(Character change Tywin)
Tywin Lannister listened, he listened to the silence, there was nothing to disturb it, from time to time the steps of the servants or his knights walking could be heard or one person speaking to another, but other than that there was nothing.
The world was quiet...the world was quiet.
He had read the letter sent from Kings Landing to the strangers, he did so because, the letter hadn't been sealed at all, it was just a folded up letter, no wax to keep it closed and no strings for it to be secure.
He hadn't bothered to add a letter of his own, for the simplest reason that everyone knew that in order to travel within a lord's lands, a person needs the permission of that lord.
Tywin held the letters that had gone between himself and the strangers, who were asking for permission to travel thru his lands, normally he wouldn't have bothered to answer as he had, but there were still so many unknowns.
So he sent a letter asking to know how many people would be passing thru, for no other reason than to stop his own men from fulfilling their duties and attacking them, thinking that they were preventing an early invasion force.
The stranger's answer, was both pathetically small and at the same time worry some, only a few people would be going to Kings Landing, of course, they would all be knights, no servants would be accompanying them.
This answer alone confirmed two theories that Tywin had when he had seen the gathering group of children and what his granddaughter had to him. The strangers were thought to multitask, so there was no doubt that they would be trained beyond the common things thought to any knight or lord.
Tywin knew just, by the way, the small town or perhaps it was a city, that he has visited, that writing was a common thing to the people there and from what his master was doing, innovation was something the people there desired.
Meaning that the strangers would only become stronger as time passed and yet he could see no immediate threat from them.
Their numbers were small and if what his men, the servants and his granddaughter had told him was true, the assortment of creatures present within the city, suggested a level of danger that the people there lived in, was exceptionally high.
But there is a difference between a little threat and none at all, the strangers wanted nothing to do with the outside world, their actions alone spoke of this and they did what they had to do to stay away.
Unfortunately, that would never happen.
No immediate threat, didn't mean no threat at all, their school alone could train-teach and form binds that only occluded between houses over various years within a short period of time and the way that the knights walked, all spoke of combat experience, meaning that if the matter was needed they could and would put up one hell of a fight.
Still as things stood, Tywin gave his permission, but only after asking if they would be carrying anything extra, like wagons-horsed or weapons. He was trapped between bringing the kings anger upon him or simply annoying the strangers, to the point that they become frustrated and decide to simply head to Kings Landing by Ship.
The fate of his lands-his people, the seven kingdoms all depended on the meeting ahead and now something like this happens.
Tywin turned to look at the masked man who was so rounded by his personal guard, at the masked man's feet laid the body of a young woman. The man made a motion of himself, pulling at his face and one of Tywins personal guards looked to Tywin, for confirmation.
Tywin simply looked at the man, there was no need for any action or words, the man had known him for years and so knew what Tywin said with one look.
The knight reached out and pulled the woman's face, only for it to come off and the face of a small boy be left behind, the knight pulled again and the face of a man, he pulled again and the black face of a woman from the south.
"Enough" Tywin ordered the man, he had seen enough, the assassins of Esos the Faceless men were walking around his lands, but why was the question.
"There are more kingdoms within the island. No one wants a war, we keep our selves in check, you keep yourselves, as well" the masked man said to Tywin.
"That's not for me to decide" Tywin answered the man and in a puff of smoke the man vanished.
"But it is, you see you've managed to do something not even the kingdoms of Aincrad could. You've managed to get the trust of the Adventurers" the man appeared behind Tywin, yet Tyein did not show any fear, if he even had any.
"To think that an ordinary man, without power or skills in magic, would be able to go as far as to write letters to those that kill giants-dragons- armies, for fun. Beings that have ended entire kingdoms, would ask for something as ridiculous as permission" the man spoke as a knight tried to pierce him with a spear, only for him to turn to smoke once again.
"So I ask you once gain, keep your dogs in check, for the kingdoms of Aincrad know that if you are attacked, they will answer." The man spoke.
Tywin now understood what was happening, this was interrogation, whatever/whoever hose kingdoms were, they wanted to know what Tywin was planning or how had he made contact with the strangers.
"I hold no such power" Tywin answered.
The man simply moved his hand and placed it on his chin "Perhaps, perhaps not, but one wonders how did your people access their libraries and why are your slaves happily building a wall alongside their servants" he stopped before vanishing again.
"Take it as a peace offering, she was a long at you, you were in luck that I was sent to speak to you." The man's voice seemed to come from every direction, but his body was nowhere to be seen.
Again Tywin stood in silence, no one present dared to speak or make a move.