Chapter 15:Braavos

The sea lord was pissed. A Dothraki bug was raiding their in-continent villages. They were currently making up an army to reclaim them. The territory had nearly zero economic relevance to them, but this was a matter of national pride.

"This Khal really thing we are the cowardly Pentoishi. We shall show that barbarian why we are the richest and most powerful of the free cities."

The Braavosi were not the type to cower away by a bunch of Dothraki, it was not simply because their city was away from any threat of a land raid, but because the Braavosi have pride as a city nation. They were not the puppy of Valyria that took advantage of the doom to easily gain freedom.

They were the descendant of slaves that rebelled against their destinies of being mere cattle of Valyrian in their new colony, risking the repression of the whole freehold, and by the prophetical guidance of the Moonsingers establishing a hideous on this once secret land. For centuries they hid their land location and slowly gather power to turn this small and insignificant archipelago into the most important trading center of the west known world.

A new era was about to unearth, it may not take long for all eight of the free cities to unify under one banner. Ideologically speaking Braavos welcomed a slave-less era with open arms, but they, especially the iron bank key holders that held onto the power of the city, dreaded a unified continent.

After all, the independence of Braavos, especially of the iron bank was indispensable to them, and being soon to become a neighbor of such a big nation led the hearts of the Braavosians worried.

During the past two centuries, Braavos won four of six wars with Pentos, over slavery and control of the lands and waters between the two cities. In Pentos, four princes were elected and sacrificed within a year during the last war, which ended in 209 AC.

Some may think that the end of slavery and the slave trade is a major preoccupation of Braavos rule, but they could not be more wrong. Like most other free cities, Braavos is an oligarchy the main preoccupation of the city was the prosperity of trade and the iron bank. In fact, antislavery is a dogma-like ideology in Braavos, a Braavosian being in favor of slavery or participating in it, was like a high-Septon in Westeros preaching the none existent of The seven.

So the end of slavery was the perfect justification, to start a war in Braavos, and the magisters and keyholders used and abused these principles. Braavos never defied the major player in the slave trade Volantis, which is the gateway of most of the free cities' slaves, probably because the power held by both cities was nearly the same, but this clearly shows they were to live or die to end slavery. They were more practical and realistic.

One would then ask if Braavos fought all these wars for the resources in the area around the city. They would be wrong again. Yes, the area could supply clean waters, food, and a bit of timber, although much less than Qohor is supplied by its forest. Braavos could obtain all these resources from Westeros, food from the south and water from the north; without much loss. The free cities may overprice something, because of complex monopoly clusters in place, but the nobles could not completely.

Nobles were not merchants, if one want to sell these resources at a high price to Braavos because they seriously lacked them, they could simply sail on the lookout for a noble more desperate in gaining quick cash. Besides, why would the magisters and keyholders be bothered with people struggling to buy timber to not freeze to death in the winter or food to eat? If one would also think more they would note that a port city with a navy as big and strong as Braavos could simply feed itself by fishing.

They needed that land coast as a gateway to Essos, not to the land trade, but in a military sense. It was sort of a prevention measure, if power became strong enough to threaten the stability of the free cities(independence), it was a region that easily allows Braavos to interfere in the continent in some way. It was also related to the defense of the city the northern coast was too close to Braavos, one could easily take that point as a 'gateway' to invade Braavos, which let the Braavosians to sensitive about it.

After achieving a victory rumored to have been purchased through bribery, Nevio Narratys, the fifth Prince of Pentos, convinced the magisters to sue for peace within a year. Braavos forced Pentos to abolish slavery and withdraw from the slave trade. Braavos has since limited the Pentoshi military forces and prevented the city from hiring sellswords. The Pentoishi magisters have become friendly with Dothraki khals, showering them with gifts whenever they are near the city.

The sea lord was doubtful about what decision he should make about the Targaryens' invasion of the free cities because he had been invited to the temple of Moon Singers together with all keyholders and magisters. This showed the seriousness of the situation, and a great prophecy was unveiled.

People outside Braavos elite circle did not know this but, the prophecy the moon singers revealed about the location of this hidden archipelagos was not their only contribution, they have prophecied the down of Valyria. So, in fact, the Braavosi ruling was only bidding its time for the day of Doom.

"All honored guests the moon had changed courses, the sky above stirred in chaos, and a prophecy had descended." An old woman said.

"As the fire of old is reborn,

Chains are broken,

Seven of nine become one,

The bastard daughter must choose:

Embrace the flames or burn be.

Flames fear the faces.

Flames burn the Titan.

Flames dried the Drowned Town.

The House of Fire and Ash is born.

Purple burns and Ragman ashes become.

All gods burn.

Water that is sweet shall burn.

The last of trees shall come to ash.

Truth burns.

One hundred islands become one hundred deserts.

The seventh ruins of Valyria are born.

Ghosts shower their eternal curses in the land of silence.

As Silence as Chroyane." All moon singers prophesied in unison making the words even more sinister.