Chapter 42.6- The Seadragon's Roar

XXXXX- SIX WEEKS LATER

“A visitor for you, my lord” One of the dozens of serving boys that now called Bloodstone home said, walking into my solar.

“What flag did they fly?” I asked, watching as the boy turned to the side, trying to remember.

“Don’t worry about it, Sam. Just make sure you take note of it next time” I said, rising from my seat. I tossed him a silver sickle for his good work and watched him scamper off. A proper messenger would probably arrive soon. The serving boys were an experiment of mine. I would never want to be the kind of Lord who had no idea what was going on in their own castle and so I recruited spies to spy on my own city for me. If they found anything useful, they told me, and if I found what they found to be as useful as they thought, then I would reward them. If I didn’t then I didn’t reward them.

I’d initially started out paying for all information, useful or not, but the fourth time I received a report on the price of bread was the breaking point for that system. This present once encouraged them to be curious, inquisitive, and most importantly competitive. They would race to get useful information to me,. And sop that would mean that if there was something top be known , then I would know it as quickly as possible. Importantly as well, I didn’t impose any punishments for useless information, only for untrue information. The last boy to bring a lie my way had been flogged something fierce by Ser Ben as an example, and since then no one had taken the risk.

“My Lord, the Triarchy has sent a messenger” My actual messenger boy said when he arrived five minutes later. I nodded and moved to the throne room to receive them.

“You are in the presence of Laenor Velaryon, the Burner of Ships, the Seadragon, the Lord Protector of the Stepstones, Lord of Driftmark, and Master of the Tides” My announcer introduced me while I noticed the man that the Triarchy had sent had chosen to forego one.

“This one is Tyranos, Banker under the Rogare Bank” He bowed. He was a lithe man, dark skinned and handsome. Well spoken as well. The only thing that marked him as a slave, for his clothes were as fine as any nobles, was the tattoo of chains around his neck.

“A pleasure. I trust your masters received my letter”

“Yes, my lord. The Council of Magisters has conducted their own investigations and found your allegations to be founded. For the crime of breaking the treaty behind our peoples, the offending fellow has been dealt with” He said, and then snapped his fingers.

Two other slaves stepped forward, holding a massive chest between them. They dropped it on the ground and then swung it open. I nodded, satisfied. A head, and two hands. The hands bore rings that marked the man as a magister and while they could have switched the man, there was nothing I could do about that now, was there? Besides, he was not the important thing.

“And my stolen property?”

“Only half the samples of the stone lime were able to be recovered. The Council sends their apologies, and a million gold pieces to make up for the shortfall.” He said.

“Two million” I countered.

“As my Lord wills it” He said with a bow.

A/N: Another chapter bites the dust.