Arya and Jiemba had been digging in the dusty tomes of the library, searching for a mention of Brandon's chest. Finally, after several days of searching, Jiemba said, "I think I found it." It was roughly 1,700 years ago, at a time when Thrainian influence was much stronger. The chest had come in from the dragonkin as duty to the Thrainian king. There was a small description: 'A strange body washed ashore, arms wrapped around a small chest. Some unusual coinage and a few gemstones were removed, but the bulk was sent on to the king. No one could decipher the text within.'
They copied down the listing and date and went to grab some lunch at a local spot before heading back. While eating, one of King Wen's intelligence ministers joined them. He recommended that they join him as he was on his way to the estate to brief Elanor on new intelligence that had come to light.
Arya studied the man as they rode back to the estate. Most Thrainians were airy and light, if not slightly obtuse. This man was controlled and matter-of-fact. Reason and espionage beamed from his person. She found it hard to imagine him painting murals and dallying away his time. When they arrived, they were shown into a meeting with Elanor and her closest advisors. Bart had delivered tarts and drinks and then vanished. The three captains joined this briefing as well.
The minister began by describing the new pressure the Zon had begun to exert on Aman since the destruction of the treekin homeland. Ships were being boarded, trade goods stolen, and people were being taken as captives. No direct attacks on the mainland had been attempted yet, but it seemed clear they were coming soon. Aman would have its trade squeezed until outright conquest began. Thrain had intercepted as many of these ships as they could. They boarded them, freed the captives, and then killed the Zon, sinking the ships to leave no trace. It was clear that a much larger conflict was ramping up.
The minister then began speaking about the treekin captives held at Jiankang. While Thrainian contacts in the city were few, they estimated that some 5000 treekin were being used as slave labor building the city walls and serving on various Zonian ships. Elanor asked him about the likelihood of a direct attack on the city to free them all. The minister agreed that it was possible, but that it would ignite a full conflict between Thrain and Zon. He stated that King Wen was reluctant to take that path just yet. The minister then departed back to his duties.
The meeting began to erupt into conversations about attack plans and the pros and cons of each. Elanor looked at Arya and her captains, saying, "Arya, you all must decide your own place in these plans. You have already helped my people beyond measure. I cannot, in good conscience, press your people to join any attack plans that may be made. The risks are yours to decide."
Arya later called a meeting of the full crew. The council sat, and the crew members stood as the discussion continued. She told them that no decision would be made at the meeting, but it was a chance to air opinions. Most called out reluctance to join such a foolhardy plan, to assault an enemy stronghold with so few of them. Many wanted to take what they had learned and head home as soon as possible. Finally, Captain Dirk stood and looked around the room, saying, "If you were held captive and Westeros had been destroyed, how would you feel if another friendly race turned their backs on you and left you to perish? If the treekin people are to survive and return with us to start new lives, don't we owe them our support?" Some of the crew murmured assent, and a few cheered, but the majority still were reluctant. "There are so few of us, how can we pull something like this off?" one crewman asked.
Arya told them all to think it over and that, in a few days, she would call for a vote on it. The meeting broke up, and clumps of members were in heated discussion around the room, spilling out into the hall. Many admired that Arya was giving them a say in what would happen, rather than just ordering them to their possible deaths. They felt more in control of what the mission Bran had given them was becoming.
In the forge rooms, Yéye was instructing Gendry in the ways of the tome, plus a few little insights from his own experience. Gendry was learning the steps needed to transform a star metal weapon into a magical weapon. They had selected a thin red crystal to add to the thin sword he had made. Since he had some affinity for fire, Yéye suggested he make the sword fire for himself. The process was difficult for Gendry to grasp, but his time with Yéye was coming to an end, and he must make the effort to grasp the skills relayed in the tome. The secret methods of magical crafting were closely guarded among all artisans, and Yéye felt that the tome by M was a masterwork by a genius lost to the world. Gendry bore down on the sword and tried to keep all the steps in mind as he worked.