18- Trying One's Best

18 - Trying One's Best

-Beginning of 274 A.C-

-13 years old-

"What are you doing Donar?" Petyr looked at my seated form and the various kinds of books that surrounded me.

"Ah Petyr, I was just writing something down, that's all," I said as I laid down the quill in my hand and smiled at the younger boy whom I had continued to tutor for the last few months. Petyr tilted his head and then looked at the page I was currently on. He looked at me and then back at the book as if he was trying to understand what I was writing about. In the end, he gave up however and just asked me.

"What is this?" I smiled and then showed him the cover of the book I was currently writing. He looked at it and raised one of his eyebrows.

"Illnesses and how you can stop them: Hygiene. What kind of title is that?" I smiled and patted the cover of the book, for which I had paid quite a few silver stags.

"It's my studies concerning the many problems we face in our lives Petyr. You know why we don't bathe often? Or why the smallfolk doesn't bathe at all?"

"Because it's not healthy for our skin and makes it easier for illnesses to reach us." The boy said, reciting centuries of wrong knowledge in one sentence.

"And that's where we were wrong," I said and pointed at a sketch of the human body I had made and showed it to Petyr.

"See, we need to clean our bodies from time to time, and hot water is perfect for that matter." I had started to write the book shortly after Edmure's birth and didn't intend on stopping until I had written down enough to send it to the Citadel. If I was lucky and managed to prove that my theories were right, the Maesters there could approve it and lay the foundation for a newer, easier system. However, judging from the speed I was going at right now, I would be unable to finish the book before this year ended, and that didn't even factor in all of the other duties I had taken upon myself. Lord Hoster had given me the results of the crop rotation, and the results were great. The region we had applied it to had doubled its initial food production while also adding more kinds of different food that could be planted and harvested there.

"But how do you know that the Maesters are going to accept it? Or why do you think will they even read through a whole book?" Petyr's voice made me look up again and point at him, a small smile on my face.

"Now, that's something that you should remember from our lessons. You see this?" I knocked against the cover of the book I was writing and Petyr nodded.

"This is still made out of conventional Pergament, and what is Pergament Petyr?" The younger boy looked at me as if I had lost my mind but answered after a short pause.

"A material that's used for writing that is made out of animal skin?" I let one of my palms slap on the table and nodded before I nodded.

"Exactly, now imagine there was a plant somewhere in the Seven Kingdoms that could create something similar to Pergament, but without the entire hassle of actually slaughtering and skinning animals." Petyr looked at me, and I saw how his brain was getting to work.

"It would be a great financial advantage because you wouldn't need to waste as much place, time, and space for animals, wouldn't it?" I nodded once again and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Yes, that's the case. I have done some research about any plants that could have some kind of function similar to Pergament, and I found one that was growing in Dorne. I sadly haven't been able to make any kind of trade yet, but I'm quite sure that I will be able to make some kind of offer that convinces some merchants to bring the plant to me." I turned my head to Petyr and then tilted it slightly.

"Anyway, do you need anything Petyr? I've got time." I said as I put aside the book and crossed my arms. It was already evening, which meant my martial training and smithing had already been done and I had some free time at least, though Lord Hoster had told me that he would soon send me to another vassal House of his to carry out a task he hadn't mentioned yet. It could have concerned a matter of either House Bracken or House Blackwood, both of which had visited Hoster a few months ago because of an argument over a patch of land. It might have also been about House Mooton, who had sent a letter to Hoster a few days ago.

"Well, I was sent here by one of the guards. They said that Lord Hoster wants to talk with you."

'Ah, so that could mean that I'll know what kind of task Hoster has for me.' I thought as I closed all of the still-opened books that I had used as sources to back up my studies about hygiene.

"Alright, I will come immediately after I have stashed these books away," I said and picked them up to put them back on their shelves.

"I can do that for you," Petyr said, and I raised an eyebrow.

"Why? It won't take long anyways."

"The guards told me that Lord Hoster wanted to meet you in the meeting room just above the Great Hall, so it has to be important Donar." I looked at the younger boy and then sighed before lightly patting him on the shoulder.

"You sure that you got this?" Petyr rolled his eyes but then nodded.

"I know these books nearly as well as you and Maester Kym, I'm going to be just fine." I ruffled Petyr's head with a smile and then nodded at him.

"Thanks, I will make sure to give you a bit more insight about our current products in the Riverlands when I'm done." Petyr just nodded and when I left the library, I could see how he already grabbed the first of my books.

I quickly made my way over to the courtyard and entered the castle before I made my way to the Great Hall. Instead of meeting Hoster here, however, I ascended a flight of small chairs until I had arrived in front of a large wooden door. My knuckles thumped against the wood and I waited for an answer.

"Come in." Hoster's voice could be heard through the door and I did, entering the private audience chamber with great care.

"You called for me, uncle?" Hoster nodded and beckoned me closer.

"I did, and it's because I need you." I got closer to Hoster's desk and saw how a map of the Riverlands and the Vale was spread across his desk.

"Do you remember the marriage proposal between a Bracken man and a daughter of House Waynwood?" I nodded, and Hoster seemed to be satisfied.

"Good, because you are to be present at the wedding that takes place." I looked at Hoster, a bit confused.

"Uncle, I doubt that they would appreciate that a bastard is taking part in a marriage, even if I am of House Tully. Why don't you or father go?" Hoster sighed and shook his head.

"I can't. Another harvest season is about to begin and I am the one who also administers most of the paperwork. I can't let anyone else do the work, otherwise, things might go missing. As for Brynden, he is still on his journey to House Mallister to move them to pay their taxes. You know how proud they are sometimes." I still wasn't sure if I truly was the right one. As if Hoster had read my thoughts he shook his head and pointed at me.

"You're famous by now, you should know that. Your Wootz steel is beloved through the entirety of the Riverlands, some have even gone so far as to describe you as a man blessed by the Smith himself."

'I am blessed by the Smith.' I thought, but then nodded at my uncle's words.

"When will the wedding take place? I will have to prepare myself for it after all."

"About three fortnights from now, that's when the Bracken and the Waynwood will meet." I let out a quiet sigh. It wasn't a lot of time, but I still could continue with my book and also finish the few orders for the Wootz steel I had received. I bowed before Hoster and nodded slightly.

"I will do it then if it doesn't damage our reputation." Something was bugging me, however, and I couldn't quite grasp what.

"Good, then you can take your leave, I already have selected a few men that will accompany you."

"How many men will I be able to take with me, uncle?"

"Ten guards, but all of them are confident and deeply loyal to our House, you won't have to worry about any complications during your travel."

"I understand," I said as I bowed again. "may I take my leave now?" Hoster inclined his head.

"You may." I left the room and closed the wooden door behind me, before I walked to the forge, ready to forge yet another Wootz weapon.

'It seems like I'll have to continue writing the book later.' I thought as my eyes focused on the door to the library and sighed, but in the end, there was nothing I could do about it. I walked to the smithy, entered, and smiled at Garse, who just stared back.

"Wait, didn't we agree that we were done for today?" I shrugged while I put on my apron and the thick gloves that I used to keep the heat off me,

"I will have to attend a wedding soon enough, but I want to make sure that my orders are done by the time I have to leave." Garse let out a little "ah", to signal his understanding before he too slipped on his clothes and started to heat the forges again.

"Alright, let's do it." He said and patted me on the back as he started to heat the forges once again. I nodded and took out one of the Wootz ingots from the small storage hut I had built. There were only two keys, one I always wore on my person, and the other was a spare that I had hidden away safely in my room. I observed the ingot, weighed it in my hand, and made sure that I hadn't taken one that was too small, and then placed it inside the first forge, before I repeated the same process with the other forges, though with less heat.

"I need you to control the heat of the forges when I work, the Wootz shouldn't be overheated." Garse rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Sure, it's not like we didn't do this over a dozen times already." I snorted but then looked through the hammers I now had in my repertoire. I was immensely proud of my newest invention, the claw hammer, but that wasn't the tool I needed for smithing.

"So," Garse started while he operated the bellows. "how does it look between you and the girls?"

I let out a loud groan.

*****

-Maester Creylen-

He stared at the metal in front of him, astounded by the nearly perfect craftsmanship of the pendant in front of him. His tries to disassemble the beautiful lion head proved to be useless because the pendant was forged out of one single piece of solid metal, which ruled out the possibility that some kind of poison had been stored in any part of it.

The beauty of the craft reminded him of the craftsmanship he saw when he researched Qohor's architecture. Though the pendant was made out of mundane materials, and not created through magical means, as opposed to what unknowing fools would sometimes claim.

'Magic, pah!' He smiled as that thought crossed his mind and shook his head. 'simpletons. all of 'em.'

His eyes wandered to the teeth of the lion, and his eyes narrowed. The metal the lion was forged out of wasn't poisonous, but perhaps something else was.

'The things that were used to paint it perhaps.' His fingers rubbed over the teeth, but he didn't notice any kind of reaction. No swelling or pressure in his veins.

'Not Wolfsbane then. A longer-acting poison perhaps?'

He had seen a few of them, but it was very unlikely that someone from the Riverlands had managed to acquire a poison that met any of the problems he had noticed in Lady Joanna's body before the birth. Not to forget, the poison would have surely killed the child too.

'Also a poison that works through the skin? and at such a slow rate?' He had been a bit confused as to why Lord Tywin had given him the pendant, but he had his duties and truly didn't want to fall out of his lord's graces.

He looked at the pendant once more and nearly wanted to throw it out of the window. Ever since Lord Tywin had given it to him, he had tried to uncover the mysteries behind it. But even after weeks of research, testing, and trying to find anything worthwhile in it had proven futile. It was indeed just what it seemed, a good-looking pendant that had been intended as a gift for Lady Joanna. He thought it was time to finally share his last, if very mundane, results with his lord and end the task he had given him.

'Lord Tywin won't like the fact that his son is crippled by nature.' He thought with a wince as he set the pendant into a small casket.

The boy, Tyrion, had been born with a misformed leg and a smaller stature than all of the babies before him, even his sister Cersei. The leg would surely prove to be difficult for the young child, especially if he dreamed of being a warrior like his older brother.

He opened the door of his room and left it, slowly making his way to lord Tywin's private chambers.

'But the boy should have enough strength to hold a bow, especially if we can create something that can support his leg later on.' He thought as he ascended. And if Tyrion would take an interest in books and other matters, he would gladly teach the boy all he knew.

He finally arrived at Lord Tywin's audience chambers, and his hand knocked on the wooden door.

"Come in." His lord's voice left no room for pleasantries and he quickly opened it.

"My lord, I have observed and studied the pendant just like you told me to." The Lord of Casterly Rock looked up from the Pergament he was currently writing on, and he could feel how those cold green eyes took hold of him.

"Speak then." He quickly nodded and presented the pendant to the other man, lying it on the sturdy wooden table.

"I have found no anomalies from it, my lord. It is indeed what the young Ser from the Riverlands has written that it is, a present for Lady Joanna." Tywin's eyes narrowed again, and he took the pendant before examining it.

"No poisons?"

"None my lord, I have revisited every possible book we had in our archives, as well as some of other Maesters from the nearest Houses. The examination of the pendant just shows that some of it has been covered with gold. The rune on the forehead is a bit of a mystery, but I think it is more of a stylistic choice of Ser Donar, otherwise one might think the pendant would have been made in one of the Free Cities." He heard Lord Tywin sigh at his words, but then the Lord Paramount nodded.

"Very well then, let a bag of 80 golden dragons be delivered to Riverrun, and give it to Ser Donar. Tell him that I have an order to make." His breath stocked and he looked at the other man.

'This is unusual.'

"My lord, may I ask why?" Lord Tywin exhaled, clearly infuriated that he was still present, but answered.

"I have heard the rumor that the boy can forge well, so well that his crafts surpass the best castle-forged steel. Many lords in the Riverlands now adorn themselves with his "Wootz-steel" sword, and House Lannister can't be left behind." The Lord of Casterly Rock stared at him, his green eyes piercing into his soul.

"Make sure to send a raven to convey that it has to be the most beautiful sword he has smithed until now."

"I will do so immediately, my lord." He said as he bowed and turned around to leave the room. But before his hand had reached the handle of the door, Tywin's voice cut through the air once again.

"Creylen." He turned around once again.

"Yes, my lord?" Tywin pointed at the pendant.

"Deliver it back to my lady wife, she is quite fond of it."

"I will do so immediately, my lord."

*****

Appropriate hand hygiene includes diligently cleaning and trimming fingernails, which may harbor dirt and germs (see page 19) and can contribute to the spread of some infections, such as pinworms(see pages 29-30). 

Fingernails should be kept short, and the undersides should be cleaned frequently with soap (see page 38) and warm water that has been boiled to remove germs. Because of their length, longer fingernails can harbor more dirt and germs than short nails, thus potentially contributing to the spread of infection.

Before clipping or grooming nails, all equipment (for example, nail clippers and files) should be properly cleaned. Sterilizing equipment before use is especially important when nail tools are used on different people, otherwise, diseases or infectious germs may be spread. Sterilizing instruments in boiling water will kill many different kinds of germs but may attack the metal over longer periods.

Infections of the fingernails or toenails are often characterized by swelling of the surrounding skin, pain in the surrounding area, or thickening of the nail. If the nails are infected, it's also much easier to spread worse diseases.

I put the quill down with a groan shook my now-aching hand and looked at the the few things I had managed to write down after I and Garse had finished our work for the day. The hygiene of nails, boiling water, and of course, soap was practically nonexistent among the smallfolk and also not often used in the bigger castles. But boiling water was something nearly every person should be able to theoretically use.

A yawn escaped me as I closed the book. The next few days wouldn't be easy or relaxing, seeing as I still had to finish some Wootz-steel weapons and also keep up with my martial training. Not to forget that I also had to continue to train Lysa and Catelyn in some manner of self-defense.

'Petyr is also slowly getting taller, at least after the slight change of diet I made for him. Sooner or later I can start training him as well, at least in the basics.' I stood up and blew out the candles that stood on the desk where I had been writing my book and then washed my hands in a bowl of warm water before I got into my bed and laid down.

'Soon enough, I'll be attending a wedding of all things.' I thought as I stared at the only window that still let in some light. But the strange sensation that something just wasn't right remained. It was more of a gut feeling really, but I couldn't quite shake it off.

'I want to finish my gear too before I leave, at least the sword I'm going to temporarily use.' I mentally added to my list as my eyes slowly got heavier. I had been awake since five in the morning and it must have been long after midnight as well. I certainly wasn't jealous of the guards that had their shift at this time. The accumulated tiredness of the day finally caught up to me, and my eyes closed.

And opened once again to look at a familiar water-like substance.

'What now?' I thought as I stood up and looked around me, my eyes passing the two runes that shone beneath the surface. The brilliant green one that I had received in King's Landing, and then the next one, whose functions I still didn't quite manage to understand even a few weeks after I had gotten it.

It had the same color as my blood and stood for my Penance. It had appeared in the palm of my injured hand a few days after Edmure had been born, and all of my experiments had been for naught. I had tried to make another pendant and hung it around an animal's neck and nothing had happened. I had donned a necklace on which the two runes were engraved on two separate pendants, but I didn't feel any changes.

'Perhaps they will give me the answers I need.' I thought as I stared at the murky water. I rarely was able to find access to this "world", and only was called here when the Seven wanted something. They had been utterly silent the last few weeks, even at my pleas to answer the question about the second rune. But now it seemed like they wanted something from me.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, and for a while, it seemed like the Seven chose to remain quiet.

Daynwood Daughter, Abducted, Burned Men, Conflict, Protect and Save, Deliver Justice, Wise Decisions

I cringed slightly as the seven voices hit us like a tidal wave, but still was able to understand what they meant, or at least I thought so.

Waynwood Daughter, Abducted, Burned Men, Conflict, Protect and Save, Deliver Justice, Wise Decisions

'That explains my gut feeling.' I thought as the chorus slammed into me once again.

Leave, Leave, Leave, Leave, Good Luck, Leave, Leave, 

The voices slammed into my body once again, and this time they were accompanied by short glimpses of scenes that I hadn't experienced.

A young lady was accompanied by a group of soldiers who had already passed the impressive castle of House Arryn and were most likely on the way to The Bloody Gate. They were passing over the Mountains of the Moon and had nearly reached their goal, until an arrow embedded itself into the back of a man's neck. The soldier went to the ground, gurgling out a few strangled sounds as he fell off his horse. I heard screams, all of them gleeful and almost tripping with glee.

The scene flashed before me and I saw how all of the guards were dead, butchered in extremely gruesome ways. I heard the young girl scream and turned around to see her being dragged away by a large man, whose left ear had been completely burned off. The man turned around for a moment, and I could have sworn that he was looking directly at me. His grey eyes met my blue ones, and then he smiled, before disappearing into the forest.

The scene flashed again and now I was looking at the young woman once again. Her eyes had been gouged and burned, while her dress had been ripped off. Suddenly she grabbed my shoulders, and her bloody teeth were directly in front of me as she opened her mouth to say something.

"!!!!" The only thing I could hear however, was a loud, ear-shattering scream of agony as her skull melted in front of my very eyes to expose a raging ball of fire which soon took hold of me, and set me ablaze. The fire burned through my clothes and muscles as if they weren't there, and had soon reached my face.

I screamed.

*****

I awoke with a startle, my hands immediately making sure that the vision had been surreal and that I hadn't been burnt to a crisp. After my rapid breathing had stopped and I had calmed down slightly, I took a deep breath and looked out of the window.

'I will have to leave Riverrun earlier, that's for sure.'