The third day of Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen's stay at my home, we received a visitor.
Maelio, chief of the Sea Dragon Troupe was a man in his fifties, a former Bravo and actor who had penned a play or two when he founded the Troupe. He was also a rather jolly man, with a cheerful disposition.
"Tirso! Old friend, why in the deepest pit of the underworld are you still working?" He said with a massive grin. I laughed a bit and shrugged.
"Well, I have what you asked, the sequel toCaesar." I told him, he looked at me in surprise before I added, "I may have a couple of extras later this moon or the next one, a few comedies to take things more easily."
He gave a deep laugh and nodded. "Gods Tirso, do you not enjoy life?" I laughed along.
"Why Maelio, I enjoy life very much, this kind of things is what keeps me going" I managed to deliver in an almost perfect deadpan before laughing. The laughter also attracted the attention of my... other two guests.
"Ah, right, Maelio, these are Vimero and Daella, my half-siblings. I... I thought them long dead, but they are not."
Daenerys eyed us both with curiosity, and smiled. Viserys seemed disinterested, but it was not too bad. The old man nodded.
"Hah! So you do have a family, Tormo will owe me five honors." Maelio spoke as he sat at the table. With Viserys and Daenerys sitting as well, I sat, and Taella brought food and ale to the table.
"How are things going Maelio? Last I heard the Sealord wanted the Troupe to participate in the festivities" I asked, to which Maelio nodded and grinned.
"Old friend, We will be taking part in them, the Contract is written and the boys are excited for it. I assume that your new story could debut there."
It didn't take much prodding from Daenerys -that girl has perfected the art of the puppy-eyes, to an extent that I can no longer see her as the Mother of Dragons- to get Maelio to regale us with some of the adventures and follies of his youth as a Bravo in the streets of this city. Of his first love and the many stupid things he did to try and gain her heart.
"Gods, did you really go North of the Wall?" Asked Viserys, clearly not believing, even if he found the whole ordeals amusing.
"Yes, yes, You see, some slavers make their way all the way to the Far North of Westeros to enslave the locals, and some of us Braavosi set sail in ships to hit them and try to release some of them.
Sometimes they even choose to come here."
Daenerys was mesmerized by his tall tales, and Viserys just found him amusing.
The evening passed swiftly, and eventually Maelio bid us goodbye. Daenerys was pretty much asleep, and Viserys was finally weary.
"An... Interesting friend you have," He told me, and I shrugged.
"Yes, I won't mince words, he's a bit touched on the head, but he's good with money and good with the boys at the Troupe, besides, this whole thing is quite good business. You can make a lot of allies just by making them laugh, IF that's what's expected of you. And if you make them laugh, you can make them think."
He seemed deep in thought, and I chuckled.
"Go get some rest boy, I'll take little Daenerys to her bed and try to get something done tonight. You'll have to return to training tomorrow."