Chapter 87

"Your vassal has something of mine. I want it back." Demanded Bronze Yohn Royce.

I sighed. He had cornered me after coming back from the Privies at the Closing Feast of the Hand's Tourney, still in his bronzed armor. That was likely to make some sort of a point via intimidation. Between the armor and the sheer size of Bronze Yohn, I couldn't say that the man couldn't loom like the best of them. Well, at least now he could. The Mountain wouldn't be looming over anyone ever again. He'd need to use a walking stick for the rest of his life, since with only one and a half functioning lungs he'd not have the stamina for even long walks without leaning on something anymore.

"I can't say you don't have cause to press for it back. Lamentation was lost to you after having been taken to the Dragonpit illicitly, after all." I admitted.

"So you agree then?" Intoned Bronze Yohn.

"Not for a second." I refuted.

"What? Why not? You just admitted that you agree with my claim." Frowned Bronze Yohn.

"In principle yes. Unfortunately, he's my Vassal, not my servant, and I am not Tywin Lannister." I sighed.

"The Feudal Contract is not that much of an issue. You are his liege lord, you may compel him to return Lamentation if it would be in the interest of the security of your land." Huffed Bronze Yohn.

"And what threat to my security would there be, Lord Royce? How many ships does your house possess? How many are armed with guns? I assure you I have more and they are all armed with Guns." I responded.

"You cannot have that many ships." Questioned Bronze Yohn.

"I have only slightly fewer ships than the Ironborn's Iron Fleet, the Redwyne Fleet, and the Royal Fleet Combined. All are armed with guns. Even should you get past my fleets, my army can count on only slightly fewer than the full levy of the Westerlands, with all of them being trained and equipped well. That is not even talking about the ability I have to purchase Sellswords. I assure you that I could contract every sellsword company in the Free Cities right now and it would still not put a dent in my treasury. So you see, My Lord Royce such a pretense would swiftly be revealed for the excuse that it is." I answered.

"How is that possible?" Queried Bronze Yohn.

"Many things are possible when you embrace trade and manufactures over reliance on agriculture with perhaps a bit of mining. I know you understand this, you have benefited from my trade network more than many others in the Vale, though not quite as much as some. I also understand you have begun putting manufactures of your own forward. You're ahead of many others in that regard. Not me, however." I shrugged.

"You speak of the Sistermen?" Frowned Bronze Yohn.

"And the Paps as well as the Witch Isle. Houses poor in land and agricultural wealth but rich in natural harbors who have embraced trade as a path to riches. They have agreed to resupply my ships at cost and even to allow them safe harbor in times of peril. In return, they have gained quite a lot in terms of wealth and trade." I nodded.

"Indeed? Is there no way you might compel Ser Roger to give up the blade? Perhaps buying it off him? If you are as rich as you claim, you might be able to put up a sum that even Tywin Lannister might struggle to match." Tried Bronze Yohn, an odd glint in his eye.

"Do you believe that I am the only Lord in my Domain that has more coin than he could feasibly spend? All my vassals are the same. There is a saying I am fond of, which I have tried to rule by. A rising tide lifts all boats." I pointed out.

"Meaning?" Asked Bronze Yohn.

"Meaning that when everyone's trade does well, your own trade does by necessity. There is quite a bit of theory behind the phrase that you would need to be familiar with the economics of the Free Cities to understand fully. Are you familiar with the economics of the Free Cities?" I questioned.

"Not a whit, though I take your meaning. I suppose then that there is no way to see to the return of Lamentation?" Pleaded Bronze Yohn.

"You would have to take it up with Ser Roger. There may be something you might offer him that he would be willing to trade for Lamentation. My own hands are quite tied on the matter, My Lord Royce." I nodded.

"Very well. I shall speak with Ser Roger, then." Intoned Bronze Yohn.

"Should he refuse, I may yet be able to offer you something as by way of a consolation." I offered.

"What could you possibly offer me that would make up for the loss of an ancestral weapon of Valyrian Steel?" Demanded Bronze Yohn.

"How about the ritual knowledge you are missing to make those runes engraved on your armor actually work?" I tried.

"If you mean to insult me, there are far less roundabout ways to go about it." Growled Bronze Yohn.

"It is no insult, my Lord Royce. I know how to make the Runes work." I repeated.

"How? How could you possibly know that?" Pressed Bronze Yohn, his tone picking up a hint of desperation. I knew now that I had him. He wanted that knowledge as much as he wanted Lamentation. I couldn't blame him. Lamentation was but a single sword. This ritual would allow him to produce many magical swords and armor as well.

"By way of a Qohorik Sorcerer who happened upon a magically preserved book containing the rituals and knowledge of the First Men's Runesmiths. I traded him something of my own for it. Suffice it to say, I have tested them and they work. The walls of the holdfasts, castles, and cities of my realm will not be breached easily, even with cannon fire. As for weapons and armor, you have but to write your son Ser Waymar with the Night's Watch to learn how well such things work." I responded.

"I see. I shall think on your proposal should Ser Roger not agree to trade Lamentation for whatever boon I might offer him. Be that the case, you may expect my raven within the month." Answered Bronze Yohn.

Then he stormed off, likely to attempt to bother Ser Roger about giving back the blade. I was fairly sure that there was nothing that Bronze Yohn could offer Ser Roger that would get him to hand over Lamentation back to House Royce. Ser Roger already had a Wife and children, so a marriage alliance was out, and Bronze Yohn would rather die before offering Ser Roger Groves land in the Vale. I could see it in his eye when I mentioned the Sisters, Paps, and Witch Isle. That was already too close for comfort, and I only had treaties with those houses for basing and resupply rights in times of war, they weren't vassals. Money was also out of the question. As stated, Ser Roger didn't need more coin. That left manufactures or trade goods, none of which were in high demand in any of my Vassal's territories, as the Southern Seas were a net producer of everything that House Royce could offer.

As I took a seat back at the table I had been seated at, I took a drink of the Lemonade. It had been imported from my own lands, and the added sugar truly lent it something the more normal Lemon Water of mainland Westeros lacked. I had scarcely had a bit of the current course, a large chicken pot pie the size of a wagon wheel that slices were being served out of when another shadow fell over me. I turned to see Ser Jaime Lannister standing over my shoulder looking uncharacteristically pensive.

"Ser Jaime, can I help you?" I queried.

"My father will not accept your ship designs in lieu of your snaplock technology. Nor will he accept your gold." Spoke up Ser Jaime.

"Is that so, Ser Jaime? Well then I am afraid that Lord Tywin will have to go without his reparations." I responded.

"I don't think you understand. My father saw the Reynes and Tarbecks butchered over insults to House Lannister. There is a reason the saying goes that Lannisters always pay their debts. You don't want to make an enemy of him." Tried Ser Jaime.

"Ser Jaime, I will be frank with you. Were it any other Lord Paramount, we would not be having this conversation. Your father is too used to having everything go his own way every time. Lord Tyrell could just as easily press your father for reparations based on how Ser Gregor was trying to kill his son. He does not, however. Do you know why?" I asked.

"Because Lord Tyrell has the good sense to be afraid of my father?" Deadpanned Ser Jaime.

"No, Ser Jaime. It is because even Mace Tyrell realizes that some things are beyond his reach. A lesson your father has never learned. Now he will have to." I responded.

"Have a care, Lord Seawynd. House Lannister will have its due sooner or later." Warned Ser Jaime.

"I was willing to go along with this, I made a reasonable counter-offer. If your father is not willing to act like the man-grown he is and compromise, then he is welcome to sail a fleet around the whole of Westeros and fight me for it. I assure you, I will not be as easily broken as the Reynes and Tarbecks." I snapped. That was my last word on the matter. I was fed up with Tywin's little temper tantrum. If he wanted my Snaplock Technology, he could take it in battle or not at all. I was done.

"I see. Well, don't say I didn't warn you. A Lannister always pays his debts, and yours will come due sooner or later." Sighed Ser Jaime.

"You are fond of that saying. Here is one from my Stepfather's Home of Braavos. Valar Morghulis. I don't suppose you're up on your High Valyrian? I thought not. It means all men must die. A truism if ever there was one. This conversation is over." I intoned.

That was the last conversation I had that night. I left the feast shortly after, my vassals following me. Ser Roger had already rebuffed Bronze Yohn and everyone else agreed to leave after hearing about my exchange with the Kingslayer. We spent the rest of the evening in the Seawynd Manse under the cover of guards with our own supplies of food and drink. Was that paranoid? Perhaps, but the Lannisters were known to try assassination when they didn't get their way. The next morning, we loaded up onto the Dolphin before dawn and set sail with the morning tide.

When I returned home, I would begin preparations for the War that was almost certainly coming. . .

XXXX

AN: So yeah, a pair of important conversations here. The first was with Bronze Yohn about Lamentation and the possibility of accepting Runic Knowledge in lieu of the weapon. The second was with Jaime Lannister who had been designated as the person that would be most likely to get a last-ditch acquiescence out of Ricasso.

As it happened, Ricasso was so fed up with Tywin Lannister being a little baby over this that he doubled down. If Tywin wants his Snaplock Tech, he can fight for it, otherwise he gets nothing. You can bet that the details of the conversation will be court gossip by the end of the week. Cersei is likely to go apeshit, though there isn't a whole lot anyone can do about it right now.

Ricasso's ship and troop number estimates were quite accurate, after all. His treasury estimate was even a bit conservative. He's practically untouchable without some sort of major force multiplier for any incoming invasion force.

At any rate, the next chapter will involve the return to Bloodstone and the beginnings of preparations for war.

Stay tuned. . .