The large and the luxurious manor of Xaro Xhoan Daxos stood before Jon and Melisandre. It was adorned and decorated in a myriad of colours, with expensive fabrics draped as curtains and ribbons hanging all around. The garden that accompanied the manor was blooming with beautiful flowers, and the atmosphere surrounding the manor felt vibrant and alive.
More than half a dozen men were standing at the entrance of the manor to welcome the incoming guest. Like the manor, they too were dressed in clothes stitched of fine fabric. Jon recognized one face among them. Xleucs, the subordinate of Xaro Xhoan Daxos.
Xleucs immediately stepped forward to welcome and greet Jon.
"Mister Aeloros," he beamed with a smile on his face. "Lady Melinda. Welcome… welcome to the abode of Lord Xaro."
"Thank you for the invitation and the hospitality," Jon nodded back in greeting.
"Haha!" Xleucs laughed happily. "All this is possible only because of you. You are Lord Xaro's one of the most distinguished guests."
He immediately gestured for a servant, who approached the trio.
"Show Mister Aeloros and Lady Melinda inside the manor," Xleucs said in a stern voice to the servant. "He is an esteemed guest of Lord Xaro."
The servant nodded and took the lead. Jon gave a final nod to Xleucs and followed the servant.
As stated, it had been a couple of days since the deal between Jon and Xaro had been finalized. Jon had still been looking for an opportunity to get closer to Xaro and, through him, to the other elites of Qarth and the warlocks when Xaro himself had thrown the opportunity at his door.
Xaro had announced a banquet, a gathering of all the rich and the elite of Qarth, to declare his new venture into the business of alcohol trading. Jon had heard rumours that Xaro would also be announcing the opening of inns and shops throughout the city. Using the alcohol from the empire of Lord Aeos, he intended to cut into the business of inns as well. And Jon, naturally, had been invited to the gathering.
Jon arrived in the open garden of the manor, where the banquet was already in full flow. High quality food, along with alcohol. not the one he had supplied, was being served, and the guests were enjoying themselves. The mood was jovial and the atmosphere seemed positive.
"What do you think is Lord Xaro's intention in holding this banquet?" Jon heard one man ask his companion as he crossed the duo.
"Who knows," his friend replied with a shrug. "We will know soon enough. But rumours say that he has struck some big business opportunity and he is going to make some announcements."
Jon continued to stroll forward, his eyes searching for the man he was looking for. And then he spotted him.
Xaro Xhoan Daxos was standing at the centre of a small group. Surrounding him were around eight to ten people. All were dressed in luxurious robes, and from a single glance Jon could tell that these were the true elites of Qarth. Probably the members of the Council of Thirteen. The most powerful people of Qarth.
But there were two faces that Jon found peculiar in the gathering. Two warlocks from House of Undying.
Both appeared to be middle aged men. Their lips were stained blue, the typical indication of being warlocks from the House of the Undying. One of them was Pyat Pree, whom Jon recognized. The other, like Pyat Pree, had pale skin and was very thin, almost skeletal in appearance.
Both were dressed in similar purple robes, and their presence was clearly distinguishable from the rest of the men.
"Mister Aeloros," Xaro also spotted Jon as he approached the group.
"Here is the man of the moment," Xaro boomed. "My partner in this new venture, Mister Aeloros."
"Lord Xaro," one of the men interjected, "you keep speaking of this new venture of yours, but you have told us nothing more. You are creating too much suspense."
Everyone had heard of the rumours flowing through the streets of Qarth but all of them wanted to hear it from Xaro's mouth. Plus, they had no idea that Xaro was this much confidence because of the drinks, he would be able to sell. The drinks from the empire of Lord Aeos.
"Haha!" Xaro chuckled in response. "Just a bit more patience. I will be announcing everything shortly."
"Aeloros," Xaro shifted his attention back to Jon. "Come, let me introduce you to these important people."
Xaro carried out the introductions one by one. And as Jon had guessed, all of them were members of the council.
Counting Xaro, there were a total of eight members of the Council of Thirteen present. The remaining five either did not have good relations with Xaro to attend his gathering, or they were most probably running late. If required, Jon would place his coin the first option. He himself had arrived quite late and he did not see any other council member making an appearance.
"And," Xaro gestured toward one of the warlocks, "he is Pyat Pree, a warlock from the House of the Undying. I assume you have heard about them?"
"I have indeed heard about the House of the Undying, Lord Xaro," Jon smiled. "And in fact, I am quite thrilled to meet two such respected members of such a prestigious institution."
"And this is Warlock Lycar Kyin," Xaro introduced the other warlock. "I had invited the House of the Undying, and these two have graced me with their representation of the House."
Jon smiled, though inwardly he raised an eyebrow. Xaro's words clearly meant that the two warlocks here were not present on their personal behalf but as representatives of the House of the Undying. In the canon, the connection between the House of the Undying and Xaro Xhoan Daxos had always been vague, with only Pyat Pree directly appearing. Things were getting interesting from Jon's point of view.
Jon responded to the other warlock with his usual polite smile. The two warlocks did not show much reaction to their introduction, but Jon could feel the disdain and disrespect among the members of the Thirteen toward him. It was clear they did not consider Aeloros someone of status who could mingle and stand in their circle.
Jon mostly remained a mute spectator as Xaro carried on his conversation with the members of the council. Apart from him, the other two warlocks were nothing more than mute spectator as the time ticked by, the anticipation in the gathering was picking up.
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