Grape Tears

"Happy, certainly. Sad stories are for funerals and scaring children." Baelon answered, draining his cup and pouring himself another glass.

Daenerys twirled the wine around in her glass for a while before taking a small sip, finding it to be way too sour for her taste. With the slightest hint of a smirk, she spoke up, accompanied by the odd feeling of having already experienced this moment before. "Very well. I will tell you a funny story instead. I was having supper with a rich Braavosi lord and a lovely courtesan he had hired. He had inherited all his wealth from his father, a successful merchant, but had no nose for the trade himself. He was rather awkward around other people, you see. So as the afternoon dragged on, rather dully, might I add, he made a weak jest of having poisoned one of our wine glasses, but had forgot which one, to which the courtesan replied, From the way this is going, I hope it is mine.."

Baelon took a sip of his wine, thinking for a moment. "In my youth, I took to the seas in the East, engaging in all manner of illegal and licentious behavior. Including my fair share of piracy. It happened that I met with an Ironborn captain one night in a winesink in Lys. A woman, Elara Pyke. We got to drinking, a fair bit, and a wager was made. After being taught the basics of the finger dance by one of her sailors, she and I would compete in that sport of theirs. The bet was on whether I could hold out for one minute against her, with the wager being half the loot in our respective ships. I threw first. She caught the axe easily, and lobbed it underhanded to me. Going easy on me, at first. I caught the axe, barely," He held up his left hand, where his little finger was missing above the last knuckle. "and then I tossed it into the ceiling above her. She couldn't reach it before the allotted time expired." He finished his wine and set the glass on the table. "She did break my nose for that, but had a good laugh once she calmed down. And once we had some time in private, we played a different sort of finger dance, as well."

Baelon shrugged. "My pleasure. Thank you for the wine. Could we get another bottle?"

"I have a remarkable ability. I can tell when a bottle of wine is going to be finished soon, and can therefore take preemptive measures to avoid thirst." Baelon told her with a smirk, topping off his glass.

Daenerys waited for the Reachman to leave and sipped from the wine. "Now I know you are trying to get me drunk, cousin," she said with a slight smirk.

Dany smiled. "Does that mean you petitioned king with your idea then?" she asked.

"Ah, but there will be no Velaryon backing unless the king gives you his permission," she replied. "My apologies, I thought I made myself clear the last time."

"And what would I tell him? That Baelon Waters would like to go East and become a pirate?" she inquired.

"The thing is, would I?" she asked. "I can be kind, but not to that extent. I would gladly give you ships if your cause was something other than robbing people we have no strife with, even if they happen to be slavers. We live here, in Westeros, and what happens half a world away is not exactly our call to make."

"Do not knock it until you try it," she replied smugly, and took a long sip of wine before shrugging. "Bring actual pirates to order. Capture rebel lords or smugglers. Surely there are things to do at sea that are profitable and do not require pillaging."