In King's Landing, people seemed to have lost their anchor, their moods shifting with the tides of war.
In the brothels of King's Landing, discussions revolved around the progress of the war, the bravery of knights, and the sacrifices of common soldiers.
The War of the Ninepenny King was a joint operation unlike any Westeros had ever seen, attracting immense attention.
From the cold North to the scorching Dorne, from the Iron Islands to the Stormlands, warriors answered the call of the iron throne to participate. Dorne's involvement was thanks to the alliance between the Dragonlords and Dorne, and the Iron Islands, for once, had a peace-loving king.
The greatest contributors, besides the Baratheon family, were the House Lannister. Especially the House Lannister, whose gold production from their mines allowed them to maintain a sizable and well-paid army. In this regard, perhaps only the House Tyrell of the South could compare.
Most people viewed war as the passion of blood and fire, but after the war came the burning of bread, beef, butter, and gold. Gold Dragons and Silver Stags were fiercely consumed in the war on the Stepstones.
In the Red Keep, King Jaehaerys II was still worrying about the war's military expenses.
In a secret chamber of the Red Keep, Rhaegar accompanied King Jaehaerys, facing the envoy from the Iron Bank. Jaehaerys II had dismissed everyone else; a king borrowing money on a large scale was not a glorious matter, and he didn't want to lose all his dignity.
Little Rhaegar already had his own small chair, and his reputation as a child prodigy had spread. Over time, King Jaehaerys and others had grown accustomed to his grandson's precociousness and quiet demeanor.
In fact, as Rhaegar sat down, he was thinking: game of thrones, with some added points. This was also why he liked to follow his grandfather to various meetings.
The flickering fire cast dark shadows on the faces of the King and the Iron Bank envoy. A long table made of goldenheart wood was placed in the secret chamber, emitting a faint fragrance. This table was expensive, and King Jaehaerys II rarely used it, so using it now showed the King's sincerity.
The Iron Bank envoy was polite, but his appearance still revealed the shrewdness and indifference typical of bankers and financial professionals.
He was tall and slender, with a seemingly expressionless face, like a fixed poker face. His short red hair was meticulously styled, as if kept in place with some pomade. He wore a purple sable robe over his clothes, with a matching stiff collar.
"Great King, please allow me to introduce myself first. Tycho Nestoris, humble servant of the Iron Bank of Braavos, an experienced moneylender," Tycho Nestoris said. His accent was very fluent, though not a native King's Landing accent, it was clear, just with a touch of Braavosi foreign flavor.
"Presumably, this lovely child is Prince Rhaegar? Rhaegar, blessed by the gods, Rhaegar the precocious. This is a small gift from Braavos, please accept it, Prince." Tycho Nestoris greeted Rhaegar and then casually pulled a small toy from his pocket: a golden sculpture of a three-headed dragon. The dragon's eyes were adorned with rubies. It was lifelike and very charming.
Rhaegar's eyes lit up, but he didn't reach out to grab the golden dragon. Gifts from Braavos often hid traps after their sweetness. He decided he would have someone melt it down and spend the gold when he returned.
"Your information is truly well-informed, Envoy. Even you know the name of my little grandson." Jaehaerys's expression improved; praising a child in front of their elder was a trick that always worked.
"As a moneylender, I always have my sources of information, King. A businessman must be cautious and have many ears." The Iron Bank had numerous informants, and the envoy did not deny it. Information itself was a form of deterrence.
"Your pronunciation is excellent, Envoy. I didn't expect you to have such fluent pronunciation despite the vast distance. This saves us the trouble of finding an interpreter," King Jaehaerys II said, then took a sip of tea.
"Great King, thank you for your hospitality to Tycho Nestoris, servant of the Iron Bank. Though we are separated by vast distances, the trade between Westeros and the Iron Bank is countless. Distant relatives are better than close neighbors. The beautiful cooperation of the past seems still before our eyes. The Wolf Kings borrowed money from us, and so did the Dragonlords," Tycho Nestoris replied.
"Moreover, noble King, you know. As humble servants of the Iron Bank of Braavos, we must master many, many skills. You may not understand the life-and-death trials we face in service to the Iron Bank." Tycho Nestoris smiled slightly, revealing his white teeth. He had a goatee, which made his smile less appealing. The work of a moneylender was not easy, and those who survived to this day were mostly masters of their craft.
"Everything else is understandable, but is this interest rate a bit too high?" King Jaehaerys II said.
"A 30% interest rate is not high, and this is still considering your excellent credit. We have confidence in your fundraising ability. What's more, in this era, with the Rogare Bank of Lys already bankrupt, who else possesses the immense financial power of our Iron Bank?" Tycho immediately began to bargain. In fact, the moneylender's words also contained threats and boasts. The House Rogare, bankers from Lys whose influence spanned two continents, dominating both Westeros and Essos, rapidly declined after the deaths of the Rogare brothers, while the Iron Bank remained brilliant.
It is said that the titans of Braavos were behind the death of the great banker and Archon of Lys, Lysandro, and the Faceless Men were notoriously infamous.
"However, relying on taxes and other fees, repaying these funds over several years is indeed quite difficult." King Jaehaerys II frowned deeply. At this moment, every stroke of the pen felt like carving a scar into his heart. A good set of armor cost four Gold Dragons, and the expenses of war were truly immense.
The kingdom called so many mercenary soldiers to battle; even without considering pensions, the logistics during wartime could not shortchange the soldiers. The offensive by the Old Kraken of the Iron Islands also required gifts of Gold Dragons.
Jaehaerys II hesitated, a three-year term, 30% interest, and a loan of millions of Gold Dragons.
"King, you don't have to suffer like this. As far as I know, the Targaryen Family still possesses the most precious treasures in the world. In a last resort, you can repay our debt with dragon eggs." Watching the hesitant, waiting King, Tycho Nestoris's face showed a cunning smile.
The extinction of dragons had occurred a century ago.
But people's enthusiasm for dragons had not diminished much. It was just that the Targaryen's fervor far surpassed that of other families.
The Iron Bank of Braavos was not short of money. Besides gold, they preferred to collect valuable treasures, and dragon eggs were one of them.
A single dragon egg could be worth a small city in Essos.
Moreover, on the continent of Essos, scattered remnants of Old Valyria bloodlines still existed; half the people of Lys had silver hair, and now there were still Blackfyre remnants alive, Daemon Blackfyre's daughters and descendants also possessed Dragonlord blood. As long as one was willing to spend money and find those Dragonseeds, perhaps one of these dragon eggs could eventually hatch.
"Everything is business, King, and you needn't grieve. When you have dragons, the gold of the Lords flows easily. When you have no dragons, the gold of the Lords is hard to come by. Only we, the Iron Bank, are always here. Business is business."