Courtesans and Faceless Men

After Xisa had too much to drink, he did indeed start rambling.

Perhaps he felt that with Viserys Targaryen's support, he might be able to win over the courtesan he fancied.

The customs here differed from those of Westeros. Compared to Westeros's brutal medieval laws—chopping off hands, cutting out tongues, punishing slander against the royal family—Braavos had far fewer such things.

That was why some Braavosi called Westerosi barbarians. Their own society was indeed more open.

"This place is different from the Sunset Lands," Xisa said proudly. "Our Braavosi courtesans are renowned throughout the world."

Nearly every one of the Free Trade Cities had courtesans, but Braavos had always possessed both the largest number and the most famous ones.

"I have indeed heard of their beauty, especially the Seven Courtesans: Black Pearl, Mermaid Queen, Masked Lady, Lady of Darkness, Poetess, Nightingale, and Moonshadow," Viserys said.

These courtesans were not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also backed by powerful connections.

Black Pearl was a stage name shared by four generations. Viserys also knew that both Black Pearl and Lady of Darkness even had ties to the House of Black and White.

Viserys felt that courtesans were much like high-class geishas. They were expensive to train and proficient in music, poetry, dance, history, literature, and more.

"Yes, those seven. Braavos may have hundreds or thousands of courtesans, but those seven are the finest, just like your Kingsguard."

"The current Kingsguard are not all first-rate," Viserys replied.

After the golden generation, the White Knights of today included quite a few rotten fish and spoiled shrimp. Several of them were downright absurd.

"It is only a comparison, great King Viserys." Xisa laughed heartily. "Braavos is the same. We have many families, but only a few stand at the crest of the tide: House Antaryon, which has produced several Sealords, House Frega, House Zanien, and House Prestayn. Then come House Otherys, House Toloni, House Plannis, and the rest."

Viserys knew the families Xisa named were all illustrious. They even possessed magnificent buildings in Braavos, such as towering square towers.

"You might seek out those women, but their fees are so exorbitant that they make one gasp. A captain might have to sell his ship just to win a smile from one of them. With my means, I simply cannot afford it," Xisa Zarodin said sensibly. "So I settled for the next best thing. The courtesan I pursue is from the second rank."

"Still, with your looks, those courtesans might be quite happy to capture a descendant of the Dragon King. But these women are often fickle, unless you can bring them some new amusement." Xisa looked Viserys over.

After all, though he had fallen on hard times, Viserys was still remarkably handsome.

"I have no interest in provoking them," Viserys said.

"Perhaps they will provoke you," Xisa said. "Braavosi never joke about dragons, but there is no harm in knowing a descendant of the Dragon King. One of those courtesans is even your distant relative."

"Black Pearl?"

"That is right, her." Xisa nodded. "She is the most famous courtesan of all. She has true dragon blood as well. The first Black Pearl was a pirate queen who later became the mistress of some Westerosi prince and bore him a daughter. When that daughter grew up, she became a courtesan. Then her daughter inherited her mother's trade, and so it passed down through the generations, until the current fourth Black Pearl."

"Aegon the Unworthy." Viserys knew who that prince had been. The Unworthy King had many children.

Back then, the Unworthy King had been sent to serve as Braavos's ambassador, where he encountered Black Pearl.

"Whoever that prince was, you are related in some fashion."

"But that sort of connection is not terribly useful in times like these."

"Who knows? Still, knowing them would be very beneficial for you." Xisa thought for a moment. "Do you think men seek them out merely for prestige, Viserys?"

"That is not entirely the answer. Every prominent courtesan has a network of connections behind her. With them acting as matchmakers, one can accomplish twice as much with half the effort. And because everyone in Braavos knows them, they can turn ordinary people into celebrities."

Viserys nodded. That was the celebrity effect, and also a social network.

Every courtesan held considerable power.

Viserys thought of Black Swan of Lys. It was said that her influence was so immense that, aside from lacking the title, she was already the true ruler of Lys.

"I feel you will need them, Viserys," Xisa said more seriously.

"Me? Why?"

"Braavos is nicknamed the Secret City. It is filled with mist, masks, and whispers. The city's very existence was a secret that endured for a century, and its exact location remained hidden for another three hundred years. You need someone to guide you."

That made Viserys understand. Whether one traveled through Braavos or took part in its dealings, courtesans were indispensable.

"So if I live in Braavos, I cannot do without courtesans."

"It is because of your mad idea. Braavos has bankers, officials, merchants, and assassins, and it is the courtesans who link them together."

"Does that include the Faceless Men?" Viserys suddenly asked.

The question startled the sheriff. "There are two things in Braavos that cannot be joked about. The first is dragons, and the second is the Faceless Men. Perhaps the Faceless Men know courtesans too, but few dare mention them openly. The Faceless Men's service is no small matter."

"Let us talk about women instead." Xisa returned to the original topic.

Even Braavosi had their reservations about the House of Black and White.

"Even if I wished to taste their charms, I do not have that much money," Viserys said.

"Money may not be necessary. Courtesans are wealthy already. I have heard that Black Pearl even buys scallops, and when she is in a good mood, she gives people ten times the silver coins." Xisa looked into Viserys's eyes. It was not merely temptation, but also an attempt to stir him up. "As long as you can offer them some sort of value, Your Majesty."

"Then I want them to give me money, and I do not want to sacrifice anything. I am a king," Viserys replied.

"A king in exile. If you can make them give you money for nothing, without having to repay them, then I will admire you for the rest of my life." Xisa laughed even louder.

The two glass goblets clinked together, the crimson wine within as red as ambition and desire.

Perhaps that was possible after all, Viserys thought. Viserys the freeloader.

Naturally, he had a good plan in mind. He would see whether he could hook a big fish.

In Braavos, the status of courtesans was indeed far too important.

Singers praised courtesans in their songs, goldsmiths and jewelers competed to make things for them, craftsmen begged for their patronage, trade magnates paid fees equal to the ransom of royal family members just to offer them an arm at dances, feasts, and theatrical performances, and assassins slaughtered one another in their names.

Rather than the emotional value courtesans provided, it was likely the network of relationships they controlled that the high and mighty valued most.

Such status and social connections could make singers, goldsmiths, and assassins famous, open doors for merchants, and thus make everyone flock to courtesans.

On second thought, Viserys found that the role these courtesans played was rather similar to Varys's.

The difference was that courtesans used beauty to make men part of their network.

Varys and the Cheese Monger, meanwhile, trained little birds to steal intelligence.

Viserys truly wished to establish ties with a top-tier courtesan like Black Pearl, though not for lust.

He simply wanted to learn whether any Westerosi royalists had fled to Braavos and whether there were any better instructors.

But haste often ruined things. Viserys decided he should first entertain the lesser courtesan Xisa was pursuing.

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