Chapter 8
The Red Keep, 281 A.C., Later that night…
I strolled through the Red Keep in my nicest clothes, a mostly blue tunic and pants with black and white highlights in the Seastark colors. I ignored the looks and whispers of lords and ladies as I made my way to the Lannister quarters. There I found an intricately carved set of mahogany doors guarded by two Lannister guards in their house colors.
"Halt! Who goes there?" The Lannister guard to the right held out his arm and stopped me.
"Lord Hugo Seastark. I'm expected for dinner tonight." I explain as I hand him the invitation. The knight scrutinizes the scroll, particularly the Lannister seal before nodding his head in satisfaction and opening the door. I was about to walk in when both Lannister guards stood at full attention.
"Prince Stannis! Lady Cersei!" The guard on the left said as they both quickly bowed. Surprised, I turned to see Stannis standing behind me with Cersei holding his arm before giving a quick bow of my own to him.
"Lord Seastark. I was not expecting to see here, though I suppose that explains why the Lannisters of Lannisport were invited." Stannis commented in his usual dry tone while Cersei merely glanced at me as if she was expecting me to be there.
I smile and greet them. "Prince Stannis. Lady Cersei. I'm surprised to see you here too my prince. My invitation didn't say who was attending."
"It will be a small gathering. My father, uncle Tygett, us and the Lannisters of Lannisport." Cersei cuts in with almost bored sounding voice as we made our way through the door into small but ornate dinning room with an eight-seat table fully set. A herald off to the side of the entrance we were walking through announced our presence, drawing the attention of the occupants of the room. My eyes first zero in on Myrra, who when her eyes met mine, gave a small smile that I return briefly. Standing next to her was a young, blonde-haired boy of around two or three-and-ten who I assumed was her younger brother Burton giving me the stink-eye.
Then there were the three Lannister men. Tywin was stone-faced, yet when his hard, green eyes met mine I could understand why people feared and respected him. To his left was a younger version of Tywin with small cuts on his face that looked at me with battle-hardened eyes, seeming to size me up as a warrior. Then there was Myrra's father Harrold Lannister and if this Tywin looked like Charles Dance in his late thirties, then Harrold looked like a Charles Dance as a balding, beer-bellied divorced dad who was giving me a curious look.
Everyone exchanged greetings and we went to sit at the table. I wasn't quite sure of the seat arrangement so I followed slowly as I watched them take their seats before grabbing the lone open seat. Tywin and Stannis sat across from each other at the ends of the table with Tygett to Tywin's right and Harrold to Tywin's left. Cersei and Burton were seated to Stannis's right and left respectively, leaving Myrra and I in the middle with myself between Cersei and Harrold and Myrra between Tygett and her brother.
Tywin silently waved his right hand and as if on cue, several servants began setting the table with porcelain plates imported from Yi-Ti, gold-tinted silverware, red silk napkins, and jewel-encrusted goblets. As this was happening, Lord Tywin addressed Stannis from across the table in a dry voice, "Prince Stannis, I hope your day was well. I heard you spent time with my daughter today."
Stannis replied in an equally dry voice. "Indeed, I did after this morning's council meeting, I escorted Lady Cersei through the castle gardens." Cersei for her part, gave a forced smile and cut in. "Yes, Prince Stannis was telling me about his hobby of falconry and invited me to attend the next time he partakes." Stannis simply gritted his teeth and hesitantly nodded.
If Tywin noticed the couple's awkwardness, he didn't show it. "That is good to hear. Speaking of the small council, did they discuss my petition?" Tywin asked in a curious voice as the servants began placing the appetizer plates on the table and filling the guests' goblets with wine. A fruit platter with various grapes, melons, and citrus and I immediately eyed the blood oranges. A charcuterie board of various breads, cheeses and meats was placed nearby and everyone was given a porcelain bowl of a steamy hot brown soup with what looked to be melted cheese covering bread. Is this French onion soup!? I looked at my own bowl in mild confusion before being pulled away by Stannis's response. "Indeed, they did, and decided there is to be no expansion of the Wayfinders Guild until after the remaining Targaryens loyalists are dealt with."
Does Tywin want a Wayfinder Guild? I thought curiously to myself.
"That is unfortunate to hear." Tywin said after a moment before reaching out and grabbing a piece of bread, giving the silent signal to everyone to dine in. I began grabbing a few pieces of bread, cured salami and a cheese that's looks reminded me of Brie before switching to the fruit and nabbing a few pieces blood orange, cantaloupe and some green grapes. I was idly wondering how Tywin managed to import blood oranges from Dorne with a Targaryen blockade and a hostile House Martell when Stannis looked to me and spoke.
"Speaking of the guild, Lord Seastark, Ser Davos reported the first batch of backstaffs arrived and has begun instructing the captains on how to use them."
"Aye. I inspected them myself before they were sent out. How did the captains find them?" I asked out of curiosity.
"From what Ser Davos reported, unwieldy but once accustomed they swear by it's accuracy." Stannis responded.
"Backstaffs?" Tywin inquired, eyes shifting to me and I gave a brief explanation on what they were and how they work. His eyes shifted back to Stannis, who answered his unasked question.
"I myself have used one and can attest to their worth. They are better than astrolabes and cross-staffs and when used with a wayfinder…We now have an advantage over the Free Cities in navigation." Stannis stated with a confident tone to the surprise of everyone before turning back to me. "Lord Seastark has been instrumental to the establishment of the Wayfinders Guild in such a timely manner." He finished with a respectful nod.
"You honor me, my prince. Setting up the guild was a straightforward affair and they are now in a position where they require little oversight from me." I say with a sheepish smile as I look to see Tywin giving me an impressed look.
Is Stannis trying to wingman me? I thought to myself as a dip my spoon into my soup, making sure to get some cheese with my spoonful as I put it in my mouth and my eyes widen. Huh. This is French onion soup!
I hear a faint chuckle to my right. "Never tried West onion soup?" I turn to Myrra's father Lord Harrold. "No. I did not think such a delicious soup existed." I say while thinking At least not in Westeros.
"It's a Westerland delicacy and my little Myrra's favorite soup. Do try the wine." Harrold smiles and gestures with his hand towards my goblet before taking a bite of bread and cheese. I do so and am immediately hit with the sweet taste of honey mixed with spices. Harrold finished chewing and said "Lannisport spiced honey wine. This vintage is from my personal vineyard. Have you tried it before? Your father buys…er, bought a few barrels from us each year."
"Aye. I've had it before. My father always called it the 'the good stuff' and saved it for feasts or namedays." I say with a sad smile.
Harrold smiles and looks thoughtful. "I remember when your father first came to Lannisport about a decade ago to propose a trade deal, he met with myself and Ser Keven as Lord Tywin was in King's Landing as Hand of the King…" He goes on to a story about when he invited my father to dine with his family, little five-year-old Myrra, who had never met a Northman or Old Gods worshipper, unleashed a tidal wave of questions on my poor old man. I chuckle at the mental image of my father being cornered by a little girl, forced to answer her unending questions as I glance over at Myrra, who was talking with her brother. As if sensing my gaze, she looks at me with a smile and a mischievous glint in her eye and when her brother noticed this, he turned to me with a glare. Harrold's eyes scan the three of us and softly chuckles "Don't mind my son, Burton, he's just overprotective of his sister…"
We continue our conversation shifting to expanding the current trade deal between our houses as we ate our appetizers. The trade deal my father made was a small expansion of the existing one of Northern timber, furs (particularly otter and shadowcat) and amber for Lannister grain shipped during winter alongside a few barrels of honeywine and a tiny amount of spices.
Amber was the one luxury resource House Seastark had and the amber trade was the sole reason Wolfsport is as big as it is. House Seastark was one of the largest exporters of amber in all of Westeros due to stumbling upon a large mine of amber in the hilly, forested interior of Sea Dragon Point, thought to be either ancient First Man burial mound or stockpile during the time of the Warg Kings of old. There were two types of amber that House Seastark cultivated, the first was "yellow amber" that was mined seemed mostly based on the Baltic amber from my Earth memories and despite the name were also commonly orange and brown with red being rare. The second, rarer, and more sought after was the "blue amber" found in the hundreds of sea coves small and large dotted across the peninsula that washed up from the ocean and oddly resembled blue amber from the Dominican Republic back on Earth and in particular, used as jewelry throughout the North.
I was saving timber for my own shipbuilding expansion but I was willing to increase furs and amber exports in exchange for increase in grain and luxury goods and it probably helped that I mentioned the soon-to-be Queen Lyanna wore a necklace of blue amber and a bracelet of yellow amber made by amber jewelers in Wolfsport. After haggling over the details as we savored our soups, we came to a trade agreement that effectively more than doubled the current trade between Wolfsport and Lannisport. The only tense part was, as a newly chartered city with the right to regulate custom duties, I pushed for a lowering of custom duties of the standard thirty percent to twenty. Harrold froze as Tywin cut in from his own intense whispering session with Tygett with a stern voice that they would go no lower than five-and-twenty percent with eyes that dared me to argue. Deciding not to die on that hill, I gave an acquiescent nod.
Soon enough the appetizers were finished and the plates clear and made way for the main courses, a large seafood platter of shrimp, scallions, octopus, clams and squid with the centerpiece being the fried oysters with herbs and bits and bacon alongside smaller plates of honeyed chicken and roasted lambchops. Once again, we waited for our host Tywin to grab food first before doing so ourselves. As I was grabbing my food, I saw Harrold and Tywin exchange a look between one another that ended with Tywin giving a nod. After everyone had finished filling their plates and getting their goblets refilled, Harrold turned to me.
"Lord Seastark, we have come to a profitable trade agreement, mayhaps we deepen the growing bond between our houses with a betrothal between yourself and my daughter Myrra?" he asked with a knowing smile as his voice drew the full attention of the gathering.
I met his smile with one of my own. "Indeed Lord Harrold, I think that is a wonderful idea. I would be honored to wed your daughter Lady Myrra and forge a tighter bond between our houses." I turn to a beaming Myrra. "Lady Myrra, in the brief time we have spent I have found you to be beautiful, witty and intelligent. It would be my honor to have you as my wife and Lady of Castle Warg."
"Lord Hugo, you flatter me with words. It would be my honor to be your lady-wife. Besides…" She says as her smile slides into a smirk and her tone become mischievous. "…I could do worse than a tall, charming, well-read, Northern inventor-lord such as yourself."
A laugh escapes my lips. "Please, call me Hugo." Myrra eyes light up in surprise but the smirk holds. "Only if you call me Myrra."
Harrold clears his throat, pushes his chair back and stands up with goblet in hand. "I propose a toast to the betrothal between House Seastark and House Lannister of Lannisport. May your marriage and our trade be bountiful!" he says with ecstatic energy and a wide smile. We all raised our goblets and cheered. Prince Stannis actually gave a small smile as he gave us his congratulations with Cersei's at least attempting to sound polite and friendly. The one Myrra's little brother, Burton, gave us was more subdued, with the tone and body language of someone who didn't like what was happening but accepted it. Tygett gave me a stiff congratulations before turning to Tywin with a displeased look, who for his part, ignored him as he gave his with corners of mouth curled slightly upwards.
After the betrothal and toast the atmosphere changed, as if waiting for this to happen, and became lighter as we dug into our food. I discussed the details with Myrra's father, we would marry in a sept at day and then in front of a Weirwood tree at night, Myrra would keep her faith but our children would worship the Old Gods, she would bring two handmaidens, a bastard knight sworn to the Lannisport Lannisters and a septa. I was a bit hesitant on the last one considering what happened to the Starks in canon with Septa Mordane, but agreed on the condition the septa chosen be competent, well-read, and fully aware their job is to attend to the spiritual needs of my future wife and not converting the locals, especially our children. The dowry was bigger than I expected at ten thousand golden coins to be given after the wedding.
I was enjoying the succulent lambchops when the topic of the wedding date came up, Tywin made his presence known. "If I could make a suggestion?"
Tygett muttered something about him making it anyway but was cut off by a glare from Tywin. I was curious though Harrold looked nervous and we heard him out.
"It hasn't been announced yet, but my brother has been betrothed to Darlessa Marbrand of House Marbrand with the wedding date set to a year from now when she turns five-and-ten. Dual weddings seemed to have become a common occurrence as of late with your lord liege and the Hand, the King and his brother, and the Freys announced one this morning after the debacle in the gardens. If you're willing to wait, I propose a dual wedding my brother and his betrothed and you and Lady Myrra. The wedding ceremony in the Golden Sept of Lannisport with the wedding feast in Casterly Rock." Tywin proposed while Tygett looked like he swallowed a lemon.
Everyone but Tygett was stunned. I looked between Myrra and Harrold, who both seemed eager but were looking for my reaction with pleading eyes. Thankfully for them, I had no qualms with waiting as I wanted to get back home before the wedding anyway. "I admit I'm surprised by the generous proposal Lord Tywin; I would be honored to part of a dual wedding with Ser Tygett." I answer Tywin before giving a respectful nod to Tygett, whose sour expression lessens as he nods back.
"The honor is mine Lord Seastark, Lady Myrra." He forces out in a neutral tone before the sour expression returns when he looks back at Tywin. I get the impression he isn't happy with the dual wedding but thankfully seems to be taking his displeasure out on Tywin rather than Myrra or I. Tywin ignores Tygett as he stands up and gives a toast to the upcoming dual wedding and we toast.
"Ha!" Stannis barks out a short laugh. "It seems dual weddings are the newest trend after all!" he comments and we politely chuckle.
We continue to enjoy our dinner as the wine and conversation flow. I discussed with Stannis and Tywin a future expansion of the Wayfinders Guild as I tried the honey chicken and all but devoured the fried oysters when we discussed the politics of the Iron Islands with the death of Quellon Greyjoy at the Battle of the Mander and the ascension of his son Balon Greyjoy. I suggested that with a new Lord Greyjoy that prefers the old Iron Price to his father's Gold Price would be potential trouble, especially if they sensed any division or weakness in the Seven Kingdoms. Many at the table seemed skeptical of the Ironborn being dumb enough to try to take on the rest of the realm by themselves but I simply replied that I think Balon is arrogant and foolish enough to try if he sees a chance.
When we finished the main course, the servants cleared the table for one final dessert as they placed small porcelain plates of raisin bread pudding with a drizzle of vanilla glaze to my astonishment. As we dug in, Myrra began asking me questions about Castle Warg in rapid-fire secession about its size and history and I answered them one after another barely keeping up without giving away any secrets that would compromise my home. When I caught Harrold's wistful look of nostalgia, I gained an inkling of what my father endured in Lannisport a decade ago.
The bread pudding was gone but the wine and conversation still flowed. I found out Burton was two-and-ten and was Tygett's squire and that Tywin's suggestion for Master of Coin being his brother Keven was passed over for Lord Ambrose Mallister, father of Jason Mallister to Tywin's displeasure. Tygett asked about experiences at The Battle of the Bells and The Battle of the Trident and when I answered truthfully, he challenged me to a friendly spar. I even sneak a question to Myrra about woods witches and hedge wizards around Lannisport and enjoyed seeing Cersei subtly tense up for second out of the corner of my eye but was surprised when Myrra's smile lessened for a moment before, with her eyes flitting to Cersei and back before answering that they know better than to show up around Lannisport.
Soon the dinner was over, with myself and the other guests bidding their Lannister hosts thanks and goodnight. As I walked out with the Lannisport Lannisters, I gave Harrold a hearty goodbye, exchanged a nod of mutual respect with Burton, who seemed to soften up to me when he heard about my deeds in battle. I grabbed Myrra's hand and kissed her fingers and wished her a goodnight and was rewarded with a cute blush and a stuttered goodnight in response.
I strolled back to my quarters in a slightly drunk but euphoric haze.
The Red Keep, the next morning…
I stood in court with a hungover Wyman to my right and an excited Myrra to my left with her father and brother as Tywin announced the dual wedding being held in Lannisport and Casterly Rock in one year's time. Myrra and I standing next to one another when court began already drew glances and whispers but Tywin's announcement sent the courtiers into an absolute frenzy of whispers, with serious discussions about the new alliance and its implications intermixed with comments about how cute we looked together or how a she shouldn't marry a heathen.
The Westerland lords responded positively to their liege lord's proclamation with heartfelt cheers while the Stormland, Riverland, Vale and North houses being divided between positive and negative.
I paid particular attention to the reactions of my fellow Northern lords, noting that the houses of the west coast with the exception of the Flint's of Flint's Finger, the Manderlys, the Dustins and half the Northern hill clans led by the Wulls gave genuine cheers while the Umbers, Karstarks, Boltons, all three Flint houses with the First Flints leading the other half of the hill clans gave looks and mutters of disapproval. The rest of the Northern lords seemed to be on the fence about it.
Robert boomed with laughter and praised the match and stated that House Baratheon would attend, which at least turned some of the negative looks from the Southron nobles into positive ones, especially amongst the Stormlords.
I looked throughout the court to see the Small Council's reaction. Only Stannis as Master of Ships and Grand Maester Pycelle showed a positive reaction while Lord Estermont as Master of Whispers, Lord Yohn Royce as Master of Laws, Lord Ambrose Mallister as Master of Coin were stoned faced with calculating looks being sent between me and Tywin. Ser Barristan, who was pardoned and kept his position as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard had a neutral look.
As the court of the Red Keep grappled with reality of an alliance between House Seastark and House Lannister, I simply grinned and held Myrra's hand.
A/N: Writing the food was kinda hard and I hope I captured a little bit of G.R.R.M's magic when it comes to writing food. Also we all need a wingman like the Mannis!
A/N2: Grammar
A/N3: Changed Norreys to Wulls because I confused the two