Chapter 60: The Favour
'Lastly, though thoroughly disproven in academic discourse, the claim that the Four Maidens spent time in Braavos as courtesans-in-training remains popular in uninformed circles. Unlike the similar allegations levelled against the Four Maidens of using female wiles to influence the Court's notables in King's Landing, which can be traced to attempts to slander them by those who opposed their influence for a variety of selfish and sexist reasons, these claims are, by and large, a result of Braavosi playwriters trying to tie their home to the myth of the Four Maidens to make their work based on said myths more popular in the city. It should be self-evident how ludicrous this claim is, once subjected to the bare minimum of critical examination - no trustworthy source, ever, even hinted, much less supported, such slander.'
A Treatise On The Ruby Order, by Maester Kennet Bracken
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
Through the bird's eyes, Brynden watched as the four girls from another world left the inn. Without the boy-knight and his direwolf - he stayed behind. Whether that was so he could guard their rooms against thieves and assassins, as they had told him, or to keep him safe, as they had told each other, Brynden could not say. The girls were, as expected from people who navigated the Court in King's Landing as easily as the intrigues of Braavos, too hard to read. If they had not been able to detect his presence despite him wearing the body of a bird, he could have observed them when they thought themselves alone, but as things are, he wasn't even certain that he had managed to fool them through frequently switching bodies; he certainly couldn't assume that anything they said or did in supposed privacy was the truth instead of a performance for him and other spies.
It was truly vexing. Leaf and the others had left some time ago - they were travelling through the old ways, so he couldn't track them, but they should arrive in the South soon enough - and Brynden still didn't know whether they were making a catastrophic mistake or not. Or whether he was blind and they were not, he added before switching from the crow he was controlling to a seagull resting on the roof of the house that the girls were currently passing by.
"...and it's a real shame Jon can't come."
"He could have come along, Yang. He wasn't in the mood to watch you and Blake flirt and climb over each other for the entire evening."
"Hey! Jon got over his crush!"
"Of course, you would believe that."
"What? He got over it! Right? Blake? Ruby?"
"Uh… I don't know?"
"Blake?"
"I think we cannot dismiss the possibility that he might still harbour some feelings for you, but I am certain that he has accepted that you don't return them."
"But… I know he's kinda brood-y, but wouldn't that…"
As the girls walked out of earshot, Brynden wanted to sigh, but the seagull only kind of wheezed instead. Had the girls detected his presence once more? Or did they talk about such nonsensical things just in case someone might be listening in? Or was this a somewhat subtle way to mock him? The idea that the same people who had destroyed the Others and ruled the Seven Kingdoms in all but name from behind the throne would gossip like silly girls about boys of all things beggared belief. No, this had to be a ploy, a mask put up to fool spies.
And yet, if it was a mask, it had never slipped as far as he could tell - and he had spent a long time observing them. Both together and alone. Of course, they were aware of his presence - they had shown that often enough, sometimes violently - so they would know better than to drop their act. Still, no one was perfect; Brynden knew that better than most. Not even, or especially not, those who served the gods.
He flew to the next roof, looking for another bird to use. It was still early enough so he wouldn't have to pick owls and other birds that hunted at night, but the sun was setting, so he would not enjoy that opportunity for that much longer.
There were seagulls aplenty, but he would prefer a different type of bird to further obscure his presence. Perhaps… There! He focused, and a moment later, his new wings were beating rapidly as he flew after the Four Maidens.
"...then I'll talk to him."
"Yang! You already let him down! Don't rub salt into his wounds! Just let him get over it at his own pace!"
"If he's isolating himself from us, then his own pace clearly is too slow for his own good, Ruby!"
"And you think you can help him? With your famous subtle and delicate approach?"
"Hey!"
They were still keeping up this inane conversation? Was this an attempt to fool their enemies into thinking they were divided? If it was, it might be somewhat effective - but only against those already too foolish to be an actual threat, as Brynden's own observations here and in King's Landing had shown.
Regardless of their intentions, it was obvious that he would not gain any of the information he so dearly needed by listening to them. He should have followed the Faceless Man who had visited them instead, but that one had already vanished. And, Brynden knew from experience, the House of Black and White was quite aware of people with his talent and guarded against them. His odds of sneaking into the temple, much less the private chambers in the basement, were low.
Still, this visit had not been entirely fruitless. He now had confirmation that the Faceless Men were willing to serve the girls. They were more powerful than he, much less anyone else, would have guessed.
But he had no clue how they wished to use this power. Would they order potential rivals or troublemakers discreetly assassinated before they could start trouble? Now that the assassins knew about the direwolves, and with Lady Blake not barring their way, they would have an easier time dealing with their victims without anyone being aware of them. Yes, if the girls so wished, they could easily change the makeup of the Court in King's Landing by removing a few key nobles. Or they could use the threat of sending the Faceless Men after someone to cow the more troublesome nobles. That would be both more subtle - no dead bodies left to scare the court and demand an investigation - and more blatant, as those threatened would be aware of the ties to the House of Black and White. And word would spread amongst the members of the Court.
But perhaps, that was what the girls wanted: Brynden knew more than a few nobles who would have loved to be known amongst their peers for having the Faceless Men at their command. But no, he didn't think the girls would want that. Not when they went to such great lengths to appear harmless and naive to observers. Relatively harmless, of course.
He sighed once more. The sun was now setting, and the girls had entered a festhall. The odds of him being able to overhear anything meant to be secret were slim. So slim, there was no reason to waste his time here any longer.
He withdrew from the sparrow and cast his mind for another target, far from Braavos. He might have failed here, but there were others he could keep an eye on, closer to what served as his home.
*****
Brynden found them in the Kingswood, as he had known he would. Leaf and the others. They looked weary, of course - even using the Old Ways, travelling from the lands beyond the wall to the Crownlands was exhausting. Yet, Leaf smiled widely and waved when she spotted the crow he was using. Not for the first time, he wondered if she just waved at every crow, or if she somehow felt when it was him behind their eyes; she had never told him.
He landed on a low branch next to her and crowed.
"Brynden. You made it." Leaf sounded as if he had flown all the way down here, instead of taking over a crow in King's Landing and then crossing over the river.
He nodded. He couldn't quite talk as a crow. Crows could mimic human voices, making it seem as if they could speak, but he had never grasped how to do that, not in all the time he had spent in a crow or raven. It was as if his understanding of speech prevented him from mimicking the sounds.
But Leaf and the others knew him well enough, long enough, to understand anyway. Most of the time. And sometimes, they understood him but claimed not to - in some ways, the Children of the Forest were as human as the First Men and the Andals.
"They have yet to return," Leaf said.
It wasn't a question, yet Brynden nodded anyway.
"They will."
Another truth. An easy one - nothing would stop those girls. No human hand, no calamity at sea.
"Then we will talk to them. Tell them about the place they seek." The way Leaf looked at him was part challenge, part question.
He made the bird nod once more. He couldn't stop them.
"You still have not come to a decision."
He didn't have to answer that since it wasn't a question. He still felt petulant.
Leaf smiled. "You have a thousand eyes and one, and yet, this is not something you can see with your eyes."
He cocked his head at her and clicked his beak. He had been at Court far too long not to spot empty air dressed up in fancy words.
Leaf wasn't impressed. "You need to let your heart decide."
His heart was feeding a tree.
She laughed at his unsaid words. "You know what I mean. You need to look at their actions. At them. Not at the image others - and you - have of them."
He was. Trying, at least. But… People who had no ambitions, who didn't seek personal power, didn't become rulers. Whether in name or in fact. Why would the girls take over the Seven Kingdoms if they didn't wish to rule the realm?
"They took power because it was the only way they could save the realm," Leaf said. "But they do not want to keep it. They want to go home."
So they had said. So Leaf had said. Several times.
"Sometimes, when you look for something and don't find anything, it means that there is nothing to be found. Not that it is hidden too well for your eyes, Brynden."
He gave her the evil eye as best as he could, and she laughed again.
"Humility, Brynden. It is good for you."
He was humble! If anything, he had learned that lesson, decades ago. He wanted to believe. But too much was riding on this. If they were not looking for a way home, but for a way to bring more of them to Westeros… It would be as if Aegon the Conqueror returned, but even more powerful. And if they fought amongst themselves, as rulers would, eventually… Brynden had fought against too many rebellions to ever forget what price the realm paid for such struggles.
"If they wished to rule the realm, why would they want to bring more people with whom they would have to share?" Leaf shook her head. "It wouldn't make sense. They can rule the realms of men as they are. They don't need more with the same power. Surely, they would know this, if they were secretly lusting for power as you fear?"
He had heard the arguments. His mind agreed. But his gut - the part that wasn't absorbed by a tree - didn't. Couldn't.
"If you cannot trust them, can you trust me?" Leaf asked.
Brynden would have to. As much as he disliked the notion. But she was his oldest friend. In more than one way.
Leaf smiled and patted his head.
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
Ruby once more was woken by the sun shining directly on her face. And on Weiss's, but Weiss was still out like a light - and facing away from the windows, lying on her side. And snoring slightly. And drooling on the pillow.
Ruby giggled at the sight. Softly, of course - she didn't want to wake up her partner. Weiss needed her sleep; they'd had a long night, Relatively long. Yang had been kinda stubborn about partying, as if she had to prove something. Or something. Whatever.
Ruby grabbed Crescent Rose, which was, as always, next to her, and slid out of the bed, then padded over to the windowsill, where a bowl of water was waiting. She dipped a washcloth into it and rubbed her face, then opened the windows, startling a seagull that had been sitting on the windowsill outside the room.
"Sorry, birdie!" she called out, but - of course - the seagull didn't listen as it flew away.
She heard a groan behind her and winced. Rats, she had woken up Weiss! "Sorry!" she quickly said.
"You said that already," Weiss mumbled, slowly raising her head and squinting at Ruby - the sun must be blinding her. "And much too loudly, I'll have you know."
"I startled a bird."
"I bet you did, loud as you were."
Ruby was about to correct her partner, then reconsidered. Maybe it was better if Weiss didn't know too much - her partner was kinda grumpy before breakfast. "Anyway! Good morning, Weiss!" Ruby smiled at her.
Weiss was still squinting, so Ruby moved a bit until she cast a shadow on Weiss's face.
Her partner didn't seem pleased at this, though. "Are you trying to hide how low on the horizon the sun is still?"
"What? No!" Ruby shook her head. "I am just trying to keep you from getting blinded by the sun."
Weiss stared at her for a moment. "...thanks. Now, can you try to keep me from being woken up by loud noises?" Without waiting for a reply, she closed her eyes and lowered her head down onto the pillow again. Straight onto the wet spot her drool had left.
Ruby winced, then had to suppress a giggle when her partner jerked her head up again with a disgusted but funny expression, then flipped the pillow before burying her face in it.
Well, she probably wouldn't get up for another hour or so. Ruby stretched again, stepped to the side - which exposed Weiss's head to the sun again - and grabbed her clothes to get dressed.
The 'main room' of their suite was empty, as expected. All doors were closed, too. Not that Ruby was going to check on Yang and Blake, not after knowing that they were a couple; she had seen enough movies and shows to know how walking in on a couple in bed could end.
Ew.
She didn't want to walk in on Jon, either, or risk waking him up by knocking. And someone had eaten the dried meat strips they had brought back last night (to eat today), so trying to lure Ghost in (if he woke up Jon, it wasn't Ruby's fault) was out as well.
And Ruby would feel bad if she bothered the inn's staff for breakfast so early on. That didn't leave her with many options.
"Looks like it's just you and me, baby!" she whispered as she pulled up Crescent Rose. At least, no one could complain that she was hogging the entire table when she cleaned and maintained her scythe.
*****
"Ruby! Did you clean your weapon on the table we're supposed to eat from?"
"Yes?" Was that a trick question from Weiss? Where else was Ruby supposed to do it? On the floor? In bed? Well, either would work if she had a blanket, but…
"And you didn't have the tablecloths changed?"
Ah. Ruby peered at the piece of cloth Weiss held up. Yeah, there was a bit of a smudge. She reached out and rubbed the spot with her index finger. Yes, still a bit wet. She nodded and wiped her finger on Crescent Rose. "You can barely see it."
"It's…" Weiss sighed. "Whatever. Let's eat. And hope you didn't roll the bread in a puddle of oil."
"I would never waste good oil like that!" Ruby protested. It was hard enough to get enough oil for their weapons, anyway - they had to special order that, usually from Maesters or alchemists.
"That's not the point. It's unhygienic." Weiss huffed.
"Are you fighting over food again?"
Ruby turned and saw that Yang was standing in the doorframe leading to her and Blake's room, yawning and scratching her head. She hadn't bothered to get dressed in her combat clothes, yet, Ruby noticed. And she was sporting a few fading bruises she hadn't shown last night.
Oh.
"We're not fighting," she defended herself. "Just getting ready for breakfast."
"Good. I'm starving," Yang said, before yelling: "Blake! Breakfast!" over her shoulder.
"Breakfast, my lady?" Jon asked, opening his own door - and blushed as soon as he saw Yang, and Blake next to her. "I'm sorry!"
"Don't you start!" Weiss grouched - but Ghost pushed past Jon and made a beeline to the table, where the food was waiting, and Ruby's partner quickly forgot she was grouchy and started feeding the wolf.
Ruby used the opportunity to secure the place at the table that was closest to the plate with the lemon cake before the rest of their team could join them. She needed her calories, after all; being a Huntress (in training) was hungry work.
A bit later, when everyone had eaten, or eaten enough not to be grouchy any more, Ruby finished her second cup of juice and cleared her throat. "So!" she began, "We kinda got distracted from finding a ship to take us back to King's Landing yesterday…"
"Which wasn't my fault!" Yang spoke up with a grin.
"You started the drinking contest. And then got annoyed when no one wanted to compete with someone who can drink the deadliest poison known to this world and only gets mildly inconvenienced," Weiss pointed out.
"So?" Yang grinned.
Ruby cleared her throat again. "As I was saying: We need to check at the harbour to see if any ship is leaving for King's Landing soon." Before they were dragged into another plot by some stupid nobles and had to deal with more problems than they had when they arrived here.
"Then let's do that," Yang said. "The sooner we leave, the better."
Ruby was about to agree when Blake turned her head towards the door. Someone was coming.
Great. Or not. Ruby hoped it was just the maid with more cake and sweet tea.
It was a maid, but she was carrying letters. Big, important, sealed-looking letters.
Ruby had a bad feeling about this.
She still smiled at the woman when she handed the letters over, of course. It wasn't the maid's fault.
She quickly checked the letters, elbowing Yang in the side when her sister leaned on her shoulder to take a peek herself. Yes, all letters were sealed - well, that was usual here. She didn't recognise the seals, but one looked familiar.
"That's a letter from the Sealord." Weiss, of course, recognised it - even looking at it upside down from across the table. She was the best.
"Let's open it first, then," Ruby said. She grabbed a slim knife from the table, checked that it wasn't covered in butter or jam or other food bits, then opened the envelope and unfolded the parchment inside.
Ugh. She had learned the alphabet the locals used, but reading long letters, especially the formal ones with all that weird language that used so many words to say nothing, was still a pain. That their letters were all in cursive didn't help, of course. "Jon?" She held out the letter to him.
"Of course, my lady!" Jon took it and quickly read it out loud.
Yeah, there were a lot of flowery words - the Sealord could talk normally, why did he change so much when writing? - but… "All that to ask how we are doing and whether we enjoy our stay in Braavos?"
"He's wondering how much longer we will stay", Weiss translated. "And while he is not saying so, or hinting at, I have the impression he would be happy if we leave sooner rather than later."
Ruby frowned. "What's his problem with us? We didn't start anything."
"We served as a catalyst, I believe," Weiss said. "And I doubt he is comfortable with our presence since he must be aware of our personal power and that we have contacts within the House of Black and White. It's understandable, at least, that he would be happier if we left."
That made sense. Kinda. It was still unfair, but they wanted to return to King's Landing anyway, so getting angry over it wouldn't do any good. Still annoying. Whatever.
Ruby grabbed the next letter. That seal wasn't familiar at all. But… She sniffed the air, then sniffed the letter. "Perfume?"
Weiss groaned. "It could be from the Black Pearl. Or one of her 'rivals' among the courtesans, I suppose."
Jon was blushing when he was handed the letter. And even more when he had finished reading it.
Ruby was blushing a bit herself - the letter had been, well, not explicit, but she had had flashbacks to sex ed.
"So, it seems this person…" Weiss started to say.
"The Daughter of the Dusk," Jon cut in, then grimaced. "Sorry."
"...the 'Daughter of the Dusk' seems to think that you didn't trust the contraception that the Black Pearl uses, and assures you - quite intently and detailedly - that she will not, ah, bear you a child under any circumstances. And invites you to visit her."
"Yes, my lady."
"Obviously, your refusal of her advances has spread to her rivals," Weiss said. "And they seem to think this is an opportunity to show up the Black Pearl."
"Yes, my lady."
Ruby wanted to ask if he was going to do it, but that would be very rude. Jon looked embarrassed enough for having read out a letter addressed to him to everyone else. Well, he could have stopped any time. She cleared her throat. "So, since that is a private letter for Jon… Let's read the next letter!"
That one wasn't perfumed, at least. But that didn't make the contents any better.
"It seems House Zalyne thinks they can do better than Lord Tormo and invite us to their soirée two days from now," Weiss said.
Yang scoffed at that.
"Does anyone want to go?" Ruby asked. No one did. "Then we aren't going."
"We'll have to write a polite letter to decline the invitation," Weiss said.
"You can do that!" Ruby beamed at her partner, and Weiss sighed, but nodded.
More invitations followed. Ruby had never heard of those people. If they accepted every invitation, they wouldn't have to pay for any meals, or at least not for any dinner. But their food would be ruined by stupid nobles playing stupid games. "One letter left."
"It better not be another invitation," Weiss grumbled.
It wasn't. It was a request for a meeting from the Iron Bank. Signed by Tycho Nestoris, the employee or envoy from the bank they had met in King's Landing. And whom they had asked him to pass on a message to the Faceless Men through his superiors at the bank. They hadn't asked the House of Black and White if they had received that message, but that didn't matter any more anyway since they had reached an agreement.
"I guess we should not refuse that," she said. "It is probably about the loans to the Seven Kingdoms."
Weiss looked at her as if she had said something stupid. Well, Weiss was a bit stressed, so Ruby didn't hold it against her.
*****
The Iron Bank, Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
The Iron Bank headquarters was an impressive building, Weiss Schnee had to admit. Massive walls, topped by a flat roof with three domes and several statues, with columns flanking the main entrance - it certainly projected the image of the bank, rich, powerful and impenetrable. On Remnant, one would assume pre-Great War Valian architecture, fit to serve as a citadel, should the walls be breached. It would likely serve a similar purpose here, although, instead of Grimm, the expected enemies were probably mercenary soldiers in the employ of a rival city - or, since no enemy apparently had ever reached the city, mercenaries in the employ of a faction or family in the city. Although any faction fighting the Iron Bank would have to be both desperate and very powerful to have even a slight chance to survive, much less win - or so Weiss's inquiries, back in King's Landing, would claim. It was clear that the building would inspire awe in most visitors.
But Weiss was not just any visitor. She was from Atlas, the most advanced kingdom of Remnant, and more importantly, she was a Schnee, and her family manor was bigger than this building. And she was certain that her family's wealth dwarfed the Iron Bank's assets, even accounting for the different values of services and goods in this world compared to Remnant. So, she wasn't impressed by the sight in front of her.
"Whoa!"
Unfortunately, her partner and team leader had grown up in a, perhaps literal, log cabin in the woods of Patch - which, itself, was a small island in the Kingdom of Vale. So, having grown up in backwater of a backwater, Ruby most definitely looked impressed.
"It's smaller than the Red Keep," Weiss pointed out. Mentioning her home's size would make her look like a braggart, so she refrained from doing so. And it would probably send the wrong message to Ruby, especially right before this meeting.
"Yeah, but the Red Keep is, like, the King's Castle! This is a bank!"
"A bank with, arguably, more power than the King of Westeros," Weiss told her. "You know how much money the Court owes them."
"Yeah…" Ruby pouted slightly. "Do you think they want us to pay them back? Like, right now?"
"I doubt that they would risk offending us like that," Weiss replied. "Certainly not when we are in Braavos and could, should we choose to, express our displeasure with their business practices directly and in person."
Ruby blinked before frowning at her. "Which we wouldn't do!"
"Which the keyholders of the Iron Bank don't know," Weiss pointed out. "But let's enter; we don't want to be late."
"We can't be late - they said to come at our convenience!" Ruby, annoyingly, was correct about that.
"It's a matter of principle. We shouldn't stand and gawk as if we were sightseeing."
"Well, we kinda are, aren't we?"
Weiss frowned at her partner, and Ruby giggled. "Alright, let's go in so you can do your business thing!"
Weiss withstood the temptation to rub the bridge of her nose. Ruby was obviously trying to make light of their meeting to calm herself down. "Yes, let's."
The guards opened the door, which was more of a gate by size, as soon as they approached, Weiss noted. Obviously, they had been informed about their visit and instructed to welcome them without delay. The Iron Bank must care about this meeting.
A servant - no, he was wearing a robe of brown and grey, so he must be a keyholder - was waiting for them right inside, in a spacious entrance hall, bowing as soon as they stepped over the threshold. "Lady Ruby, Lady Weiss? Bessaro Reyan is waiting for you."
He didn't introduce himself, so he was likely not one of the keyholders with any influence or power, although Weiss wouldn't dismiss that possibility right away; as much as it was a movie trope, some powerful people actually liked to pretend to be minor staff members to judge visitors. And Braavosi seemed to have a love for dramatic gestures if their experience so far was any way to judge.
"Thank you," she replied, bowing her head slightly. "Let's not have him wait much longer, then. Time is money, as the saying goes."
He chuckled, then looked surprised at his own reaction. "A witty and true saying, my lady. I'll have to remember it."
"Ah, already making waves, Weiss!" Ruby whispered as they followed the man up the wide stairs leading to the first floor.
She didn't deign that with a response, of course. They had to act professionally here.
The office they entered on the first floor was almost as large as the Sealord's and twice as luxuriously decorated. And Bessaro Reyan was larger than both the Sealord and the First Sword combined. Probably larger than those two and Professor Port put together. Weiss was pleasantly surprised that Ruby didn't blurt out a surprised comment.
"Lady Ruby and Lady Weiss, Keyholder," their guide introduced them. "My ladies, Keyholder Reyan." The man smoothly left, closing the door behind him. Not a hidden executive, then, or what the Braavosi equivalent of the position was - 'Keyholder' only indicated that the man was a descendant of one of the original founders of the bank, nothing more, but Reyan obviously was an important man to have such an office.
"Please have a seat!" Reyan also had a booming voice.
Weiss daintily sat down on the - admittedly very comfortable - seat in front of the ornately carved desk. After Ruby had taken hers, of course; proper forms had to be maintained.
Without any signal that Weiss could detect, a side door opened, and a servant - dressed in typical attire, no Keyholder's robes for him - brought in tea and a large cake. Honey cake, Weiss noted as they were served - Ruby's favourite here. Reyan must have done his homework, so to speak.
Although, between Ruby and Reyan, the cake - excellent, as Weiss could attest after securing a piece for herself - quickly vanished.
"I see you've got as healthy an appetite as I heard, my lady," Reyan said.
"Ah, sure!" Ruby blushed a little and tilted her head almost shyly to the side. It made her look adorable. "I'm a growing girl, and Huntresses need a lot of food with our training."
"So I have also heard," Reyan went on. "Your powers demand it."
"Yes." Ruby nodded. "A nice training session leaves us famished."
"Eating heartily is certainly less disturbing than the sacrifices sorcerers and shadowbinders are said to need for their magic," Reyan said.
Weiss was almost certain that the man was more familiar with magical practices than he implied, but it would be rude to imply so, so she nodded. "We wouldn't know - we have yet to face either."
"But we've been training for such a fight," Ruby cut in, patting Crescent Rose, which she had placed in her lap.
"I see." Reyan's smile looked a little strained.
"Ah, just in case someone attacks us. We don't have plans to attack anyone," Ruby quickly added.
"Indeed." Weiss took the opportunity presented. "We just wish to return to our world, as, I believe, your last envoy to King's Landing passed on."
"Ah, yes, Tycho Nestoris." Reyan nodded. "He mentioned that." He didn't say anything about the message for the House of Black and White they had asked to be passed on, Weiss noted. Was he trying to ignore the issue?
She briefly considered ignoring it, then decided against it. This was a good opportunity to remind the man that they had dealt with the other power Braavos was famous for in Westeros, the Faceless Men. As Father had said several times, while one shouldn't be crude about it, reminding someone of the power you wielded often sped up meetings and negotiations. "We also asked him to ask his superiors to contact the House of Black and White on our behalf," she said. "However, that request has now been rendered moot as we came to an agreement with the temple."
"So I heard. And in an impressive manner, if rumours can be trusted."
Ruby shrugged, and Weiss could see that she was uncomfortable being reminded of how a man had killed himself to test them.
Weiss was as well, but needs must, in this case. "We were tested and proved our claims," she said. "There shouldn't be any further unpleasant business between us and the Faceless Men."
"And we told them not to kill people who annoy us," Ruby added with a smile. "You don't have to worry about them targeting the stupid nobles trying to get us involved in their feuds."
Reyan's smile looked as honest as those of the sycophants attending one of Father's gatherings. "That is indeed reassuring." After a moment, he added: "Assassinations shouldn't be ordered lightly, after all. That's the hallmark of a despot, and those seldom end well."
"We are not in the habit of ordering assassinations at all," Weiss corrected him. "Although if pressed, we will defend ourselves with lethal force, we do not like to kill people."
"Yes." Ruby nodded sharply. "Nor do we want to take over anything. We just want to go home. After making sure our friends and those who need protection are safe."
"And I would assume that you'd consider anyone targeting those as more than an annoyance?" Reyan asked.
"Definitely," Weiss said. "We are also very concerned about the stability of the Seven Kingdoms. As the Iron Bank is, I would suppose - a civil war, or a coup, can be very disruptive for your business." Although she also had heard rumours about the Iron Bank staging such things to deal with recalcitrant debtors. "It must be costly to ensure that a debt is honoured after a violent change of rulership."
"Indeed." Reyan's smile had not improved. "But sometimes, that's necessary to continue to do business. If old debts were ignored after such an event, it would set a terrible example for other debtors."
"Indeed," Weiss echoed him.
"That's why no one's going to ignore the kingdom's debt, right?" Ruby added with a smile.
"Of course."
Was that the point of this meeting? Sound them out about the Seven Kingdoms' debts? Weiss would have thought that they had made their views on that clear to Nestoris when they had met, but in an institution as large and old as the Iron Bank, internal politics would be a significant factor, and people might not trust information from someone belonging to a rival faction. On the other hand, the man was obviously concerned about the Faceless Men; it seemed that the Iron Bank was not as powerful as to be able to ignore the threat the assassins represented as Weiss had thought.
And, she realised, he might be overestimating Team RWBY's influence on said assassins. It wasn't as if they could order the Faceless Men around, even though they had offered to help them. That had, obviously, merely been a conciliatory gesture to further smooth things over. Weiss wouldn't even put it past the House of Black and White to have been hired to go after any of those annoying nobles, and using the opportunity to make it appear as if they were doing Team RWBY a favour. Although, on second thought, that seemed a bit too convoluted, or even paranoid. On the other hand, given the intrigue and plots she was aware of, maybe it wasn't paranoid enough…
But she couldn't dwell on that in the middle of a meeting. "Yes, I think all of us have a vested interest in stable relationships between Westeros and the Iron Bank. It has served both sides well, after all, and I don't see any reason to change anything."
"Neither does the Iron Bank, my lady." Reyan didn't look as satisfied as Weiss had expected. Perhaps he had hoped to change the conditions of the bank's loans? Or, she added with a sickening feeling, had he hoped to involve her team in a plot of the Iron Bank? Or his own? If he had, she hoped he had realised that this wouldn't work.
"Great!" Ruby beamed at him. "So, everyone's in agreement, right?"
Weiss nodded with a polite smile that matched Reyan's. "Yes."
"Indeed. Of course, if you have any questions about the current conditions, or any other questions…"
*****
Purple Harbor, Braavos, 299 AC
"...and then we spent about an hour more talking about nothing until Weiss finally decided it was now polite to leave. So much for 'time is money'!"
"We were discussing contracts and loans, Ruby. We've learned a few things that should be useful for the Kingdom's Master of Coin - once Lord Eddard and the others finally agree on who will fill the post."
Blake Belladonna, leaning against the wall in the living room of their suite, exchanged a glance with Yang as the other half of their team bickered over whether they should have listened to 'boring numbers' or ignored 'crucial information about the financial system of this world'.
Yang spread her hands and shrugged with a wry smile. "Best let them get it out of their system," she whispered, just loud enough for Blake's ears to pick up over the argument.
She would normally agree, but not now. There was something that was nagging at her. And it wasn't how Ghost had been looking at her and Yang while Jon had been sleeping - the boy had stood watch far too long last night, although given their current circumstances, more caution and alertness than normal would not go amiss, so they had hung out in the living room to keep an eye on things.
She cleared her throat, but her friends ignored her. Frowning, she raised her hand. Weiss noticed her first and trailed off. "Yes, Blake?"
"You said the Keyholder was concerned about our relationship with the Faceless Men."
"Yes. So he insinuated, at least. I think he was genuinely concerned, but I cannot exclude the possibility that he had put up an act to make us think so, although I cannot fathom for what purpose he might have done so."
"She means 'yes'," Ruby added with a toothy smile.
Yang laughed, and Blake smiled in return. Ruby was usually nice, often too nice for her own good, but she could be snarky and petty as well.
"Do you think that he was right?" Blake asked. "About our influence on the House of Black and White?"
"They offered to kill people who annoyed us," Ruby said.
Weiss frowned. "That doesn't mean that they are at our beck and call. They might just have wanted to do us a favour and might have been hired to kill some people already by others."
Blake nodded. Feuds - and the conflict between House Fregar and House Prestayn certainly qualified as one, and was escalating further if what she had overheard in the inns and taverns they had visited today while Ruby and Weiss visited the Iron Bank was true - would provide ample opportunities for assassins to earn money. Still… "The Faceless Men do have a fearsome reputation," she said. "I doubt this Keyholder is the only one worried about our relationship with them. Not in Braavos, and probably not in Westeros."
Ruby blinked, but Yang grinned. "Oh, I think I know what you are thinking!"
Weiss did as well, but didn't approve - she had narrowed her eyes at Blake. "I don't think claiming that we would send assassins after people who annoy us would be a good idea."
"We wouldn't do that!" Ruby blurted out at once. "Both, I mean - actually doing it, no way, but we also wouldn't threaten to do it!"
"Yes," Weiss nodded at her.
"Not for annoyances," Blake said. "But if people think that if they attack those under our protection, they will face a Faceless Man coming after them, it might dissuade them from trying anything." The White Fang certainly had used their reputation as much as actual violence to further their goals back home.
"'Face a faceless man'?" voiced under her breath with a grin, and Blake rolled her eyes at her girlfriend.
"Oh…" Ruby blinked again.
"I doubt that the Faceless Men would take kindly to us using their reputation for our own goals," Weiss said.
That was true. Any organisation involved in such business would have to protect their reputation. Violently, to dissuade repeat offences. And yet…
"We can ask them if it's OK!" Ruby said, beaming. "They offered to help, didn't they?"
"Yeah," Yang said. "And they owe us one for their attempted assassinations. They might go along with it to make it up to us."
Blake smiled at her, grateful for the support.
Ruby agreed as well, she noted.
Weiss remained unconvinced, though. "I am not certain we should associate so closely with the Faceless Men. That could - would - affect our reputation as well. And that of our Order. Especially if they start assassinating people who either were merely annoying or appeared to be only annoying. I would rather not argue with the Lord Regent whether or not we're responsible for the death of someone who conveniently died after annoying us; we would be blamed for every accident or natural death."
She was right about that, Blake knew. This would cause problems for them. But it would also solve problems. "It would be a way to make our friends and allies safer once we have left," she pointed out. Safer, not safe, of course.
"Then they get blamed for every death," Weiss retorted.
"That would still be better than being killed in a civil war or palace revolution," Blake argued.
"Yeah!" Yang nodded, but Blake wasn't certain if her girlfriend was just demonstrating loyalty or was convinced by her argument.
It all hinged on Ruby, anyway.
And Ruby seemed torn, frowning at the table in front of her as she pondered the issue. "I think we should ask them. The Faceless Men, I mean. Not just whether they are fine about this, but also about the whole wanting to help us for their god stuff. We need to know what that actually means.
Blake nodded. They should have clarified that, but after the leader of the Faceless Men had killed himself, none of them had wanted to linger any longer than absolutely necessary in the temple. It was a death cult, after all.
Weiss groaned, but Ruby nodded firmly. "Yes, let's visit them and talk about this! Then we can make an informed decision."
"Oh, someone's been studying the leadership book!"
"Yang!"
Blake shook her head and exchanged a wry smile with Weiss when Ruby and Yang started bickering. Some things would never change, not even after being transported to another world.
And Blake wouldn't have it any other way.
*****
The House of Black and White, Braavos, 299 AC
Back to the temple of death. Yang Xiao Long wasn't a fan of the place - it was far too creepy for her taste, and the people here were a bunch of Death cultists - but Ruby was right. They'd better check what exactly the Faceless Men meant when they offered to help Team RWBY.
Still, she kept her guard up while following the young man who had met them at the door. The Seer might have become the leader of the group, but that didn't mean that every single assassin agreed with his views.
But there were no assassins hiding in the alcoves lining the path to the back of the temple - only one was occupied, and the visitor there looked already dead. Suicide. Yang suppressed a shudder. No matter how bad it was, how much you suffered, to die like that, taking poison and waiting for death… If she had to die, she would go down fighting, giving her all, taking as many bastards with her as she could. She wouldn't wait for her death like that.
As they approached the door, she glanced at Blake. Her girlfriend looked as tense as Yang felt, but she wasn't about to draw Gambol Shroud and start fighting, so there shouldn't be any assassins hiding in the shadows.
Fortunately, their guide led them up, not down, the stairs. Not just because it would be easier for the assassins to try and trap them in the basement with the same gas they had tried on Dragonstone, no - they could handle that as long as they were not asleep. No, Yang really didn't want to see the basement and their pillars covered by faces taken from dead people ever again.
Compared to that horror show, the office they entered looked perfectly normal, if pretty bare. Just a large table, a few chairs, writing stuff and shelves stuffed with parchment and paper. Not that different from the offices they had seen in the Red Keep, just lacking any kind of luxury.
"Hi!" Ruby beamed at the man - 'The Seer' - sitting behind the desk, but Yang could tell her sister was forcing it; she found them creepy as well. "Thank you for receiving us on short notice!"
"It's the least the man who sees could do for the girls." That was a really creepy smile as well - the guy's eyes were looking past them, or so Yang found.
"We won't take up too much of your time," Ruby went on. "We just wanted to, uh, clarify something. About your offer to help us."
"The man who sees listens."
Yang swallowed her comment about his weird way of talking. They were here to get a favour, not to insult the whole group.
"So, what exactly did you mean when you offered to help us?" Ruby asked. "Killing people you think are our enemies or something? Because we don't want you to kill people for us. Certainly not because they're annoying."
"The man who sees heard the girls' message."
But would he follow it? Yang studied the man, but quickly gave up - she couldn't read him. She couldn't even tell, not without Ghost, if he was wearing his own face or a dead man's one.
"So…?" Ruby raised her chin a bit, as she usually did when she was being stubborn. "What exactly is it you're offering?"
"Him of Many Faces wants his followers to support the girls from another world in their goal."
Yang clenched her teeth; was the guy doing that expressively to annoy them?
Ruby, though, was not taken aback or mad and just kept at it. "So, what kind of help can you offer?"
"The men who follow His wishes can grant His Gift to those who deserve it."
Ruby frowned a little, and everyone waited, but the Seer didn't add anything. Then she nodded. "Alright."
"And do you mind if we tell this to others?" Blake spoke up.
"The man who sees does not mind. Him of Many Faces wills it."
"Good. And, not that we plan to have people killed, if we needed your help, how could we reach you once we're no longer in King's Landing?" Ruby was forcing herself to smile, Yang could tell. "Send you a letter?"
The assassin nodded.
Well, in hindsight, that was how things worked here, didn't they?
"And how do we ensure that no one is trying to abuse that in our name?" Weiss leaned forward a bit on her chair.
The guy reached into a drawer in his desk that Yang hadn't noticed before and pulled out a bag, then passed it to Ruby.
She opened it at once, and Yang tensed again. "Oh. Coins?"
"If the girls put one into a letter, the man will know the girls sent it."
"Ah." Ruby paused for a moment, licking her lips nervously. "Thanks!" She looked at the rest of Team RWBY. Yang shook her head - they were done here, as far as she was concerned. Not that she was an expert on this kind of stuff.
But neither Blake nor Weiss had anything to add.
"Alright. Thanks again! It was really helpful!" Ruby chirped.
The man nodded with a creepy smile. "As Him of Many Faces wills it."
Great. Yang didn't allow herself to relax until they had left the temple again.
"So… looks like we were right: We do have the Faceless Men at our beck and call," Ruby said as they walked back to the boat waiting for them.
She didn't sound very thrilled. Or at all.
Yang didn't feel thrilled either. She wanted to leave the city and forget this whole thing. But she had a feeling that wouldn't be as easy as she hoped.