21 21
288 AC
"What exactly did you think you were doing when you contacted the brother of the king and admiral of the royal navy, Stannis Baratheon?" Ah, good, a father doesn't know about my dealings, well, messages to Dorne, good, at first I feared he called me because of that...
Still, seeing my father's frowning face made me consider my response...
"That I could kill few birds with one stone, father." Roose was still frowning, but now he gained a curious expression in his eyes, something I learned to notice.
"Dealing business with other's lords, even the ones beyond our land, isn't forbidden, frowned upon if you don't have Warden's, thus in our case Stark's permission and blessing, but not forbidden, and having good relations with a man who commands the best navy in Seven kingdoms is worthy of few frowns, especially if we want to have our own navy and port city," I answered, and after while Roose nodded, but his face not softening.
"And this dragonglass? Why exactly do you think you can throw our coin, my coin, for something so insignificant?" My father asked, and I tried, really tried not to frown or burst out, HIS COIN?!
It was my ideas that made our lands prosper, IT was my work that brings COIN to father's purse!
Still reigning my emotions in, I smiled as I took the item I was carrying with me, something father noticed as he put guarded yet interested expression...
"This, father, our status, our symbol, yes, it could be seen as meaningless to others, but with Wheel house nonstop working, this, this could be our status, yes, it is just a trinket and not taken as a real weapon, but this is more for ceremonial purposes, where the iron and steel swords are for the battle purposes, even this will find its place in our men's hands."
I list of as I pulled the sword out of its sheet, this sword was made from some dragonglass block we had as a curiosity in the castle, nobody knew how long it was there, but if I had to suppose, then from the first long night...
That dragonglass was meant to be made into a weapon, and I was more than happy to use it...
I watched how father kept looking at the sword, taking any and all old runes that were done into it, in truth, even I was surprised how well made the sword is, making me see how talented blacksmiths and masons are under me, it was, a work of art...
And work of war, once the enemy I want the dragonglass for comes...
"Skagoss have dragonglass veins too," Father added, his eyes still looking at the sword, the way it absorbed and reflected light.
"Ah, yes, a vein's, I could try to get Skagoss dragonglass, but then, I would lose the chance to contact Stannis Baratheon favorably, I would need to wait for Skagoss to even mine it, at they do not mine dragonglass from what I know, then I would need to make sure that any ship that goes to Skagoss doesn't sink, as that would be a loss of profit and something that is unbelievable hard even for veteran captain's, then-"
"Enough." Father held his hand in the air, making me stop listing the problems with Skagoss trading, it wasn't like I didn't want to, in truth, I wanted to, but the location of theirs and the fact that I didn't even think that they had their own Maester, thus sending raven was no go, and all that, it just wasn't time feasible, at least not now, maybe once we have our own ships maybe...
"You made your point... That still doesn't excuse you for trading the precious resource as food for such a trinket." Again not acknowledge it was my work that made it even possible for a father to trade foot with our neighbors for other things he never discussed with me...
And I could clearly see he liked the idea of the ceremonial sword, such a hypocrite...
"And leave it to rot? Father, we both know that right now we have an abundance of food, precisely potatoes, something that would rot before we even eat it, all our underground ice cellars are full, and even with new ones being built, we don't have enough people to eat such quantity of food in a such short time, even with the Soup kitchen that is entirely free for our people, we still have too much food, and so why don't use it for other things, better dragonglass than rotten food." I answered, trying to sound logical and not roll my eyes...
No need to say that in the next months, another harvest season will come, what should we do with the food other than trade it to others for things we don't have?
It was the same reason why I'm willing to give Martell's secret of glass creation, I had no time, people, nor security to manage such a large-scale operation, having much more important things to do than glass, and most importantly, I would kill two birds with one stone, I had no sand, well, in North there was sand, but not in any large quantity, and I wanted to make Martell's see me in a favorable light, no matter what maniac wins the throne, I would like always to be seen as a friend, or have them in dept to me...
Plus, having too many projects at the same time is more problem than one could think, even now rest of the North is surely looking at us and envying our newfound fortune, something that could be dangerous, the fatter we become, the more wolves we invite, and there wasn't a reason to do it when I could have other's having a target on their back too...
Glass gardens were good, but they aren't THAT good, I wouldn't risk our lives to have a few more coin or glass houses...
Right now, Lannister's are too strong, so giving a few chips on Martell's side is just balancing the sides...
It is the same reason why I thinking of gifting Wyman a better ship design, making my powerful neighbor into my friend is more than a good opportunity, especially one such dangerous...
I didn't worry about it backfiring me that much, the thing that most schemers' biggest weapon is their secrecy, but me, who knows who plays the game, im a danger to all schemers in this play, Varys, Littlefigner, Wyman, and other's who looks too much innocent, I know they danger, and it is the same reason im their biggest enemy they don't know about...
"Your actions speak of something... Domeron, what do you planning?" Roose finally asked, and my eyes little widened.
"Yes, I know there is something, it is as if you are preparing us for war, something I noticed, and if I noticed, then others did too." Ah, yea... Fuck, winter or not, the first rule of war preparation was of hoarding food, but then, I couldn't quite tell the truth, could I?
And as I frowned, making a face too similar to my father's but much more youthful, I looked out of the window.
"I noticed a pattern, father, one I already told you about."
"Hm? Oh, you mean that idea of Greyjoy rebelling, how that is our problem." Father dismysingly said, yes, even if there were raids on our shores, and not just by Greyjoy's but even other pirates from Essos seas, we were still on the other side of the continent to fear anything serious from them...
Well, Greyjoys were good targets to blame my actions, more precisely, why I was preparing our lands for war I couldn't tell him about...
"Father, after my notice, you get the message from other lords, right? The shores where trees were cut down and then tracks that led to the water, pointing out they were transported via ship, all the while the lords of the lands had no idea who did it, just after my message did lords under Eddard Stark's order had their shore's patroled, and caught Ironborn red-handed." And it was true, I didn't know what Eddard did with the information they got from their prisoners if they got anything out of them, Ironborns were quite a faith fanatics in this case, but it was clear that even Stark's or at least the lords whose lands rested near shores were preparing for battle...
"Still, I don't see it being OUR problem," Roose repeated...
"Father, what we lack?" Now, my father frowned as he heard my question, still, I didn't let him speak as I continued.
"Father, when Ironborn's rebel, not if, but when, you will surely be called to the war, and in war, there are spoil's, as such, I would like to ask you for asking a reward for your exploits." I watched how father looked at me, a thinking expression on his severely hardened face.
"What reward would you ask of Stark and the King?" Roose finally asks, making me smile.
"Why take all the Thrall's, and salt wives we are permission, you can say that by taking them we are freeing them, which, is truth as we do not need to resort to such untasteful practice as slavery, and it is slavery, no matter what Ironborn's say, and I think that King would be more than happy to just wave it off with laughter, and Stark's, well, soon we will be one big and happy family, no? Why would he oppose such a simple and innocent request, after all, we do not want gold, nor treasures, just a few simple souls..."
I smiled, a smile that soon emerged even on my father's face...
"I see...Go, I will think of this for now." Roose finally said.
"Thank you, father," I answered, noticing how my father didn't return my sword...
Oh well, I just need to make another once Davos comes with the dragonglass, and he will come for food. Food for dragonglass is too much good trade for Stannis to reject...
