Black Pearl's Flower Boat

Viserys Targaryen opened Black Pearl's invitation. The writing on it was Black Pearl's cheerful, bright hand.

"Words sent, feelings conveyed. To apologize for my poor hospitality, I hereby invite His Majesty Viserys of House Targaryen to meet me upon the canals at midnight three days hence... Bellegere Otherys."

"She invited me," Viserys said, though he remained calm.

Viserys was not some lovestruck boy. He was a restorationist determined to turn the tide.

Black Pearl was even less of an innocent young girl. As the foremost courtesan, she would never act without profit in sight.

Viserys guessed their meeting would likely be another exchange of interests. That was fine too. Both sides could benefit.

"This is a good thing. You are relatives, after all." Syrio cracked a joke. "Who knows how many people wish to taste her sweetness yet cannot even catch a glimpse of Black Pearl."

"There is some distant relation, but that ancestor of mine left behind far too many children."

They truly were related, but it was a very distant connection.

The first Black Pearl had been a pirate queen. She was later taken as a mistress by the "Unworthy King," Aegon IV, when he was still a prince, and bore him several children. One of them grew up to become a courtesan.

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Such a roundabout connection had long since been severed.

The Unworthy King had sired so many brats, and the success rate had been rather high. Probably because of sheer volume—nearly twenty children.

"Who stands behind Black Pearl?" Viserys asked.

"The Sea Lord, bankers from the Iron Bank, commercial magnates from the merchants' guilds, envoys stationed in Braavos—Black Pearl knows them all. At her level, she is her own boss, unlike Nightingale and Moonshadow, who still have investors behind them," Syrio explained.

There were differences even among courtesans.

Black Pearl was undoubtedly far ahead in first place. The others had no obvious ranking between them and were roughly on the same level.

"Then it seems I should dress myself up properly and go meet her." Viserys was quite confident in his looks.

Still, he had no intention of chasing women. Those courtesans were all thorny roses, other people's cash cows and goddesses in countless hearts.

But it would be fine to use the opportunity to build a relationship with Black Pearl. He might even borrow some money.

As the foremost courtesan, wasn't Black Pearl also Braavos's foremost broker?

In the banquet hall, Viserys instructed the cook to prepare a Sea Lord Crab feast for everyone.

Seasoned crab meat, crab-shell baked rice, creamy crab soup, and more—it was an exquisite meal.

"A light dinner like this is truly enjoyable," Viserys remarked.

Ser Roland Lake also devoured his food. Life on the Eastern Continent was not easy either. He could barely keep himself fed and rarely got to eat such high-end delicacies.

As for chatting and laughing with courtesans, he would not even dare dream of it.

Just look at Big Bear later on—he had nearly become a beggar.

Roland now held Viserys in the highest admiration. He had thought him rotten wood and withered grass, only to discover gold and jade within.

A fallen prince who could acquire money on his own and apparently get along so well with courtesans from every circle.

Viserys ate the delicious crab meat. Just as he had expected, these Sea Lord Crabs could indeed slightly increase one's strength.

This delicious meal was not only expensive, but difficult to obtain.

Catching Sea Lord Crabs in the freezing northern seas was exhausting and dangerous.

The fishermen's death rate was high. Once they drowned or caught a chill, death was almost certain.

Crabbing boats were far more dangerous than boats that caught shrimp, hunted whales, and the like.

"Cheers!" Viserys raised his cup. "To Nightingale, to Ser Roland and Master Syrio, and Master Moro."

"May this good fortune never end."

The cups clinked together with a crisp sound.

"These crabs are delicious, but the fishermen who catch them are not people to be offended lightly," Syrio said.

Among everyone present, only Syrio had been involved in the workings of high-level power. After all, he had served as First Sword and chief guard for nine years.

"Oh?" Ser Roland became interested. "Aren't they just fishermen? Even if they are merchants, what can they do?"

Westeros and the Free Trade Cities had different power structures. One was ruled by feudal lords, while the other was dominated by an emerging merchant class.

"Our fishermen are anything but ordinary," Syrio explained. "Braavos has three pillar industries: banking, fishing, and commerce. The fishing guilds hold great influence, and no one in particular dares provoke the Crabbers' Guild."

"Because those sailors are dangerous and united?" Viserys asked.

"Exactly. The sea is colder than a lady and crueler than a whore. The Sea Lord is always recruiting sailors. Oarsmen come and go," Syrio said with a nod.

"This is especially true for crabbers. Whether they travel to the Frozen Sea to catch crabs or risk landing upon the Winter Wastes to catch crabs and lobsters, the death rate is extraordinarily high. Only those desperately short of money or adventurers are willing to do it. That is why crabbers are fierce, ruthless, and tightly united. They are Braavos's most fearsome sailors."

"I see." Ser Roland nodded. "They are rather like some North barbarians, unafraid of death."

After hearing Syrio's explanation, Viserys understood the connections more clearly.

Merchants' guilds were widespread throughout the Free Trade Cities. Every city-state had them.

For example, in Qarth, the Thirteen, the Tourmaline Brotherhood, the Ancient Guild of Spicers, and the royal family fought over control of the city.

Braavos likewise had bankers, commercial guilds, and fishing guilds.

Only the most daring sailors, those unafraid of death, would venture north into the Shivering Sea to catch crabs. There were also many outlaws among them, and they were extremely united.

Viserys was gradually becoming familiar with every aspect of Braavos's power structure, but for the moment, finding people useful to his cause still depended on the courtesans' social talents.

With that in mind, meeting Black Pearl was indeed necessary.

Three days later, at midnight, on Braavos's canals.

Black Pearl's pleasure boat drifted slowly along, servants poling it as they carried her through the canals.

Viserys had already boarded Black Pearl's flower boat. Its flags were all embroidered with black pearls.

Syrio was responsible for Viserys's security, and his status still carried some weight.

Besides Syrio, there was also that Black Cat.

At this time, Black Pearl was merely a girl in her early teens, likely around Viserys's age. She was far from possessing the dazzling beauty she would later have.

Yet her looks and bearing were already truly exquisite. Even the lantern light seemed brighter in her presence.

Rather than a black pearl, she resembled a brown pearl with brown skin.

Black Pearl wore a dark yellow, low-cut silk gown. Against her gleaming brown skin, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Her black hair was bound in a golden mesh cap, while a necklace of black jade and gold hung down over her well-developed chest.

"Your Majesty Viserys." Black Pearl smiled sweetly. "I did not expect that I would still be able to meet you today, my distant relative."

"Thank you for your hospitality." Viserys returned her greeting.

Viserys was also dressed impeccably. He wore a tunic split half black and half red, the colors of House Targaryen.

Combined with Viserys's handsome features, he looked every bit the elegant young gentleman.

But their conversation was destined not to be filled with tender affection. It was more like an exchange of interests between negotiators.

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