The representatives exchanged glances, all feeling greatly shocked. They had just witnessed Hasman being dragged away, and now they heard an even more impactful name: Kevan Lannister.
The conversation between Viserys and Arthur was not deliberately hidden from them.
Kevan Lannister, the younger brother of Lord Tywin, Warden of the West in Westeros, and a solid pillar of the Lannister Family, had personally crossed the sea to Meereen.
What did this mean? Had one of the most powerful families in Westeros already established contact with this "Dragon King"?
This news was too significant; it had to be relayed immediately. But they also needed evidence—to personally see that Western noble, or at least definite signs of his presence.
Viserys allowing them to hear this was clearly intentional.
Originally, he had arranged for people to go to Westeros to spread this news, but why not use the ready-made resources here? Moreover, the news coming from their mouths would be far more believable than from the people he had arranged.
Thus, the representatives sought to confirm the information, and the banquet ended hastily.
The next day, when Viserys arrived in Meereen, Kevan had already been waiting for a long time at the Great Pyramid.
"Lord Kevan, welcome to Valyria. I hope your voyage was smooth."
Kevan Lannister did not answer immediately.
He scrutinized the young man before him—silver hair and purple eyes, typical Valyrian features, and somewhat resembling Rhaegar in his youth. This must be Viserys, but he hadn't expected Viserys to meet him personally.
Kevan felt that Viserys looked sharp and formidable, and the two swords at his waist were particularly noticeable; he was certain both were valyrian steel swords.
"Lord Viserys," Kevan finally spoke, "Thank you for receiving me. I convey greetings from the Duke of Casterly Rock, Warden of the West, Tywin Lannister."
It was very formal and distant.
Viserys merely smiled slightly.
"Please sit, Lord Kevan. We can dispense with the tedious formalities. After all, you risked traveling here, surely not just to exchange pleasantries."
"In that case, I will be direct. We received news that you discovered the Lannister Family's long-lost valyrian steel sword, 'lightbringer', in Valyria."
"Well-informed," Viserys raised an eyebrow. "So, what is Lord Tywin's intention?"
"The Duke hopes to buy the sword back," Kevan said. "We can negotiate any price you name, provided it is within a 'reasonable' range." He heavily emphasized "reasonable," as Viserys's previous asking price had been truly outrageous.
"A reasonable range? Lord Kevan, how much do you think a valyrian steel sword is worth? Especially a Famous Sword like 'lightbringer'; it's not just a weapon, but a symbol of the Lannister Family."
"We can offer two hundred thousand Gold Dragons. I believe that price is already quite high."
"Three hundred thousand Gold Dragons. Plus fifty sets of Full Knight Armor and five hundred sets of Warrior Plate Armor. And..." Viserys paused. "Lord Tywin must publicly declare that everything he did in King's Landing back then, especially concerning Princess Elia and Prince Aegon, was done under duress, and he must hand over the perpetrators and formally apologize to the Targaryens."
Kevan's expression changed.
While the first few conditions were harsh, they were still within the range of negotiation. But the last condition... "Your Excellency, that is impossible." Kevan's voice held a sharp edge. "The Duke will never publicly admit to such a thing. Furthermore, this would place the Lannister Family in an extremely dangerous position. King Robert, and even the entire Small Council, would not let it go."
"Then that is regrettable." Viserys stood up as if ending the negotiation. "'lightbringer' will remain in Valyria. Perhaps I will bestow it upon a Knight of great merit someday."
Kevan clenched his hands on his knees. He stared at Viserys, trying to detect any sign of bluffing on the young man's face. But all he saw was calmness and confidence—the confidence of knowing he held the leverage.
After a long while, Kevan slowly spoke, "Your Excellency, you should know that the Lannister Family is the wealthiest family in the Seven Kingdoms. We possess Gold Mines, a powerful army, and tremendous influence. If we become enemies, we will not be an easy foe to deal with."
"Then you should also know," Viserys stepped closer, looking directly at Kevan, "I have Dragons. And more than one. When 'Black Flame' and Ghidorah fly over Casterly Rock, no amount of Gold Mines will save you."
"I am not threatening you, Lord Kevan. I am stating a fact. Lord Tywin is smart; he should understand that with the reappearance of Great Dragons, the old rules of the Game of Thrones have changed."
Kevan remained silent. His mind was racing, calculating every possibility.
"The last condition," he finally said, "Can it be exchanged for something else? For instance, a Marriage Alliance. I hear you are not formally married yet; the Lannister Family has suitable candidates."
"No," Viserys interrupted him. "I do not need a Lannister marriage. What I need is a public statement from Lord Tywin. I want everyone to know about the tragedy in King's Landing back then."
"At the very least, the recipient of the apology must be changed, otherwise, this condition is impossible to meet." Kevan genuinely couldn't think of a better solution, short of abandoning the deal entirely.
In fact, if the apology recipient were changed, for example, to Dorne, Tywin would likely agree. This might even ease relations between the two families. As for acknowledging the atrocity in King's Landing, which family in Westeros, besides the Common Folk, didn't already know about it?
Viserys did not press further. After all, he genuinely wanted to sell the sword; exchanging one sword for so many resources was quite worthwhile. Especially the armor, because although he now had Blacksmiths under his command, his army was rapidly expanding, and there wasn't enough time to forge that much gear. The equipment for his forces was prioritized for the Unsullied first.
He wanted this armor to equip an elite force of Free Folk and boost the morale of the Free Folk army.
"Fine, I will concede a point. You can apologize to Princess Elia's family and hand over the perpetrators. However, you must add another hundred thousand Gold Dragons." Viserys appeared to be considering Kevan's perspective.
In the end, Kevan agreed. He understood his brother. Tywin would certainly pay this price for 'lightbringer'; after all, he had previously been willing to pay nearly two hundred thousand Gold Dragons to buy a sword from another family, let alone his own family's Ancestral Sword.
The deal was finally reached, and Kevan went back to prepare the supplies. He hadn't brought the Gold Dragons with him, contrary to the intelligence Viserys had received. After all, this was not a safe place for them; why would he carry a large sum of money personally?
Exclusive 90% Discount Offer on pàtreøn – Limited Time
We are excited to offer you an exclusive 90% discount on our content.
To claim this offer, please use the redeem code CC685 at checkout.
Kindly note that this is a limited-time offer valid for only 2 days, and the code will be removed shortly after. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity as soon as possible.
If you need any assistance, feel free to reach out...
Please check óñ pàtreøn luffy1898