Interlude Thirty

To Ryden, my good friend, greetings.

I write this letter on the ninth day of the second moon in the year 263 after Aegon's Conquest. I hope you and your family are well, and your fields, in which you have much pride, are flourishing under your family's close attention once more. 'Tis a bright, sunny day here in Tegunil, and even after over two years here, I find the heat oppressive. I envy you, and what I can only imagine is the beautiful weather you are experiencing – if you are not, I beg you not to say otherwise, for the thought of cooler weather allows me to keep my head on.

Matters proceed here in Tegunil, slowly as ever – or so it seems. As my letters to you last year stated, fighting as picked up again in the Disputed Lands, but this year the pace is increasing once more. I am assured that it still has not reached the frequency of times past, but the nature of the fighting is decidedly more vicious. What once may have been a cheesemongers war is much more bloody, but it seems no one is willing to back down just yet.

Please pass the news of the good health of First Servant Vamyx to your brother, as I know he will wish to be informed. Your sister is also in fair health and seems to enjoy this heat much more than I. Anari is also quite busy with her charity work, helping the slaves who have escaped to Lyberos – a number that continues to grow, albeit in fits and starts.

Concerning the matter that you raised in your previous letter, the sentiment here is that the Ibbenese have no place in telling the Lyberosi who they can buy whale oil from. I must admit, however, that most of the whale oil here is bought from merchants and not directly from the Ibbenese. I gather that this matter is being raised by your father as he seeks to create a whaling industry on the Sunset Sea? If so, I wish him luck as I doubt that the Ibbenese would bother him so far from their homeland. Indeed, I doubt the lords of Westeros would allow their passage to be uncontested. However, if this is concerning the recent events on Skagos and Skane, then I shall say that if the Ibbenese do protest, it would be directed against those places. Furthermore, I would suggest that Lord Stark enquires with the Ambassador to Braavos, as they would have much more knowledge, though I do not know the Ambassador well enough to say that they would keep such correspondence private. In summary, there would be a market in Lyberos, but the dangers of whaling on the east coast may still outweigh any profits to be had.

Alas, I shall end the letter here, pausing only to let you know that the Reparations are almost complete, and the Westerosi Mercenary Company have now disbanded and are on their way home. I have already sent a letter to the King, but I thought it might interest you that Westeros is now fully withdrawn from the Disputed Lands – except for myself and my fellow Ambassadors, of course.

Until our next letter,

Yours in friendship and blood,

Auric Cerwyn, Heir of House Cerwyn, Ambassador to Lyberos.

Xxxx

To Ryden, my goodbrother, greetings.

I write this letter on the fourteenth day of the first moon in the year 265 after Aegon's Conquest. My happiness is palpable, and I am sure you will share it in a moment. Anari has given birth to a healthy boy! Cley was born yesterday, and both the mother and the babe are very healthy! The seasickness she experienced on the way back from paying our respects to the late Lord Edwyle, though we obviously missed the funeral, was not actually seasickness. I know Anari intended to write sooner about her pregnancy, but her past troubles brought her to silence for fear of voicing it. Regardless, this is a happy day!

I have taken time off from my duties to spend time with them, though I am assured by many that I will soon wish for escape. I am uncertain why, but the lungs on my son may be the clue I am missing.

Matters in the Disputed Lands continue as they always do. The First Servant Vamyx has ordered the army to begin a large push Lys, much more than the normal skirmishes. Lys has continued to harass Lyberos' trade ships and denies their involvement, even when faced with captured captains associated with major Lyseni families. The First Servant is naturally outraged and has devised a crafty plan. His army shall move in the interior, close to the border that Lys, Tyrosh and Myr share, but with enough space that Lys shall be able to hold on to it. But, with that land cut off, he expects Tyrosh and Myr to make a move to take it, and in the chaos, he shall swing his army back and bloody everyone's nose.

A big statement, and one that many in Lyberos have wanted to make for a while. The continued existence of slavery is a very unpopular topic here, but I worry that Lyberos is still too weak for such action. Smaller than all its neighbors, the only thing that gives me hope is that Lyberos' army is truly fearsome, if small, and its population is rapidly growing – much faster than it's neighbors. I credit that to the work your brother did in teaching them of crop rotations. I have alerted the King to these moves, as well as Prince Duncan, for he has been worried that another major war in the Disputed Lands may harm his own lands.

I sincerely doubt at a major war, for few are truly interested. My opinion is that Lyberos shall take a good portion of Lys' lands, and perhaps a small slice of Tyrosh, but I doubt anything will happen to Myr. Their army, while not as strong as Lyberos, still has a fearsome reputation. I expect Lys to accept this new status quo for the moment and instead turn to pushing Volantis out of the Disputed Lands. The fact that Volantis still retains such a large slice of it for so many years now is something that has vexed Lys for a long time. It is also a dagger aimed at the back of Lys, so I expect them to take care of it, especially once shown that without removing that threat, they cannot turn their full attention to the rest of the Disputed Lands.

Alas, this has turned out to be quite the mixed letter. Let me end with this: I am overjoyed, and I look forward to the day when you can meet my son.

Yours in friendship and family,

Auric Cerwyn, Father of Cley, Heir of House Cerwyn, Ambassador to Lyberos.

Xxxx

To Ryden, my good friend, greetings.

I write this letter on the thirtieth day of the seventh moon in the year 265 after Aegon's Conquest. As expected, Lys has turned toward Volantis and peace, as much as the Disputed Land ever has, reigns. The mood in Lyberos is triumphant, but politics are a bloody thing. Reports indicated that Lys and Tyrosh have been growing closer, something that bodes poorly for Lyberos, while Myr sits off to the side, estranged.

As to the enquiry in your last letter, I have not noticed an increase in ships from the Summer Isles. They come, not frequently, but not in any greater number than previously. Your letter said that the Dornish have reportedly had more contact, but perhaps that is solely because they had so little previously? Pure speculation, but with the Ironborn in a more manageable state, I do not find it surprising that the Summer Islanders have altered their ships courses to include Westeros once more. They are a surprisingly risk-averse people who have even avoided the Stepstones for the most part. Unfortunately, I know little of their politics.

Trade continues to grow here; I have noticed more Westerosi sailors in port. I have no access to records, but I wouldn't be surprised to find Westeros being a major trade partner in truth – even though for a long time, that has been the feeling among the populace. Indeed, there has been a resurgence among the wealthy here that goods being purchased must not be involved in the slave trade. This new fashion has seen a dramatic decrease in trade with other Essosi states among the wealthy. Or at least, on face value. Parties now have little in the way of Myrish rugs or wines from Volantis. To say if this extends to the private life of the wealthy is impossible for me to say, but I will say that this attitude has not trickled down to the rest of Lyberos. There are too many poor souls that cannot afford to choose such luxury.

Of course, I have matched this latest trend, and I urge you that if you are to host a Lyberosi, that you keep this in mind.

I look forward to your next letter.

Yours in friendship and family,

Auric Cerwyn, Father and Husband, Heir of House Cerwyn, Ambassador to Lyberos.

Xxxx

To Ryden, my good friend, greetings.

I write this letter on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon in the year 266 after Aegon's Conquest. Indeed, I write this as your brother, Arthur, and his family departs Tegunil. It was good to see your brother once more, and I am happy to write that they all seem to be in good health. Even his youngest seemed to bear the rigors of sea travel quite well. Their stay in Tegunil went quite well, in my opinion, and I note that Arthur was impressed to see the changes that have occurred.

The city itself is much larger – almost three times – than it had been back during the war, and the culture of its people is much different as well. While definitely still Essosi, the people here have made life their own, with their own traditions – even if I can see elements of their neighbors, much to their everlasting denial.

Not that I am overly surprised, mind you, as the world seems to be much more filled than before. Word from my own father indicates that the population in Cerwyn lands is growing very quickly, and the smallfolk are managing the winter much better as well. There was an interesting talk at the fledgling University of Tegunil, given by a Scholar, that talked about an imaginary limit of the population of people. It was an interesting topic if a bit absurd. I spoke to the Scholar afterward about his need to visit the vast empty places of the North – even the Dothraki sea – but alas, he was not receptive to my words. He was young and arrogant (I must be getting old, to be calling others young, and I do not like this revelation), but I have found myself thinking on the increasing number of people still.

Back to the topic of Arthur, I will note he did seem a bit discomforted when he first arrived. I make no pretension of pretending to know his mind, but I imagine he has quite the mixed feelings about being back here. I know I have avoided returning to the Stepstones for the very same reason. I am proud of what I accomplished there, but I have no urge to revisit those battlefields.

On a personal note, I find myself tested by my position. I have performed a… distasteful task. Something that I find myself demeaned by, but it was something that I had done and something that I would do once more. I find myself saddened by the last, more than anything, which is something of a disappointment for me.

On a brighter note, King Aegon has been very pleased with my work here and is happy with the work that other Ambassadors have done as well. It helps, I suppose, that King Aegon is very comfortable in looking outward, so my role can provide valuable service to the Throne. The Ambassador to Pentos, in particular, has done an excellent job of calming Pentoshi fears after the mess at the Tyroshi peace negotiations. Unfortunately, Ambassadors are not magical in nature, and we cannot perform great miracles. Tyrosh remains withdrawn, if not overly hostile, and Volantis has denied the use of an Ambassador.

It is my feeling that there is a faction at Court that wishes to expand trade along Southern Essos, and they hope closer relations with Volantis will increase trade along that route. I would place a significant amount of money that House Velaryon is behind that – tales of the Seasnake are ever-popular – but I am uncertain who else would be pushing for that.

As time moves forward, King Aegon has announced that Ambassadors will serve ten-year terms, likely under pressure from other Houses that seek to gain the positions for themselves. I am uncertain how I feel about set limits, rather than just at the pleasure of the King, though that is still obviously the case, but I do look forward to returning home and taking up my duties as Heir of House Cerwyn. My mother certainly wishes to see her grandchildren more often, and she has doubts about the effect of the future of our House being raised in Essos.

In summary, I think I shall be returning home in 270AC, but as that is still some time away, circumstances may change once more.

Yours in friendship and family,

Auric Cerwyn, Father and Husband, Heir of House Cerwyn, Ambassador to Lyberos.

Xxxx

To Ryden, my good friend, greetings.

I write this letter on the seventh day of the third moon in the year 268 after Aegon's Conquest. I am uncertain if news of recent events will outpace this letter, but I concede it is likely since I have waited a while to gather more information. I have, of course, sent off an immediate, but short, notices to the Iron Throne, and along with this letter, I shall send them more. Myr has been sacked once more – this time, by the Dothraki. The full scale has yet to be revealed, but it seems the losses are grievous. The losses are mainly in the outer parts of the city, but it seems that the Tyrant of Myr has also conducted purges against Myr's mockery of nobility. The Tyrant is gathering more power to himself, somehow, and it seems that Myr will survive. Of course, Tyrosh and Lys have begun renewed pushes in the Disputed Lands into Myrish territory, and Lyberos has joined into the fray as well.

These events have had mixed reactions here in Lyberos. The Warhawks are, of course, happy with the renewed violence and seek to push for more land, especially since the misery is being brought down on slavers. I must note that this is tempered by the creation of so many new slaves from the sack. The Merchants, who seek peace through trade and are among the weakest of the factions, are pushing for a new treaty with Myr to provide food. Currently, they are backing the Warhawks in an attempt to gain more land for leverage in negotiations.

The Isolationists have been quiet, but they usually are. One of the more popular factions, they are content to grow the state as the population is still war-weary, and memories of the famine still hurt. The latest faction to emerge has been the Sons, led by the sons of the rich; they are attempting to imitate Vamyx by building a loyal following and have been pushing for a fresh treaty with Myr as well. I will note that these Sons typically favor closer relations with Lyberos' neighbors, so this position is expected. As they are one of the least popular factions, even if they are powerful, I still find it useful to be able to measure the reactions of various peoples by simply looking at the actions of the different factions.

As you know, I am not overly familiar with Court in King's Landing, but what I do know strikes such a difference than here in Lyberos – though they would never call it a Court here.

In case your brother is close at hand when you receive this, he can relax, as Vamyx still retains a large portion support of the populace – so much so that he transcends many of the different factions. Indeed, the latest round of elections has gone surprisingly smoothly, and the issues that arose were all dealt with. I worry what happens when Vamyx steps down from his role, or even worse, voted out, but I believe that shall fall to the next Ambassador, so I will not dwell on it.

As to your enquiry in your last letter, Vamyx is definitely interested in your farming machines but remains slightly skeptical of your claims. I was unable to fully assure him, as I lack firsthand knowledge – though I trust in your claims. I know my father writes that he is impressed.

As to the other matter, of extending loans for their purchase, Vamyx regretfully must decline. A bank is something that he and his government have been working on for quite some time, and there would be little popular support for using a foreign bank at this time – especially one as little as yours. He means no offense, but the Iron Bank already does significant business in Lyberos, and they will likely beat out any loan you can offer. Still, he is willing to discuss not only the purchase of these machines but also laws that would encourage the formation of a trading company with your House.

Unfortunately, it is here I must interject. I have already declined such discussion on your behalf, as the Master of Coin, Lord Grandison, has already discussed such a possibility with me, and he is uninterested in pursuing such action. You are still free to engage in such activity, but you would receive little support from the Iron Throne if issues arose. As your friend, I suggest leaving this topic alone.

As winter approaches, I hope this letter arrives in a timely matter. I have alerted Vamyx that such a meeting won't occur until after winter, so I hope for everyone's sake that this is a short winter.

I shall end the letter here in hopes that it will beat any winter winds blowing from the north.

Yours in friendship and family,

Auric Cerwyn, Father and Husband, Heir of House Cerwyn, Ambassador to Lyberos.