Chapter Forty-Nine

The Iron Bank. Braavos

A common saying about House Lannister is 'A Lannister always pays his debts.' There is also a common saying that the Iron Bank often uses to remind its clients who fail to repay their loans of how dangerous it is to cross them: 'The Iron Bank will have its due. This meant that if you didn't pay back loans they made to you pay with blood, as the Iron Bank could fund your enemies just as easily as it had funded you.

I knew that the Iron Bank was founded long before the Doom of Valyria when Braavos was still a "secret city" hidden from the Valyrian Freehold. The city was not only heavily involved in trade it was home of an assassin sect known as the Faceless Men, or at least it had been, someone had come along and destroyed their headquarters, the House of Black and White, and I suspected that this was the work of the Inquisitor.

I'd recently learned that the bank was formed many years ago by successful traders and artisans. Its name comes from the abandoned iron mine in which the bank's founders placed all their funds. The mine had a single entrance, which was sealed several iron gates and is protected by guards hired jointly by all the members. Since then the Iron Bank has moved to new, grander quarters. The mine is still employed as a depository and a historical site of the city.

As for my business here at the bank, I was here to meet with Tycho Nestoris, who was a representative of the Iron Bank of Braavos. I'd heard that he was a rational man, more interested in numbers than in words, reasoning that the former are less likely to deceive than the latter. He sounded rather dull, to be honest. I only cared about his personality because learning about it would help me deal with the man.

So far I had been sitting out here, waiting for over half an hour. I found this odd because the men who ran the Iron Bank had to know that the Imperium was a major player and so insulting us seemed unwise. Perhaps Nestoris hadn't wanted to appear weak.

"Lord Captain, he will see you now" said a bank employee.

I got up to follow the bank employee into the nearby office that was large and mostly empty. I figured that Tycho Nestoris had kept me waiting, trying to make it clear that he was in charge here, these silly little power games meant nothing to me other than something to be endured.

"Wait for me outside" I ordered the members of battle harem "I'll call you inside when I need you,"

They simply did as they were told.

"Welcome to the Iron Bank, Lord Captain," said Tycho Nestoris as he stood from behind his desk with a polite look on his face "Forgive me for keeping you waiting for so long"

While motioned to one of the chairs I noted that this placed looked exactly like a corporate drone's office from back home only much more primitive. It was quite creepy how they how managed that soulless corporate feel, so well. The room was bare with nothing more than the desk and a few chairs. Tycho was in smart but average clothing the sort of thing that wouldn't stand out in most crowds.

Of course he wasn't sorry for making me wait, bureaucrats such as him delight in making people wait only to then waste their time, its how they get their jollies.

"I believe you wanted to discuss opening a rather large account," Tycho said in a rather bored voice as I took the offered seat "Is this correct?".

Since I saw no point in pleasantries I got right to the point.

"That and to start the process of repaying the debts Westeros has found itself in due to King Roberts's mismanagement" I said Viserys Targaryen doesn't wish to start his reign with the Iron Bank as an enemy. He would much prefer to have you as a friend".

Tycho Nestoris didn't visibly react much to my words. I suspected that he didn't think the son of the Mad King would rule for very long.

"And why would we give our help to such an endeavour?" I was asked "The Iron Bank has already invested a considerable amount of money in the future of Westeros, and the Crown has promised to begin repaying the bank."

Now I needed to show him that the bank could profit from this alliance. The Lannister weren't going to be giving anything to the Iron Bank, not when they were spending what money they had on the war.

"So far you've gotten nothing back from the crown" I pointed out "Viserys on the other hand has House Thrax supporting him".

It was time to prove what a power ally I could be.

"Bring in the chests!" I ordered.

My battle harem did as instructed and brought in chests full of treasures that had mostly come from what was left of the Freehold along with items I'd acquired elsewhere. Tycho Nestoris looked at the open chests filled with gold and jewels, and for the first time he expressed something approaching interest.

"Those currently controlling the throne have no means to repay your investments" I stated "but if someone funded by me were to take the throne, and if they had your support, I'd be willing to sort out a proper payment plan".

This money was just a down payment and I had more with me for the opening of an account for House Thrax.

"I will have more in the future," I promised.

The banker smiled at me. It was not a pleasant sight.

"I think its time for the Iron Bank to support a better claimant to the Iron Throne," said Tycho Nestoris.

Once the paperwork was sorted out and my new account was open I knew that the time to go meet with the Sealord of Bravos, who was the leader of this Free City, so that we could discuss what it would take to get them to join the Imperium without the need for the city to be conquered.