Black Tar Rum

After reaching a preliminary agreement with Black Pearl Bellegere, Viserys Targaryen still had to return to his Red Door Courtyard.

Black Pearl's pleasure barge set him and Syrio down beside a canal. Viserys and Syrio only had to walk a little farther to get home.

Some agreements were written with paper and pen, while others relied on blood and fire.

There was no written agreement between Viserys and Black Pearl. How long this arrangement would last depended on the trust between them.

As a top-tier courtesan and broker, Black Pearl possessed a web of connections that spanned Braavos.

For now, Viserys could only be considered one of the young men who had caught Black Pearl's attention.

How many resources Viserys could obtain from Black Pearl depended on how much value he could show.

"I thought something would happen between you two," Syrio said regretfully. "Though Black Pearl is careful to maintain her mystery, such a handsome young man—and a descendant of the true dragon—could attract any maiden nursing romantic feelings."

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Viserys had short silver-white hair, and his pale violet eyes were filled with resolve. Only those who truly understood him could see the blazing fire, ambition, and resilience burning within them.

He was splendid yet dangerous, tall and powerfully built, with exceptional Talent for the sword.

"The true dragon is glory, but it is also trouble. Besides, she is Black Pearl, not an ordinary young girl," Viserys replied. They were partners for now. "Even if I wanted to, Black Pearl would not be so casual about it."

"That is true." Syrio nodded.

The finest hunters often appeared in the form of prey. These elite courtesans were not easy to pursue unless one offered enough—and the courtesan herself thought highly of the client.

Top-tier courtesans rarely truly fell in love with a man. Usually, when that happened, they were already getting older and needed to leave the stage to train new courtesans.

And from what Syrio knew of Viserys, Viserys was not yet wealthy enough to keep a courtesan.

Besides, Viserys's mind was focused on strengthening himself and making money. Otherwise, he could easily have gone after a few lesser courtesans.

One day, I'll make Black Pearl take off her armor, hmph, Viserys thought.

"Black Pearl's influence is unmatched. When foreign envoys and merchants come to Braavos and wish to arrange a gathering, they cannot do without Black Pearl acting as intermediary," Syrio said. He knew Black Pearl quite well. "Now that you have boarded this ship, you will be able to move freely in Braavos from now on."

"I hope so," Viserys said.

"You did well, Viserys. Beauty is a sharp blade, but the blade you need to hone now is another one."

"So I must go drink blood again?" Viserys looked at Syrio. Silver Flash needed blood again.

"Yes. This is the path of the Water Dancers." Syrio wiped his fingers. "If you wish to seek the Way of Insight, you must dance a bleeding Water Dance."

Viserys had expected this. Besides trading blows with the instructors, actual combat in Braavos was essential.

The main reason was that Braavos had far too many Water Dancers who made a living staging scams and picking fights.

Finding an opponent would be easy.

"If you feel unready, we can take it slowly," Syrio said as he looked at Viserys. "Not everyone is accustomed to seeing a longsword drink blood, and you have lived as a pampered young lord for more than ten years."

"Taking up a sword and becoming the Warrior is the life I chose," Viserys said firmly. "I need time and experience to surpass the Conqueror."

For his own safety, to face the wars ahead, and to win the support of lords and knights.

Viserys had to become the Warrior, and a first-rate one at that.

"Very good." Syrio nodded in satisfaction. "Faster, stronger, more dangerous. The Way of Insight lies in constant refinement."

"Come have a drink." After returning to the courtyard, Viserys spoke to Syrio. "We drank lemonade aboard Black Pearl's ship. It was rather bland."

"Certainly." Syrio nodded.

Viserys set up a small table in the courtyard and hosted Syrio, Moro, and Ser Roland Lake.

The tabletop glowed beneath dim golden-orange lamplight, and all kinds of fine liquor had been placed upon it.

Arbor Gold, Dorne's Summer Red, and Tyrosh pear brandy.

Arbor Gold was the Arbor's signature product. It was sold across both shores of the Narrow Sea and was also one of the Iron Throne's sources of tax revenue.

The only wine that could rival it was Summer Red, a red wine from Dorne with a sweet taste and rich fruity fragrance.

The most common variety was brewed from honey plums, cherries, and black oak.

Tyrosh pear brandy was also good, though its proof was somewhat higher. It was made from Tyrosh's distinctive large white pears.

"These are all famous wines of the age," Ser Roland Lake said, his eyes lighting up.

Though Viserys's restoration faction was still only in its infancy, following him came with no shortage of good food and drink. At the very least, there was plenty to satisfy one's palate.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The sweet fruity fragrance of Summer Red filled their mouths and drew faint smiles to the drinkers' lips.

"Fine wine indeed. Dorne's wine is sweet, the Arbor's wine is mellow, and Tyrosh brandy is fierce." Syrio spoke with some regret. "The finest wines still come from Westeros. Braavos has nothing quite this good."

That was indeed true. Braavos's water mainly came from the nearby continent, and the grain transported from Andas was mostly used locally. Braavos's wines were nothing worth mentioning.

Andas produced a sour grape wine locally that could only be considered inferior liquor.

"Have you ever tasted stronger spirits?" Viserys asked Syrio and the others.

"No." Everyone shook their heads. "The strongest things we usually drink are Arbor Gold and Summer Red. Some people only drink ale."

At present, the strongest spirit was pear brandy. Whiskey, tequila, and Golden Rum had yet to appear.

But the Known World had barley, wheat, corn, sugarcane, plums, pears, sugar beets, and other crops, as well as coal and peat. There was most likely room for plants such as agave to exist as well.

There was no shortage of raw materials. All that was missing was a process for purification and distillation to create newer, more classic liquors.

Agave was difficult to obtain now, and it took a long time to mature. But the ingredients for whiskey and rum were much simpler.

"We can try this as well." Viserys brought out another bottle of rum as black as tar.

"This is one of the sailors' favorite drinks," Syrio said. Black Tar Rum.

They each tasted another cup. Its flavor was peculiar and easy to get one drunk. It tasted sweet going down, but its powerful aftertaste scorched the tongue.

"This liquor is all right too, but it cannot sell for much. Liquor for sailors is not easy to market," Moro commented after tasting the rum.

Viserys looked at the dark rum in his cup. Rum's flavor clearly had much room for improvement.

If he devoted himself to creating Golden Rum and removing the impurities, he would truly open up the rum market.

Make some water of life. That is another path to fortune, Viserys thought, already considering a new field: liquor.

He would begin with Golden Rum.

However, Viserys would not build a factory in Braavos. He would wait until he had territory of his own.

Liquor had always been divided into two broad categories: brewed alcohol and distilled spirits. Arbor Gold and Summer Red were brewed, while pear brandy was distilled.

Brewed liquor was thriving at present, even more so than distilled spirits.

But distilled spirits had considerable room for development. Pear brandy's market had always remained below that of wine.

Liquor was extremely popular on both shores of the Narrow Sea and was a golden industry that could bring in money every day.

It mainly depended on two factors. First, social occasions required it, and everyone loved to drink.

Second, the water in this era could only be called moderately safe, especially compared to the polluted water sources encountered during campaigns and wars.

Many times, for the sake of safety, alcohol was safer than drinking water.

Traditional methods made money too slowly. He still needed to come up with something new.

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