Chapter 24.5- The Seadragon's Roar

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“So, shall we get started, good man?” He asked when he took the seat in the tent offered to him. To his shock, the only one in the room was Laenor Velaryon himself. Well, the only one apart from the silent specter that stood by the young Lord’s side.

“Meet Ser Ben Celtigar, my sworn shield” The young Lord said.

“Now, would you like some wine?” He offered.

“Poisoned?” Icarus asked.

“Why would I bother poisoning you? You’re already fully under my power” He said, and Icarus, conceded the point, accepting the glass that the young lord poured out. If he were a better warrior, he might have felt naked without his spear as it had been siezed on the way into the tent but he knew the man by the Young Lord’s side would cut him down in a second if he got any ideas. So he sipped his wine and waited, biding his time. There was a way out of it. The Velaryon wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t want something, and Icarus had a good feeling he knew what it was.

“What are the terms of the alliance between Dorne and the Triarchy?” He asked, bluntly.

“What? What are you talking about?” Maybe feigning ignorance would work, he thought as he placed a perfectly confused expression on his face.

“You’re an astonishingly good liar, you know that right? But lying with that one might not have been the best choice. You see, now I am less likely to believe anything you tell me and if I don’t believe you, it’s going to be very hard for you to leave here alive, you understand?’’ He asked.

“Okay, let’s not get drastic” He said appeasingly.

“Oh getting drastic is the last thing I want, trust me. I just want information. Give it to me and I will let you go and you can be on your way.”

“And if I don’t have the information you want?”

“You know they don’t teach us much about Dorne? Most of what I know is self study. So it took me a second to remember just what makes your house special, Jordayne. You have one of the only ports in all of Dorne. My ancestor burned said port twice during his war if I remember correctly. Did you build it again of something other than wood? Or that castle of yours. Igneel might be too young to melt stone all that consistently, but my sister rides Vhagar and I think between the two of us we can find a way to see it reduced to not but rubble.”

“Threats? Is that it? Just threats?” He asked, feeling his blood begin to boil.

“A stick. Now here comes the carrot. A port city could be made significantly wealthier with the right alliances. Form one with us now and the Stepstones will be your ally. We’d charge your ships lower tolls, allowing more profit to make its way to you, and then charge you cheaper prices when we begin to export as well as a guarantee that we’d use your port as first call.”