The Sword and Coin

[Vidarr the Terrible]

The crest of House Aumatir was barely a painted drawing on the archway to the Sealord's Palace. The words were a barely legible "For Iron and Silver", and you could make out scales hanging from a sword. No matter how many times it was repainted in a week, the salty sea air would weather it away. Vidarr was only two months into his rule, and even though his first task was to commission a banner for his "house", the painted banner was still a necessity.

 

"My lord," one of his servants explained, "we have exhausted our resources. You are not recognized as nobility, so anyone of notable skill is refusing to make a banner. I apologize but..."

 

"Relax, Jorei." Vidarr sighed and looked past the aging man through the front doors and out to the sea, seeing the blurry outlines of Westeros along the horizon. "Just...find the most skillful of the willing, and it will do. I am growing tired of seeing the painter slave over the palace walls every week, I'm sure he has more exciting things in his life."

 

"My lord, working for the sea-"

 

"No, I don't buy into the whole peasent-lord 'relationship', Jorei. I'm trying to run a successful trading empire here, not a despotic kingdom." A thought crossed his mind, imagining how other lords reigned over their people. To everyone but his trusted advisors and servants, he was an authoritative, decisive ruler. To those advisers and servants, however, he was a friend, an ally, someone that they could trust, as well as someone who could trust them. It was a far different scenario than the lords of Westeros. Maybe, he figured, that was why he would never be recognized as a noble. He dismissed Jorei to his task, and then left to find something to read.

[Vidarr the Terrible]

"My lord," a scout rushed into Lord Vidarr's bedroom late in the night, panting each word. "Mercenaries bearing the banners of Lorath, on the south wall. They have siege equipment."

 

The Captain of the guard strolled in, and then forcefully pulled the scout onto the floor by his collar. "I told you not to bother the sealord, whelp."

 

"No, Captain Paern, it's fine," Vidarr put his hand up to stop the Captain's hand from striking the scout. "I recognize that attacks may come at any time, but I had no idea that it would be coming from another of the free cities. I fear our peaceful co-existence may be waning."

 

Vidarr took the scout by the hand and pulled him up to his feet. "Survey everything surrounding the city, I want to make sure this isn't a distraction. Go now."

 

Vidarr turned his attention to the Captain, who sighed and watched as the boy ran off into the night. "My lord, the boy needs to learn respect."

 

"And he will learn it in a less dire situation. I'd rather be living and disrespected than otherwise. Ready the guard for defense during the night, and in the morning, I will have the marshall raise our army. We have subjugated enough of the farmlands, and it's time to assert our dominance to the independent cities."