Chapter 18.6- The Seadragon's Roar

“And what would you have us do?” One of the Myrish asked. Xovario wondered if that was even a question worth asking. The answer was simple, wasn’t it\>? An attack on one part of the Triarchy had its consequences spelled out in full within the Charter.

“The Charter is clear” Tasseling replied, not even looking at his fellow as he spoke.

“You cannot be serious. You would have us declare war against the Sunset Kingdoms? Face Dragons?” Selqor Mararys was the one who spoke now, looking like he found the whole thing ridiculous. Xovario felt his blood boil.

“Would you have us take the attack without reprisal then? Is that how far the cowardice of Lys stretches?” It was poor of him to speak such, but his temper would not have any less of him. Not when his children lay dead and this man stole of capitulation.

“Of course not. But violence need not be met with violence. From what I know, the Sunsetlanders did not make landfall .They did not attack Tyroshi’s walls. I say we sue for reparations instead. Let them pay the cost of rebuilding the fleet. If they refuse, we starve their trade until we recoup enough to rebuild the fleet” Trade? They were talking about trade? Blood had been spilt and these men spoke of trade and gold.

“And how much gold would you collect for my son’s life? How much gold is the Tyroshi blood spilt right outside our walls worth to you?” Doranthos Ilvar spoke before he could. It was well said. If Xovario had been the one to speak, he doubted his words would have been so…polite.

“Gold and trade are the currency of our cities now, but we must not forget what they are built on. We are men of blood. Who killed the last of the true Dragonlords? We did. You Myrish might not understand but I find myself disappointed in my fellow Lyseni. There can be no talk of trade. No talk of reparations. The only reparations an attack like this warrants is blood. Only blood can pay for blood. So I say we bleed the Westerosi for all that they have.” Lytharis spoke for the second time and Xovario noted that when he spoke, his fellow Lyseni listened.

“And even if we wanted to go to war, how would we do it? Tyrosh had the greatest war-time fleet of us three and that fleet is gone” One Myrish envoy said, his brown skin glistening in the hot room. Xovario took a gulp of wine as his throat tightened.

“Lys’ fleet is nothing to be scoffed at, Magister” Selqor Mararys spoke now, seemingly having come around to the idea of war.

“We buy ships from Bravos. The Arsenal can make a ship in a day, can it not? Let them make us hundreds” Ilvar was the one to speak. He had clearly been thinking about it.

“And will they sell to us? Are the Bravosi not allied with the Sunset Kingdoms?”

“A Bravo would sell his own mother to you for enough gold” Xovario scoffed.

“Agreed. I say we draft the letter with the terms. A hundred war ships for our battle with House Velaryon of the Sunset Kingdoms” Ilvar proposed it then, and the debate began anew.