Chapter 35.6- The Seadragon's Roar

“Allow you pay our surveyors more than we do? Do I look like a fool to you? You’ll pay them just as much as we do, and pay us two dragons per surveyor as a facilitation fee” He said. Of course the prospect of giving more money to his people was the kind of thing that a Westerosi noble would be opposed to. He probably just didn’t want me paying more than them so I couldn’t poach them after the period ended…which admittedly was my plan.

“That is acceptable to me” I said.

“Then we have a deal, Ser Laenor” he said, rising and stretching his hand. I took it.

“If it is not too much of an imposition, could I have a tour of the islands? I admit to finding myself curious about what the islands look like now without the pirate occupation” he said. And I nodded. That was fine. There were things I wanted to check on myself.

“That is acceptable to me. We can sail out together on the morrow to look at things”

— TWO MONTHS LATER

“This is an amazing amount of progress to make in just two months, Nephew” Vaemond said, probably seeing the disappointment on my face. And the worst part was that he was right. I had just set my expectations way too high. These were people. And they couldn’t just that the ground running. There were a million things they had to do first to have in place before they could get any work done. Accommodation, feeding, clothes, all the likes.

The triarchy had given me the slaves just as negotiated, but they had done so with only the clothes on their back and the chains around their wrists. Even breaking said chains would not matter if I just started working them like horses. No, instead we had to help them get settled first.

“It is indeed. But it just feels not enough. The triarchy is probably laughing at us now” I said. And that was the truth. They’d gotten the better of the deal, even after ostensibly giving me everything I wanted. And I couldn’t even lean back on Driftmark as much as I would otherwise want to. Mother had given me this as a test, and admitting I couldn’t handle it and needed help was just admitting failure.

“Let them laugh. I see the beginning of greatness here, Nephew. And if there is one thing my brother taught me is that greatness can’t be rushed.” He said.

“You’re right.” I admitted with a sigh.

“Well, there’s no point in just watching them and doing nothing. Let’s get to do it, Uncle” I said, walking forwards to join the builders as they worked on the row of houses. The slaves sleeping in tents were probably watching these buildings with no small amount of anticipation. The nights on these islands could have a biting chill to them.

A/N: And that’s the chapter. Slow down, work in progress.