A/N; A bit less interested in writing this but I'm slowly working through the writer's block . Should have another chapter up on by Friday, taking the number of chapters there up to four.

We docked in Bravos after over a month of travel. If I'd spent that time hidden away, I probably wouldn't have managed to survive. A few hours after we'd set sail, I left my hiding spot to speak to the captain. He was none too pleased about having me stowaway on his ship, but the promise of gold seemed to calm him down a bit.

Well, the promise of gold and the fact that I gutted the two crew members sent to relieve me of my gold the moment I'd shown it. I honestly expected a lot more assassination attempts but after the first time, the captain seemed to accept me as a regular member of his crew.

The Titan of Bravos was even larger than Luwin had described it. Must be at least half as large as the wall in my eyes. I'd never actually seen the wall, so the comparison had to be taken with a bit more than a pinch of salt.

The docks were larger and busier than any I'd ever seen- in both lives. I said goodbye to the captain and his crew before I disappeared into the crowds. It took me about an hour of asking for directions before I eventually found the currency office where I exchanged all my silver stags for Bravosi Iron Squares.

After that, I went to the most high-class inn I could find and loudly introduced myself as Theon Greyjoy, of the Iron Islands seeking a room. When I was not-so-subtly questioned about my purpose for being in Bravos, I proudly proclaimed that I had a business opportunity for the Sealord.

I lurked at the bar for a few more hours, enjoying the opportunity to just drink and enjoy the revelry. I'd escaped Westeros with my head on my neck. I'd escaped Lord Stark's gilded cage. I appreciated the man's generosity but no matter how nice he was to me; I was still a hostage. Those were the cards I was dealt, so I changed the whole fucking game.

It took four days for an aide of the Sealord to approach me with the information that the Sealord was waiting for me. I'd hoped this would eventually happen. I guess the Sealord was curious as to what business an escaped hostage had with him.

The Sealord's palace was large. Not very descriptive that was. It was richly decorated. There were tapestries in every hallway to show the riches and splendour of the Sealord. I was announced and walked into his 'throne room'. He sat at the head, on a simple carved chair. He looked like the kind of man that had been handsome in his youth. His grey hair was styled beautifully, and he sat on the chair like he was king of this part of the world. He was surrounded by courtiers that buzzed with whispers.

He began things by saying, "Theon Greyjoy, I was surprised to hear of your presence within this great city. I am very curious as to how you escaped captivity, but that is not relevant for now. You've claimed to have business for me." He spoke with a musical tilt to his voice and his wrinkles moved with his mouth.

"Yes, I do. I've designed a nifty tool that can allow you to tell North from any part of the world" I said to whispers of shock and awe. The compass was my most proud achievement in Winterfell. I'd made a homemade one for a science project but adapting that knowledge to be useful with access to only medieval tools had taken me years of work and countless failed attempts.

"Interesting. Such a tool would be groundbreaking. May I see it?" He spoke calmly but I could see the doubt in his eyes. If this were Westeros, I'd probably be executed for witchcraft or something equally ridiculous. I passed my first successful prototype to a guard who then passed it to him. He looked at it and then moved around the room, making sure it stayed pointing North at every moment.

The shock on his face brought joy to my heart. I was proud of my invention but I'd still felt a bit of fear that it would be written off as a scam or something. His shock and excitement told me he understood the effects my invention would have.

He comported himself and then assumed his place on his chair. "A truly interesting device, that tool of yours. You know how to make more?" He asked with an intense look.

His question threw me off. Didn't I tell him that I invented it? Did he think I stole it off someone? "Yes, I do" I replied simply.

"Good, I want that information and you may name your price" He spoke in a commanding tone.

"One ship made to my specifications and a million gold dragons" I also replied without bothering to obfuscate.

"That's quite a price. What stops me from just capturing you and forcing the knowledge from your mouth" He asked with such a tone that told me he was legitimately considering it.

"I've been in this city for four days. I've told everyone who would listen my name and my purpose for being here. If I suddenly go missing, my father who has no doubt been building his naval strength will cease having the iron born reave randomly and exclusively target Bravosi ships. If, and that's a big if, you manage to break me through torture, my father will unleash such financial ruin upon Bravos that I doubt you will remain in your position for even a year longer" I lied through my teeth. I much doubted that Balon would care enough about Theon to take revenge for his death.

"That sounds like an unlikely sequence of circumstances, but I did not get to my position by courting risk. You will get your ship and your gold. As a gesture of goodwill, we will build the ship and stock it with your gold before you hand over the plans for the device. When it's tested, you will be allowed to set sail"

Those were really generous terms. More generous than I expected to be honest. I accepted the deal and set an appointment to meet with the head of the shipbuilder's association regarding the designs for my ship.

One of the aides led me to his office and I wasted no time with pleasantries. I took out four pieces of parchment from my satchel. "Can you build this?" I asked the man. He was young, much younger than I'd expected. Only a decade older than me from what I could tell. His excited nods and rambles as he looked at the design told me he saw the potential. I'd designed a Carrack, the best I could. It was heavily modified of course. I had basic ideas of how one looked and worked but even with my brain enhanced as it was, all I could do was make a sketch and a list of materials and features.

"This is rough, I can already see ways to improve it but yes, I can build this." He finally replied after a few minutes of looking through it.

"Good, can you make it possible for one man to sail it?" I asked another question. He looked at me askance. That's impossible. The ship is simply too large, the smallest crew that could possibly sail this would be 12 people. If you lack a crew, I'm sure the sealord will permit you to hire some Bravosi sailors." I snorted at that. Spies more like.

I accepted his answer though and asked how long the ship would take. He replied that with the Bravosi methods it should ordinarily take about 7 sennights but my request for minor copper sheathing of the hull would add another 5 moons to the construction period. That meant I'd be spending another 7 months in Bravos. Luckily, the Sealord had offered me accommodations in his palace for however long I'd need to wait. I thanked him for his help and left.

The aide showed me to my quarters. They were a fair bit more lavish than anything I'd seen in either Winterfell or Pyke. It was clear to see the Sealord wanted to keep me happy. The two courtesans sent to my room that night drove that point home. I'd never been one to indulge in paid sex but at the age of Six and ten, I thought more with my lower brain than the one in my head. I enjoyed them thoroughly. Super soldier stamina kept me going longer than I should have been able to and eventually, their moans stopped being faked, at least I felt they stopped being fake.

The next morning, I got dressed and asked an aide to show me to the training grounds. They were much smaller than the ones in Winterfell but there were quite a few Bravosi waterdancers practicing their craft here. I got in the ring and waited for a challenger.

I was surprised for someone who had stood behind the Sealord's chair to come and face me in the ring. "Syrio Forel, first sword of Bravos" he introduced himself in heavily accented common tongue. I saluted him with my sword and took my stance. I'd taken to wielding a bastard sword with two hands. Shields didn't flow well with my instincts so I didn't bother with one.

He began the battle by sending his narrow sword straight for my head. I leaned back from my waist to dodge and narrowed my eyes at him. That could have killed me. I stood straight and moved a few steps back before I attempted a straight slash from shoulder to hip. He dodged it and sent his sword at my shoulder.

I was out of position, but fast enough to parry it. I thrusted at him, and he weaved in and out of my chain of attacks, sending his own attacks every few turns to try catching me by surprise.

After five minutes, he stepped back and applauded me. "The day is yours, my friend" he said while walking towards me. The fight was just getting interesting.

"The battle wasn't over" I growled out, trying to keep a lid on my anger at the fight ending so unsatisfactorily. He was one of the few people to give me a challenge like that. I wasn't holding back as much I did in Winterfell. I wasn't trying to kill him, but I was enjoying myself very much.

"Oh. I got everything I needed from that. If we continued, you'd have won eventually. Your skills are good, nothing special of course but you're faster than almost everyone I've fought before. You were also holding back though." He told me with an accusing look.

I accepted his semi-admonishment with a nod. "Will you help me with my skills? That water dancing of yours looked really good" I asked.

"Definitely, I'll train you and when you add my imparted skills to your unnatural speed and strength, I will be Syrio Forel, trainer of the strongest sword in the world." He proclaimed grandly.

I smirked in reply. This was going to be fun.