Intermission: Propaganda no, advertising.

My name is Idris, I was a shoemaker in the reach until the Ironborn attacked, they took a good chunk of the village as thralls, I spent at least a year working for those cunts, but then the rebellion, the islands were taken by storm and suddenly we were shipped somewhere else, this time we headed to the cold and dreary north, hearing that I thought that if I hadn't bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all, how wrong was I.

Here I am now in the Sorcerer's Owl a popular tavern in the middle of the town, is quite big with 40-50 people inside, there are two floors on the top there are the rooms, and on the first floor is the tavern, the ambient is well lit and decorated with various flags of the Palestars there is a shield with the lord banner on the top of the fireplace.

I have a small table on the side while I look around, there is a jolly atmosphere inside with drinking and singing here and there, by the end of the hall a fireplace and a small stage, and the barmaids walk around serving drinks and food, I see many different patrons even some guards hanging by the entrance.

Some men garbed in black capes held by three-star pins go into the said stage, they carry lutes and other instruments, a bard troupe huh?

The first notes start to leave the bards instruments and to crowd starts to lower the volume, is an animated beat, it's good even if doesn't fit the instrument perfectly, but who am I to judge, then one of the men start to sing.

"♫ Where can you find pleasure

Search the world for treasure

Learn science technology

Where can you begin

To make your dreams all come true

On the land or on the sea

Where can you learn to fight

Play sports and survive

Study geography

Sign up for the big band

Or sit in the grandstand

When your crew and others meet

In the navy

Yes, you can sail all the seas

In the navy

Yes, you can put your mind at ease

In the navy

Come on now, people, make a stand

In the navy, in the navy

Can't you see we need all hands

In the navy

Come on, protect the motherland

In the navy

Come on and join your fellow man

In the navy

Come on people, and make a stand

In the navy, in the navy, in the navy♫"

The song continues for a bit and it's definitely different from the ballads that are normally sung here, it seems to pick the curiosity of many young men around as soon the bards stop some raise from the tables and go talk to them, I do the same.

As I approach the table I hear the melody voice of the singer saying.

"I kid you not, 10 new ships in the fleet if you enlist in the navy now, you learn all you need to sail a warship, you will travel from here to Yi-ti, maybe beyond, and you receive a gold royal for everyone two moons you work for." he drinks from his cup" and if you meet an unfortunate end in some distant shore your family will receive relief for life of one gold dragon per year you worked, so don't die before at least a year huh." He says with a smile.

"Where should I go to eh... enlist?" one of the men asked and the Bard answered.

"In our great lord's castle, there is an enlist post you can ask the guards here in the city, not the knight-looking ones, I think they are trained to answer nobody."

"That song of yours who made it? it's a fun one."

"Lord Palestars taught us this one but he said it was made by Village people."

"Oh, what village?"

"He didn't say probably a village from his homeland, now excuse me but I must continue my work" he joins his group and start to place a melodic tune about the bard's song that will remain.

"Sounds to me that Lord want to turn this place into his sunken homeland," a man said in a mocking voice from the other table.

"You better not open your cunt mouth to talk shit about Lord Palestars inside me tavern you bum" The tavern owner that was passing through the tables towers over the drunk man, and he isn't even that tall.

"Calm down Jon he's drunk," another patron said.

"Drunk or not I will not have our Lord disrespected inside my place," he turns to the first man" Go home you goat fucker I had enough of your face today." the man grumbling gets up from his table and stumbles out of the tavern, the owner continues his work.

"Hey, why Jon is so devoted to Lord Palestars?" I ask the man at the table that was defending the drunk man

"Ha, he didn't tell you the story? he seems to tell me to everybody, he was a Riverlander before you know, he had a tavern as well, then the rebellion happened and banners were called." he takes a huge swig out of his drink.

"You know how it is when the banners are called and the men leave the bandits come, 30 were how many they were, they fucked his place up, and defiled many a young girl in his village, but one day Lord Palestar come into town looking for a place to stay, just him, no servant no soldiers." some other tables are paying attention to the tale as well.

"Jon begged the man that looked like a lord to free his village from those cunts and he would give him everything he could, you see his daughter was the next in line to be the next toy to the bandits" There was some angry grumbling and gasps in the others tables.

"And then seeing such injustice Lord Palestars took action, he used his magic to slay them all by himself, many they were but the power the lord commands could not be challenged, he did what would take many more in much less time, he only let one man alive to tell other bandits what happen there, his award by his own asking a night in the tavern and directions." positive comments run across the tables listening, I look at the man, is not just Jon that is very devoted to the owl Lord.

"A cheer for lord Palestars a man as a man should be!" One of the bards on the small stage says loudly and many cheer to it, they seem to be paying attention to the tale being told shouldn't they be singing?

"Well thank you for the story" I stand my hand for him to shake" I am Idris."

he shakes my hand and answer.

"Pleasure my good man, I am Todric."

...

"YOU BETTER DON'T BE LATE FOR YOUR TEACHING, GIRL, YOUR BROTHER IS WAITING YOU." a scream echoed through the house.

"Yes, Ma I'm going," I say.

I fasten the belt on my tunic, it's a plain black tunic that goes lower than my knees it has a hood as well, and under it, there are breaches held by a belt and a shirt, all black as well, in my feet, there is a pair of clean black boots, these are the clothes given to us by the Halls of knowledge, our uniform as they said.

There is a pair of cloves as well but that is for the cold, I finish tidying myself up and go to leave the house, and my ma gives me and my brother that is dressed exactly like me, a kiss.

"Oh gods you two look so beautiful, go, don't arrive late, take care of your brother and pay attention please."

We make our way through the city to our destination, and on the way we pass through the worker's hall, Father said that the hall makes sure there is no one without a job,he says that only a great man like Lord Palestars would have ideas like that.

There are many different workers in there, this city is always busy, and always something new to build, many go to build in the city, streets and other stuff but many also go to the docks.

My Father works in the shipyards building many ships for Lord Palestars, he said the ships he built sunk many pirates, so I decide when I grow up I will become a captain in the Palestars fleet and sail a ship made by my father.

Leaving the Workers' hall behind, we pass through bakers street, like the name suggests there are a lot of bakeries here, and the smell of freshly baked bread and pastry fills the air, it always makes my mouth water, and the smell is soo good.

Then we arrive at the Halls of Knowledge of the Spinning Star, or just Spinning Star, there is a tall white wall around the place, and there is a group of three guards at the gates.

I approach and salute them as we have been taught, I clench my right fist and strike my chest with resolve, just above my heart, my brother does the same.

They smile and salute back one of them opens the gate for us, and as I pass the gates I see the big white building in front of us, to the right is the archery range, and I see many boys and girls shooting with their bows of yew at the straw enemies, Archery is one of my favourite classes after seamanship, even if I still can't fire a Longbow, there are smaller ones for the younger train as well.

I enter the central building have a circular open courtyard where some golden weirwood trees grow their leaves covering the entire space making a roof of golden trees, this is a place from fairy tales like a palace, the food they give us is also so good.

Entering the building itself I see the many many banners with stars on the there are also flags with the owl of the Palestars, and the black uniform of the students clashes with the white stone halls.

I enter the classroom after leaving my brother in his, in my class there are 25 five other kids more or less my age, there is a new addition to the classroom a big board that was put on the front of the class, the instructor is supposed to use chalk to write in it, we also got a smaller one for us to write in it it was a very wise solution to the lack of parchment.

I sit at my table and talk to my friends until the instructor arrives, he walks in his long black coat, and his voice reaches the classroom as he starts our normal routine.

"All rise." we all rise from our chairs.

"Turn" We turn in unison to the back of the class, there are two flags hanging from the ceiling, our Lord Palestars flag and the Starks flag.

"Dedicate your hearts to our lord's children and they shall protect and provide for us and our families." the instructor's voice sounds again, I clench my right fist and strike my chest with the rest of the class.

Many voices in a chorus made the daily promise.

"When Winter comes we shall be the light in the darkness"

...White Habour...

Lord Wendel walked with a brisk pace through the hallway, he reached the big double doors, the guards push the doors and inside is his father in the great hall once more.

"Father the painting Lord Palestars promised has arrived, should I bring it to the great hall or put it somewhere else."

"Good morning to you as well Wendel, bring it here son we shall let everyone see that we have one of Lord Palestars paintings, is as we asked?"

"It doesn't look like but I didn't see it moving yet, father."

"We have to change that then, ah, we have to prepare the payment and sent it with a convoy to the moat"

"Actually they have two of their warships awaiting in port to escort the payment back to the moat, a day or two should be enough to move it to the ship."

"Even better, now bring the painting here we shall put it on that wall"

Some time passes and four men come into the great hall carrying the big canvas.

"Put over here lads on that wall." Lord Wyman points to the wall behind himself.

"By the old gods and new what is all this" an exasperated woman entered the hall, this is of course Lyrona Manderly wife of Wyman, after lord Palestars took a look at her sickness and prescribed medication to her 3 moons ago she got much healthier.

"Look Mother it's the painting of Lord Palestars it finally arrived."

"Oh let me see, I've been waiting to see one of lord Palestars famous magical paintings."

The painting shows a beautiful green-haired siren, she seems to be sleeping at the bottom of the ocean, and her dress is almost made of green water and is semi-transparent but covers everything that should be covered, the canvas of the painting is decorated with one silver trident in each side.

"How we wake her?"

"Well according to the Antares letter, we have to say our house words to her"

"Good morning to all" Wylis enter the hall with his wife and daughters, the two girls immediately fall in love with the painting, gushing over the beauty of the mermaid and her dress.

"True To Our Word," Wyman's voice said as his granddaughters we looking closely at the painting.

A smell of salt water filled the nostrils of those close to the painting, slowly the mermaid opens her cyan eyes, she looks around and seems to notice the people on the other side of her painting, she looks curiously at the two girls and give a small wave the girls wave to her and she gives a beautiful smile while she swims closer to the border of the painting.

"She's beautiful and so graceful," said one of the girls

"It really is a masterpiece" Wyman adds his thoughts

"What is that shadow back there," Lyrona asks.

The siren looks behind her and a spear is seem to hit the water and the shadow of a small boat on the surface of the sea, a fisher's boat and he is failing to catch any fish.

The siren seems to think a second, and she reaches with half her body out of the painting she waves again to the shocked audience and then grabs one of the tridents of the frame and swims back into the painting and in the direction of the boat.

The painting follows and goes above water the beautiful mermaid is sitting on the boat, giving the fisherman the silver trident as soon as he touches it the painting slowly returns to its original state and the smell of seawater leaves the place.

"What in the seven was that?" Wylis asked in an incredulous voice, while he looked at his shocked family.

"It seems that Antares surpassed himself again, the painting of the battle of the tridents wasn't so...uh alive?" Wendel said.

"It seems that it was a worthy investment after all, worthy of every golden dragon, I must write to lord Palestars congratulating him on this masterpiece."

... Sunspear...

"It is not really a mystery of who the child belongs brother, let them marry, if we join our families in marriage we gain a strong ally." Said Oberyn

"Even so, we have no guarantee that he will help us against the Lannisters, I heard he seem friendly with the imp."

"Pfffh if he is friends with the dwarf then he is not friends with the Lannisters, did you hear that Tywin and the Tyrion had a spat?"

"Did they? What a surprise, such a lovely family" Doran said as he writes on a document

"Apparently

Apparently, last month the older brother hired a whore to make the dwarf a man and he end up married."

"His son married a whore, HA, Tywin must have some nice words to say." Doran just shook his head

"He paid her to sleep with an entire garrison of Casterly Rock."

"That family is just..." He sighs "Let's Change the subject if we talk a moment more of Lannisters I won't be able to eat supper." Doran said leaving his feather on the table.

"Yes, let's Keep talking about your daughter, you know, the pregnant one, it was really necessary to lock her in the water gardens?"

"Yes, we must keep the child a secret."

"Why, why deny the man his offspring, he will assume responsibility if we let him, I did, and what I've seen of Antares he probably will as well," Oberyn says with some heat.

"Oberyn calm yourself down and think, who is the most powerful man in Westeros now?"

"I would say Tywin but you think is Antares."

"Yes, you know why? His magic, the magic that runs through his blood, the magic that my grandson will have, if the child is raised with the right mindset he could be the greatest asset we would have against our enemies."

"You're assuming that, you don't know if the child will have the same powers and like or not the child will be family, not a weapon Doran."

"But I know it will have the same powers, Arrianne said that in the morning after... the act, she drank the moon tea, Palestars himself check the concoction and had no complaints." he sips his wine cup that was on the table" I made her drink a second dose... Yet the child continues to grow on her belly, it's not a normal child."

Oberyn frown and drinks from his cup.

"In case the father doesn't fight the lions the child will."

Oberyn's frown gets deeper.

...Moat Caillin...

A number of 20 people are in the Godswood in the moat waiting, is a surprisingly cold morning, and they are all in light clothes outside, the majority of the people there don't seem to mind the temperature, but at least 6 people were trembling and shivering.

Three guards come in and one of them said in a powerful Voice.

"Follow me all except you, you and.." He points to the six shivering people, they were dismissed he said.

The guard took them to an awaiting room and told them they should await in the beautiful room, full of golden decorations, some statues had precious stones in the eyes or in other parts they awaited an hour there, and at the end of the hour the guards entered again and 7 were dismissed, as they were leaving the guards were patting down everyone.

... POV: girl...

I am sitting on a comfortable chair in the Lord Sorcerer eh... Office that's what he called, where he works, I was the last to be called, I focused my eyes on my knees nervously, he is so tall, and he gives the feeling of unnatural like it's not human.

"Please, I would ask you to look me in the eyes," he says in a not-unkind voice, I gather all the courage I can and raise my eyes to meet his, they are a beautiful shade of green, different from theirs, they have some blue as well, and don't hold the contempt and the disgust she saw in their green eyes.

"Better no? Now please answer in truth, where were you born?"

"I-in" I take a deep breath" in the Westlands milord, between Lanniport and... And Casterly Rock."

"And you want to work in my castle" I see a brief flash of an unnatural light in his eyes, and my eyes have gone back to my knees and started to water.

"Y-yes Milord" Tears started to fall, I'm so scared he will think me a spy and will kill me.

"Oh, I see... you suffered quite a lot didn't you darling? You escaped your homeland in search of better after you were betrayed, you found solace for your pain in the soothing embrace of the old gods" I hear his voice.

"Please, please milord, I will work until my hands bleed."

"There is no need for that, all those who know the kindness of our gods are welcome in my keep."

The tear return, tears for this man's kindness, he truly is a great man, the gratitude im feeling now is probably the strongest feeling I've ever felt.

"I sure Mansy will be happy with the new batch of servants you amongst them Ty... What you name my dear." He says, I dry my tears and I look him in the eyes

"My Name is Tysha Milord."