11 Ch. 11 Noros

Fifteenth Day of the Fourth Moon, of the year 291 A.C.

This past month has been a whirlwind of innovation and invention. Tyrion and I worked tirelessly on making sure Uncle Gerion's trip would result in him being able to return to Casterly Rock. We didn't spare a minute for anything else.

Well, that's not completely true. I thought I was allowed to miss training with Ser Broom. I was quickly proven wrong when the aged knight showed up in my room to collect me.

He put me through a rigorous workout for my punishment for being late and then ran me through the rest of the scheduled training without a break. The entire time, he berated me for trying to avoid my responsibilities.

I was extremely annoyed at being pulled away from helping Uncle Gerion, and by what he was saying. But by the time it was nearly over, I realized I could think more clearly. Taking a step back really helped settle my mind and organize my thoughts.

So, I would start each day with my martial training, with Ser Broom steadily increasing the difficulty. Afterward, I would clean myself up and start work on creating and designing everything I could think of for a voyage to Valyria.

While I was busy with designs and writing out detailed instructions for use and construction, Tyrion busied himself with researching Valyria and the Doom. Not only did he scour the library here at the Rock, but he also searched Lannisport.

Tyrion really hit pay-dirt when he found the book accounting Princess Aerea Targaryen, the only recorded person to make it to Valyria and return. The fact she flew there on Balerion the Black Dread and returned only to die an agonizing death of parasitic firewyrms are also things to consider. Major things to consider.

With this new information, Tyrion and I both agreed a voyage to Valyria would be impossible. Hell, you had to ride a dragon to travel between buildings in Valyria before the Doom. Only a small area could be reached via land due to the entire city being built around rivers of lava from the Fourteen Fires.

It didn't take long to look at the ancient maps of the Valyrian Peninsula to determine a ship couldn't reach the city of Valyria before the Doom. The river that ran close to the ancient city originated from a large lake in the mountains several miles away. At that elevation, there had to be numerous waterfalls to reach sea level.

It wasn't hard to see, even without toxic gases and parasitic monsters, this voyage was guaranteed to fail. Knowing Uncle Gerion wouldn't accept that answer, I started looking for another target for him.

Finding a Valyrian city that Uncle Gerion could actually reach was not as easy as it sounded. There were no maps of the Valyrian Peninsula after the Doom.

Apparently, not being able to travel through an area makes it hard to map out.

The Doom drastically changed the landscape, but I think I found the perfect city for Uncle Gerion to seek out. The city of Noros.

Noros is located at the bottom of the Sea of Sighs. It was the trading hub for the crops grown in the Lands of the Long Summer. Noros was the focal point for the majority of the food on the peninsula, there must have been a great amount of wealth in the city.

At just over five-hundred miles north of the city of Valyria, it should have escaped most of the damage. The fact the ground was covered with a thick layer of volcanic ash three-hundred miles north of Noros, is a good indicator few things in the city lived for long. The best part, even traveling cautiously, one could sail from Volantis to Noros in a week. If you are willing to sail up the river to the Sea of Sighs.

I know it's not the grand story my uncle wants, but I plan to tell him about Noros when we're alone. The city is all but guaranteed to have Valyrian Steel, which can be taken to Qohor and remade into the image of Brightroar. And since the real Brightroar is probably resting deep below the surface of the sea, no one will be able to call the new Brightroar false.

Of course, all of this is meaningless if Uncle Gerion really is attempting to commit suicide. Hopefully, he sees the amount of effort we're putting into this for him and realizes how much Joy will need him.

With a realistic goal to prepare for, I began providing Uncle Gerion with as many tools as possible to succeed. I didn't just have to worry about him being able to sail to Noros, but he had to make a land expedition as well. I created designs for navigation equipment, simplified respirators, and protective clothing.

For land exploration, I created a doctrine of recommended procedures while inside the city. I tried to think of the best ways to move through the buildings that would allow for safety and speed. With safety in mind, I wrote out procedures to handle anything of value as well as battle formation in case they're attacked. I even included a recommend weapon load-out for encounters with Stonemen and wildlife.

When I showed Tywin the doctrine, he silently stared at me for a solid five minutes after reading it. He never said a word about it, just dismissed me.

All of that work and effort has led me to where I am right now. Standing on the wall above the Lion's Mouth, watching Uncle Gerion's party departing for Lannisport.

Despite my request, Tywin still refused to let me leave Casterly Rock. The fact he, himself, is currently traveling with Uncle Gerion to Lannisport, only deepens my feelings of injustice.

"Your day will come, little lion," Ser Broom said from behind me. "But when that day arrives, will you be ready for it?" Ser Broom asked.

I looked over my shoulder at the aged knight. He stood like his surname, straight and wooden. Refusing to take my anger out on the man, I calm myself before speaking. "It is your job to make me the luckiest boy in the known world, Ser Broom," I said with a hollow voice.

With an expected smirk, Ser Broom's sadistic side quickly showed itself. "It is, and I shall," Ser Broom promised.

As the man started to turn away, he paused. With his smirk still in place, Ser Broom spoke up. "You may want to get plenty of rest tonight, little lion. By order of Lord Tywin, you are to start training with the squires tomorrow."