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Ga of Thrones White Dragon Rising
Ga of Thrones The Sun Dragon Descends
That morning, Wylis Wood, Raymond Darry, and William Mooton all received Lady Shella's invitation to co to Harrenhal and discuss cooperation in person.
Wylis had been hoping for exactly this. He was sick of the bandits running wild through his lands. Roman had highways and fast response teams that could crush them the mont they appeared. Wylis had no such luxury.
Even if Roman offered to help clear the outlaws, the terrible roads made it impossible. So when the invitation arrived, Wylis left imdiately.
Raymond Darry ca just as quickly when he heard House Whent wanted to talk trade. During Robert's Rebellion both houses had been loyalists and had taken the sa beatings afterward. Working together again felt natural.
William Mooton, the timid Lord of Maidenpool, had no choice. He couldn't handle the bandits at all and had finally swallowed his pride to ask Harrenhal for help.
The three n set out from different directions and converged on Harrenhal.
Along the way they were stunned by how much the lands had changed.
The main roads were the first shock. After weeks of slogging through mud, the smooth, solid surface felt like riding on silk. Westerosi carriages already had decent suspension, but on these new highways there was almost no bounce at all.
Green fields stretched in every direction, dotted with neat villages. At key crossroads stood the new strongholds—ten-foot ramd-earth walls already finished and now being faced with brick for weatherproofing.
They passed waystations, sophisticated irrigation systems, herds of healthy cattle and sheep, and clusters of water-powered workshops. Everything looked prosperous and well cared for.
When they finally reached Harrenhal itself, even the most stoic among them gasped.
The old black-and-yellow stone was gone. Every wall now glowed a clean, beautiful milky white. The five great towers sohow looked shorter—probably because the surrounding ruins had been cleared away.
The three parties t at the gates. Lady Shella and Roman waited with a full honor guard.
William Mooton had the sharpest eyes. He noticed the soldiers first.
They were nothing like normal Westerosi troops. The infantry wore full articulated brigandine that covered every inch of their bodies. Each man carried a recurve bow at his waist, a sword and shield or long spear in hand. Behind them stood soldiers with massive crossbows.
The cavalry were fully armored, horse and rider both. They looked heavier and stronger than any knights the three lords had ever seen.
A cold sweat ran down their backs. If that formation ever turned on them, the fight would be over in seconds.
Roman stepped forward with a warm smile and embraced each man in turn. Lady Shella then led everyone inside.
As they walked, Roman proudly pointed out the new improvents—rebuilt sept, public bathhouse, clean-water reservoirs, and proper sewage treatnt.
The two visiting lords could hardly believe their eyes. Harrenhal had gone from a dying ruin to a living, breathing city in just a few months.
Roman was deliberately showing off. He wanted them to understand that House Whent was no longer the weak link in the Riverlands. From now on any deal would be made on his terms.
He didn't realize the display had already done its job. The three n were thoroughly intimidated before they even reached the council chamber.
The talks, chaired by Lady Shella, went smoother than anyone expected. Everyone wanted the sa things: joint bandit suppression, connected main roads, and expanded trade. Harrenhal would supply the labor and soldiers. The other houses only had to pay their share. There was no risk and every benefit.
At the very end, Roman played his trump card.
He placed the clear glass sphere on the table. Sunlight hit the polished surface and exploded into a rainbow of colors that danced across the faces of William and Raymond.
"We make these ourselves."
The room went dead silent for two heartbeats.
Then both n spoke at once.
"Lord Roman, whatever you need—na it and it's yours!"
Raymond's face was flushed with excitent, but he waited for Roman to speak first.
The final agreent was simple and generous.
House Darry would wash and supply fine river sand.
House Mooton would rebuild the port at Maidenpool and gather seaweed in massive quantities.
Darry would receive ten percent of the profits. Mooton would get twenty. The remaining seventy percent stayed with House Whent.
Both lords signed on the spot. For them the work was nothing special—they did it every day. But glass? Glass was pure luxury. If House Whent started selling it, the two houses would grow rich just by standing still.
Besides, both families had little love for the Baratheons after the war. Aligning with another house that had been pushed aside felt right.
Once the contracts were sealed, Raymond and William left happy. Only Wylis Wood remained.
Roman turned to his vassal knight. The big man looked uncomfortable.
"Sir Wylis, you seem unhappy with the arrangent."
"Not at all, my lord!" Wylis bowed quickly.
Roman's voice was calm, but Wylis felt an invisible pressure all the sa.
Roman had no intention of letting his own sworn man go ho empty-handed. He gave Fili a small signal. The girl returned monts later carrying a set of fine porcelain dishes.
The bone plates were wide and beautifully glazed, the bowls and cups pure white and warm to the touch. When Roman held one up to the light, a soft golden glow shone through the thin wall.
He handed the cup to Wylis. The knight's hands trembled as he ran his fingers over the smooth surface.
"Sir Wylis, I want to build a porcelain workshop in your lands. You will handle raw materials, maintenance, and security. In return you keep a fair share of the profits."
Wylis stared into Roman's eyes, then struck his fist against his chest so hard the armor rang.
"House Wood will guard your secrets and your property with our lives!"
Roman smiled, genuinely pleased. Smart n made everything easier.
He insisted Wylis stay for dinner. Lady Shella spent the entire al praising the Wood family's loyalty and long service. By the ti the knight left, he was misty-eyed and swearing eternal fealty.
The four houses moved fast.
Harrenhal began building connecting highways so all four territories could reach each other quickly. At the sa ti, joint patrols started clearing the remaining bandits.
House Mooton threw itself into rebuilding Maidenpool's harbor and sent teams to harvest seaweed and kelp by the wagonload.
House Darry mobilized every available hand to wash river sand and haul it nonstop to Harrenhal's workshops.
Roman set up new glass furnaces near the coke works. Using sloped double-roller pressing, his craftsn began turning out large, flat sheets of glass. Maester Tom's team also built chanical blowers that let them mass-produce bottles and household glassware at speed.
In Wylis Wood's lands a massive updraft kiln rose beside the river. With steady fuel from Harrenhal and the new thermoters Maester Tom had designed, batch after batch of perfect bone ca out of the fire.
If the songs about Roman had only made people talk, the sudden flood of luxury glass and porcelain made House Whent's na impossible to ignore.
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