The Farosi

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Chapter Four

The Embassy

Sansa sat alone in her room, well not completely alone since Lady was sitting next to her, happily accepting Sansa's comforting patting behind the ears. Since the incident on the Trident she had been by herself except for Mordane, Lady and Jeyne Poole. She couldn't stand to be around anyone else after being revealed as a liar in front of everyone. She had to lie though, Mordane said so, she had to stand with her husband to be, but at the same time she had to lie in front of her father and the king had ordered her to not lie again. Gods, what was she to do? She ate with her family, had her lessons and then went off to be alone with Lady. The Direwolf was by her at all times, her faithful companion. After arriving both Lady and Nymeria had their coats cut down to make the heat more bearable and there was also several bowls of chilled water close by at all times. They looked smaller but still had a wonder to them and were still larger than any dog. When a tapping came from the door of her room she expected it to be Mordane and she allowed her in.

'What lesson do we have today Septa?' she asked, looking out of the window.

'Wrong woman dear.'

Sansa stood up and curtsied at once to Princess Radwen, wearing a light blue, almost white, dress with a satin shawl around her shoulders, behind her stood a pair of men in purple unifors and black armour with helets made with full face masks which bore the image of a scowling bearded man.

'Your Highness I'm sorry,' she said quickly.

'It's alright Sansa. May I sit down?'

'Of course,' she responded and Radwen sat down in a chair opposite Sansa's, her two guards flanking her.

'I think the best thing about the trip to Winterfell was not having the brutes in black around all the time,' she said and chuckled. 'I came to see how you were. I've been busy at the embassy for the past few days but I've heard you're on your way to becoming a loner up in her tower.'

'It's just I don't think anyone wants to see the girl who lied to the king.'

'People lie to the king every day,' she told her. 'If you want my honest opinion everyone will forget it soon but if you stay in here you'll earn yourself a reputation as the mad woman who lives in a tower and that will take years to go away.'

Sansa didn't know what to say so she just remained silent.

'Anyway, I know the perfect thing to get you back out and talking with people again.'

'You do?'

'Of course. I'm hosting a garden party at the embassy tommorow at lunch time. I'd like to extand an invitation to you and your sister. I already asked young Arya but she said no, to be honest I think she is a bit young for these events but you're the right age. Would you like to come my dear?'

'Oh yes,' she said at once and smiled, excited at the thought.

'Splendid, it should put you over until the tourney starts. I'll see you tomorrow then, we start just before midday and promise me you'll choose something nice to wear.'

'I will, Your Highness.'

That was why the next day, just before lunch, Sansa rode through the streets of the capital, Lady following her mistress and escorted by Tomard and another guard towards the embassy. The Farosi Embassy sat in the middle of what was called "The Farosi District" or "The Foreign Market" where a few dozen merchants from Faros did business. She had heard one of the servants mention the area used to be called Flea Bottom but the Farosi had been buying a lot of it and rebuilding everything. Around the edges were still remnants of what it used to be, a downtrodden piece of squallor but now most of the streets were wide and each one had at least four floors. Sansa was very impressed by it and she hoped she would be up to Farosi standards. Her dress was a light pink with frills on the cuffs and her hair was done in the way described in the magazine Radwen had given her in Winterfell.

'Here we are,' said Tomard as they arrived outside the embasies walls, which were about eight feet tall and topped with battlements being patrolled by Farosi troops. She looked up at one of those men and recognised him as the trooper who had unravelled her lie about what happened at the Trident.

The gate was made of oak and painted in the fashion of the flag of Farsos, the right gate was painted dark blue and on it was a rearing black unicorn, on the other a rearing black gryphon on a yellow field. Between the two animals was a black crown. On either side of the gate stood a tall thin wooden hut and a soldier with a rifle and fixed bayonet stood in each one.

'Names?' one of them asked.

'Tomard, escorting Lady Sansa Stark.'

The man looked at a leather bound book and after a few moments nodded.

'Welcome to the embassy. You'll have to leave your weapons at the officer inside.'

'I see,' Tomard agreed as the gate opened revealing the embassy properly.

Sansa rode through the gates with her escort and saw ahead of her a large house, Westerosi by the look of it, but it had been expanded, a covered varanda added along the front and another floor. Next to the embassy, which sat at the back of the complex, was a pair of buildings, one of them with the word "Barracks" on the front and the other was clearly a stable. In front of those buildings was a large garden in which almost a hundred people, mostly Farosi but a few Westerosi, talked and enjoyed food and drink. Under a covered stand was a Farosi band playing relaxed music, servants the men in close fitting black jackets and trousers while the women wore black dresses with white aprons and cloth caps, carried trays around to the guests who laughed and talked. In the middle of the garden was a fountain topped by a glass statue of a woman in robes pointing forwards with a long finger.

'Go and have a good time Lady Sansa,' Tomard said and helped her off her horse, Lady staying close by.

'Father commanded you to stay with me,' Sansa reminded him.

'I'll be close by, now have fun,' he said and handed his sword and revolver to a Farosi soldier while allowing another to take the horse towards the stables.

'Thank you,' she said, smiling, and walked towards the party and soon she saw the princess with several women talking excitedly.

'Sansa!' the princess called over to her.

Happy that the princess spotted her she went over, Lady following behind closely as she aproached the Farosi women.

'Your Highness,' Sansa curtsied.

'Ladies, let me introduce you to Lady Sansa Stark, daughter of Lord Eddard Stark, Hand of the King.'

'Lovely to meet you Lady Sansa,' said one of them, an older black haired woman of about forty years. 'I'm Countess Roonis but you can call me Roonie, everyone does.'

'Pleased to meet you Roonie.'

'It's a large dog you have,' said a woman with darker skin and light brown hair.

'She's called Lady, and she's a Direwolf.'

'She's so calm,' the dark woman said and gently patted Lady on the head. 'Oh, forgive my manners, I'm called Olika, Lady Olika of Serdera, daughter of Ormino, Duke of Serdera.'

'Isn't Serdera the place where they have the best glass workers?'

'That's right Lady Sansa. Did you see the statue on the fountain?'

'Yes, it's wonderful.'

'It was actually made by Dorshil, the finest glass worker in all of Serdera and by extension the whole world.'

'It's of the True Queen,' said the final woman, a tall regal girl of about nineteen with silver blonde hair and wearing deep blue robes.

'Who is the True Queen?'

'I suppose you wouldn't know,' she said. 'I am Densa, Priestess of the Church of the True Queen. She is our goddess, five thousand years ago Casius the Sea Walker left the lands of Westeros with his followers and travelled into the Sunset Sea. On their ships they became lost at sea until one night a crowned woman rose out of the sea and pointed towards the horizon where the night before a star had fallen from the sky. Casius thanked her for what she did and the woman came onto his ship. She announced herself as the True Queen of sea and land and commanded Casius to travel to where the star fell and then build a kingdom in her service. She then descended into the depths of the sea. Two days later Casius and his fleet of ships landed on a beach on the land which we now call Farsos and on that very beach was a giant emerald, taller than a man.'

'That emerald was used to make the Emerald Throne of Farsos,' Radwen added. 'My father sits on that throne now.'

'Was the True Queen ever seen again?' asked Sansa.

'Twice,' Densa answered her. 'A few years after leading Cassius and his people to salvation she came to him and took shelter in his hall to hide from a ruthless man who tried to force her to be his wife. He came riding a mighty sea snake and the True Queen, with the help of Cassius and his people, defeated him. She transformed Cassius's ships into whales who drove the monster and its rider away, so humiliated that he would never return.'

'That's amazing. What about the second time?'

'Long ago when night descended upon Farsos the True Queen appeared before the Senate and King Wikin the Second. She proclaimed that this was the beginning of a night which may never end and she would protect her people. At her command the seas around Farsos became too violent for any ship to sail or for any cold to turn to ice, she allowed crops to be grown in the most frozen ground and proclaimed, many years later when a new day dawned, that she would come to her people one more time before she walked to the beach and transformed into sea foam, being swept back to the depths where she dwells now in her palace.'

'The Long Night,' said Sansa. 'Like in the stories.'

'It's similar yes,' Radwen agreed. 'Maybe a coincidence though, come on, let me show you around, Sansa.'

So Radwen and Sansa walked around the garden, Sansa was introduced to many of the wives of the important Farosi in the city.

'It's a pity Olika has to leave soon,' Radwen told her as they enjoyed some iced milk on the shaded veranda. 'Still, she's enjoyed her holiday here.'

'I'm glad to hear it. Why does she have to go home so soon?'

'Her father's unwell so he's stepping down as Duke and she has to be there to see her brother become the new Duke.'

'Is her brother a good man?'

'I met him a few times. He's pleasant enough but rather dull. He has an incredible mind though and used to serve as First Senator of the Treasury.'

'What's that?'

'Our equivilent of Master of Coin. Oh, is that Jon over there?'

Sansa followed Radwen's gaze to see Jon, wearing a uniform much more ornate than the one he rode to Winterfell in. It was much more tight fitting, white gloves which almost reached his elbows and gold epaulette's were on his shoulders. Even Ghost looked like he had been brushed before the party. He was speaking to another officer, an extrememly large man of Jon's age who seemed to be as fat as the king was.

'Who is that man?'

'Samwell Tarly, he's an officer of engineers.'

'Engineers?'

'They're responsible for the technical parts of the army like building temporary bridges, fortification, repair work, he's actually helping us with our building work here.'

'Tarly, isn't that one of the families from the Reach?'

'Yes, he's the heir to Horn Hill.'

'Then why is he in the Farosi army?'

'His father wanted him toughened up a bit, not that I can blame him. According to his report on his first day at the academy he cried becasue of the sound of gunfire.'

'Dear me.'

Jon said farewell to his friend and then, followed by Ghost, walked onto the veranda, proceeding towards the princess and Sansa.

'Mister Snow, having a pleasant time I hope.'

'Of course Your Highness,' he said after a quick nod of his head before looking at his half sister. 'Sansa, I was hoping that I could speak with you.'

'Of course,' she said nervously and the princess stood up.

'I just have to go and greet a few more guests. I won't be long Sansa.'

When she left Jon sat down, the two wolves sitting together quietly next to them, and after an uncomfortable moment Jon spoke.

'Sansa, about what happened on the Trident, I just wanted to make sure we can move on from that.'

'I lied to the king, Jon.'

'That's not what I was annoyed about. You took a side against the family, that was the only problem I had.'

'That's all?'

'Yes, my loyalties are to the gods, to father and then to Farsos.'

'I am to be Joff's queen. I had to back him up, to agree with his version of what happened.'

'I know, just remember this, you may one day be his wife but the blood in your veins, in our veins, is Stark blood. If we don't stand together as a family we will fall alone.'

'The lone wolf dies,' Sansa remembered the metaphor her father had used before.

'But the pack survives,' Jon finsihed. 'I say we put this behind us and move on.'

'Alright,' Sansa agreed, looking down at Lady who almost seemed to be smiling in approval, if wolves could smile.

'Good,' he said and stood up. 'I'll see you soon Sansa. I'm off duty in two days so I can come up to the Red Keep. Will I see you then?'

'Of course,' she said, releaf flooding her features. 'Arya will be happy to see you.'

'And I'm looking forward to seeing her.'

Jon then left, Ghost following close behind just as Radwen returned.

'That was perfectly times wasn't it,' she said and grinned a little.

'You and Jon planned that,' she said.

'Naturally,' the princess said and took a sip of her drink, 'and done in perfect style.'

...

Inside of the embassy that night Ned Stark, with six of his guards, walked into the princesses "study" by a servant girl.

'Her Royal Highness is getting changed at the moment,' she said to him. 'Please make yourself comfortable, she will only be a few minutes.'

'Thank you,' he responded and sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

He scanned the room with his eyes, the windows were covered by heavy curtains, the floor by a carpet, both a dark blue, and on the wall behind the desk was a large portrait of His Royal Majesty, King Lukon the Seventh of House Cassius. In the portrait he was broad shouldered, sitting on a mighty white war horse, sword in his right hand and a thousand of his black armoured guards following him into battle. He had a large mooustache, as most Farosi men did, and a long purple cloak fell from his shoulders over his dark blue uniform. One wall in the study was covered with book shelves holding tomes which spoke of the history of Farsos and Westeros, military tactics, economics, law and politics. On the princesses desk was an open book, Westerosi by the look of it, and out of curiosity Ned looked read the page it was opened to.

Wbile it appears that over the centuries, or perhaps millenia since the Lannisters took control of Casterly Rock many stories have arisen since then as to how this came about. All centre around Lan "the clever" who did something to take control of Casterly Rock and here we shall take a look at them all.

'Sorry I kept you waiting,' the Princess said as she entered through a side door.

'It is fine Your Highness,' he said and stood up to bow.

Radwen sat behind her desk and closed the book.

'Westerosi history is of interest to me,' she explained. 'Afterall, Casius the Sea Walker is from here is he not?'

'I understand.'

'You know some of our historians went over to the Citadel and looked through the Maester's records for anything about him.'

'Did they find what they were looking for?'

'Not much, a diary entry from thousands of years ago stating that a man named Casius Hill spent all his money on some ships in the Westerlands before sailing across the sea.'

'Hill?' Ned asked.

'Yes, Hill. He must have been a bastard. Anyway, we must discuss the debt the crown owes the Bank of Farsos.'

'Yes Your Highness, seven hundred and ninety thousand dragons is a lot of money.'

'Indeed,' she agreed. 'You must understand that the debt is a significant one, equivilant to Eight million Queens in Farsos, that's the amount of money the gold would cost anyway. What is there to discuss about it?'

'The realm is beggered,' Ned told her in a way which was as straight forward as possible. 'The king won't listen and now we have to find money to pay for this damned tourney.'

'I understand Lord Stark, I do. Well, to be honest I was expecting you to ask about this, probably to either forgive some of the debt or reduce the interest.'

'The latter is what I was hoping for. We will pay back our debts but we can't if the interest keep getting larger.'

'It won't be easy but I'll try to work something out with Mister Wrenwood.'

'Thank you Your Highness,' he said and bowed before turning to leave.

'Oh, Lord Stark,' Radwen suddenly spoke up.

'Your Highness?'

'Give my regards to your wife,' she said with a slight smile and then went back to reading as Ned slowly walked out, feeling like dozens of eyes were locked onto him.

AN: So, that was the latest chapter, the pieces are in place and the game goes on. So, what are the Farosi up to do you think. Let me know and please review.

Review Responses:

Pinoy Gamer: Don't worry, Lady is fine, for now, ha, ha, ha, ha.

chase manaena: Just so you know, most of the first book in this series is written, I'm just finishing the drafts before I update.

ArchPsion: Well I'm glad you like it, I mostly wrote this because I couldn't find many stories where firearms were introduced and then they mostly focused on how cool the guns were than the story. I'm glad you liked the last chapter and i hope you enjoyed this one.

Tertius711: War of the Five Kings, certainly not, don't forget that I wrote previously that Stannis died. As for what comes next, we'll see.

Knight8: Well I'm glad you agree with me, after years of being away from home and training as an officer he is a very different man here than in cannon at this point.

Thanks to everyone's reviews and I'm glad you liked it. Please keep reviewing and have a great day!