Last moment

"My Lord, if we are to accept the proposal we would need to arrange for transport and additional supplies to be sent. We do have the blacksmiths, but we should start mining the resources we've found in the mountains." Adrian had his hand on his chin, a habit he could not get rid of that we always made fun of. "Even now I can't believe the "Wise", "Great", "Benevolent" or whatever the fuck Masters from the Slaver's Bay didn't discover so many resources. Iron, gold, silver, lead, tin even diamonds and we are still investigating!"

"You can't blame them, they are content with their slavery and the few mines they have to the west of the city. The political situation inside is balanced, one family would start mining, the rest would put it down because of fear." Theon said to his friend explaining the delicate issue.

"Even if we would like to mine it, we should do so in secret on this side of the pass." Ser Arthur never treated the Elites differently, even without the knighthood they were to him just as valuable and skilled as him.

I just looked at them being again in their own world while excitedly discussing the issues and literally making the job for me, but I didn't mind. I already got used to looking at the final version and signing my name under it after checking.

I gave Mirri some of my blood for the ritual before she left us. Now we went to eat something still debating on what to do.

The nine of us finished our food and agreed on our new steps.

Tanea and Derik will take care of arranging the transport for the Company of the Rose here, disbanding it and allowing whoever wants to leave to do so.

Adrian will order new normal castle-forged steel armors, horses from Dothraki and weapons like the rest of my Legions, not from Winter Fort but from Neverwinter, only the Elites can wear black steel armor, he will organize them and arrange for commanders into the first Aries Legion Equites meaning riders for our heavy, light and archers cavalry and First Scorpio Legion that will later be stationed in the Slavers Bay. We have to look into the future.

Theon will be responsible for training and supervision and choose people for logistics and management.

We don't know how many will decide to come yet and it's a plan for the next year fortunately as we always say better safe then sorry.

The nigh and the next few days passed uneventful, surprisingly the ladies behave themselves after I accepted Cerea's deal and she wrote a letter to her men officially disbanding them and asking anyone who wants to serve a noble house from Westeros to join us here. She included some information about incentives and I finally knew what her specialty was, a born Steward or manager!

Cerea was the one being responsible for the decisions and management, but it was her people that she knew to put in correct places that had the talents to negotiate or lead in battle.

Rina, the which that was with her was her spy master. Even I have to admit that with her gift it's a fitting position not counting her earlier mistakes that Mirri described as "youthful tantrum".

Speaking to her again after few days the first thing she did was drop on her knees and begged for forgiveness while thanking me for the aid I provided to her friend.

I didn't really care for her thanking me, but it still was nice even if I couldn't believe it fully before her ritual.

What was important in this conversation is that all the girls that came with them had some talents as part of her spy network management team! Poison, assassination, intel gathering, planning etc.

If I understood correctly they were the equivalent of special agents, spy's like I saw in the movies in my own world but Westeros version.

Rina thanks to her master bond could use magic, but was still too weak, information she shared with us willingly.

So now I have a total of five capable new Whisperers able to influence to some degree situation in the cities of my choice.

After meeting Rina, Mirri came to perform the bonding, looking at me she asked about the lack of my optimism.

"Don't misunderstands Mirri, Rina. It will be a great help, but the limited usages won't change to much." opposite of my expectations my Magi just brushed my hair gently behind my ear and while looking at me replied.

"Silly boy... I already told you, you are loved by nature, by bonding Rina with you, she will be able to use your blessing to improve her magic and power. Like the Red Priests need sacrifice to the fire, thanks to you she will draw her straight from the source of all... Nature itself." The wise one placed her hand on my cheek. "She won't be able to do any drastic changes to people, but her uses lays elsewhere..." her eyes drifter to the girl who was dumbfounded while listening next to us.

"If... if what the Wise One said is true, then I can increase the loyalty of your people just by being around you next to them, my people can manipulate public opinion to increase the effect, just less efficiently." I still had a lost look on me not completely understanding. "My Lord... let's say you are a magistrate as you call them. With my new power, if you organize for them to be in one place let's say once every 2 name days, I would be able to guarantee their loyalty to you. Traveling around would take too much time. Of course there can still be disloyalty among the lower ranked officials, evidently it's impossible to bring all of them, that's where my girls come in. If the public opinion is with you, the others won't try and step out. It's a bit more complicated, but the people in power will be yours. I know that you won't believe me without the ritual, b-but if you are who the Wise One said you are then we should keep it a secret! Every Magi would want you for themselves!" Rina finished hastily clearly still not believing how lucky she was.

The increase in power was a minor thing for her not worthy of saying. The real deal was the possibility of regaining her powers sooner, after active use and being able to keep it always working passively.

She would be able to get more effective and efficient by keeping it on!

Yes. She wouldn't be able to brainwash enemies or someone instantly, but given time after their submission the people around her would be unquestionably loyal to her new master and with her people working in the shadows...

Rina looked at the child terrified... 'He... he could conquer the world...'

That was the moment that she promised herself with excitement to do anything in her power to aid the boy. Promise or not, ritual or not, every Magi wanted to serve the powerful and stand by their side when they achieved greatness!

I was worried for nothing as we managed to go through with it. I wasn't even there!

One evening I was helping the people prepare our defenses for the incoming attack when something connected and clicked like it does with my warging. I didn't even have to ask as I simply just knew it worked!

We finished all the work just before the scouts informed us about Dothraki approaching.

"One day before we planned! Thanks to everyone we have a fighting chance!" I looked at the sun burning above us while grabbing a skin pouch filled with water while listening to the cheer of my people gathered around me.

At that time it didn't matter if you're a Lhazareen, Dothraki or an ex slave. They were all my people now as they choose to stay here with us.

Leaving some sentries from the 1st Legion to guard the position we all moved back to the city on the other bank.

There were people running around making the last minute preparations before the attack.

It was impossible anywhere else, but here, sheep herders that were usually hunted and enslaved grabbed weapons and provided my Khalasar with food and necessities with a grateful smiles.

The Dothraki, that were usually selfish, warmongering race were willing to fight for a cause other than riches and r*pe some even joining Andal cavalry in donning armor and riding to battle side by side.

Maybe it's because of me, maybe it's because or Rina and her girls that I saw walking in the crowd. 'I will never know...' was the thought in my mind, but was it really so important if it worked? No...

I looked at their smiling faces knowing that for some of them it is the last moment of respite in some of their lives.