Kevan's face darkened further at the news.
He nodded. "Let him in."
The doors opened, and Naho Dimittis, the envoy from the Iron Bank of Braavos, walked in.
He wore finely tailored dark Braavos-style clothing, his face stern and devoid of emotion.
Naho Dimittis bowed respectfully to those present. "Honored Queen Mother, Lord Hand, the Iron Bank's patience has its limits. The enormous debt owed by the Iron Throne is seriously overdue. We understand the difficulties the kingdom currently faces, but business is business. We require the Iron Throne to repay at least one-third of the principal, along with all interest accrued to date, before the next new moon. Otherwise, the Iron Bank will have no choice but to consider further measures to safeguard our investment."
Everyone present knew perfectly well what "further measures" meant.
An end to all lending, and perhaps even funding the Iron Throne's enemies.
Kevan's expression turned utterly grim.
The Lannister gold mines in the Westerlands had once been a symbol of the Seven Kingdoms' wealth.
But Lucion's war to eradicate the Dothraki raiders in the Westerlands had dragged on. Many mines had been damaged, and skilled miners had suffered heavy casualties or been carried off.
Restoring production would take time, and there was simply no way to raise the enormous sum demanded by the Iron Bank on such short notice.
"Master Dimittis..."
Kevan's voice was strained. "The gold mines in the Westerlands are doing everything they can to resume production, but they need time..."
Naho Dimittis interrupted him, his tone cold. "Lord Hand, the Iron Bank is not concerned with the process, only the result. The next new moon is the final deadline."
His words left no room for negotiation.
The atmosphere in the hall turned icy.
The mess in the Vale and the Iron