Dorne
Sunspear
"She did what now?" Meria Martell, unaffectionately called the Yellow Toad of Dorne due to her appearance, leaned forward, giving her full attention to Lord Wyl.
"Caught a crossbow bolt in the air and saved her grandfather, Lucan Penrose, from death." Wyl of Wyl, also called the Widow-lover, repeated his previous sentence.
"Is that even possible?" The Princess of Dorne could wage wars, but fighting on the frontlines wasn't exactly something she was trained to do.
"Not at all." Wyl didn't believe it either at first, but the news came from more than one source, not to mention old Lucan ordering the guard responsible to be put to death.
"That girl enjoys doing the impossible. What of Weeping Town and all the other ports that are popping up all over the Storm Kingdom?" Keeping an eye on your enemies was vital for planning, and the Storm Kingdom filling their coffers was not good for the future.
"Weeping Town is growing in trade every day, and the rest of the ports are seeing more ships. There is also news that Argella Durrandon is constructing another one of those Iron Works near the Parchments." Wyl considered sending an assassin to get rid of the girl before she became a bigger issue, but Argilac protected her as if it was his sole purpose in life.
"Wonderful. What of that spy we sent to Weeping Town? Addam, was it?" Meria's voice was dripping with sarcasm at the good fortunes of Argilac.
She, just like the other rulers no doubt did, had ordered spies to be sent to Weeping Town, and if the man was as good as he was said to be, they should learn something new.
"Yes, Princess; Addam Sand has returned, though he did not learn anything we don't know. The Iron Works are protected at all times, and none of the blacksmiths could be coerced." Wyl shook his head. He was disappointed at Addam, but he was too valuable to kill for one mistake and had sent him to Oldtown instead.
"And what of these rumors about the farming machines?" Burning their farms before they could reap the crops was one way Dorne kept the Storm Kingdom on the back foot, though with the speed their harvests were finished, that was becoming harder to do.
"True, unfortunately. They do the work that takes days in a fraction of the time, allowing their farmers to sow and reap more crops."
"Argella Durrandon is becoming more dangerous than her father every day."
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Kingdom of the Reach
Highgarden
"I will forbid any goods from the Storm Kingdom from entering the Reach." Mern declared before the court.
Reactions were mixed. Some didn't care, those at the border didn't like the idea, and the rest were pleased to hear it.
"Your Grace, that will only increase the animosity between the kingdoms, and they may cease purchasing grain and foodstuff from us in retaliation." Lord Arvin Ashford suggested caution, not only because the death of King Garse and several other nobles destabilized the Reach, but also because they were barely coming out of winter, unlike the Storm Kingdom, which had seen an unusually short winter compared to other kingdoms—according to maesters, it was a first as far as their historical records said—but also due to all the grain his lands sold.
"Indeed, with their grain output increased due to the new machines, they are not as dependent on us as before, but our luxury goods still find buyers." Derron, Lord of Arbor, sold a lot of Arbor Gold and other expensive wines to the Stormlords, which meant their relations were neutral, as both sides didn't want to anger the other and harm the mutual goodwill they had.
"That may be so, but with the iron and steel they are selling, not only are our blacksmiths running out of work and losing coin, but the enemy's coffers are also fattening with our wealth." Manfred Hightower was championing during King Garse's time to ban the goods of the Storm Kingdom to no effect, though with his death, Mern had taken a harsher stance, much to his pleasure.
"Could we build an ironworks of our own?" King Mern asked. If they could, then the ban would be unnecessary, and they could stop buying from Weeping Town without starting any more trouble.
"We don't know, Your Grace. The closest thing known are the forges of Qohor, but the Qohorik blacksmiths use slaves to move all the heavy tools they use." Everyone knew that Qohor forged the best steel in the Free Cities, and much to Derron's displeasure, they were far better than anything he had seen in Westeros.
"Maesters should have a general idea of how it works. We can try building it ourselves." Manfred had discussed with the Citadel how to make one in Oldtown, and while they had ideas, there was no certainty yet, but it wouldn't stop him.
"Then that is what we shall do."
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The Dragonstone
"Really? I have to admit, perhaps Argilac wasn't just boasting when he talked about his daughter." Aegon Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone and rider of Balerion the Black Dread, chuckled, reading the latest reports he had received.
"Indeed. There are rumors that the Hoares are getting concerned about Argilac trying to take back the Riverlands if they continue to fill their coffers like that." Visenya kept an eye on Westeros for the future plans of her husband, and mentions of House Durrandon, specifically Argella, were becoming more and more common.
"Has Argilac betrothed her to anyone yet?" Aegon put down the papers, focusing on his eldest sister-wife, as she was the one in charge of spying on Westeros.
"No, it is said that the princess doesn't wish to marry; that's why Argilac is taking another wife after so long." Visenya thought that Argilac must be very weak-willed for allowing his daughter to act as she wished.
"The Storm King is getting old, isn't he? No guarantee he could sire another child even if he weds, and that would leave Argella as his sole heir." Rhaenys and Visenya did not seem to like where this was going as they tensed.
"So what, you'll take a third wife?" Rhaenys asked with her arms crossed, mirrored by Visenya.
"No, I had someone else in mind." Aegon glanced at Orys, who rolled his eyes at the implication.
"Let's not make any plans based on someone's fertility." Orys hadn't really thought about marriage, much less to a princess, but he wasn't going to entertain the idea.
"Orys is right. We should focus on other matters. We already have too much to do; an eleven-year-old girl could afford to wait."
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The Parchments
9 BAC
Construction of the Iron Works of Parchments was indeed moving fast, though it was mostly the building itself rather than the mechanisms, since Ei was the only one with the perfect knowledge of how to build them.
Since the workers were brought from Weeping Town, they knew to listen to the princess, and without any storms or work accidents, construction was going to be much smoother and faster.
Ei was content with this, though Lucan's usually calm and stoic mask was broken, and he was smiling in genuine joy at the wealth his lands would no doubt gain from this venture, as Weeping Town was currently doing.
She also inspected the coal mine and wasn't happy with the lack of safety, something Lucan rushed to remedy.
Other than that little mishap, everything was going smoothly.
Except the crossbow incident. Everyone was talking about that.
People either looked at her with fear, reverence, or a mix of both. Rumors of her being blessed by the Seven had intensified, and even the clergy was getting onto it, calling her "the Blessed One."
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Jocelyn Penrose, granddaughter of Lord Lucan Penrose, was assigned to serve Princess Argella, her two-year-older cousin, as a lady-in-waiting during her stay in Parchments for the construction.
She was fascinated by the princess. Not only did she carry herself with dignity beyond her years, but Argella was also really clever, as people sing her praises every day. Jocelyn was also at the courtyard and saw how Argella saved their grandfather by snatching the crossbow bolt from the air.
It was something out of a tale, where the dashing hero saved the life of a noble, though in this case it was a heroine.
So Jocelyn asked Argella to teach her how to be just as great as she was, and the princess agreed and began to teach her administrative work.
Not what she was expecting.
But then Argella explained how she was going to need an aide in the future, and Jocelyn, if she worked hard enough, could be that.
Jocelyn thought the princess knew what she was doing, and between construction and her other work, her cousin held lessons.
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Argella received several letters, one from her father, two from Weeping Town, and several lords had sent progress reports.
Her father said the preparations for the wedding were underway, but it would wait until she returned, and that Selena was wishing her good fortune in her endeavors. Argilac also reported their coffers were filling more each day with taxes and trade, and they could afford to better arm their men to defend the Marches.
Master Aren's letter informed her the speed of iron and charcoal delivery was slowing their production and requested aid, though Ei could do nothing other than allocate more funds for the roads connecting Bronzegate to Parchments and the port to decrease the transportation time.
Lord Tommen gave assurances about the security of the Iron Works. He had gone far enough to arrest anyone who asked too many questions and deport them out of Weeping Town with a warning to never return.
Extreme, but necessary.
Iron Works of Parchments, and the looms promised to House Dondarrion, had sent the rest of the lords scrambling to finish their own improvements, as time was running out now.
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It was a month before the new year when the construction was finished, and the whole town had gathered to watch as the Iron Works of Parchments started with the workers lowering the waterwheels, signalling the start of a new era of prosperity for the land of House Penrose.
With its proximity to Bronzegate's iron mine and the coal mine barely a couple miles away, combined with a small but fast-growing port, this venture was going to be even more profitable than the one in Weeping Town.
Lucan enjoyed that immensely.
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With the Iron Works starting its production, nobles gathered at Parchments and slowly made their way to Storm's End for the king's wedding.
Lucan, citing his old age and wishing to converse with his granddaughter alone, had sent Jocelyn to another carriage.
"Once Selena gives birth to a boy, what will become of him if he doesn't become the king?" The question was gnawing at his mind. Argella would never agree to be a subordinate to anyone, especially not to a mortal.
"When the time comes, I will give him the title of the First Prince and make him the head of administration." Ei was doing this to ensure the continuation of Durrandon blood and to get away from the dreary paperwork.
"If the boy and his descendants rule the kingdom, what will you do?" Lucan didn't know what would happen once the fact that Argella is a god came out, besides mass chaos and the Faith's inevitable uprising.
"Meditate, I suppose. Travel the world, perhaps, and do something about slavery while I am out there. I will return if something important happens or there is a crisis, but otherwise I don't plan on involving myself too much once my plans come to fruition, besides setting up overall goals for the First Prince." Ei did not feel like setting up commissions when there were a lot of noble houses, and none of them would accept other houses besides Durrandon having any dominion over them.
"Is that how you ruled back in Inazuma?" Lucan would have loved to see how a land ruled by an actual god ended up looking, but he would have to settle for living just long enough to see Argella's rise.
"More or less. I had commissions who did the administrative work and handled the military affairs, but the final say was mine." Ei gave a barebones explanation to not derail the conversation.
"Hmm. I suppose you would know better. What of Jocelyn?" The Lord of Parchments loved his granddaughter. She was a sweet and dutiful girl, but Argella's interest in her had him excited.
"I was thinking of educating her to be a secretary, an aide who will organize my work."
"Do you really need that?" He had seen firsthand hand how fast Argella handled work. If he was that fast, Lucan would have a lot fewe wrinkles for sure.
"Need? No. I am immortal; I can always find time to finish my work, but humans are not, and as such, any delays will be to their detriment. Also, it will be a step towards changing how women are viewed in this world."
"It has been like this for eight thousand years; do you think you can change it?" Lucan knew this was dangerous territory. He too was of the mind that women should stick to the roles they had for the last eight thousand years, but saying that in front of Argella was a tremendously stupid idea, so he kept it to himself.
"I would prefer it happen through example and understanding, but if I have to take my blade to it, I shall do exactly that." Her gaze told Lucan the future wasn't going to be all good, for the lords of the kingdom at least.
In the next chapter:
"Father, this is for you." She handed out the sword.
Its grip was black and gold, with the crowned stag of House Durrandon etched on it. The guard was gold with three commas on each side of it, though the most captivating part was the blade.
Purple and gold were intertwined as if two serpents coiled around, and it gleamed in the light with an unusual shine.
Argilac rose from his seat and took the sword, inspecting it before two servants pushed a metal training post into the middle of the hall.
The king raised an eyebrow, thinking this was a jest, before walking between the tables to reach the training post amidst the whispers of the very curious guests, ready to see if his daughter was serious.
The hall quieted down, everyone waiting for the king to test the sword. Argilac raised his new sword and brought it down on the metal post.
Storm's End
8 BAC
King Argilac was finally getting married to Lady Selena Caron. After the exchange of wedding vows in the small sept of Storm's End, nobles of the kingdom were celebrating within the Round Hall, enjoying the grand feast.
It has been delayed due to Princess Argella's work in Parchments, but the previous experience earned in Weeping Town has made the construction proceed quicker. Lord Lucan was very pleased to have a coal mine and Iron Works fill his coffers like never before.
The usual gifts one might expect at a wedding were presented, such as weapons, armor sets, shields, horses for the king, gold, jewelry, and expensive dresses and fabrics for the queen.
Princess Argella went in last as the feast was coming to a close, carrying a longsword and a dress on a mannequin covered by a cloth for surprise.
"Father, this is for you." She handed the sword to him.
Its grip was black and gold, with the crowned stag of House Durrandon etched on it. The guard was gold with three commas on each side of it, though the most captivating part was the blade.
Purple and gold were intertwined as if two serpents coiled around, and it gleamed in the light with an unusual shine.
Argilac rose from his seat and took the sword, inspecting it before two servants pushed a metal training post into the middle of the hall.
The king raised an eyebrow, thinking this was a jest, before walking between the tables to reach the training post amidst the whispers of the very curious guests, ready to see if his daughter was serious.
The hall quieted down, everyone waiting for the king to test the sword. Argilac raised his new sword and brought it down on the metal post.
His swing met no resistance, and due to how hard he brought down the sword, it left a gash on the floor.
The steel post was as thick as Argilac's muscled arm, and no sword, not even a vaunted Valyrian steel sword, could hope to cut it.
The audience gasped as half of the post fell down with a clang, a smooth diagonal cut having done the impossible. Argilac grinned and swung again, a horizontal slash cutting the remaining post in half. The king wanted more, so he took the top half of the post lying on the ground and threw it up and sliced it in half too.
Argilac roared, throwing his head back in delight.
"This is a weapon fit for legends. How in the name of the Smiths did you make this?"
"Just some techniques I've thought of." Ei wasn't lying, as she did indeed create the techniques responsible for forging some of the most well-known weapons back in Inazuma.
"As for you, Selena, I thought this dress might suit you." It was a colored tomesode, a type of kimono worn by married women.
A vibrant blue silk dress similar to a robe, it had the crowned stag of the Durrandons and the nightingales of House Carron stitched at the hems and was held together by a golden sash.
"I stitched with the aesthetics similar to dresses known in Yi-Ti." That too was technically true, though Ei only chose to say that because she couldn't admit the truth.
"It is beautiful, thank you." The Queen of the Storm Kingdom closed her mouth with her hands, delighted by the foreign dress.
"Time for the bedding ceremony." A lord at the end of the table shouted, and suddenly Princess Argella's gifts were forgotten. The Round Hall rose, ready to tear the clothes of the wedded couple apart, but there was a problem.
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Argilac, Lucan, and Garrin noticed it first when Argella's eyes twitched, and they got goosebumps, the telltale sign of her fury getting ready to erupt.
If she did that here, there would be no telling just what kind of damage she would cause.
The three of them looked at each other, and a silent agreement was reached.
Lucan gasped, holding his heart and falling down.
"Father!" Robert screamed in horror, kneeling down to help his father, which caused a different kind of chaos, while Princess Argella looked puzzled before realization dawned on her.
Argilac, grasping the opportunity, quickly took his new bride away before his daughter killed someone.
Garrin kept the crowd focused on Lucan and himself, shouting for a Maester, giving them the chance for a clean getaway.
Argilac and Selena were out of sight, and Lucan coughed one last time and stopped his act.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." He grunted, allowing Maester Larry to check on him.
"You appear to be fine, my lord, but it is best if you rest for now." Larry gently helped the aging lord of Parchments rise, and with the help of his son Robert, took him to rest.
"Wait, where are the king and the queen?"
It didn't take long for people to realize what had happened.
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Following the wedding and the feast, it was only natural for a tourney to be held.
Melee, archery, and the joust.
The first day was the squire's melee, where aspiring knights-to-be showed their mettle. Some wore the favor of a lady; others fought for renown and rewards.
Ei watched it for a while for observational purposes. There was no uniform style of fighting, as each squire learned how to fight from a different knight, resulting in different styles with unique twists.
She did not stay around much, as some squires of noble origin intended to approach Ei for her favor. She had nothing against their talents, but the Electro Archon's favor was not granted that easily.
The second day was the grand melee and archery. Lord Taryn Selmy won the melee, while the archery was much more contested, as the marcher lords were all excellent archers, but the victory went to Garrin, her new uncle.
People were allowed a two-day respite between the melee and the joust and chose to enjoy the festivities offered.
Jugglers, mummers, and artisans showed off their talents, and Ei, followed by the guards her father insisted on assigning her, sampled as many as she could.
Food stalls saw special attention from the young princess. Skewers, sweets, drinks, and all manner of food, even some exotic ones from the Free Cities many wouldn't try.
Ei, though, had enough of her guards, and within the blink of an eye, disappeared amongst the crowd, and by the time the guards realized the princess was out of sight, she was already at the other end of the tents, having felt something, a spark of magic.
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"Ah, what a distinguished guest I have. Tell me, Princess, are you here to have your fortune told?" Inside the tent, an old woman sat behind a simple table. A bowl, giving off fumes from whatever herb was burning inside, was in the middle.
She was covered by an old cloak, though Ei could see her sagging face covered with wrinkles.
"Not particularly. I just wished to know the source of the magic I felt. Tell me, what are you?" She sat down, watching the old woman chuckle, before taking her hands off the bowl.
"Lena, a simple woods witch, nothing more. But you, oh, I can feel it, you are something else. Something dangerous." The woods witch leaned forward, her eyes glinting in the shadowy tent, illuminated only by two candles and what light passed between the seams.
"I have no wish to harm you if that is your concern." Ei was merely here to sate her curiosity, not to strike the woman down because of the views of the seven gods of this continent.
"I can see. Now you know what I am; what shall you do?" The sorceress felt no ill intent from the princess, though for all Lena knew, she could be hiding it.
"I had some questions, not for my fortune, but for the magic you use. I shall pay you, of course." Ei would find her fortune on her own, not by asking a sorcerer to divine her future.
"Pay me by answering my questions, Princess. A question for a question."
That sounded fair to the Electro Archon.
"Very well. What is the source of your magic?" She could learn by prying deeper, but doing that could have unknown consequences, and Ei didn't feel the need to take an unnecessary risk like that.
"The Old Gods. They have given me a gift in return for doing their bidding. What are you?" Lena could feel the endless power of the Princess but did not seek to find more, lest she drown in it.
"I am Raiden Ei, the God of Eternity. What do they have you do?" Seven Archons back at Teyvat had mortals doing their bidding, though it was mostly as a way to make their intent known without having to go through the hassle of doing it in person.
Such as Barbatos' herald.
"I am their eyes and ears. They can reach the corners of Westeros that don't have weirwood trees. I have never heard of a God of Eternity. Where are you from?" She knew the existence of many gods, not by name, but by domain, as they watched the world through her, and this was not one she had even heard of.
"I hail from another world, Teyvat. I conversed with your Old Gods once, through the Godswood, but they had not initiated contact after that, and I had no desire to force them. Why are they not speaking again?"
"That, I have no answer to give. Ask another." Lena shook her head. If that happened, the Old Gods had not deigned to tell her anything.
"The winters of this continent are unnatural, and I felt death in the cold winds of winter. Who or what is responsible for this?" Lena grinned at the question, her teeth unnaturally white for a person living in a world where mouth hygiene did not exist.
"You know the answer already; it is the Night King and the Others." Usually, Lena would not answer a question like that, as none would take it seriously, but this was different.
"I see." Ei would have to deal with them sometime in the future.
"How did you come to this world, much less as the princess of one of the Seven Kingdoms?" Lena wondered if more of her kind would come, as it would inevitably lead to conflict.
"I embedded my consciousness into my sword, and when the body I commanded fell in battle, it somehow ended in this world, and I found myself in this body." It was most likely due to the powers of Heavenly Principles tearing open a rift in space, which had sent Mussou Isshin to this world, but Ei couldn't be absolutely sure.
"I have no more questions to ask, do you?"
"Not at this moment. Here." Ei handed her a handful of silver.
"Ah, what a generous deity. Many thanks." Lena took the coin, knowing to keep silent on the matter.
Interesting years were waiting for the Seven Kingdoms.
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Ei left the tent to go and buy more desserts, the conversation with the woodswitch repeating in her mind.
"There she is." Her guards came running, out of breath as they were running around like headless chickens trying to find her.
"Princess, please don't do it again. The King will kill us if something happens to you."
"My father did not assign you to me for my protection; you have nothing to worry about. Now, I wish to see those bards again."
Guards looked confused at the remark but followed wordlessly.
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The bards were singing marcher ballads, and the God of Eternity was sure even Barbatos would find them too long.
She considered it was to be expected, as the same struggle lasted for thousands of years, and the songs were just as long.
Having had enough for the day, Ei returned to the tourney grounds, where her father was trying his new swords against volunteers.
The fights were extremely unfair, as the sword she had gifted to her father sliced through castle-forged steel as if it were butter, and Selena stood at the edge, dressed in the tomesode she had gifted, with ladies flocking to her, watching her husband ruin more than one blade.
"I shall name this blade Victory, for only a fool could hope to lose a fight with this." Argilac raised the sword in the air to the clapping nobles, finally deciding on a name.
"Father, I see you are enjoying your sword." Ei had debated giving the sword much later to not take away the attention from the wedding, but things went fine.
"Damn right I am. By the way, a lot of nobles want one of their own." He sheathed the sword in the gold and black scabbard.
His lords had asked, nonstop, for a sword like this, and Argilac finally had enough to promise he would ask his daughter.
"It takes too much time to forge. The price would be exorbitant." That was a lie, as she wasn't going to spend time forging swords like Victory for people that didn't deserve it.
"Ah well, not my problem." Argilac just shrugged.
In the next chapter:
"Winner, Carn of Weeping Town." The judge announced her victory, and Ei turned her horse around, preparing to leave the arena for the next challengers.
Lucan Penrose strolled into the waiting area, followed by his son Robert, "You rode well, Carn." He complimented, internally wondering just what his granddaughter was doing.
Carn took off his helmet. "Thank you, my lord." Ei nodded, playing along in her guise.
"What brings you to this tourney?" Lucan actually wanted to ask, "What are you doing and why?"
"I thought participating might be insightful." Ei replied, which boiled down to "I was bored."
"I see. May we speak in private?" He had one question in mind. If Carn, who wasn't supposed to be real, was here, then who was the one sitting at the royal booth?
"Very well." Argella nodded, and Lucan turned to his son, "Robert, go and make sure we aren't watched." Robert looked confused but did as he was told.
Storm's End
8 BAC
"Let the joust begin!" Argilac shouted over the crowd gathered at the tourney grounds. He was sitting together with his new wife and queen, Selena, and his daughter, Argella, who looked bored out of her mind, watching the proceedings blankly.
Argilac decided to let her be, thinking she wasn't interested in the event.
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Ei was going to participate in the tournament.
Under the guise of Carn, due to the issues that would no doubt arise if she, a twelve-year-old girl, defeats knights.
The only reason she even joined the tournament was due to boredom.
It was either join the tourney or watch it from the sidelines, bored out of her mind. Kage had taken her place at the royal section of the stands, and Carn was set to ride first, against a hedge knight, Ser Adryn.
Hedge knights were similar to ronin, knights who did not serve a noble and sought gainful employment all over the kingdom.
She had bought a strong-looking mare for the joust and bought weapons and armor and hired a young boy to act as a squire.
A start was given, and the horses spurred forward. Ei raised her lance and shield, as did her opponent. Jousting was more than just the physics involved; it required technique and timing to succeed.
Ei might not have jousted before, but she had thousands of years of experience, and when Ser Adryn's lance scraped her shield and missed, Ei lowered her lance at the last possible second and struck right below the shield, unhorsing the knight.
Adryn landed on the ground with a thud, shaken but alive, and slowly got up, nodding to the victor in line with chivalric codes of honor.
"Winner, Carn of Weeping Town." The judge announced her victory, and Ei turned her horse around, preparing to leave the arena for the next challengers.
Lucan Penrose strolled into the waiting area, followed by his son Robert, "You rode well, Carn." He complimented, internally wondering just what his granddaughter was doing.
Carn took off his helmet. "Thank you, my lord." Ei nodded, playing along in her guise.
"What brings you to this tourney?" Lucan actually wanted to ask, "What are you doing and why?"
"I thought participating might be insightful." Ei replied, which boiled down to "I was bored."
"I see. May we speak in private?" He had one question in mind. If Carn, who wasn't supposed to be real, was here, then who was the one sitting at the royal booth?
"Very well." Argella nodded, and Lucan turned to his son, "Robert, go and make sure we aren't watched." Robert looked confused but did as he was told.
Lucan took the small tent given to the Master of Games after evicting the man by pressing some silver coins in his hand.
"I thought Carn wasn't supposed to be real." Lucan was confused since he didn't think Argella would lie to him.
Carn's visage slowly morphed into that of Argella. "Right, I did not inform you. The one at the booth is Kage, a puppet I created to take my place if I ever needed it."
"A puppet?" The only kind of puppet he knew were the ones made to amuse people, not whatever Argella was talking about.
"Yes, by all counts, she is a living being, albeit without blood and flesh, that I created."
Realization dawned on Lucan: "All those times when your personality flipped, I thought it was just the wiles of a little girl. It makes so much sense now." He remembered all the times she would become cold and distant and wouldn't speak unless prompted.
Learning Argella's nature had put that thought under doubt, but once again, the truth she presented was not something Lucan expected.
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Robert followed his father along as he left the tent. "Isn't he the one who runs Argella's paper business?" He asked, and his father wordlessly nodded, "Were you trying to convince him to join us?" Which his father shook his head at.
"Really, why not?" The man had jousted well, and while the paper business might be small compared to Iron Works, it still brought good coin to Weeping Town.
"It's too much trouble."
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An hour later, she was riding against a knight of House Dondarrion, Ser Rykar. The knight was holding a larger shield to give himself more coverage, and the only unguarded place left was his head.
As the horses charged, Ei readied herself to attempt a maneuver that was unconventional in jousts.
She was going to thrust her spear from the side just as they passed each other. This wasn't done because of the speed of the horses and the weight of the knights; thrusting the lance would leave an opening and most likely would shatter the arm.
None of which was a problem for her.
Rykar's lance splintered on Ei's shield, and she thrust hers in return, striking the left side of his ribcage and sending the knight flying off his horse.
This drew exclamations from the crowd at seeing one of the favorites get unhorsed so easily.
"Winner, Carn of Weeping Town." The judge announced, and this time there was more applause as the spectators enjoyed the round.
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Royal Booth
Argialc laughed, enjoying the sight of Rykar getting unhorsed so easily. "So he can joust well too. Perhaps I should offer him a position in Storm's End." Since Carn was working for Argella, perhaps he could be her sworn sword.
Lucan glanced at Kage, who was ignoring everything around her, and shook his head, still in awe at the fact there was a living puppet sitting right next to the king. As you wish.
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Robert Penrose was riding against Martyn Mertyns, lord of Mistwood and the tourney's most likely winner, a man in his forties by her estimate, but he still was spry and energetic.
The first pass saw both riders break their lances and get ready for the second pass. Robert's lance slipped off, while Martyn's lance shattered against the shield. The impact nearly unhorsed her uncle, but he managed to maintain his grip on his steed.
On the third pass, Martyn Mertyns did unhorse Robert Penrose, his lance striking her uncle's shoulder and throwing her off.
Lord of Mistwood raised his broken lance to the cheering crowd.
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Royal Booth
"Princess, what do you think about the tourney?" Jocelyn noticed how bored the princess looked, and
"It is fine, just slow." And it was. Compared to how the spars with her creator went, humans below might not be moving at all.
She began to think of ways to distract the princess to alleviate her boredom. "Princess, did you hear the news? Apparently, Lord Massey refused to attend, claiming bandits in his territory, but everyone thinks it's because he isn't loyal to the king."
"Is that so? I will be sure to keep him in mind." At least, her creator would say, "Well done. Keep me informed of any news you might hear." Kage praised the young girl, as Ei taught her to do, and the human preened, a smile creeping on her face.
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Her last match for the day was against Ser Tarmon, a towering knight in service of House Estermont of Greenstone.
Who decided to play dirty and killed her horse, though Ei still managed to unhorse him even as she flew off, flipped in the air, and landed on her feet, watching as the poor animal thrashed on the ground with the lance stuck deep in her chest.
She put the animal out of her misery, as healing was not something she was capable of.
Turning to the knight responsible for it, Ei walked at a sedated pace without even drawing her sword, though Ser Tarmon did not wait, pulling his sword and charging at her.
Ei ducked, drew her sword, and swung it hard enough to break through chain mail, severing the man's head from his neck, the cheap sword crushing it and sending fragments of bone and flesh flying through the air.
The crowd was stunned into silence, with more than a few feeling queasy at the sight.
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The tourney was finished for the day after the death of Ser Tarmon to give the smallfolk time to forget what had happened.
Members of House Estermont weren't happy to see one of their knights slain and went to complain to the king.
"Your Grace, what Tarmon had done might be out of the bounds of honor and rules of joust, but it was no reason for him to be slain." Lord Cormack Estermont complained. He was dressed in green trousers and a green and white tunic, had black hair and green eyes, and was approaching his forties.
Argilac held back a sigh, mulling it over. On one hand, Carn was employed by his daughter; on the other hand, slaying the knight of a noble house was no small matter when the other side didn't enjoy the protection of a lordly house, but it was his good-father who answered, "Perhaps Tarmon's actions did not deserve death, but he is dead now, and while the duels during jousts usually end when one gives, there are deaths as well. This should be no different."
Lucan leaned over to Argilac to whisper in his ear, "Argella won't like it if you punish that man." He warned the king, as the princess' fury was unlike any other.
"There will be no punishment, but seeing as Tarmon is dead, Carn will not receive any compensation either." Argilac declared, dismissing the disgruntled lord.
Nobody could find Carn, so the man in question wasn't here.
"Tell me why, good father." The way Carn beheaded Tarmon was unnatural, which led him to believe Argella had something to do with it, perhaps giving the man a sword like Victory or some other thing.
Lucan shook his head. "Only he can tell you." He didn't want to be the one to spill Argella's secret.
Argilac sighed, waving the man away.
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A handsome knight in shining armor approached, perhaps not even twenty years old, and knelt before her. "Princess, I would be honored if you would bestow your favor on me." He said, bowing his head.
Ei blinked twice at the unexpected request. "No." She refused, walking by the kneeling knight with Jocelyn quickly following.
The said knight looked crushed, though he had expected it, as his friends joked at this misfortune.
She knew the tradition, of course, where young ladies gave their "favor" to show their support for someone, whether family, friend, or someone they were romantically interested in, but Ei had no intention of showing anyone favoritism and giving people something to talk about.
"Princess, did you have anyone in mind to bestow your favor?" Jocelyn asked as she hurried to catch up to her cousin, who didn't even stop as she answered, "I would have given it to my father; alas, he is not participating, and there is no one worthy of it."
People she would grant a token of her favoritism were few and far between. Aether was one, Kujou Sara another, the Kamisato siblings, and dear Yae. Anyone else worthy of it had already perished.
Jocelyn merely nodded.
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Round Hall
Carn was invited to dine with the royals, and men-at-arms were dispatched to find and relay the news to him.
But he was nowhere to be found, so the dinner proceeded without him.
Argilac, who had finished his lamb chops, put his hands under his chin. "Daughter, where is that servant of yours, Carn? I invited him to dinner, but he didn't even reply."
Ei had just finished her steak and was busy with the desserts. I am sure he is around."
"Really? Then he must be busy with something far more important than dining with his king." He truly wanted to meet and get a measure of the man, but as if the ground had swallowed him, Carn had disappeared.
Lucan sighed, tired because of all the deception. "Just tell him, would you?" He asked Argella, who raised an eyebrow at him.
"Tell him what?" Queen Selena was just willing to watch without saying anything to not get between father and daughter, but if there was a secret to be revealed, she did not want to be left out.
Argella just hummed, considering whether to do it or not.
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In the next chapter:
For the semi-finals, she was facing Garrin, the brother of her new stepmother, and a man who had annoyed her greatly.
He was riding a chestnut mare and raised his spear to the adoration of the crowd, his wife's favor tied to his left arm.
The start was given, and the horses galloped forward, each rider ready to unhorse the other, but the results were predictable to her. Ei's lance shattered with incredible force, enough that there were no splinters left bigger than a toothpick, and launched Garrin off his horse, sending him flying a couple of feet back.
He would be fine, battered and hurt perhaps, but she didn't use enough power to seriously harm or maim the man, just enough to bruise his ego.
Storm Kingdom
Storm's End
Round Hall
8 BAC
Ei shook her head. "It's nothing." She didn't see the need to inform Argilac of her true nature yet, not when he was still occupied with the Tourney and affairs of the kingdom, especially as there were more projects she intended to actualize.
That, and the middle of a feast wasn't the best place to reveal something of that magnitude.
Argilac frowned, not used to having anything hidden from him, much less from his own daughter. "Argella, if there is something you have to tell me, say it now." He wasn't forceful, not that he could be, but Argilac wouldn't push his daughter to talk if she didn't wish to.
"As I said, it's nothing."
The Storm King sighed and sat down. "Very well. I am sure you will come forward if it is something important." He held out his wine goblet to be filled again while Selena masked her confusion behind a mask of indifference.
"In time, certainly." Ei replied dryly.
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King's Solar
Argilac had retreated to his solar to put away some letters he had received, and Selena followed him to speak about the events during the feast.
"I do not mean to cause any friction between you and Argella, but people may begin to think you can't control her." Usually it would be unthinkable for a woman to confront her husband like this, but since it was the honor of House Durrandon at stake, Selena would not face any backlash.
Argilac looked at her, but his gaze was faraway. "None can control Argella." He said, not as a father praising his daughter, even though he was, but as a man who had experienced it firsthand.
"What do you mean?" Mysteries surrounding Argella were known, and many had called that she had been blessed by the gods.
Did Argilac know more?
Argilac bent his head. "I can't explain it." He looked at her now, focused on the present. "It is something you have to see for yourself. But if anyone thinks they can control Argella, I pity them."
"Very well, husband." It would eventually come out, and there was no need to force anything.
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Next Day
Ei was riding against Lord Taryn Selmy in the quarter-finals.
She had seen him briefly at the Battle of Summerfield, watched as he dueled several knights one after the other, and emerged victorious.
He was a good rider.
Horses galloped across the field, lances ready to strike.
Taryn's lance struck her shield without doing anything, but Ei's lance shattered, and the force of it sent Lord Selmy off his horse, guaranteeing Ei's place in the semi-finals.
Taryn Selmy got up from the ground, rolling his shoulder. "You ride well." He complimented, removing his helmet, and Ei nodded in her disguise, thanking the lord, and pulled the reins to leave the arena on her horse.
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Royal Booth
Argilac hummed appreciatively. "Look at him, unhorsing Taryn in a single pass. That's no easy thing to do."
He had fought with Taryn long enough to know the lord of Harvest Hall was an excellent jouster, and seeing him lose so easily was eye-opening.
This Carn was getting more dangerous by the minute.
Queen Selena turned to her brother, who was seated next to her. "Brother, you are facing him next. What do you think?"
Garrin grinned cockily. "I'll be sure to give my best, sister." He just wasn't sure if it would be enough, not with the man unhorsing everyone in one pass.
Lucan leaned close to Argilac. "A hundred silver coins he gets unhorsed in one pass." He whispered in the king's ear, who snickered in return.
Someone needed to knock Garrin Caron down a peg, and who better than a god? Forget a hundred silvers; he would pay a fortune to see it happen.
"Hah, only a fool would take that bet." Argilac was actually looking forward to it, since his good-brother had been boasting about winning the tourney. Garrin was good, better than most, but he wasn't good enough to unhorse someone like Taryn in one pass.
The victor was already decided unless Garrin could pull a miracle.
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Ei had left the royal booth to go and explore more of the festivities, since there still was time for her next bout.
The guards assigned by her father were right behind her, not letting their eyes wander away for a second, lest she disappear like the last time.
"Myrish glass cups!" Her ears caught the shout of a merchant, and Ei walked to his stall to inspect what he was selling.
Glass cups, plates, and figurines were laid on a thick fabric for protection, as glass was produced in very few parts of this world, mainly Myr, and was expensive.
"Princess, you honor me with your presence. Please, my wares are at your disposal." He held out his hands to gesture to the stall.
She took a cup, inspecting its quality. It was clear enough, with no noticeable imperfections to the eye.
"How much?" Not that she needed it, but Ei preferred simple glass over the gaudy golden cups.
The merchant looked happy at her interest. "Ah, that one is fifty silver coins."
It was expensive, which gave her an idea.
"I'll take it." Ei pulled out her purse and handed over the amount of coins, with the merchant bowing deeply in gratitude.
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For the semi-finals, she was facing Garrin, the brother of her new stepmother, and a man who had annoyed her greatly.
He was riding a chestnut mare and raised his spear to the adoration of the crowd, his wife's favor tied to his left arm.
The start was given, and the horses galloped forward, each rider ready to unhorse the other, but the results were predictable to her. Ei's lance shattered with incredible force, enough that there were no splinters left bigger than a toothpick, and launched Garrin off his horse, sending him flying a couple of feet back.
He would be fine, battered and hurt perhaps, but she didn't use enough power to seriously harm or maim the man, just enough to bruise his ego.
His squire and several attendants ran to check on him since Garrin did not get up, and they were relieved to find he was alive, just knocked out. Healers rushed to take him away, and Ei turned her horse around and left the arena.
Finals would be conducted tomorrow, which meant she could see to her business for now.
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Producing glass was easy if you knew how.
To that end, Ei went to find Lords Mertyns, Rogers, Wylde, and Estermont to make a proposal for them.
Their lands had an abundant amount of sand that they didn't use for anything, and they were petitioning for sources of income, so it would be natural to build glass production facilities.
Convincing them was easy, and they met to discuss how to proceed forward.
She would train the artisans the lords would send over in glass production, and they would build the workshops and gather the necessary raw materials, mainly sand, soda ash, and limestone, which she also had spent time instructing the lords on how to acquire.
The lords involved would also expedite construction efforts in their territories, and loans were extended to House Estermont and House Wylde, to be repaid through increased taxes.
Her father was pleased to hear the news.
"You are saying you know how to make glass? How? Where did you learn it?" Argilac was confused, since none in the Seven Kingdoms knew how to make glass, and the only source of it was from the Free Cities.
"I was experimenting on how to make glass; it wasn't difficult to figure out." Ei did actually experiment a bit, since she wasn't sure about the exact measurements.
Argilac looked baffled and gathered Ei in a bear hug, laughing with joy. "That's my daughter." He shouted, proud of his one and only child.
Soon enough, he put her down, and Ei began to show him the plans she had already drafted. The two went over the plans till evening, the tourney all but forgotten.
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Next Day
Finals of the tourney, and Ei was riding against the illegitimate son of Lord Buckler, Quentyn. He was somewhat favored by his father, at least that's what Jocelyn said to her, and was a very talented knight, hence the reason he was even able to join the tourney and rise to the finals.
Tall and broad-shouldered, his size overshadowed the guise Ei had chosen. His armor was somewhat older, as a bastard, whether he was a knight or not, would have a hard time finding employment.
From her observations, he was a determined young man, and since there was no enmity between them, she would use the bare minimum strength to give him a fair chance.
She could have given up, but that would be a great insult to any warrior.
The crowd was restless, as the one man that unhorsed all her opponents in one tilt was facing the man that fought tooth and nail to get here.
The Master of Games gave the start, and Ei spurred her horse forward, lance and shield at the ready. Quentyn Storm did the same, his horse charging to meet her halfway through.
Both lances shattered on the shields, and while Ei was not moved from her saddle, Quentyn was rattled with the impact. Discarding the lance, Ei held her hand out, and the attendant she had hired handed her another lance, and the jousters got ready for the second pass.
This time, Ei's lance found its way to Quentyn's shoulder and sent the knight tumbling off his horse.
The crowd shook with cheers, and Ei was declared the winner. Quentyn Storm picked himself off the ground, nodded silently to the victor, and took his horse out of the arena.
She was handed a crown of flowers to crown a Queen of Love and Beauty, which made her pause for a second, as she had no idea who to give it to.
It would be rude to feed it to her horse, so Ei rode her horse towards where the Royal Booth was and held it out to Jocelyn, the little girl looking absolutely delighted, and more than a little bit surprised, at having been chosen.
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Round Hall
The end of the tourney was being celebrated, though the winner was nowhere in sight. Ei was sitting next to her father, who was flushed with wine, and Selena, who thankfully wasn't indulging in alcohol nearly as much as her husband.
Argilac slowly rose from his seat, and the hall fell silent. "My lords and ladies." He called out, making sure to have everyone's attention.
"Last years have been good for us. Our coffers are fuller than ever, we are safer against all threats, and not to mention, we sent Reach running with their tails stuck between their legs." Argilac declared, and the crowd roared in agreement, memory of their victory against Reach putting a smile on their faces.
"To that end, my daughter has worked hard, and dare I say, harder than anyone else." The Storm King looked at his daughter expectantly, and Ei rose from her seat under the gaze of the nobles, standing next to her father.
Argilac put his hand on her shoulder before continuing. "She is a blessing, not just to my house, but to our beloved kingdom, as it was her ideas that brought prosperity to these lands. And now, I wed again, at her behest, to secure the line of House Durrandon." He looked at Selena, who rose slowly and with dignity.
"Together, I know we will have many more years of fortune and prosperity. Long live the Storm Kingdom." Argilac's voice rose, and he held out his cup to the crowd.
Argilac was answered with bellows of "Long live the Storm King Argilac" and "Long live Queen Selena," though shouts of "To the Storm Princess" were the loudest in the hall.
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Celebrations were done, and Ei retreated to her room for the day, having bid goodnight to her father and Selena, as well as Jocelyn.
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History of the Storm Kingdom
First Secretary of Her Excellency, Lady Jocelyn Penrose.
Recruited at a young age by Her Excellency, Jocelyn Penrose was educated in the art of statecraft and was largely responsible for creating the precursor organization to the Central Intelligence Network.
Charged with carrying out the edicts of Her Excellency, Lady Jocelyn's role in changing the status of women across the kingdom cannot be underestimated. It was through her actions women began to take on greater roles in the kingdom, rather than just being workers and childbearers.
Her female cadre of Royal Officers, trained by the Regent, who, owing to her centuries of experience in ruling at the side of Her Excellency, were the first graduates who set up a school to educate young women regardless of their status, eventually paving the way for public education.
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In the next chapter:
Darren knew the women didn't like having bugs so close, but then again, Princess Argella was an outlier. "Princess, forgive them. These things are common on mulberry trees, but they are harmless."
Ei was naturally nonplussed and kept checking the pod. "They are harmless but also valuable, extremely so."
Darren didn't know what value a bug could have, but the princess was a source of miracles. "What do you mean?"
"This is the cocoon of a silk moth, and as the name suggests," she shook the small pod between her fingers. "this is what silk is made from."
"Truly?" Darren, much like many others, did not know the secrets of making silk, though many assumed it was from a plant just like cotton was.
"Indeed. I want you to start planting mulberry trees in a select enclosure, and in a decade or so, Blackhaven might just have a thriving silk industry, half owned by Storm's End. Keep this a secret, lest others start producing their own silk." Ei handed the cocoon to Lord Darren, who took it gently as if the slightest use of force might break it.
How fortunate that the cocoons were of her favourite color.
Storm Kingdom
Storm's End
8 BAC
The tourney was concluded, and the lords slowly left Storm's End to return to their lands, though the lords she had promised glass production facilities did leave rather fast, eager to send artisans and apprentices to learn the secrets of making glass.
Ei too started her own work, preparing a workshop to teach her classes, and purchased the necessary materials and tools, though some she had to make on her own. Her father was supportive of this, since it meant more wealth for the kingdom, though news that the Reach had banned all trade with the Storm Kingdom did annoy him somewhat. Foodstuffs were not an issue anymore, and the orders from Reach had simply been sold to other customers.
Reach would lose more than the Storm Kingdom would.
On more internal matters, Garrin did not dare to approach her personally and was contacting her through Selena and, to a lesser extent, through Argilac to inquire as to what kind of boon she would grant to his territory.
She had not decided on anything specific, but in the interest of keeping things fair, she would improve the economic condition of his territory.
At a further date.
Which she made clear to Garrin directly. "Lord Garrin, you will have your boon; however, I would appreciate it if you cease using your sister and my father to make your queries. I don't like being pestered." Garrin nodded his head so hard, she thought he might hurt his neck.
Jocelyn Penrose, her cousin, technically anyway, was a problematic learner. She understood the subjects, but the belief that women should remain in the background had been instilled in her from a very young age. It was taking time to break her free from this mindset, though she was making progress.
Iron Works had drawn enough attention that they had a small delegation from Braavos who were interested in having an Iron Works constructed in the Free City and failed at that, securing a trade agreement that would see Braavos receive priority in the purchase line in return for orders larger than what they usually had.
Naturally, it was the second choice her father had gone for, though with the current workload the Iron Works in Weeping Town and Parchments had, she considered building another one to meet the demand, and Bronzegate was the logical choice since they had the sole iron mine known in the Storm Kingdom.
This time there were enough trained people to manage the construction without her, so she did not have to make the trip and stay there for months but would only go once or twice to inspect the work.
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Lack of storms in the Storm Kingdom was naturally a very conversation-worthy phenomenon, and Ei received a lot of glances; some were disturbed at the thought that one person could stop the storms at will, while others were more religious in nature, wondering if it was a gift from the Seven or if she was simply deceiving them.
None dared to do anything, and Ei was excellent at ignoring those looks, so it did not affect her work.
Storms may be gone, but rain was necessary for the crops, and Ei drew a chart, periodically allowing rainfall to water the crops and fill in the water sources.
It was impossible for anyone with even a sliver of intelligence to miss the implications, but no one wanted their good fortune to end and did not want to investigate the matter.
A month later, her students for the glass-making class arrived, and the lessons began in earnest. The lords had made sure to send the best artisans they had, and the lessons progressed smoothly. Making glass required a lot of practice, so Ei had made sure to stock up on materials.
Not everyone was happy with the news of the Storm Kingdom's attempts to produce glass, much less that their princess had been successful.
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Myr was incensed that someone was attempting to produce glass, since they were the best-known traders for finished products of glass, such as their lenses and glass panes, but there was nothing they could do to stop Ei, especially not with Volantis, their overlords, increasing the regional tensions.
Rumors that Volantis wanted to conquer Tyrosh had sent the Free Cities into a frenzy, which had started a race to prepare for war, increasing the prices of iron and steel, along with many other commodities.
Offers had been made by Tyrosh to recruit as many warriors as they could, including from the Seven Kingdoms, in a bid to draw the kings to their side, and had it been a decade ago, Argilac would have taken the offer for the riches it would bring, but now, it was no longer necessary.
Her projects were bringing enough wealth, and now, she was on her way to Blackhaven, lands of House Dondarrion, to start manufacturing the power looms, as well as setting up production facilities to have more of them sent to other lands as necessary.
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Blackhaven
8 BAC
Lord Darren Dondarrion, lord of Blackhaven, had greeted her at the border of his territory, as the Marches could be treacherous, and he wanted to get on her good side, no doubt.
She did not mind, as it gave them further time for Lord Darren to give a progress report on the roads, which, after allocating all the coin and manpower he could, were close to the finish. Once connected to the road paved by Lord Swann, it would create a path heading straight to Grain Port and then be exported to other kingdoms and the Free Cities.
Her procession was small, and Lord Dondarrion hadn't brought too many men with him, and so the journey to Blackhaven was not long.
The castle itself was small and modest, with black basalt walls and a dry moat, which was claimed to be bottomless.
Lady Cerys Dondarrion was a plump woman with a bright smile, her two sons and sole daughter arrayed around her to greet Ei at the gates.
It was a warm welcome, and the woman seemed to be more genuine in her actions and demeanor than other ladies she had met, which was a welcome change. A feast was thrown in her honor, with a wide array of desserts decorating the table. Lord Dondarrion, or his wife, had done their research, and Ei did not turn the desserts away.
She missed eating dango.
Lord Dondarrion gave a speech about how grateful he was for the Power Looms and how great Princess Argella and House Durrandon were and told stories about his time with Argilac, particularly all the shenanigans they would get up to as boys, such as the pranks they would pull.
As the feast came close to an end, Lady Dondarrion showed Ei and Jocelyn their quarters and assigned a servant for their needs.
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Next Day
After having breakfast, or breaking her fast as it was called here, Ei began her work. Visiting the town adjacent to Blackhaven, she met with the carpenters, blacksmiths, and workers Lord Darren had gathered beforehand in line with her instructions and displayed the drawings of her power looms.
It was broken down into parts, with each piece assigned to the relevant artisan to produce. When all parts were ready, they would be assembled close to the river. The current amount of wool produced in Lord Darren's territory wasn't going to be enough, and Ei looked into growing cotton near Blackhaven or increasing the size of the sheep herds.
She approached Lord Darren, who was reading the reports on the size of the sheep herds. "Lord Darren, have you considered growing cotton in your lands?"
Darren Dondarrion shook his head, handing the papers back to the man who had brought them forward. "No, princess. The storms made that prospect impossible." He gave Ei a knowing look. "Though now that we are no longer plagued by the storms, I suppose it would be possible to do it, but we don't have farmers with any experience in growing cotton."
Ei hummed, considering where to find farmers who could raise cotton, as directly growing crops was not something she had attempted before, excluding the Imperial Garden in Inazuma.
There were no cotton farms in the Storm Kingdom, and they would have to bring in farmers with experience from other kingdoms, which would not be possible since they would either demand something exorbitant in return or wouldn't allow it at all.
"Very well, let us talk about increasing the sheep pastures and focus on wool." The prospect of growing cotton could be revised at a further date, but it was best to direct their attention to what they had.
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As was the case when one tried to do something for the first time, the parts for the power looms did not come out right, with parts not fitting together due to size differences and issues with the material quality, but the workers learned from their mistakes and started again. Looms were much simpler compared to the complexity of ironworks, mostly stemming from their size, and parts were slowly brought together, with wool being shipped and prepped for the looms.
The work continued with Ei supervising daily to correct any mistakes, and she spent the rest of her time exploring the small town and the adjacent villages, escorted by Lord Dondarrion.
The village of Smolbarrow had mulberry trees, and Ei approached to take a handful. The village elder came running upon learning his liege was visiting.
"My lord, you honor us." The old man attempted to bow, his age and weary body making it before Darren Dondarrion stopped him. "It is fine, old man; the Princess just wants some berries." The village elder further panicked at hearing this and immediately called someone to bring berries for the princess, and Ei, in the interest of stopping the old man from insisting, simply waited as a young man filled a basket with berries.
"Elder, does your village need anything?"
"You have already done so much for us, princess; we can't possibly ask for more."
"You are a citizen of this kingdom, and I am its princess. It is my duty to see to the welfare of my citizens. Now, does your village need anything?" Ei asked once again, this time more insistent. She would not let people be afraid of their liege lords and refrain from making their concerns known, even if they weren't vital to their everyday life.
The elder still looked conflicted but finally opened his mouth. "Our cattle died last winter; we didn't have the coin for a new one."
Which was an easily rectifiable situation. "You will receive new cattle and new barns to ensure they don't perish again."
The elder's words of gratitude finally ended when the young man brought the mulberries. She took a handful of berries, along with a cocoon, which got mixed with the fruits.
The young man panicked and tried to reach for the cocoon, though Ei stopped him, dropping the fruits back into the basket to inspect the purple pod.
Darren knew the women didn't like having bugs so close, but then again, Princess Argella was an outlier. "Princess, forgive them. These things are common on mulberry trees, but they are harmless."
Ei was naturally nonplussed and kept checking the pod. "They are harmless but also valuable, extremely so."
Darren didn't know what value a bug could have, but the princess was a source of miracles. "What do you mean?"
"This is the cocoon of a silk moth, and as the name suggests," she shook the small pod between her fingers. "this is what silk is made from."
"Truly?" Darren, much like many others, did not know the secrets of making silk, though many assumed it was from a plant just like cotton was.
"Indeed. I want you to start planting mulberry trees in a select enclosure, and in a decade or so, Blackhaven might just have a thriving silk industry, half owned by Storm's End. Keep this a secret, lest others start producing their own silk." Ei handed the cocoon to Lord Darren, who took it gently as if the slightest use of force might break it.
How fortunate that the cocoons were of her favourite color.
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In the next chapter:
"Come, come! See this magical creature yourself, all for a penny!" A plump man with a cane standing before a cage covered with a cloth called out, hitting his cane on the ground to draw more attention.
Usually Ei wouldn't be interested in whatever faux creature the man claimed to have, but her senses convinced her otherwise. Whatever it was inside the cage, it had electro elemental energy, a slime most likely.
Handing a handful of silvers to the flustered man, Ei ordered him to open the curtain. Bowing at every step, the man hastily pulled the cloth down, revealing a small electro slime, which looked like it was going to slam onto the bars but stopped when it saw Ei, shaking like jello.
Ei turned her attention to the owner of the stall. "Where did you find it?"
"In the Stepstones, Princess, months after that storm killed everything on the islands." Pirate presence on the islands was wiped out, along with everything else down to the plants. A baleful, constant storm had also gripped the islands, and going anywhere near it was a death sentence.
Arlos barely made it out of the island after the ship he was on was beached, though he had managed to take the little monster as a trophy and made good coin out of it.
Storm Kingdom
Blackhaven
8 BAC
The first power loom of Blackhaven was assembled, and before the gazes of the spectators, it had woven a wool fabric at a pace far surpassing what the human hands could do.
Lord Darren Dondarrion was ecstatic at the sight, already planning to invest the coin he would earn from the fabric sale into more looms and sheep flocks, as well as other enterprises Ei had suggested, such as training more carpenters, seamstresses, and other artisans, along with fruit farms and alcohol production.
He was pleased at the initiative the lord of Blackhaven had taken to further enrich his lands rather than spend the coin on frivolous displays of wealth. Her next step was to visit the lands of houses Mertyns, Rogers, Wylde, and Estermont to assist with their glass production facilities, as well as to see what other improvements could be made to their lands.
Diversity was important, for a single source of income did not ensure the security of the land, nor the kingdom as a whole.
She had done much the same in other lands she had visited in her progress and would continue to do it.
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Grain's Port
Two weeks later she and her retinue had left Blackhaven for Stonehelm, and from there she would head to the Crow's Nest of House Morrigen.
While on the lands of House Swann, she made sure to visit Grain's Port for an inspection.
People of the growing port had gathered on the road upon hearing of her arrival and were throwing flowers at her carriage.
"Long live the Princess!" Screams of adoration rose from the crowd as the knights tried to maintain order to avoid any accidents. Ei unlocked the hatch to pull down the small window in the carriage and waved her hand at the people.
Lord Calum Swann pulled his horse next to the carriage. "They adore you, Princess."
Ei gave the Lord of Stonehelm a dry look. "Truly? I couldn't tell." As well as an equally dry response. Calum Swann laughed it off, not offended in the slightest by the princess; in fact, he found her candid attitude to be quite refreshing.
She left the carriage before Lord Swann could offer to escort her, and surrounded by knights, Ei began to wander the port. There wasn't much to see other than the usual sights, such as the markets, stalls, and ships, except for one thing.
"Come, come! See this magical creature yourself, all for a penny!" A plump man with a cane standing before a cage covered with a cloth called out, hitting his cane on the ground to draw more attention.
Usually Ei wouldn't be interested in whatever faux creature the man claimed to have, but her senses convinced her otherwise. Whatever it was inside the cage, it had electro elemental energy, a slime most likely.
Handing a handful of silvers to the flustered man, Ei ordered him to open the curtain. Bowing at every step, the man hastily pulled the cloth down, revealing a small electro slime, which looked like it was going to slam onto the bars but stopped when it saw Ei, shaking like jello.
Ei turned her attention to the owner of the stall. "Where did you find it?"
"In the Stepstones, Princess, months after that storm killed everything on the islands." Pirate presence on the islands was wiped out, along with everything else down to the plants. A baleful, constant storm had also gripped the islands, and going anywhere near it was a death sentence.
Arlos barely made it out of the island after the ship he was on was beached, though he had managed to take the little monster as a trophy and made good coin out of it.
Ah, so it was formed as a result of the elemental energy she released on the chain of islands. Not unexpected when she thought about it now.
Ei considered buying the slime, but it was harmless enough in that cage, and without a source of electricity, it would dispel by itself soon enough.
"Fascinating." She turned and left the man to count his fortune, while Lord Calum watched her warily, because if the princess had nothing to do with that storm, then he was a Dornish snake. "I have never seen anything like that before." He commented to gauge her reaction.
Ei turned her head to the lord, her face not betraying her thoughts. "I wager many have not."
A non-answer.
Calum hated those, but the Princess was here to inspect his port and offer advice on how to grow it further, and hopefully invest coin as she had been doing, so the Lord of Stonehelm wasn't going to ruin anything by being too curious.
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The port was in an excellent position to export the goods produced in the Marches, so Ei had made a list of her suggestions, starting with increasing the size of the docks to accommodate more ships and widening the roads connected to the Marches, as well as starting a small shipyard that would eventually increase in size and scope.
Stonehelm did not have any shipwrights, so Ei would talk to Lords Tarth and Estermont to send some of their own in return for favorable prices for anything exported out of Stonehelm.
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Crow's Nest
Her next destination was the land of House Morrigen to see how the ink and paper production was coming along. By her estimation, these workshops should have started their operations around the time she was in Grain's Port.
Of course that was without any setbacks, which had happened in the form of a fire that burned down the ink shop, and the construction had to start from the very beginning.
The paper press was fine, as there was a good distance between the buildings, and the fire was extinguished before it could reach there.
Lord Morrigen was apologetic, having offered to cover the new expenses from his own coffers, though Ei instead told him to dig wells near the workshops and fill them with rainwater to be used in case of emergencies and to send orders to the rest of the lords of the realm to do the same.
It wouldn't do for all their efforts to be undone because they were not prepared for fire.
The remaining workshops were not affected, so they were on track. Uncut jewels were bought with an initial investment by her and would be paid back slowly over a long period of time as they were turned into proper jewels and sold. Ei did not personally need coin and preferred to use what she earned for the betterment of her people, except when she was working on something and needed to buy raw materials.
Crow's Nest was an apt name for the castle, as it had high towers with battlements that resembled a nest, most likely as a defensive measure against any potential siege.
Ei only spent a handful of days in the castle. Lord and Lady Morrigen were extremely hospitable, having brought bards and mummers for her and a wide array of desserts.
She especially enjoyed pancakes that were prepared, much to her hosts' delight.
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Cape Wrath
Mistwood
Her next destination was the lands of House Mertyns. Mistwood had large, grey walls protecting it, and her welcome was calm compared to others, a refreshing change from the usual fanfare.
Lady Mertyns had passed away some years ago from an illness, so it was Lord Caden's eldest unwed daughter, Lady Lyra Mertyns, who was responsible for the household.
The Lord of Mistwood was a calm and collected person and an avid lover of books, a rarity among the nobility of the Storm Kingdom. After two days of resting and conferring with Caden Mertyns on the state of his lands, as well as on what subjects they read, Ei had left for the town that would house the workshops.
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The small town that was under construction near the shore where the glassblowers would work had received the interest of other lords, and already several buildings were ready for use, including two inns, a dozen houses, and a single glass blowing workshop where the man she had taught would practice his craft and train his own students.
Her carriage also had been surrounded by people again, grateful to see their princess.
The first sale of Glasstown's glass product, as it was called by the residents, was to Ei. She bought a series of glass cups and a large mirror to infuse coin into the town's economy, in addition to visiting several stalls.
Her shopping so far, from Grain's Port to Crow's Nest and Glasstown, had necessitated a wagon to carry all the load to Weeping Town to be shipped to Storm's End.
One issue she had with Glasstown was the roads. Whoever had paved them must have rushed, because the carriage had shaken more than usual, and Ei left it halfway to walk.
She had requested Lord Mertyns to have the roads fixed.
The town's planning had been done well to promote organized growth rather than the usual haphazard towns built with no thought for the future in mind.
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Amberly
The seat of House Rogers was named after the large deposits of valuable amber found around the forests surrounding the castle, from which they earned a small fortune each year.
Lord Eamon Rogers was as eccentric as his house' coat of arms, which was nine silver unicorns around a silver maze on black. Ei didn't have a problem with the lord's personality, and traversing the maze was a pleasant experience.
She had also visited the amber deposits, with Lord Eamon gifting her several valuable pieces. She could use them as ornaments on her clothes or turn them into jewelry to be gifted, depending on her mood.
The glass workshop had been completed ahead of her projection, as Lord Rogers had poured a good amount of silver into it, all due to the amber trade.
She had also received a letter from her father, who had sent it via a raven just in time for it to reach Amberly before Ei left. Her stepmother, Selena, was pregnant, and a celebration would be held in honor of that when she finished her progress and returned.
Her father's happiness could be felt through the letter, though whether it was at having a possible heir or another child was yet to be seen.
The news had the occupants of the castle already celebrating, hoping for a prince who would secure the Durrandon line. Ei would have been offended, but she didn't care, so she had simply shrugged at their words.
Having a sibling, on the other hand, even if he or she would be a mortal, and Ei, an immortal god, had made the Electro Archon restless. Her thoughts were conflicting; on one hand, knowing the child would grow old in the blink of an eye for her, yet having more family members sounded nice.
In her experience, sharing blood did not make family when the individuals had no bonds between them.
For now, Ei would just wait.
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Riverlands
Harrenhal
Harren "The Black" Hoare, King of the Isles and Rivers, frowned as the spy they sent as a trader reported back on the goings of the Storm Kingdom. With their Iron Works and new sources of coin, he had no doubt old Argilac was making preparations to take back the Riverlands.
At his own peril, of course.
He had another idea in mind for the Storm Kingdom. Argella Durrandon was the source of the Storm Kingdom's newfound wealth, and removing her from the table would put a damper on Argilac's ambitions.
However, her current whereabouts were unknown, as she was apparently on a trip, and only a select few knew where she would be.
Dismissing the spy, he focused on the map before him, plotting. If he could not kidnap Argella Durrandon, then he would weaken the Storm Kingdom through other means.
Turning to his eldest son, Harwyn, he ordered him to prepare a small number of ships consisting of the best captains and crews they had.
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In the next chapter:
Ei could have stood there to consider whether to reveal herself or not, to think if it was worth the lives of the people of Weeping Town.
But she did not.
Creating an electro platform to spare the ship, Ei jumped, the force sinking the front of the ship to the water before it rebounded, throwing a sailor overboard.
Realizing what had just happened, the sailors watched the figure of their princess fly off to Weeping Town with their mouths open.