Steel Complete
"And that makes 7 wins to me, 0 to you." I say to Tyrion as I corner his king with my dragon and spearmen pieces. Cyvasse had become a good way of passing the time these last few weeks, of course I played father every so often but it gets a bit bland playing against the same person over and over again.
"I don't understand how you're so good." Tyrion moaned, dramatically collapsing back into his chair. In all fairness, Tyrion was playing well despite only learning how to play around a fortnight ago, problem was that he was too predictable.
"How many times have I told you Tyrion?, It doesn't matter if you've read books on certain moves or tactics in Cyvasse, It's whether or not you can apply them in practical and unexpected ways. If I've read the same book you have then it would be obvious to me what you are trying to do when you set up your pieces, no matter what way you are fighting it is all about making sure that you only let your opponent see what you wish them to see." I tell him, similar to what father had once explained to me when I started playing. "Anyway, don't get so wound up about it, remember I've been playing for years now."
"Ugh don't remind me. Say, have you ever beaten father at Cyvasse?" Tyrion asked me, genuinely curious as to the answer.
"Not officially, I once had his king trapped between a spearmen and light horse but for some reason the person who invented the game made dragons capable of moving a ridiculous amount of squares at a time. I'm pretty sure if it was a real-life situation the conclusion would have ended quite differently." I explain to Tyrion, even father had acknowledged that the rules were slightly far-fetched. Tyrion just gave a short hum and started packing away the new cyvasse set I had brought him from the market, made of ivory and dragonglass from Volantis.
"Where are you going?" I ask, "We can still play another game.". Tyrion just shakes his head as he finishes packing away the cyvasse set, "I've got a lesson with the Maester, he wont be happy if I'm late again. Anyway, did you hear the news" He asked.
"What news?" I reply, tilting me head to the side.
"Apparently Jaime is coming back from King's Landing." Tyrion said excitedly, "Rumour around the Rock is that the King wants father to lend him some money and thought that sending Jaime instead of the Master of Coin would be better."
"Really?, Why haven't I heard of this." I ask confused, wondering how I missed this piece of information if there is already rumours flying around the Rock.
Tyrion shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know. Probably because you spend all your time in your room drawing." Tyrion said. He is right about that, I've been drawing diagrams of all the new things the steel could be used for ever since I had learnt that the Bessemer was being moved to Lannisport. I really need a spy network.
"Where are you going?" Tyrion asks me after seeing me stand up as well and following him out of the room. "To Lannisport" I reply, wanting to see how Jogg and his team are coping with setting the Bessemer up.
"Oh, to see your little steel project." Tyrion remarked, to which I gave a nod of confirmation. Tyrion knows about the Bessemer as he overheard Rylen and I talking about it and had asked what we were on about. I told him that we were coming up with a way to improve our production of steel and how it would benefit the Westerlands.
" Ah, Cerion!" a voice calls out behind me, which I recognise to be Ser Rylen's. Turning around to face him, he says "I was just coming to get you. I have received word from Lannisport that the Bessemer is ready.". Seeing the surprise look on my face Rylen chuckles, "I was surprised too, it would seem that Master Jogg is a very capable man. Anyway come, I have arranged for your horse to be saddled."
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The location of the Bessemer was on a wharf within the walls of Lannisport, its proximity to the harbour as well as a few nearby canal meant that the more heavy materials could be transported more efficiently. It was also situated near one of the few barracks that houses soldiers of the Lannister garrison within Lannisport, this means that the Bessemer is well-guarded and the chances of it being sabotaged or reported by spies were lesser. However this position is risky because if I remember correctly, the Greyjoy's Rebellion would be happening in around three years time, which means that the Lannister fleet would be destroyed within Lannisport's harbour without outside intervention.
The building that housed the Bessemer had no walls, only an assortment of thick stone pillars holding a flat tiled box gable roof with a large chimney puffing smoke out of the top. A few similar buildings hold blast furnaces around the city.
Dismounting my horse, I head into the building only to get hit in the face with a gale of hot air, which is not very surprising as the Bessemer could reach temperatures of 2,000 degrees Celsius.
Shaking my head and proceeding onward, I notice Jogg standing in front of the Bessemer, observing it as his workers operate it. He must've caught me at the corner of his eyes as he turns to face me and smiles, "Milord, it's ready." he says as he indicates to a group of his men pouring out a glowing, orange liquid into a copper mould.
"Is that the first one?" I say as I observe the molten steel cooling and forming into the shape of an ingot. Jogg merely shakes his head "No, I didn't want us to call you and have it not work." He nudges his head to the side, where I saw Ser Rylen inspecting a workbench that held around a dozen moulds.
"How long does it take to make an ingot then?" I ask, Jogg hums and replies "Around a couple minutes, of course we still have to heat it as well as get rid of the slag that isn't blown out of the top as a gas every now and again."
"What do you do with the slag?" I needed the slag as it would be very beneficial in agriculture due to it being rich in calcium, phosphate and magnesium. "We either sell it to a merchant heading to Myr, apparently the Glassblowers there can make glass out of the stuff, or we just give it to Lord Lannister's men who dump it in a landfill." Jogg explains.
"Don't do that anymore." I said as I shake my head "I want you to crate it up and keep it, I'll have my father find a few warehouses for you to store it all." Jogg nods hi head and relays what I had just said to one of his workers.
"Anyway, good work Master Jogg. I will see about getting father to increase you and all your workers pay." I say, getting an 'Aye Milord' from the half-Ibbenese man. I turn to leave with Ser Rylen in tow, planning to head back up to the Rock and talk with father.
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"I have already heard that the Bessemer is working" Tywin said when both Ser Rylen and I sat down. "I assume that they are correct?" he asks to which I give a nod of affirmation.
"Master Jogg says that he can produce a steel ingot in several minutes." I announce to father, Rylen adds "Its true, we saw them pour steel into the moulds and they were building quite a stack of them. With this we can make up for the shortcomings of the depleting gold deposits within the Rock."
Despite the size of Casterly Rock, several millenniums of mining have all but hollowed out the Rock and with it comes a decrease in output. House Lannister could just find other deposits, previous censuses have proved that there are quite a few within our land however making such a move would imply that we are running out of gold, something father doesn't want people to know. Such high-quality steel could sell for a lot of Gold Dragons if we are the only ones with a Bessemer.
"Father, I would like to know what the steel will be used for." I ask as I need the steel to be able to make irrigation for agriculture. "With the steel being produced now, I will have Master Jogg build another three Bessemers to increase the overall output of steel." father replies. "Why?"
"I fully agree with your choice of building more Bessemers. However I would like for a portion of the steel manufactured to be used for another project of mine that would help agriculture." I reply, seeing father's face I elaborate, "I would use the steel to create large wheels joined together via pipes that spray water out onto the ground, a group of people move the wheels over farmland and it helps water the crops."
Wheel line irrigation were most often used when a field was an odd shape or when the terrain is hilly or mountainous, perfect for the West.
"I have given you full control over food production and management until the next winter, If you think that this idea of yours will work then I will support it." Father says as he stares at me, "I am impressed with your Bessemer, that's why I will give you access to 1/5 of the steel produced for your own endeavours. However if your irrigation system fails then I will rescind that access, do I make myself clear?".
"Yes father" I reply as father gestures to the door, telling me to leave.