All trademarked items in this fanfiction is owned by their respective copyright holders (A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio by Ark Performance). The ones owned by me are future OCs, plot, and author's thoughts. This fanfiction is made solely for entertainment purposes and not intended for any material gain.
An Arpeggio of Ice on Fire
Chapter 10
"Say, Hamakaze, have we ever used a banner?" Yahagi said as she poured a cup of tea. The white room is tranquil as always. "Like, a real, samurai-like nobori?"
"I don't think so. We have no use of it in our world, and marine signal flags would have sufficed," Hamakaze replied.
"I see. Banners seem to be a very important thing here," Yahagi said pensively.
"Well, they do use the term 'bannermen' for subordinates of the ruling house," Hamakaze replied.
"Beside that, they have a row of banner poles on both sides of the road leading to the gate," Yahagi said after a sip of her cup. "I'm surprised they arrange it like that. It's like a few pictures we have of the old world, that flagpoles by the side of the road kind of things."
"I suppose the arrangement serves as a handy way to denote the loyal subordinate houses of the Westerlands," Hamakaze said, emptying her cup. "Whose banner is the nearest to the gate proper?"
"Houses Lefford and Brax, then houses Crakehall and Farman," Yahagi said. "After that comes houses Swyft and Clegane, before other houses."
"Ah… then those six houses are the most favored amongst all the houses in the domain," Hamakaze said.
"Where would you think our hypothetical banner would be mounted?" Yahagi asked.
"Probably a bit far. Not too far though, that would denote a gross loss of favor from the Lannisters," Hamakaze said. "So, should I ask if we are permitted to make a banner of ourselves? I have a budget review session with Lord Tywin this afternoon."
"Yes! I authorize it!" Yamato butted into the conversation.
"How about the design, Fleet Flagship?" Yahagi asked.
"The Sigil must be there, and that's it," Yamato said as she sat on a chair. "Our intended will probably help in figuring out the rest, Hamakaze."
"Understood, Fleet Flagship," Hamakaze replied.
...
"A banner?" Tywin asked, looking up from the documents they have been examining for the afternoon. "You intend to construct a banner of your own House, and the corresponding heraldry?"
"Yes, Lord Tywin. I'm wondering if there are legal processes that should be done in making a set of those, here in the kingdom," Hamakaze said, pausing from his share of the paperwork.
"There are certain codes and writs that must be adhered, true," Tywin said after drinking a gulp of water from his glass. "However, most of it are included in the nobility charter that is issued when a new noble or knightly house is created or recognized. In your case, as House Kirino is not a subordinate house to House Lannister and by extension the Kingdom of Westeros, you are not bound by these rules."
"I see. By rough definition, my house probably falls within the category of a landed knightly house. We possess our keep-ships after all," Hamakaze said, scratching her chin.
"House Lannister can persuade the Kingdom to issue a formal letter of recognition for that, should our two houses join in matrimony," Tywin said, putting his hands to the desk.
"I have no doubt that it will happen, my lord," Hamakaze said, smiling. "Tyrion is quite intelligent and surely a much-needed addition to House Kirino."
"That he is," Tywin grumbled, exhaling. "As much as an embarrassment that he is."
"Nonetheless, I think it is still prudent for me to inform you about my intent of crafting items bearing our heraldry, Lord Tywin," Hamakaze replied. "One standard for carrying on horseback, one shield blazoned with our heraldry, and perhaps a few badges to be worn with formal clothing. Perhaps one or two cloaks beyond that, but the cloaks are less important right now."
"I see. There are a few craftsmen who had been commissioned by House Lannister in the past," Tywin asked. "They had performed satisfactorily."
"Perhaps with the shield and badges," Hamakaze answered. "I will craft the banner for the standard myself, putting the embroidery lessons I've been learning with the ladies to good use."
"Ask that drunkard of my child for the aforementioned craftsman," Tywin said. "And I trust that you will make use of our supplies responsibly."
"I endeavor to, Lord Tywin," Hamakaze said, before going back to her share of documents.
…
"Heraldic craftsmen?" Tyrion said, looking up from a book he had been reading.
"Yes. Your lord father said that you know a few people," Hamakaze said.
"There are a few who comes to mind, indeed. Their services does not come cheap, though," Tyrion said before taking a sip from a goblet beside the book on the table.
"We have put together some funds," Hamakaze said, her eyes looking shifty.
"My lady, we… most of all, I owe you uncle Gerion's life," Tyrion said in a deadpan. "Currency is the least of your worries, and my coin purse has been a little heavy lately. No, I'm more concerned about the design."
"I see," Hamakaze said. "Maybe we should consult with the maester and some books about Westerosi heraldry to draft out a design?"
"That's a splendid idea," Tyrion agreed before hopping down from the chair. "Let's go to the maester now, then."
They spent a few moments in silence as they made their way to the maester's quarters. After a few knocks, the young maester opened the door to his quarters.
"Ah, Lord Tyrion and Lady Hamakaze. How may I help you?" Creylen asked.
"We need your help on drafting a design of House Kirino's heraldry," Tyrion replied. "The lady intends to commission a set of items bearing it."
"I see… then let me prepare my palette of paints and a few sheets of parchment," Creylen said. "Shall I meet you in the library shortly? Lord Tyrion should know where the books about heraldry are at."
"So we shall," Hamakaze said. "Thank you, Maester Creylen."
The duet walked some more distance to the nearby library and settled to a corner near the windows.
"I must profess that I never saw you wearing any item with your house's heraldry before, Lady Hamakaze," Tyrion said after setting a sizable book on the table. "I think I only saw it on the flag atop Lady Suzutsuki's ship."
"It is, my lord," Hamakaze replied. "We have very little use of our clan symbols among ourselves. The region we claim home is almost wholly deserted, making identifying friend and foe rather simple. As for my time here, I have been working on a few handkerchiefs for a start."
"Indeed. I cannot imagine the fogs on the Smoking Sea as the life-nurturing sort," Tyrion said. "Nothing ever came out of it, after all."
"There are days that rain ate away at our ships at an astonishing rate," Hamakaze said. "Cousin Hyuuga said she once sat and watched the rainwater ate a hole on metal plating in a single afternoon."
"That severe? I never heard of rains eating away at steel visibly," Tyrion said with a curious tone. "Rains and water in general are a ruiner of metal true, but more as an aggravating factor to lack of care instead of a direct cause."
"A thousand apologies for the wait, milord, milady. I seem to have misplaced my solvent oils," Creylen interrupted further discourse as he walked towards the duo with a roll of parchments and something resembling a toolbox. "Now milady, what would you use in your coat of arms?"
"Well the first and foremost of our symbols is the Sigil of The Admiralty," Hamakaze said after Creylen handed her a charcoal stick. "I know not if this is the personal sigil of our clan or merely a symbol of Nihon's extinct navy, yet we use it nonetheless."
"Exciting…" Creylen said as Hamakaze finished the sketch of the symbol. "I never seen a sigil quite like this before."
"Beyond this, I have little to add to the design," Hamakaze said.
"Perhaps you should add something to evoke the imagery of seas?" Tyrion suggested. "You practically live on it your whole life, after all."
"Hm… come to think about it, there is an iconic painting of the wave from my homeland," Hamakaze said. "It is named The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. I'm not sure I can reproduce it from memory, though."
"We can evoke it in a simpler way with wavy patterns in the background," Creylen suggested. "Using hues of blue as colors could work, too."
"I take blue is one of your house's signature colors too?" Tyrion asked.
"I'm not sure, but blue and white is a favorite color combination of Lady Yamato so perhaps?" Hamakaze answered. "Her favored blue is very deep though, unlike House Arryn's sky-blue. It looks almost black from a good distance."
"That could work for the shield's color, but we must make the sigil white if we want to use a deep blue background," Creylen said.
"The rule of tinctures, maester?" Tyrion chimed in. "I thought that particular rule is not widely used nowadays."
"The rigid usage of the rules has indeed fallen out of favor, true," Creylen replied. "It is more of a loose guideline nowadays, but still useful in designing a new crest from the ground up."
"I see… so a white Sigil of The Admiralty on a dark blue background, then," Hamakaze summarized the design so far as Creylen puts the idea so far to a sketch on a sheet of fresh parchment.
"We can put the waves on the pointed side of the sigil," Tyrion pointed. "It looks more like an anchor now, Isn't it?"
"That it is, my lord," Hamakaze said as she smiled.
"Come to think about it, do your house have house words?" Tyrion asked. "A phrase that is used to identify one's house, an embodiment of its thoughts and philosophies as a whole."
"Hm… I'm not sure if we ever have a phrase like that," "But Lady Yamato has a phrase she likes to say whenever a loss is incurred."
"And the phrase is?" Tyrion pressed the inquiry.
"Another hope fades away into night," Hamakaze said. "It's rare, but I have heard her say it aloud. One of the occasion is when our father's remains get carried away by the waves."
"A surprisingly solemn phrase," Creylen commented as he puts some finishing touches to the sigil painting. "Comparing to the words of Westerosi noble houses, the words of House Stark comes to mind."
"Winter is coming, if I'm not mistaken?" Tyrion supplied.
"Quite right, Lord Tyrion," Creylen said. "Do you think the waves are adequate, Lady Hamakaze?"
"Perfect, Maester," Hamakaze said.
…
"This is the day, is it not," Benedict Broom said as Swordheart made a final adjustment to the standard pole she has been building for a past few days. Nearly five yards in length, the curious banner-holder pole is shaped like a simple stick with a single protrusion near the end unlike the more usual T-shape.
"Yes it is, Ser Broom," Swordheart said. "My cousin said to me yesterday that the standard is ready."
"And here comes the lady," Broom replied as he points to the direction of the door leading to Casterly Rock proper. Hamakaze indeed appears from the direction of the castle, a dark bundle of cloth on her hand.
"Cousin Swordheart," Hamakaze said as she stopped beside Swordheart, presenting the folded banner. "Our uma-jirushi."
"Just as the banners of old, of the Takeda, Uesugi, and Oda," Swordheart said as she accepted the banner.
"Ooma-Jeerooshee?" Broom asked.
"The term means 'horse-banner' in our old tongue," Hamakaze said as Swordheart mounted the banner on the pole. "It can be carried on the barding or on the back of the armor of the knight."
"It is done," Swordheart said as she propped the banner on his hands. Dark blue fabric fluttered to the wind, affixed to the pole by straps of similar material. A Sigil of The Admiralty, embroidered in white thread, fluttered to the rhythm of the windswept fabric.
"I imagine it's fairly heavy when mounted on one's back," Broom commented. "But It has a certain majesty to it, isn't it?"
"That it is, good Ser," Hamakaze said as the trio walked to an agreed-upon place to mount the banner.
A/N: Computer still refuses to open FFN, my apologies for another relatively unformatted chapter. The Sigil of The Admiralty is the image I used for the cover. Thanks for your support!