The morning light was crisp and cold as Gendry and Qyburn followed Captain "Handsome" out of the "Wolf's Den," heading for the employer's manor in the Disputed Lands. The grey Wolf Pack banner fluttered in the wind. The Disputed Lands were further south than King's Landing and had a milder climate, much like King's Landing in that they were both close to the sea.
Gendry followed his companions across vast plains, passing through numerous villages, towns, low hills, and small rivers. Many slaves toiled in the fields here, and plenty of magistrates and nobles owned estates in the region.
The Wolf Pack numbered about forty, with Gendry and Qyburn among them. This was their first mission with the Wolf Pack. Occasionally, they would encounter other mercenaries. After exchanging brief greetings, they would quickly part ways, as mercenaries trusted few others.
Gendry was clad in black scale armor, with his mace strapped to his saddle. He also carried a purpleheart longbow gifted by Dick the Maker, a Myrish crossbow, and a dagger. Maester Qyburn, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. The old healer was well-respected and rode a gentle, amiable old horse.
Four outriders scouted ahead, keeping an eye on the situation in front of the group.
The Disputed Lands were never peaceful. Located in the southwestern part of Essos, the region had long been contested by the Free Cities of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh, with Volantis sometimes joining the fray. Since the collapse of the Triarchy, the Disputed Lands had been a never-ending source of disputes, providing ample work for mercenaries.
"The Disputed Lands are divided into two parts. Close to the Free Cities are the towns and manors controlled by the magisters. There's some order here, and mercenaries generally avoid offending the magisters and wealthy merchants. The Myrish plant gunpowder grass in their manors, the raw material for Myrish firewine. The Tyroshi grow pear trees and raise pigs. As for the Lysene, they cultivate red and white grapes and grow fragrant herbs for perfume," Handsome said, raising his riding crop.
"But in the middle ground, it's a chaotic zone where the Free Cities fight over territory, and mercenaries and adventurers kill each other! If you want to live long, stay out of that mess."
Gendry nodded. The Disputed Lands were like a snake pit; the deeper you went, the more dangerous and lawless it became. The Free Cities, with their thriving crafts and industries, relied on the nearby towns, lands, and manors for raw materials. Volantis, the largest of them all, had three vassal towns that were comparable in size to cities in Westeros.
"Be cautious, lads! There are more mercenaries in the Disputed Lands than fish in the river!" Handsome warned. "And many of them are exiles and bandit mercenaries!" When a mercenary abandoned order, they often turned into bandits and plunderers.
"The Doom of Valyria set the stage for Essos as it is today!" Just like after the fall of a great civilization, barbarians invaded and empires fractured. Gendry looked at the rolling landscape beneath him, with few mountains of any great height. It was a pity that such fertile soil had been mired in conflict since the Doom of Valyria.
The Free Cities fought over the Disputed Lands and the Stepstones, while the war between Pentos and Braavos ended in a crushing defeat for Pentos. The causes of the war included slavery and the control of fertile lands and waters between the two cities.
The most terrifying development was the rise of the Dothraki. Four hundred years ago, the Dothraki had marched westward from the east, raiding and burning every town and city in their path, including the Kingdom of Sarlor, the Qaathi city in the Red Waste, and the Ibbenese settlements of the Kingdom of Ifwol.
Finally, the advance of Temmo Kaan and his horde of at least fifty thousand was halted by the Unsullied of Qohor.
During the Century of Blood following the Doom of Valyria, the Dothraki drove commoners from their cottages and nobles from their manors, leaving only grass and ruins from the Forest of Qohor to the headwaters of the Selhoru River.
"This is what we're here to protect! The gunpowder grass manor!" Handsome said. After a while, Gendry thought his scar looked quite amiable. The Wolf Pack stopped when they saw a Myrish-style manor. The entire hillside was part of the manor.
Gendry saw a vast expanse of a greenish plant about half a man's height, with the edges of the greenish plants turning iron-brown.
"All that is gunpowder grass! It's very valuable!" Handsome explained. Gunpowder grass could be used to treat cuts and was expensive.
"I've never seen a gunpowder grass manor before!" Qyburn said. As a maester, he knew the properties of gunpowder grass, but he had never seen such a large hillside covered with it.
Gendry had heard about the employer from his companions. The Wolf Pack had been hired by a magister from Myr.
The Myrish magisters owned private estates in the Disputed Lands, large farms and mines, but the magisters themselves rarely visited.
This gunpowder grass manor was special because the value of gunpowder grass was so high, capable of making Myrish firepaste and firewine. It was also close to the heart of the Disputed Lands, and the magister had to hire mercenaries to protect the manor during the harvest.
Seeing the Wolf Pack's banner, the lookouts of the gunpowder grass manor blew their horns, long and steady rather than short and sharp.
"Here they come! My old friend! I've prepared hot water and food for you all!" The steward of the gunpowder grass manor walked out the door, welcoming "Handsome" and the mercenaries with some slaves. The steward was an olive-skinned Myrish freeman, not a slave.
"Thank you, Steward Leif!" Handsome said as he approached.
"I've been waiting for you lot! This time of year is always the most nerve-wracking for me!"
"Don't worry, old friend, you're always like this. With us guarding, this gunpowder grass will safely make it to Myr," Handsome laughed, waved his hand, and the mercenaries followed into the manor.
"How's the harvest this year?" Handsome and Steward Leif walked side by side at the front; the two were old friends.
"The same as usual. The yield is the same. But some manors had pest infestations, and their gunpowder grass harvest was halved. We'll make a fortune. That's why the magister hired you! Once the price of gunpowder grass soars, those bandit mercenaries will go even more berserk!"
"Gold is the hard currency in the Disputed Lands!"
"Gunpowder, grass, and wine are good too!" Handsome said.
"Yes, that's why the magister is even more uneasy. Gunpowder grass is not wheat or corn; it's comparable to gold."
Gendry listened to their conversation. Mercenaries loved gold the most. Without gold, gunpowder, grass, and wine were their next favorites.
Steward Leif had already made arrangements. The horses were taken to the stables, and all the mercenaries headed to the manor's great hall. Hot water and warm food were waiting for them.