The King of Winters

Chapter - 81

"I have met with them on my way here," Jon said. "Lys and Tyrosh are lending their support. If you could offer your support then that would tilt the entire scale on our favour. We know your influence here in the east."

"The Arbor has the best navy in the Seven Kingdoms," Jon continued. "Half it it is trapped within the walls of Oldtown. If we could free them we'll put an armada together large enough to challenge the Braavosi fleet. For that we'll need to go in a warship, not fishing boats and pleasure barges."

"I have no warships. War is bad for trade. Many times I have told you, Illyrio Mopatis is a man of peace."

Illyrio Mopatis is a man of gold, the Hand of the King thought. But his gold could buy me all the ships and swords Rhaegar needs. "I have not asked you to take up a sword, only to lend us your ships and support."

He smiled modestly. "Of trading ships I have a few, that is so. Who can say how many? One may be sinking even now, in some stormy corner of the Summer Sea. On the morrow, another will fall afoul of corsairs. The next day, one of my captains may look at the wealth in his hold and think, All this should belong to me. Such are the perils of trade. Why, the longer we talk, the fewer ships I am likely to have. I grow poorer by the instant."

"Your king has a good nose in sniffing out where you could find support." Illyrio wiped his lips clean off the wine he was drinking. "But I'm afraid he has chosen the wrong friend to come to. I would rather sail my ships across the Jade Sea over to Yi-Ti where they make a golden vintage so fine that one sip makes all other wines taste like vinegar. I would sooner have my ships broke down in storms rather than sending them off to war to be burned and wrecked in return for nothing. You would do well to stay away from the Seven Kingdoms as well."

"I mean to sail to Westeros, and drink the wine of vengeance from the skull of the Andrew Stark with or without your help." Jon scratched his fiery beard with a certain determination. He felt suddenly uncertain about coming there. What was the purpose of sailing all the way here to the east only to get back empty handed. Empty handed when his king depended upon his success here.

A single perfect drop of wine ran down the jiggling chin of Magister Illyrio. He looked up at Jon as if he was mocking or or if he was weighing up the truth in his words. "Suppose I get you the help you need, what am I going to receive in return for my help?"

Probably nothing, he wanted to say the truth. Rhaegar had sent him over to win them off to his cause but he had never said what offers he was making for this support of his friends from the east. The king had extended the call in the name of friendship but Illyrio would pay enough attention to such friendship as much as he does to horse piss. "His grace's friendship," the Hand of the King said. "It's not long before when King Rhaegar helped you in your city's war against Myr. You received the support of the Iron Throne when you needed it and we are expecting the same in return."

Illyrio laughed as if he knew the truth hidden beneath the ploy. In truth Rhaegar had muddled himself in the affairs of the east to cut down any ties the Northern Queen, Ashara Dayne had made with the North and the Free Cities. Myr and Braavos had been the cities to entertain closer ties with the North during the time of the Outlaw King. And his fall broke the back of any trade which centered between the North and the Free Cities.

But the Dragonking had found it hard in himself to leave such friends alive since they could shelter any old loyalties tied with the dead. And with the boy escaped they could not risk it even for a bit especially when there could be a day when Myrish sellsails and the fleet of Braavos could come back to the doorstep of King's Landing raising the direwolf banner of House Stark. So when Pentos along with Tyrosh and Lys started their war against Myr to curb their growing power they had turned to the support of the Iron Throne, hoping to turn the King's old enmity with Eddard Stark onto his allies. Rhaegar had lent his support willingly and destroyed the ruling conclave of magisters and replaced them with his own friends. Every influential man in Myr who had extended their friendship with the Outlaw King had lost their life that day.