Where Waters Part
Thirty-First Day of the Twelfth Month 293 AC
Ferrengo Antaryon, Sealord of Braavos though no longer sole captain of its fates, looked out over what had once been Drowned Town with what he thought was pardonable pride. He had not been the one principally responsible for the project. It had been the ambition of so many of his predecessors, always counted too costly, too time consuming, ultimately pointless in the face of renewed flooding and erosion, but in a world of magic many things were possible, as the young man walking by his side proved only too well. "I'm glad we were able to preserve some of the towers," he said, indicating one pale limestone spire cunningly integrated into the neo-Valyrian architecture that was steadily beginning to be identified as 'imperial', though said empire had not yet been proclaimed. "It gives a better impression of the Empire and Braavos growing together rather than the former overtaking the other."
The young king smiled softly at the sight. "Ser Richard swore his oath to me there, Serenity, back when I had scarce more than three gold dragons to my name."
"Well you certainly have more than three dragons now," Ferrengo jested, remembering the sight of dragons, once long dead but now restored to life and bound to serve, and that did not even account for those of the Elder Kindred of which King Viserys both was and was not. He had tried to get a mage to explain that to him once and it was every bit as productive as asking an architect to explain domed arches and flying buttresses. Any man could appreciate the beauty of a stately courthouse like the one they were ambling towards, but when one started breaking down the hows and whys of its elegant contours, things became more of a headache than they were worth.
Rather like seeing a dragon in flight, I imagine.
Noticing the king tip his head in askance at his smile, Ferrengo explained. "I was just considering the similarities between yourself and the courthouse before us, and then I thought to myself whether any of the poets in your court would care to write about it. They had certainly compared you to more improbable things."
This time King Viserys laughed aloud, the smile beneath the glamor briefly only that of a boy not quite eight and ten, though the mask beneath the mask settled back so quickly the Sealord almost wondered if it had been there at all. "Please, Serenity, have mercy, there will be enough verse of dubious quality invoked in the coming days, no need to help them along."
"As you command, Your Grace," the lord of Braavos replied, the Westerosi courtesy as easy upon his lips as the slightly jocular tone. He knew himself well enough to be aware that he was not usually this lighthearted with those outside the closest bonds of kith and kin, but one could hardly fault one's overlord for putting one at ease. It was rather like having a fine wine with dinner, only without the lingering pangs of headache in the morning, which come to think of it, were the norm these days thanks to alchemy. "Still, dubious verses aside, it is culture that elevates us from simply surviving day by day to truly living, so I have added small Braavosi polish to the new Quarter."
"The Serene Academy of Fine Arts?" The words were barely a question, he would have known about it, of course, though not perhaps the details.
"Yes, there shall be a grand opening as part of Empire Day celebrations here in Braavos. Artists from across Essos and even as far off as Yi Ti have been persuaded to join."
"Yi Ti?" he definitely had not known that one, probably because whatever inquisitors were with the fleet did not think it important enough to share in reports to the throne.
"Translocation is convenient, and it will help to show that even in such a successful trade voyage we Braavosi have interests beyond 'making marks breed'."
"No one of good sense believes that foolishness, Serenity," the king assured him smoothly.
"Of course not, but there are a great many people out there without the sense the Moon gave a turtle, and being part of a single Empire will serve the Secret City better to be known for more than the sharpness of its traders and the strength of its fleets."
Particularly since the latter is not going to be worth a damn soon, he thought but did not need to say aloud. He had been aboard the
Duskrunner yesterday and understood all too well that the age of wooden ships floating atop the waves was well and truly setting.
"Speaking of new institutions, I have been considering a new Scholarum branch here and in Pentos," King Viserys said.
"Who do you have in mind to head them?" Ferrengo asked. The headmaster or the Scholarum would be an important influence in the city and one he wished to learn more of sooner rather than later.
What do you reply?
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OOC: The Sealord is always fun to write because he is one of the few non-Companions who sees Viserys as a person beyond all else. Not yet edited.