Chapter 11: Life in Essos - Pentos

~~Captain POV~~

The men of Pentos is mixed with a thousand Unsullied. There would have been more specially the wealth the Magisters posses and the booming trade with more and more people coming into port for trade. But this unprovoked attack took them by surprise.

Much of their Coin was in Braavos and then that would need to be transported to Astapor and then from Astapor the Unsullied will have to be transported to the city. Two months is too short for all that.

So we had to defend Pentos with what was available for us. In the Day of the battle, many were surprised to see Lord Sieghart but not as much as the surprise displayed by the people seeing Lady Sieghart herself donning Armor and Sword.

Many actually urged her to the ships with the others. But she simply brushed it off saying, 'My place is by my husband's side'. No one can really refute her about that.

Many men tried the same with Lord Sieghart himself. If people tried to get him to safety he would say that it is his duty. When people tried to get him to get his wife to safety he would jest, 'You trying to get me killed?'.

'Truly this two are weird' In the end though many were glad to have them at the fight that day.

Many were at the gates and atop the walls. After all the dothraki don't use siege engines. This is one the reason's why the Magisters were baffled by this boldness. They knew that despite their barbaric ways, the Horse Lords are far from stupid. Still Action need to be carried out. After all, not every one is behind the safety of the walls of the city.

And so of the three thousand men. One thousand is to ride off to secure safe passage to the city. I stayed among the people of the walls, much to my relief.

At some point I saw Lord Sieghart himself ride off with his wife leading 1000 men. I was confused. Lords stay behind walls and armies after all. An armed levie told me of what transpired. It would seem that a fat lord, who's name he didn't bother to remember, actually insulted Lord Sieghart's lack of martial record to be accepted amongs the ranks of Lords. But what drove it all is his insult to his wife.

Lord Sieghart then offered to lead the men to secure safe passage of the masses outside the city. A thousand men volunteered. Several second sons of the magisters actually joined him. Many had thought that his wife would stay but again she surprised everyone by riding with her husband.

All were worried. What they wore looks more like ceremonial armors than a proper one. But their Swords are a different matter entirely.

'Not one but TWO, Valyrian Steel Greatswords. If they weren't wealthy before they were wealthier now.'

Incredibly ornate. I thought it was crafted by the gods. Five days pass and the steady stream of evacuees from the outer lands bought relief. We were still lax at the time only expecting the khalasar on the sixth day.

On the sixth day a story was told and later spread throughout the city. The thousand men actually clashed with a part of the khalasar. Two thousand Dothraki savages against the thousand of their own. The tales told of the battle was something for childrens story book than anything else, but the man claims he was there and saw them with his own eyes.

Lord and Lady Sieghart's name was on the lips of everyone. They spoke of how he killed Men left and right, with grace and skill. The same could be said of Lady Sieghart aswell. A woman fighting better than the men had them rallying and those too proud, a bit angry, and so there were those who were on denial. Their pride not allowing themselves to be left behind. Hells even their horses were spoken of great deeds being their 'Noble Stallions' that stood by their riders even against the tide of savages.

The next day another set of refugees arrived but this time two hundred of Lord Siegharts men returned with them. Of the two hundred forty were dead, the rest injured. They gave their reports to the magisters. While the common folk spoke of their saviors. Again the same praise rang across the lips of the common people. What came as a surprise though was how the men, was actually taking orders from his Lady Wife.

Such has never happened before. Even some of the magisters were angered by such action. But according to their own sons, she was a Natural born leader. That and she has proven herself more than capable of leading men. Their fighting prowess that was only speculated and believed to have been exaggerated, was strengthened, albeit a little bit.

Another news was when two men tried to get lucky with his wife. The first only flirted, he ended up with her fist in his face. But he walked around the camp as if blessed throwing teasing smiles and laughing about it all together with everyone. After all there was actually someone brave enough to step forward, knowing what they know. The men spoke of him in laughter and joy as if he survived a fire breathing dragon.

But the second actually tried to force himself on her. His head was later found on a spike with his body torn to pieces just benath it. It was a reminder to them that the two are Husband and Wife. That there lines they do not cross.

Despite the gory detail of the man's death, it was actually accepted openly by the masses. Said man has been known to have been flogged by Lady Sieghart after he tried to force a girl for rewarding him for saving her.

Lady Siegharts influence is accepted by most truthfully. Even I can tell my wife has gotten bolder towards me since meeting the Lady. 'Not that I am complaining.' Remembering our vigorous nights together in the past few months. Had me grinning like an oaf. 'Nooo..... I am definitely not complaining.'

Nine days passed and no khalasar reached Pentos. Many were baffled. On the tenth day, the men rode back to the city led by Lord and Lady Sieghart.

The khalasar was coming and we were badly misinformed. It wasn't ten thousand riders, it was eighteen thousand. The good news was that three thousand of those is already dead.

The two were looking pristine, making people doubt the stories. Of the thousand, two hundred were dead, three hundred more injured. But more levies was pulled from the refugess reinforced us by a thousand more.

The next day. Everyone was at the battlements when the khalasar showed into the horizon. We were confident of our walls. Even more so at the lack of siege engines. But to our surprise they simply rode forward, screaming like madmen.

When they were merely fifty yards away. The gate opened. We were taken by surprise, that wasn't until a captain went for the mechanism that we were cut out of our stupor. Screams were heared And the next thing we know, someone has lifted the last portculis. The men grew in horror at that, panic overcame them, order was lost and they began firing at the savages. I myself ran for the portculis. But to my horror, the mechanism was stuck by the watchman's corpse.

Some of the men was beating up and securing the three saboteur, while another five had began trying to unstuck the gate but it would take some time and the dothraki was too close. I ran back to the wall, seeing every one looking down at the portculis, I went to go look and saw what I thought to be a child's ploy. Lord Sieghart stood at the front of the open gates. While his Lady wife is behind him just infront of the risen portculis.

With a his greatsword on his hips and a Halberd in his hand along with a spear planted next to him. He stood by the gates unmoving. When the nearest dothraki khal was close enough He hefted his spear and threw. As if fire from a ballista, it struck true as the Khal himself was thrown off the horse and died with the spear halfway through his where his heart would.

Jaws dropped at that sight, embarassingly, even mine. Some thought we were victorious already but they were wrong.

There was more than one Khalasar. As three thousand men stopped and rode off except for their blood riders. The rest didnt and a melee ensued. I was firing arrow after arrow towards them along with everyone. The unsullied has rallied just between the gates and the portculis. Taking the narrow path for themselves. All the while Lady Sieghart moved beside her husband with a spear at hand.

The stories told of their skills were shown to us then. And if anything else, the stories were watered down. Few get passed the two. For every ten men they sent, four died by Lord Sieghart, three died by his wife and the other three died by the unsullied. Lady Sieghart was beautiful indeed, her fiery hair dancing across the field while her spear moved with such deadly grace. Lord Sieghart himself wasn't falling behind. His princely image cut a heroic figure. I saw the man swing his halberd once and cut down Three men at that. Three hours pass and two thousand more rode off, meaning another khal has fallen. Not long after, another tree thousand left. Of the remaining seven thousand we have already killed two thousand.

After several hours more, another two thousand died, the riders turned back and gathered just beyond our range.

As one of the remaining Khals rode forward with a challenge. It was of course Lord Sieghart that came forward. Releasing a whistle, his horse galloped to him. Even at a distance I knew that horse is dangerous. It is muscled, and the armor it dons doesn't make it any friendlier. Still the black stallion's foot falls was heavy enough for me to see the Savages eyeing it like a starved man eyes food. Soon the two clashed but the outcome surprised us.

As the two horses were about to run side by side, the black stallion surprised us when it leaped forward. Biting down on the Khal's sword arm, he was dismounted when The spear point of the halberd pierced his chest. He was dragged across the ground for three seconds when with a yank forward, the man was cleaved in half from his chest to his head.

Blood riders stepped forward. And he made quick work of them aswell. Even the horse got a kill after it stomped down on a dismounted rider, crushing his skull.

After that the Dothraki troted one by one and cut off their braids and laid it on his feet. Then they rode off.

We cheered as loud as we could to the heavens. Praising the Gods and our Champions. It was then that House Sieghart solidified it's name as a Magister of Pentos.

The days passed peacefully. The saboteur were pirates from the step stones. Turns out they wanted in on the wealth as well. They were hoping the Lords and Lady Sieghart would sail away. Their ships ancored not far away. As for the dothraki, they knew was never going to pass through the walls. Even gave them a falls promise of opening the gates for them.

They were forced to open the gates when the 'stupid lord and his whore' refused to leave. Their raiding has diminished greatly since there are a lot of ships sailing to and from Valyria for some time now. And we have too strong a navy to attack haphazardly.

They were executed and their pirates became free game since. I even had the honor of captaining one of two, of Lord Sieghart's personally ships. The Pearl. A ship as white as snow and four times faster. I have sailed and fought along side the man to earn the honor of calling him 'Ronan'. A small revenge as we take their pirate ships for ourselves and further strengthen ours.

Months pass, and everything settled down and soon improved. Pentos and it's people are flourishing specially since House Sieghart established The Workshop.

They abhor slavery. So much so that despite it being banned they knew there are still those who were slaves in all but name. Their actions again surprised the many. They bought the debt of those who were enslaved by the rich. The transaction was done through the Iron Bank. Forcing the magisters into accepting.

They were now to work off the debt to House Sieghart. But in improved lifestyle, they were never malteated. And they were actually paying off their debt while making money for themselves. For every three gold dragons they made, two went for them and one to House Sieghart. This was a very good deal for them. They might aswell be their messiah. For during their time as slaves their debt simply increased than lessen. But to be able to feed, cloth, and house themselves. It was no surprise when they began kneeling whenever the two walked by.

The workshop was a huge success making Pentos the fastest rising trading hub in essos. Though the magisters were reluctant at first with their actions, they soon followed seeing the amount of money they were actually making. And they weren't actually wrong. Many backed out after just three months but those that saw through it. Are now generating good returns.

Many wanted to reach west of the narrow sea but none dared. All know that the couple already had plans in that side of the sea. Any trade they would be getting there would be nothing more than left overs if they do try to overreach. They also do not have the capital. And above all, the knowledge on how to get started with complete assurance of success. That was why the magisters began expanding their trade in essos instead. That was the consensus of the magisters.