The dinner table was full with all kinds of delicious foods from all across the world. The most interesting ingredient was a large bird, unlike any other seen in the Seven Kingdoms, stuffed with vegetables and a bittersweet sauce. It was a Tyroshi peacock, a large, edible bird who lived only in that part of Essos and was considered a delicacy. Now that the trade between the Seven Kingdoms and Essos flowed again, exotic new items were brought in everyday from the Free Cities. King Aerys was very happy seeing so many great and new things before his eyes.

"We have good food on our table again, and also good wine in our cups. All thanks to our Small Council, who managed to negotiate new trade treaties with the Free Cities. Let's raise a cup to our Hand, our Master of Coin and, of course, our Master of Trade who returned just today from Essos. Long live Lord Errol Grafton!"

Errol Grafton, a man in his 40s, with long, black hair and a pointy nose, was the younger brother of Lord Adrien Grafton of Gulltown. While his elder brother was trained to rule, Errol was trained to learn the secrets of trade. As Gulltown was the largest port of the Vale, he spent his time with merchants, sailors and fishermen, thus making him a shrewd and calculated individual.

"Thank you, your Grace! It is an honor. Also, I brought those books from across the narrow sea. The history of the Free Cities by Tyren Vozuk, the greatest historian of Braavos, I saw the shores of Sothoryos by Ruben Sapatino, a former Triarch of Volantis and of course, Reminiscences from my travels, written by Egbert Arryn, the Exiled Falcon. It is one of only three copies that exist in the world. One is in Myr, where the Falcon lived for a few years, one at the Eyrie and one is right in your library. I took the liberty of bringing it to your chambers!"

"Incredible. Thank you, my lord!"

Lord Manderly mumbled something that Brynden perceived as "Not more books!" but the Bloodraven was intrigued. He was also an avid reader and he will want to borrow them too.

"Well, all these good news deserve a celebration! Finally, all is good in the realm!"

That couldn't be farther from the truth and Bloodraven knew it more than anyone else. The king was deluded, living inside his bubble, while the smallfolk were in rebellion and the trust in the Iron Throne was at its lowest since the rule of Brynden's father, Aegon the Unworthy. The Hand of the King wouldn't want to ruin the dinner, however, and sat silently while the king continued to talk with Lord Grafton.

Lord Estermont raised his cup:

"A toast to the king and to peace in the realm!"

Everyone raised the cup, including Bloodraven and Shiera. After everybody at the table drank their wine, Ser Grandison approached Aegon IV's bastard son with a bottle and poured wine again into the Hand's cup.

"Thank you, Ser Harald! A fine Arbor vintage! I can smell the sweetness!"

"It's a gift, actually, Lord Hand!"

"And who is this generous man?"

Estermont smiled towards Brynden:

"It's a bottle from my special reserve. I enjoy collecting wine from every part of the world. Once, I had this Lyseni wine, the sweetest thing I've ever tasted! Enjoy the wine, Lord Hand. If you like it, I will provide you as much as you want. Perhaps to enjoy it with Lady Shiera? There is a saying in the Stormlands: Wine drank alone is wine wasted!"

Brynden raised his cup:

"Aren't you the poet, Lord Dormund? I wholeheartedly thank you for your gift. And to show my gratitude and how much I cherish your presence, I also have a surprise for you! Rogg, bring in the surprise for Lord Estermont!"

Rogg, one of the Raven's Teeth, the personal army of Bloodraven, opened the door of the dining hall and left the room. After a couple of minutes, he returned in the hall with a young boy, no more than ten, with brown hair, dressed with a green doublet and a turtle brooch on his chest.

Lord Dormund Estermont froze

"Edric? What is the meaning of this, Lord Hand?"

"Well, I noticed that in the last couple of days, you started to become quite lonely, my lord. I saw you talk with all kinds of people, out of loneliness. So, knowing how horrendous can the capital be for a lonely man, I brought your grandson, the honorable little Lord Edric, the son of the late Ser Gorven. So, I sent my host to bring him to you, from Greenstone directly to King's Landing!"

Everyone in the hall, including the King, cheered and applauded. Dormund Estermont was shocked but soon, he understood what Brynden did. He quickly realized that Bloodraven must have found out about the plot and brought the child here, to use him as leverage. An effective trick, as Edric was his only remaining kin, after his son Bryon died in the cradle and his second child, Gorven, died at sea. Dormund was old now and his House was on the brink of extinction. His grandson, and the future of House Estermont, was now in danger.

"I thank you; it was an extremely pleasant surprise. I haven't seen Edric since I visited Estermont last year. I missed him. Thank you, Lord Hand."

"With pleasure! Now you have a reason to be happy! Here, let's drink together from the wine you brought me!"

"No, thank you, I am too overwhelmed with emotion right now!"

Dormund then hugged the child and, after excusing himself, left the dining hall with him. Shiera Seastar looked at her brother, smiling.

After the dinner, Brynden and Shiera went together to the Tower of the Hand and, after having sex, started to plan their next move.

"Now, Estermont wouldn't dare to do anything to us, while that grandson of his is in King's Landing. He cares about him a lot!"

"Not necessarily, Shiera… I think he cares more about his House than the boy. I remember one Small Council meeting when he said that he couldn't wait for the boy to grow up to the point of being able to procreate, to find him a bride and have him breed."

"Either way, now our path is clear! Here, take this letter. I waited until after dinner to give this to you."

The envelope bore the seal of House Stark, the direwolf. Brynden opened it and started to read. After a few minutes, he hugged Shiera and said to her, in a soft voice:

"My love, he accepted. Lord Stark will send us the smallfolk and his daughter!"