Chapter 134

Nina quickly slipped away to fetch cups and drinks while Aegor personally pulled out chairs for the two guests as a gesture of respect. Just as he turned back, he noticed a third figure entering the room: a mature woman who, while not conventionally beautiful, exuded charm and an exotic allure.

“Let me introduce my paramour, Ellaria Sand,” said the Red Viper, clasping the woman’s hand and presenting her with the air of a devoted husband introducing his wife. “Darling, this is the famous slayer of White Walkers, the Night’s Watch Chief Logistics Officer, Aegor West. And his... paramour, what’s her name again? Care to introduce her?”

…

In the other six kingdoms outside Dorne, the term “paramour” carried a less-than-savory connotation. Had anyone else broached this topic, Aegor would have denied it outright and brushed the matter aside. But with Oberyn Martell, he opted for honesty: “Nina.”

“Nina,” Ellaria Sand repeated with interest, glancing at the young woman’s retreating figure. “A lovely girl, though she seems rather... unseasoned. Has she tasted the pleasures of love yet?”

“She looks young,” Aegor replied casually, then added, “And as for me, well, I have a preference for fresh and tender fruit.”

Ellaria Sand, seemingly also inclined toward both genders, raised a curious eyebrow at his candid reply but let it slide, her attention shifting instead. “What is that on her lips? That shade is quite unusual.”

“That,” Aegor said, relieved at the change in topic, “is a new product from the Night’s Watch enterprises—a specially formulated balm-style lipstick. Once it hits the market, I’ll send Miss Margaery and Lady Ellaria each a sample, if you’re still in King’s Landing by then.”

As he spoke, Aegor pulled out a third chair. Margaery was the first to sit, subtly repositioning her seat to put some distance between herself and Oberyn and his paramour. Aegor noticed this small gesture—it seemed that despite their joint visit, relations between the two houses weren’t as harmonious as they appeared. After all, paramours, especially ones of illegitimate birth like Ellaria Sand, were rarely considered respectable company in the other six kingdoms. Oberyn’s brazen disregard for societal norms, treating Ellaria as a wife and bringing her to formal meetings, was an affront to traditional Westerosi etiquette. Only someone like Margaery Tyrell could mask her disdain so gracefully.

Both Margaery and Oberyn represented two of the Seven Kingdoms. Securing their support as partners could provide explosive growth for the Night’s Watch enterprises.

…

“What?!” Aegor’s composure faltered before Nina even returned with the drinks. “You’ve already toured the Night’s Watch enterprises?”

“We arrived just outside King’s Landing yesterday afternoon,” Margaery explained with a polite smile, her tone laced with subtle sarcasm. “This morning, we decided to skip entering the city and instead visit the famed Night’s Watch industrial park. With you so busy, it hardly seemed appropriate to trouble you for a personal tour, don’t you think?”

Aegor was momentarily at a loss for words. Ellaria, meanwhile, chimed in with genuine curiosity. “Fascinating. I never imagined that production and manufacturing could take such a form. Lord Aegor, you’ve truly opened my eyes. It’s a pity that someone of your talent is content to remain with the Night’s Watch instead of serving the realm more broadly.”

Throughout the conversation, Oberyn Martell, the only male visitor, remained silent, leaning back in his chair and casually inspecting the office. It seemed he was content to let his paramour speak on his behalf.

They had clearly bypassed Aegor’s authority to inspect his operations directly. While this might be seen as a minor slight, Aegor couldn’t really fault them. He’d been less than courteous during his initial interactions with Margaery, and this was likely her subtle way of settling the score—a measured act of revenge couched in plausible reasoning. Fair enough, he thought. No point in dwelling on it.

Still, their decision to visit without his knowledge left him uneasy. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Perhaps he should have instructed security to deny access to outsiders. Then again, barring two highborn nobles flanked by their entourages would’ve caused an even bigger issue.

“Since you’ve already seen the operation, I’ll skip the pleasantries,” Aegor said, masking his irritation. “Tell me, are House Tyrell and House Martell interested in investing? A modest investment of a few thousand gold dragons would yield profits within the year, and after that, it’s pure gain.”

“I have no doubt,” Margaery replied with her signature graceful smile. “But for nobles from the Reach and Dorne to involve themselves in a King’s Landing enterprise and profit off the king’s subjects... well, it might not sit well with His Grace. My visit here is to propose something else entirely: to purchase the complete technology for paper-making and printing. Such innovations should serve the Seven Kingdoms, don’t you think?”

…

Of course. Aegor’s concerns had materialized. While he enjoyed the thrill of building businesses and shaping industries as if playing a single-player strategy game, Westeros’ nobles and elites were anything but static. House Tyrell, rulers of the Reach and stewards of the largest population and economy in Westeros, had no reason to cooperate. Margaery wasn’t interested in sharing the King’s Landing market or expanding its reach. Instead, she wanted to buy the technology outright and establish her own enterprise in the Reach.

Was there a way out of this?

Aegor sat back, locking eyes with the young Tyrell. The answer was clear—no. Someone as shrewd as Margaery would have already calculated the risks and rewards. Her plans were likely set in stone. Without political clout or leverage to offer in return, Aegor couldn’t change her mind.

If negotiation was impossible, then the only option was to bargain for the highest possible price.

“Miss Margaery, you have a point. However, developing paper-making and printing technology wasn’t as simple as it appears. It required significant funding and manpower,” Aegor said, nodding toward Nina, who had just returned with the drinks. “This young lady was personally involved in the initial research and development. Ask her how much time we spent and how many materials we tested before achieving a viable solution.”

“Impressive,” Margaery said, not sparing Nina a glance. Her smile remained composed. “House Tyrell has no intention of taking anything for free. As compensation, we’re prepared to offer 500 gold dragons as a delayed initial sponsorship.”

“Delayed sponsorship?” Aegor nearly laughed. “500 gold dragons? The Night’s Watch enterprises earn that much in a single month! Lady Margaery, you’re quite skilled at negotiating.”

“You?” Aegor glanced at Oberyn.

“It’s none of my concern,” the Red Viper finally spoke. “Negotiate as you like. If you reach an agreement, I’ll follow suit.” With that, he pulled Ellaria onto his lap and kissed her, ignoring everyone else in the room.

Aegor frowned but quickly dismissed Oberyn’s antics. It was clear that the two had merely joined forces out of convenience. They weren’t aligned in any meaningful way.

These nobles wanted to reap the fruits of his labor without lifting a finger. Though frustrated, Aegor understood he couldn’t demand too much. In a world without intellectual property rights, their willingness to negotiate rather than steal was already remarkable.

…

“Miss Margaery, let me put it this way. If we’re only discussing research costs, 500 gold dragons might suffice. But this invention represents a leap forward in human innovation. Its intellectual value, the risks we took, the improvements made through trial and error, and the operational expertise we’ve developed—do none of these factors hold any weight?”

“You make a valid point, Lord Aegor,” Margaery said with an innocent expression. “But since this is a business negotiation, the price is, of course, negotiable. If we can’t agree, I’ll simply return home and hire people to figure it out myself.”

Hire people? If this deal fell through, Aegor knew he’d wake up to mass resignations and a talent drain the next day. Though he held the key to the technology, his ability to dictate terms was limited.

“5,000 gold dragons,” Aegor countered. “For that, I’ll provide the technology, skilled workers, and training for your managers. I’ll help establish your paper and printing facilities in Highgarden—or anywhere else you choose—and ensure they’re fully operational.”

The gap was clear: one side offered 500, the other demanded 5,000. Both knew the final figure would land somewhere in between. Negotiations had truly begun.