do with whatever they are doing in the northern district.' she thought, it was well known throughout the city that traffic to and from the northern part of the city had increased dramatically and that the number of guards stationed there indicated something was going on, if the recent large plumes of smoke emanating from there weren't enough.

A small flash of light captures her attention, the slit window of the Litter was open and a pair of eyes stare out. Pale green encounters violet as both pairs of eyes intersect, the green eyes squint as if trying to recognise the other and they stay like that as the litter continues down the street, leaving her standing there in the crowd with furrowed brows.

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"How are you going to be able to pay for all this Cerion? I know you're a Lannister but between this as well as your other projects, you might find your pockets becoming empty." Monty's voice draws me back into the Litter, still confused due to not being able to tell where I recognised those pair of eyes from.

"I still have around half of the compensation the Dornish gave me, even then I can still sell the spices and other material goods for gold. When that runs out then I could just sell some of the steel I have saved from my 1/5 share, steel of that quality can go for a lot in Westeros." I didn't necessarily have to worry about steel now, the constant production as well the workers becoming more experienced with a Bessemer means that the output of steel is still increasing, albeit rather slowly.

Though that doesn't mean that there are no problems at all. Monty and I are just coming back from visiting Jogg again, one of his workers tripped and managed to spill molten steel on top of him. He'll still be able to live his life, a rather painful one but a hefty pension and better living arrangements (along with the undisclosed knowledge that he and his family will be watched by some of father's men) means that he will be a lot less likely to divulge information on the Bessemer.

"Even then Cerion, you'll have to sort out sleeping arrangements, training, equipment, disciplining them as well as a whole load of other things. It will just add more onto your workload and slow down progression in other areas." Monty warned me.

"I know Monty, but that is part of the reason why I am doing this. If I am to be Lord of Casterly Rock and Warden of the West one day then that means I need to have experience leading men, my father also agreed that this would be a good for my development as his heir." I reply, whilst all the points I explained were true, my main reason is that I need men loyal to me instead of my father. This doesn't mean I am going to overthrow him someday or something like that, it's just that the Redcloaks who guard me as well as others constantly report back to father on me.

It will also help during the Greyjoy Rebellion in a few years time. I am unsure whether they just destroyed the Lannister fleet or whether they landed men ashore and attacked Lannisport itself, if it is the latter then a well-trained, unsurprised force that I can mobilise easily would make quite a difference.

"Anyway, you still have the problem of getting recruits. The war is over, people will not like the idea of becoming soldiers again, it might even cause some to worry." Monty said, all the points he raised were reasonable and understandable.

"I doubt some people will be hesitant when they find out they'll be in my service, after all saving the Lord Lannister's heir could make them a landed knight, just like House Clegane." I explain to Monty, who just nods his head.

"Anyway" I said, "Those people I sent out to do a census of potential places to build water wheels, some have returned right?" I ask, Monty gives affirmative reply. "I want you to send them to my uncle Kevan, he will then place them around the city with a book and quill each. Now this is important, I want you to hire several singers and bards and have them spread word that I am looking for abled bodied men, between the ages of 18 to 24 and at least 5 feet 7 inches tall to join my personal guard, tell them that people are meant to go to the census takers and that there is only a maximum of 300 people." I tell him, repeating at places where he forgot what I said as he wrote it down. "The census takers will write down their name, age and occupation as well as the name of the bards who referenced them to the census takers, this will dictate the singers pay and make sure that they don't procrastinate."

The reason why I chose those ages are because they would be more eager to impress as well as being less onset in there ways and more malleable. The height restriction is there because I would like a uniformity to them and height is included in that. I know that the chances of someone lying about there age to join would be high but there is little I could do about that as they could lie on their registration and I wouldn't know.

I told Monty that every singer would be paid a silver moon for every person they referenced, as well as that everyone who signs up will be paid 7 Copper Stars every week which comes to a total of 1 Gold Dragon and 22 Silver moons a year. A very tempting offer to any member of the Smallfolk.

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