Private Audience

After the presentation of the cloud-steel armor the weapon presentation ended quite quickly. Everybody wanted to return to their place of living and think about how to gain the most benefits out of the information they gained. First of all they had to get as many low-grade cloud steel weapons as possible, as there would probably be a limit to the selling quota. One more sword would lead to a lot more economic benefits or a stronger military force.

Such swords would also make a very nice gift to noble heirs or strong knights. There are just a lot of uses the nobles of Westeros thought of. The first problem would be how to transport the needed resources to Redwater Island and which resources to use. Something like wood and stone would weigh a lot and probably wasn't worth much.

Most people would transport ores or straight up metal. There are also luxury items and different medical materials, as everybody knew about the pharmaceutical business of House Di Natale. They expected Victor to release a list of materials needed and their expected price in the coming days. Gaining as many low-grade weapons as possible would be the priority in the coming days.

The next topic of conversation became the Athenaeum Club and how to get an invitation to this club. Penicillin and the yearly auction were already a great benefit which made most nobles desperate to join, but the political and economic resources this would have would be enormous too. Most powerful and rich people would inevitably join this club on way or another for the current and future products it would offer. This network would slowly but surely become an invaluable asset and participating in this network would surely be a symbol of power and status in the future.

Unfortunately, nobody had an idea on how to gain access to this club and what the condition or policy to join the club would be. Many guessed House Di Natale would invite the old nobles of Westeros, like the Lord Paramount, first. Most people found this to be the most reasonable idea, but this would exclude pretty much everybody that participated in the weapon presentation.

The strategy most people had in their mind was to wait for the first invitation to happen and then contact five families that had been invited and to exchange certain benefits to receive a recommendation. As the policy of vouching was already announced many noble families with a certain bad reputation were already sweating when they thought about how to convince one of those few, let alone five, old and powerful families to vouch for them.

Meanwhile Victor welcomed a special guest at his residence. Randyll Tarly obtained an invitation to Victor's courtyard in Canahs from a servant right after the event. Normally he wouldn't like to join such a private dinner between nobles, especially if a ten-year-old child was inviting him, but after receiving such a massive benefit his proud heart couldn't deny the invitation.

Victor's residence was way to luxurious and full of expensive ornaments for Randyll's taste, but he had to admit that it was very pleasant to the eye. His mood dropped a lot when he arrived at the banquet hall and noticed Oberyn Martell. Of course, Victor noticed his change in expression and mood and didn't expect anything else.

"Lord Tarly, please forgive Lord Martell's behavior today. I know that he can sometimes be quite challenging and a pain in the ass to be around, but he is more reliable than most nobles that behave well and laugh you in the face but plan how to calculate your death right in front of you. His behavior is very offending at times, but at least you know what to expect and you get exactly that. I am sure you hate all the noble lords of Westeros that are full of honor and pride on the outside but have only deceptions in their heart.

I don't ask you to suddenly like Oberyn or act pleasant around him, just don't let his frivolous behavior on the outside ignore the fact that he is a prideful warrior at heart. To be fair, you have a lot more in common with him than with Mace Tyrell, your liege. How about just sitting down and having a glass of wine with us? If you still don't want to share the same table after today, I will never force you, don't worry."

Before Randyll Tarly could turn around and leave Victor tried to prevent him with reason. Obviously, his plea seemed to work as after a little struggle Lord Tarly still walked towards his place and sat down.

"I would have bet my left hand before coming to Lys as a guest of House Di Natale that I would never sit on the same table as Oberyn Martell willingly and have a meal with him. Victor Di Natale, you better not push your luck too far." It was obvious that Lord Tarly was still not happy with the situation.

"It is a great honor for me that Lord Tarly can give this conversation a chance. I think even though the nobles of the Reach and the nobles of Dorne have always been at odds, for obvious reasons, there doesn't have to be a death feud between them. I met Lord Mace Tyrell a few years ago and to be perfectly honest, I don't really think much of him. Most decision of House Tyrell, if not all of them, will only be made by Lady Olenna.

Lord Tarly, do you think this old widow is truly someone you can give your back too? I would bet my left hand that this old widow has deceived more people in her life than I have shaken hands with. And to go further down this road, do you think Mace Tyrell could rival you in military command, even a little bit? No, he doesn't. So, Lady Olenna has a useless son and a old noble family in her territory with an implacable military commander.

There are roughly two choices in front of her. Making you the dog of her son and putting a chain on you to control House Tarly or just waiting for the right opportunity to stab you in the back and get rid of the treat to her son. So, even though you and House Martell seem like enemies, which would also make the two of us enemies, as I am the ally of House Martell, maybe we have more in common than you would think, Lord Tarly."