The Sealord's Palace

[Marie]

"Certainly not, my lord," Ivan said, though he longed to correct the Sealord regarding his proper title. "I simply wish to avoid placing the Queen in an unbearable position."

[The Smith]

"With out the Gold. There is no future between us. Your realm is beggared. We can make things worse, think of that as thirty lashes."

[Marie]

"is there anything you would accept in lieu of gold?"

[The Smith]

"Perhaps if you are bored with ruling Dorne?"

[Marie]

"Dorne is rather problematic at present," Ivan said. "You would not want it. What precisely would you wish to do with lands in Westeros, my lord?"

[The Smith]

"What any ruler does with his lands."

[Marie]

"I cannot permit you to rule in Dorne," Ivan said firmly. "What of the Iron Islands? Braavos is an island nation. Perhaps your lordship's representatives would feel more at home there than on the mainland."

[The Smith]

"We would like some useful land. Perhaps if you are unwilling to give us Dorne. Ten square miles next to the cities of Oldtown, White Harbor, Gulltown, Lannisport and King's Landing that answer only to Braavosi law, and where we can move our goods into with out paying any tariffs or taxes."

[Marie]

"No," Ivan said. "It will not do to carve up slices of land away from their lords paramount. Westeros is the Queen's realm and shall be answerable only to Her Grace, her heirs and representatives. Your lordship should know that if any land is gifted to yourself, you would be required to do fealty to Her Grace for it."

[The Smith]

"I am subservient to none."

[Marie]

"Nor is the queen yet you asked us, Her Grace's representatives, to submit ourselves to Braavosi laws and customs while on your soil. I will gladly do so fi your lordship will accept that the same hold true in Westeros," Ivan responded.

[The Smith]

"Which is why those patches of earth must be given to Braavos in total. Soil. Dirt. and rock."

[Marie]

"The lords will mislike seeing parts of their own land be given away to foreigners," Grandison explained. "As all islands of Braavos are subject to your lordship's rule, so must the lands of Westeros be held under Her Grace and Her Grace's heirs."

He racked his brain for an answer.

Perhaps...there is the Stepstones, your lordship. New Pyke is currently ruled by the Ironborn and there are other islands within our control. Would your lordship be willing to accept control of the Stepstones we currently hold? They are not a true part of Westeros itself so we would have no difficulty in relinquishing any claim to the place."

[The Smith]

"You offer something us a bone that is inside a wild dog's pen. You can not retrieve it so you say to us kill the dog and have the bone. This is nothing, when we kill that dog we will take that bone and it will not be as some hand out from your lady."

[Marie]

"Then prove to us that you can take it," Ivan said, beginning to get annoyed. "You have my word that we will not interfere where we are not wanted, but empty words will achieve nothing."