Ch20. Belserion Trade

Two years passed since the opening of the Magical School of Belserion, Belserion Institute for short.

Two years might seem like a short while but Irene was not letting the students slack. She put them through an intense course and in these two years they learned enough to put any Hogwarts alumni to shame, at least knowledge-wise.

Power-wise they were getting stronger but for people whose magic was originally inactive, it was a slow process even if they ate magical crops all year round.

Their prowess was at the level of the third year Hogwarts student, Bellatrix assumed. But that was enough for a world lacking magic such as this. Their greatest advantage however was the independence of wands. They were able to imitate Bellatrix's magic even without them.

Irene was satisfied and quickly pulled the most impressive students into her 'merchant' firm she proudly and shamelessly called Belserion Trade.

In fact, though, these 'merchants' were nothing else than intelligence-gathering operatives capable of using glamours, silencing spells, tracking charms, placing eavesdropping runes, and of course, the ability to apparate.

Each had a portkey tattoo on themselves they could activate in tricky situations at will because it would firstly set off a smoke-expelling rune and then in the cover of smoke, whisk them away unnoticed.

Irene made sure the trading company was set up in King's Landing a year prior and had not even one mention of being in any way connected with the mysteriously disappeared Iron Islands.

A rise of a new trading company is always accompanied by scrutiny by either government or would-be competitors but after Belserion Trade showed no activity and generated no profit for a year, only losing gold dragons on taxes, the attention quickly subsided. The behavior of the new trading company was of course strange but in this day and age where gold ruled and the height of deviousness of a merchant was gauged in how much money he could earn on the suffering of others, a tactic where one lost money for seemingly nothing was unheard of.

Belserion Trade was quickly deemed a non-threat entity by the merchants of King's Landing and even became a local laughing stock. But no one could actually close them off. Every legal tidbit was in the tip-top state, taxes paid in full on time, and legal documents always on hand.

The company employers could get into various events such as the tourneys organized by the king and even gained restricted access to the castle! The place was filled with listening runes by now as Bella's new creations were released, the important places teeming with them.

She created a kind of transfigured spiders that could have a recording rune onto them and had limited sentience and intelligence. These creatures could 'decide' for themselves when to record a conversation they 'overheard' and send it to a master matrix in the hand of a manager of Belserion Trade who then decided if to act on the information or send it higher.

In short, the company stayed in the shadows.

That was the reason for the outburst of shock and awe-filled surprise when massive ships appeared in the harbor, proudly displaying the sigil of Belserion Trade, bringing various merchandise.

Luxurious clothing, swords made of superior steel, and high-quality crops filled the market and Belserion Trade suddenly rolled in gold dragons while the officials could only grit their teeth in greed and envy because they already checked the place with a fine comb, realizing they are as legally covered as possible.

Spies tried to infiltrate the company but they were apparently not hiring new staff.

Lords tried to make trading agreements with them only to find out their suppliers but strangely enough, they did not buy from the local aristocracy.

Merchants attempted to pay mercenaries to intercept their ships but nobody heard from the men who accepted ever again.

Not even sabotage worked and it was driving everyone mad.

The breaking point was during the party of King's birthday when he, in front of many Lords, approached the manager of King's Landing's branch of Belserion Trade.

"Thern, I heard Belserion Trade is rolling in gold nowadays." Robert gruffly slurred, obviously drunk. Everybody, with bated breath, expected an order to 'relinquish' some of the wealth of Belserion Trade to the hands of the king, and Thern was completely prepared to send a cutting Charm through King's head, his portkey tattoo on the brink of activation when Robert continued. "I would like to borrow some gold dragons... Better you than a Lannister."

Thern relaxed as his face split into a Cheshire grin while accepting the proposition, delighted at the beet-red face of Tywin Lannister.

The king may have avoided an early grave but he just gave the financial edge to the Iron Islands when he borrowed a million gold dragons outright.

Once the connection between the Crown and the Belserion Trade was established, no one, not even Tywin Lannister who was now in deep rage at the company, dared to interfere with them openly.

...

A few weeks later.

Ladvia was kidnapped from her village when she was seven. She was a former salt-wife of idiot who got killed by mysterious forces due to planning the assassination of Lord Cair and her Goddesses.

When her Lord came to the Iron Islands, her fate shifted and she was now the captain of Blue Pearl, one of the Ships of the Line belonging to the fleet of the Iron Islands, and also one of the managers of sea-trade of Belserion Company.

She anchored her ship near the Lannisport, getting into the town via a magically enhanced boat, and asked for an audience with the Lord of Casterly Rock. That was the reason why she was now standing in one of the waiting rooms of said castle, boredly waiting for its Lord, Tywin Lannister.

Her dusty blond hair of neck-length gently caressing her sharp face, emphasizing her blue eyes and pointy nose as she inspected her nails, unbothered by the stares of the guards who admired her lithe frame and wide-cleavage due to the rusty-red corset she wore. Her long tempting legs half-covered by a dark-blue frilly skirt with a deep black outline while scarlet-brown boots ending just under her knees covered the other half. Fortunately, with a slight lowering of her head, her ridiculing smirk was promptly hidden by her enormous hat decorated by a blue and red feather.

What? She was the captain! She needed her nice hat!

Tywin opened the door to the meeting room, frowning, he gestured to her to enter as she followed him inside.

"And what does Belserion Trade want with me." He blew the manners after seeing the sight of the sigil on her chest when his eyes noticed her vulgar attire... and wide cleavage.

"Lord Tywin, a pleasure." Ignoring his rudeness and stares, Ladvia bowed ever so slightly, noticing his frown deepening as her lips curled upwards. "I am here to propose a business deal, of course." She looked him straight into the eyes with a knowing look, pushing her chest forward.

Tywin's frown minutely flashed into a full-blown angry scowl at the attitude of the... woman before him but he instantly hid it behind a cold, expressionless facade. While he didn't think women could or even should be allowed to talk like that to a man, much less a Lord, he was not about to comment on her gender. He didn't yet know what deal she was going to propose. He always deemed himself a reasonable utilitarian. He could wait and see what she had to offer, his anger notwithstanding.

"Please sit, Miss..." His eyes narrowed as he just realized the lack of introductions from her side and that her scandalous attire just made him give up the initiative as he, the Lord, was just forced to ask for her name.

"Ladvia." She flippantly stated with a polite but lazy smile and sat down, not waiting for him.

Tywin's eye twitched as he also seated himself.

"Let's skip the useless talk. What do you have to offer." He bluntly asked, noting Ladvia's smile widening.

"We heard you are willing to give your left hand for a blade made of Targaryen steel." She shrugged. "I am here to ascertain if the rumors are indeed true."

Tywin, caught completely off-guard, gulped as his demeanor shifted. Maybe there was a profitable deal to be done, after all!

"How much?" He nevertheless kept his facade and coldly asked.

Ladvia gave him a very obvious exasperated eye-roll that had his eye-twitch increasing as her playful smile changed into a devious one.

"Oh, keep your gold, Lannister. We know that you basically shit the metal and are not interested in what else substances may your riches be covered in." Ladvia lightly quipped, knowing well that no matter how rude she is, Tywin wants the Targaryen blade too badly to retaliate. "What we want is the support of House Lannister for our Belserion Trade."

Keeping the urge to kill the insolent woman in front of him, he reminded himself what she is offering and sharply nodded at her.

"And you believe I won't betray you?" A humored tone seeping into his voice.

"Lannisters always pay their debts, don't they?" Ladvia shrugged and carelessly pushed a parchment in front of Tywin.

The parchment stated he will help Belserion Trade stay under the radar, oppose any enemies of said company, and provide tax-free trade in his lands and establishments across the country. He also was forbidden to act against the Belserion Trade and their property in any way.

Rolling his eyes, Tywin signed and gave her back the parchment, raising an eyebrow at her quick shift in demeanor as she was now sitting straight, coldly staring at him.

She took the sword from her waist off, put in on the table, and slid it to him after she deposited the parchment. She stood up, saluted, and with a spin on her heel left without a word.

Tywin was too enamored by the sword to actually notice the slightly unsatisfied expression of the woman who just left.

Ladvia, on the other hand, was sullen. It was far too easy for her tastes! She wasn't even able to throw more veiled insults at his wrinkled ass! But she had her orders. The twerp instantly signed the magically binding contract without even knowing what it was!