Three sets of guards tried to stop them on the way to the boardroom. Three sets of guards lay unconscious and bound. The decorations grew more opulent as they approached. When they got to the door, they could hear an animated discussion inside. They kicked the doors open and went inside. 20 high-ranking board members were seated at a long table. "What is the meaning of this interruption?" one shouted. Tyrion spoke up, "What do you suppose would happen if word got out that the Iron Bank was backing the Zon invasion? How would the crash affect the bank's business? How do you think the bank's customers would feel?"
One of the board members spoke up, "The bank has not taken a side in this." "But you are discussing taking a side, aren't you?" Tyrion shot back. One particularly fat board member smashed his fist on the table, "Of course we are, the Zon offers us all of Essos!" The fat man was Bessaro Reyaan, and it was his black arts mage that was being contacted by the Zon prisoner. As if to prove it, that black mage stepped forth from the shadows. Bessaro said, "Kill them." The mage began to cast a spell, but suddenly a golden sword plunged through his chest. Hassan materialized behind Bessaro's chair. Another board member invoked a spell, and 20 faceless men appeared in the room. He said, "We have ways of protecting ourselves." Jaqen H'ghar nodded at Arya, "The Many-Faced God sends his greetings, girl." He threw three daggers at Arya, but she deflected them. Hassan said, "Your fight is with me." He attacked Jaqen viciously. Jaqen's eyes opened wide when Hassan called forth 4 versions of himself. The ten other sandkin assassins appeared and attacked the faceless men. Jon leaped in, killing one. Arya killed another with a disruption blast. The board members moved to a safer side of the room. Drena took a minor flesh wound but killed her opponent. Tormund's axe took down another. Then Tormund smacked Jaqen in the head from behind. He went down in a lump. Then the other faceless men were dead, and Tyrion turned on the board members, saying, "Shall we kill all of you? The Iron Throne is offering you an out: kill this traitor and execute his family members as traitors. Strip them of all holdings, and give the holdings and the key to one of us. Then you can be said to have cleansed the Iron Bank. Otherwise, you all shall die here." A dagger took the throat of Bessaro he died with an expression of disbelief. The board chairman plucked the key from the dead man's belt, saying, "The Iron Bank trusts not the Iron Throne. The Stark girl trained as a faceless man; we will trust her." He flipped the key to Arya, and she caught it with her black glove. Arya said, "The faceless men have attempted my death 5 times now; they must perish before I can ever be safe again. We will eradicate the House of the Black and White in Braavos. The Iron Bank will never again use them for its own ends. Also, the Sea Lords must not side with the Zon in the upcoming invasions."
The board members sat again, and the chairman said, "Voting that all shall be as the new board member, Arya, wishes. "Raise hands if you vote yes." Seventeen hands went up, and Arya raised hers as well. One of the two that didn't raise their hand said, "I have no wish to cross Arya here, but my son is married to one of the Reyaan clan. I can not vote for his death." Arya said, "Could he not be sent on a bank mission elsewhere, and be spared from death?" The man nodded and raised his hand. The other that had not voted said, "I will not vote for the death of all faceless men, they have been too valuable to the bank." Arya nodded at the man, "Your candor is admirable, but die they will." The man nodded and raised his hand. Arya stated, "Further, no bank vote will happen unless I, or my representative, is present." Wicket's mother's voice said in Arya's head, "I will be your representative on the board. Send Wicket and some guards for us, and we will be your voice here." Arya introduced the woman as her representative, saying, "You will see to it that she has full protection and a place to live while we are setting up everything. I have an invasion to contend with and will be unable to be here always." The chairman informed Arya that the Reyaan clan had a sumptuous villa not two doors down from the bank. Within an hour, all would be available to her and her representative. Tyrion spoke up, "The holdings, beside the villa, and perhaps a lucrative business or two, should be sold off, to be placed in the vault. But the vault will be emptied of the Reyaan holdings for now." "Have you nothing else of value to put in its place?" the chairman admonished. Ming spoke up, "We deposited 10 million gold coins worth, to your minister, and perhaps you will place some value on these?" He shoved the two ledgers towards the chairman. A look of recognition crossed the chairman's face. "Yes, this is of great value." Tse said, "Some 100 million of criminal bookkeeping in those." The chairman asked him who he was. Tse answered, "A former Zonian spy, sent here to discover facts for the invasion. One of the Zonian's main tactics is to divide the powers that be, among the enemy, by promising them holdings. Then, after other lands have been secured, they eliminate those they promised to. Never agree to any Zonian ploy; they are ruthless and brutal." The chairman banged his gavel, "All debts of the Iron Throne, and the Stark family are hereby paid in full."