Beyond Littlefinger, Gendry thought House Targaryen might also have wealth deposited in the Iron Bank, but that would not be easy to establish. It would have to wait.
"Five hundred thousand gold dragons," Ser Barristan Selmy added, then looked expectantly at the Iron Bank's envoy.
Naho sighed. "Paying debt with debt is hardly possible, Your Highness."
"Nothing is impossible."
"You bargain like a fishmonger in the market," Naho said.
"Thank you for the compliment."
A bad beginning was still a beginning. Their negotiations soon continued, turning the impossible into the possible.
Both sides began trading verbal blows across the negotiating table. Even if these gold dragons were not a large sum, the Iron Bank had to feel it had won something after a reversal. Only then would the gold feel satisfying.
Gendry and Naho spent more than half an hour making the impossible possible, then another half hour agreeing on the terms. Anguy brought a jug of hot wine that helped them settle several thorny disputes.
Neither Braavos's interest nor its principal was easily forgiven. In the past, only the Arbitrator, Jaehaerys I, had exploited the disappearance of three dragon eggs. With the Sealord intervening, the Iron Bank of Braavos had promised to forgive the principal owed by the Iron Throne, instantly halving the crown's total debt. Gendry, however, had no such bargaining chip now. His dragon was still young and secret, and his kingdom was in chaos.
"The two parties have calculated a total principal of 1.2 million and interest of seven hundred thousand. Both parties agree to offset the seven hundred thousand in interest with the five hundred thousand deposited in Littlefinger Petyr Baelish's secret account. Gendry shall immediately repay two hundred thousand in principal to the Iron Bank, with no further interest accruing from this point onward.