The Ultimate Player Of The Game Of Thrones

Four days after Rickard met with lord Hewett Gerrard Trant arrive at oakenshield with captain Blackfin and his crew.

Gerrard Trant somehow convinced Torrek Blackfin and his crew to wait for a month and young lord delivered a ship in nearly a month.

Rickard, in these four days, teaching Godwin Harcourt to how leach ash from the trees to get Potassium Hydroxide. The procedure he selected was the most primitives one. Potash would be poured into water tank and gently mixed. Then you would wait until water has absorbed potassium and then collect the water. The water in the tank needed to be stirred gently at some interval so that potash won't sit at the bottom of the tank in clumps which would hinder the process.

This process would still leave a significant amount of potassium still in the ash. But unless he could generate enormous amount of energy he had to stick with this one.

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Captain Torrek Blackfin came before Rickard. Rickard ordered Torrek "In First six months you will train additional personnel for sailing another two ships. We will have 12 ships within three years. I want you to train men to man them and captain for each ship."

"As you wish, sire." Torrek agreed without any protest.

°°°

Day after the banquet both Gerrard Trant and Godwin Harcourt left on the Lady Laina, First ship of the Flint's Conglomerate.

Colton Holt, Vulfgar Helm, Hugh Wenman, and Ralph Sedlow remained with Rickard along with squires Edric seville, Attwel Upton, and Henry Wilmot.

These eight people prepared go to House Webber of the Coldmoat. As House Webber bred the best quality horses in entirety of Reach. They saild up the river Chequy Waters to reach Coldmoat, seat of the house Webber.

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Rickard bowed slightly while his right hand was on left breast "Lord Webber, I come here to purchase some of your steeds, which are finest in the kingdom. I want to inquire as to price of your steeds."

Lord Webber replied "One horse for 30 gold."

Rickard was flabbergasted. One horse wouldn't cost north of 1 gold coin even if it was the finest. To quote 30 times the prize it was insanity. "Lord Webber I can pay you 1 gold dragon for each horse."

Lord Webber didn't budge "30 gold dragons for a horse. Not one less not one more." Lord Webber held his position stubbornly.

Rickard tried to reason with lord Webber. "Lord Webber, 30 gold dragons for a horse is too much. A decent Destries costs no more than 100 silver stags, A decent Couser won't cost you more than 70 silver stags. However much finer your horses are, it shouldn't cost 30 gold for each."

Lord Webber snorted mockingly " What I have are thoroughbred of highest quality in the entirety of Westeros. No one will be able to match quality of our steeds. Every man and boy of westeros wishes to ride a horse from our stables... wishes... If wishes were horses all men would ride thoroughbred - wishes is all you have. Do you think you are worthy of our horses? Are your Men? Fine, I'll lower my prices for you. Be honored, even warden of the west has not received this treatment. Pay me 20 gold coins for each horse, whelp. "

Rickard had promised Colton Holt, vassal knight of Flint House and his teacher, a cavalry company. Every rider in the cavalry would need 3 horses, which was standard practice. The total cost of buying horses would come to whopping 6000 gold coins. Most certainly they would get gelded horses when he bought. He didn't want to spend kind of money that could buy an artisan master with dozens of apprentices on mere 300 horses. In Rickard's opinion House Flint needed Expert artisan masters more than they needed 300 horses. Thus he decided to forgo the golden chance, probably that would come only once, with a shrewd heart.

Lord Webber seeing his esteemed guest, mayhaps his future customer, falling silent for quite a long time stretched his back and rested in his chair comfortably.

Rickard, at this point, knowing he wasn't going to buy horses of this guy coolly addressed Lord Webber. "It seems we can't come to mutual agreement on this matter. But, I do hope we can cooperate with one another in future if gods of old willing."

To this Lord Webber spat back " If you come again in future still poor, no gods in the world make us cooperate with you. "

Rickard and his retinue returned empty handed from Coldmoat and continued their journey towards Highgarden. One of the main reasons for coming to reach obviously to buy horses from the house Webber, another main reason was recruiting a maester for the Flint's Finger castle. Rickard choose to go to Highgarden to get a recommendation letter from Tyrell's.

°°°

Rickard and his retinue arrived at Highgarden . The castle of Highgarden sat upon a broad hill filled with greenery.

The hill castle perched upon surrounded by sea of green fields. In it there were various grains, trees, shrubs, and vines grew. The castle's white stone created the beautiful contrast in the sea of green.

Hugh Wenman approached the castle guard and informed them of their origins. After some time guard returned and informed them that they have been accepted as guests to enter the castle.

The guard escorting them opened his mouth. "I am called Erryk. This proprietress, Dorothy, will see to your needs. If want to know more find me."

The guard, called Erryk, wore full plate armor with helmet that came down to his cheeks with no face guard. His undershirt and pants were different shades of green and plain with no embroidery. His eyes and hair were dark like any other from the region.

The proprietress, Dorothy, wore green vest on top of forest green gown. Her vest fully covered her arms until the wrists. Her neck was uncovered with either vest or gown. Dorothy had feminine physique with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.

Dorothy bowed her head slightly and curtsied "You may ask me if the need arises."