A Song of Ice, Fire & the Dead
Chapter 20: The Man in the Mirror
Aegon and Saeko found that they were sharing a room, which suited them both just fine, while Saya and Alice shared another. Aegon and Saeko's room was large and spacious with a large hearth set against the wall and a large bed against the opposite. A bearskin rug lay between the bed and the hearth. A large glass paned window gave an amazing view of the sea below. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks rose into the air, followed by the caws and cries of seagulls flying through the air.
"It's not too bad," Saeko remarked as she finished her examination of the room that she would be sharing with Aegon. "I imagine it gets cold here, so having a warm fire at night will help us sleep," she said.
"Failing that, we'll have to find some other way to warm ourselves," Aegon japed.
Saeko grinned at the jest, having a very clear idea of what Aegon meant. "Indeed. I could think of a few ways to keep ourselves warm at night," she said with a purr in her voice.
Aegon chuckled as he walked over to press a kiss to Saeko's lips. Saeko gladly accepted the kiss, wrapping her arms around Aegon's neck and deepening the kiss. Aegon grasped the samurai's hips with his hands and slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her deeply. After a moment of tasting each other, they pulled away, panting for breath.
"We should probably go check on Saya and Alice," Aegon said reluctantly.
"We should," Saeko agreed. "And we'll need to honour our promise to Cerys to spar with her today and perhaps see Yennefer if we have time," she said.
"Well, no time like the present," Aegon said with a nod of his head as he and Saeko left their quarters and walked down the corridor and found the room where Saya and Alice were staying.
Saeko knocked on the door and Saya called out to them, "It's open!" Opening the door, Saeko and Aegon found Saya sitting on the edge of her bed bouncing Alice on her knee. The room Saya and Alice were staying in was much the same as Aegon and Saeko's room, but against the wall sat a large wardrobe.
The wardrobe was a fairly large size, it almost took up a quarter of the wall it sat against and there were finely carved intricate details of animals and trees on the dark varnished wood. Aegon felt strangely drawn to the wardrobe, but he shook his head and looked at Saya and Alice and asked them, "How are you both? Settling in alright?"
"We're fine. It's a little cold though," Saya replied as she shivered briefly.
"Well, I'm sure if you ask one of the servants, they'll get the fire going for you," Saeko said to the pinkette. "Failing that, me and Aegon can light it for you," she offered.
"Thank you, but I'm pretty sure I can set and light a fire myself. I am a genius after all," Saya said with a hint of her usual arrogance.
"I'm sure you could, Lady Saya," Aegon said placatingly although he snapped a wink at Saeko who grinned at it. "Anyway, me and Saeko were going to go and see Lady Cerys and engage her in a spar. And perhaps afterwards, we would go and see Lady Yennefer," he added.
"Thanks, but right now I'm going to find Alice and I some food to eat," Saya replied. "And I might go and see if there's a library in this place. I'm curious about what books they have here," she said thoughtfully.
"Well, don't let us stop you, Saya," Saeko said as she and Aegon left the room leaving Saya and Alice to their devices.
…
After asking a guard where the courtyard was, Aegon and Saeko were directed to the courtyard which was just outside the dining hall. As they entered the courtyard, they felt the cold bite of the wintery air outside and they soon found Cerys seated on a stone bench, sharpening a sword with a whetstone.
Cerys looked up at them and smiled. "Well, well, I didn't think ye'd both come," she commented.
"We could hardly refuse your request, Lady Cerys," Saeko replied formally. "And I'm curious as to what kind of fighting styles your people employ," she said.
"Aye, and I'm curious what you know of fighting," Cerys said as she put away her whetstone and stood to her feet, rolling her shoulders. "So, which of you wants to go first?" she asked.
"Shouldn't we spar with training swords?" Aegon suggested calmly.
"A little blood never hurt anyone," Cerys said dismissively. "Unless, you're having second thoughts?" she asked in a challenging tone of voice.
"No, I simply do not wish to injure you too severely and have myself thrown out for harming the Jarl's daughter," Aegon replied matter-of-factly.
"Me Da trusts me enough to take care of meself and I'd rather not go running to him with every cut and scrape I get," Cerys said. "Now, c'mon! Ain't got all day!" she stated.
Aegon looked at Saeko and nodded at her before drawing his own sword. "Very well, Lady Cerys. Have at it!"
Aegon held his sword in a two-handed grip, the tip aimed at Cerys while the flat of the blade rested on his forearm. His dominant hand gripped the hilt while his non-dominant hand held the pommel. Cerys spread her feet apart as she held her sword in a low stance, her eyes completely focussed and determined.
After a moment of waiting, Cerys grew impatient and lunged forward, her sword raised in the air, a battle-cry on her lips. She then swung her sword down towards Aegon who raised his sword to deflect the strike, stepping to the side and thrusting his sword at Cerys who turned away and spun back. Now circling Aegon, Cerys searched for an opening and gave a few experimental thrusts at Aegon who parried them away each time. Grinning to herself, Cerys swung her sword at Aegon's legs; Aegon blocked the strikes but received a light punch to the jaw from Cerys's fist. Grunting in mild pain and surprise, Aegon moved back, now watching Cerys more carefully. Aegon then decided to take the offensive as he swung his sword in a figure eight motion at Cerys who moved back to avoid the whirling blade before Aegon then delivered a hefty kick that knocked Cerys back.
To her credit, Cerys didn't fall over but she did look a little winded. Aegon stepped back doing the gallant thing and letting Cerys recover her breath. After getting her breath back, Cerys then charged at Aegon and swung her sword at his chest. Aegon blocked the strike and locked swords with Cerys. Given his larger stature, Aegon was easily overpowering Cerys through sheer strength alone, but then the smaller woman suddenly slammed her forehead into Aegon's face. A slight crunch was heard and Aegon stumbled backwards, and he tasted a little blood leak out from his nose and into his mouth. Licking it away from his lips, Aegon growled; time to stop playing around.
Striking harder and faster at Cerys, although taking care to control his strikes, Aegon pressed the attack on the young woman who did her best to avoid or parry the strikes. Jumping to the side, Cerys swung her sword and Aegon rolled out of the way and received a kick to his chest knocking him back. Cerys stood over Aegon, her sword pointed at his face. "Do you surrender?" she asked him teasingly.
Aegon smiled a little before he flexed his hips upwards, his legs locking around Cerys's waist and with a turn of his hips, he threw Cerys to the side and rolled on top of her and pressed the edge of his sword against her throat.
"Do you surrender?" Aegon parroted playfully as he leaned in close to Cerys's surprise and blushing face. Cerys reluctantly nodded and Aegon helped her up. Saeko clapped her hands in approval, although a slight frown was on her face.
"Where did you learn that move?" Cerys asked as she tried to calm herself.
"One of my teachers taught it to me," Aegon replied.
"Maybe you could teach me that trick? Seems pretty damn useful," Cerys said.
"Gladly," Aegon said nodding his head. "But I believe it is Saeko's turn to face you now," he remarked as he looked at Saeko who nodded.
"Aye, that it is," Cerys agreed as she picked up her sword and readied herself. "Are you ready, Lady Saeko?" she asked the indigo-haired swordswoman who nodded back in response, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword.
A long moment passed between Cerys and Saeko before Cerys charged forward. Saeko then thrust forward, drawing her sword as she did. Ducking under Cerys's swing, Saeko drew her sword and swung it close to the Skellige girl's stomach, stopping just short of an inch away. Cerys looked down and gave a gasp as she realised that if this had been a real fight, Saeko could have killed her in one stroke. Saeko moved respectfully back and sheathed her sword before asking, "Do you wish to try again?" A playful smile was on the samurai's lips as she looked at Cerys.
"By the Goddess! You could've killed me in one stroke, couldn't ye?" Cerys said in astonishment.
"My fighting style and the design of my sword involves being able to draw and cut in one singular motion," Saeko replied.
"What kind of style?" Cerys asked in interest.
"The style I used is called the Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu technique," Saeko replied. "It is a sword style that involves simultaneously drawing and cutting through your opponent in one smooth motion, as opposed to just cutting your opening in a normal stance," she explained.
"And I suppose the design of your sword allows for that?" Cerys asked as she looked at Saeko's sword in interest.
"Yes," Saeko said as she drew her katana and held it out for Cerys to examine. Cerys carefully took the sword and examined it.
"Beautiful craftsmanship," Cerys commented, her eyes picking over every detail of the weapon she held. "What kind of sword is this called?" she asked Saeko while still examining the sword.
"It is called a katana which is the word for longsword in my culture," Saeko answered.
"It's a very fine looking blade," Cerys said. "How was it forged?" she asked as she handed the sword back to Saeko who sheathed it before replying to Cerys's question.
"The process of forging a katana takes days, weeks, months and requires dedication and superb forging techniques, as well as special materials to forge a katana," Saeko explained.
"What kind of materials are you talking about?" Cerys asked.
"The main metal used for forging the blade of a katana is a special steel called tamahagane," Saeko replied. "Tamahagane is made of iron sand or satetsu in my language which is found in a certain region in my homeland and there are two kinds of it: akame satetsu and masa satetsu," she said. "Akame is of lower quality while masa is higher," she added.
"And so they mix these two metals together to create this ta-ma-hag-a-nay?" Cerys asked as she struggled to pronounce the word.
"The person who decides how much of each satetsu is mixed together is called the murage," Saeko replied. "The metals are mixed in a special clay tub furnace called a tatara which is about 4 feet tall, 12 feet long and 4 feet wide," she said. "The tub is then heated to 1,000 degrees Celsius and charcoal is mixed in to add carbon to the metal so that it can be hardened," she explained.
"How long does it take?" Cerys asked.
"It can take up to a day and a half or three days maximum, depending how many people are working and how much metal is obtained," Saeko said.
"Interesting," Cerys said in fascination. "I'd have to ask our smithy is he knows of any similar techniques," she added thoughtfully.
"It'll be interesting to compare forging techniques of this sword to the ones back home," Saeko said.
"And what of your sword, Aegon?" Cerys then asked Aegon looking at him. "How was yours forged?"
"Well, in my homeland, nobody really knows how Valyrian steel was forged," Aegon admitted. "Some say the Valyrians wove magic spells into the molten metal before blasting it with dragon-fire, but other than theories, no-one is too certain," he said.
"Dragon-fire, eh? Winter's Blade was said to be tempered in dragon-fire," Cerys said in thought.
"Winter's Blade?" Aegon echoed the name.
"Aye, a family sword that's been in the An Crait clan for hundreds of years," Cerys replied. "Forged by the dwarves in Mahakam and tempered in dragon-fire. It's never lost its edge nor been broken," she said.
"Interesting," Aegon said. "Does your clan still have it?" he asked.
"Aye, though it's kept in my father's room for safekeeping, and I'm not sure Da will bring it out just to show off," Cerys said.
"Of course, but perhaps another time then," Aegon said nodding his head.
"Well, at the very least, this has been rather interesting," Cerys said. "My thanks for sparring with me. Perhaps we can do it again later?" she offered.
"I think we'd both like that, Lady Cerys," Saeko replied formally.
"Ach, call me Cerys. Don't bother with fancy titles and all that," Cerys said waving a hand. "See you both later," she then said as she left the courtyard.
"Well, that was a good bit of exercise," Aegon commented as he and Saeko headed back into the dining hall as people began to file inside with the promise of food beckoning them in.
Saeko then spotted Saya and Alice sitting at a table away from the other tables and she and Aegon walked over to them. "Are you alright, Saya?" the samurai asked the pinkette who nodded, a little red in the face.
"Is something the matter, Lady Saya?" Aegon asked as he noticed the blush on Saya's cheeks.
"I'm fine, just a little warm in here is all," Saya said dimissively.
"Are you sure?" Aegon asked her. "You know you can talk to us about anything bothering you," he said.
"It's nothing!" Saya bit out.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that," said a refined cultured voice and walking over to the table was a man wearing a mustard yellow shit, blue trousers, fingerless gloves and brown leather boots. The man's face looked average in a somehow unnerving way as he smiled disarmingly at them. "Your young friend had the misfortune to be accosted by a young rowdy lout by the name of Blueboy who made some rather crude remarks about her hair and, ahem, her figure."
"Where is he?" Aegon asked his voice quiet and filled with deadly intention.
"I wouldn't recommend attacking the man, as he's the eldest son of Madman Lugos, patriarch of Clan Drummond, rivals to the An Crait clan for generations and generations," said the man. "Lugos hates Crach with a passion and has accused the An Crait clan for stealing his territory which he figures encompasses all of Ard Skellig," he added.
"Who are you, Ser?" Aegon then asked.
"Me? Oh, no-one special, but since you asked; I am Gaunter O'Dimm or Master Mirror as I am fond of," the man replied with a theatrical bow.
"Master Mirror? Quite a curious title," Saeko remarked. "I take it your profession involves mirrors?"
Gaunter laughed pleasantly at that and said, "Oh, my dear, I am nothing more than a merchant who caters to the desires of his clients. Nothing more than that. Might I join you?" he asked politely.
"By all means," Saeko replied and Gaunter joined them at their table.
"So, you are a merchant, you said?" Aegon asked Gaunter as some bowls of stew were placed in front of them. "What kind of wares do you sell?" he enquired.
"As I said, I cater to the desires of whatever my clients ask," Gaunter said vaguely as he ate his stew.
"Well, perhaps you have seen some friends of ours?" Saya asked cautiously. "We were separated from them," she explained.
"I have seen many people in my travels, good lady," Gaunter replied. "Perhaps if you described them to me and I could perhaps wrack my memory," he offered.
"Well, first is Takashi; he's about 17 years old, brown hair and brown eyes. Wearing a jacket with a shirt, pants and shoes," Saya said as she described Takashi.
"Was he perhaps with a younger slightly overweight boy wearing spectacles?" Gaunter asked innocently.
"Yes, that's Kohta!" Saya blurted. "Was there anyone else they were with?" she asked.
Gaunter hummed in thought before answering. "I did perhaps see three young women with these two gentlemen; one was extraordinarily beautiful with long blonde and a figure that women would kill to have, the second was just as beautiful but not quite as womanly and the other was a sweet young girl with an odd of speaking," he said.
"Shizuka, Rei and Asami," Aegon said in realisation. "Where did you see them?" he asked Gaunter.
"I believe I saw them on the Continent, the city of Novigrad to be precise," Gaunter replied.
"Then that's where we need to go then," Saeko said and she looked at Gaunter and said to him, "Thank you, Mr O'Dimm. I regret to say we don't have anything to pay you with for your help."
"Oh think nothing of it," Gaunter smiled easily. "Anything to help a fellow traveller. Perhaps one day I'll need help, and you'll be nearby to offer it?" he said as he stood up from his chair. "Until we meet again, Aegon, Saeko, Saya and little Alice." And with that, the merchant disappeared into the crowd of people in the dining hall.
"How did he know our names?" Saya asked faintly.
"Perhaps word travels fast around here?" Aegon suggested. But for some reason, Aegon felt a little niggling fear in the back of his mind that said that Gaunter O'Dimm was much more than he claimed to be and that they would soon meet him again and perhaps not in ideal circumstances.
TO BE CONTINUED…
A/N: there! The twentieth chapter of this is done and dusted and we saw the introduction of Gaunter O'Dimm. Who knows? We might see Gaunter again at some stage in this story as he certainly seems to know Aegon and co.
Anywho, in other news, I recently published a Red Dead Redemption 2/Chronicles of Narnia crossover in which our favourite outlaw hides in a wardrobe while robbing a house and falls into the land of Narnia where he meets the Pevensies. If any of you want to check the story then feel free to do so. I'd really appreciate it.
Anyways, not much more to say, so I'll leave this here and see you all in the next one.
Be kind to one another.
Angry lil' elf.