***TYRION***
"Seven gods, this can't be real" Julio Sand shouted in sheer disbeilief. He along with his six others blades with Tyrion and Maester Donald stared at a large shimmering river of flowing gold in one tunnel. In the other tunnel that sunk into the earth and back up not far from the golden one, a river of pure shimmering silver.
Both rivers glowed with an unnatural light, or perhaps their pure liquid metal states gave off that appearance from all the lit torches in the tunnels that lined the walls through which the rivers flowed.
"Beautiful and terrifying to behold, wouldn't you seven agree? I was even told that not far from this tunnel of silver, in another chamber, was discovered, with all sorts of precious gems and minerals beginning to fall out of the walls themselves. The walls themselves are sick with gems and diamonds that they're practically vomiting it right into my hands."
"What would happen if I stuck my hand inside of the silver river" Ivory Pyke asked Tyrion half-jokingly, taking a closer look at the gleaming silver liquid.
"The miners have told me that as soon as any amount of silver or gold is pulled out of the river, it solidifies in a matter of seconds. So If you want a permanent silver hand, I suggest staying away from the river. Wood seems to be unaffected so special wooden designs were made to create as many coins and bars and balls as quickly as possible."
"There is so much wealth here that no kingdom or empire would be able to spend it all even if they used it every day for the next three hundred years," Rolando Stone said marveling at the abnormal amount of wealth reflecting in his eyes.
"Bring me seven tiny balls of gold for my friends over here!" Tyrion called out to one of the miners in charge of producing the currency.
The seven blades looked at each other with surprise. A miner brought seven fist-sized perfectly round balls of pure gold in a wooden bucket. Tyrion turned to his hired guards and spoke.
"Before I give you all your first weeks' payment, let me just say that from personal experience, I know sellswords, mercenaries or even just hired thugs to work only for money and are loyal to it and nothing more. I do not ask you to see me as your friend, as a business partner, sure; but I hope that you will all stick with me for as long as I live and see me as your loveable and friendly employer. Keep me alive, my future children and wife safe and you and your families will be covered for as long you all live. What say you all?"
Julio Sand bent the knee first, then Ivory Pyke and all the other blades followed along until they were all kneeling before Tyrion.
"As long as you treat us with respect, see us as men and women trying to survive in this world with the only skills we know that we have perfected, you have my pledge to protect you and your family and house. You have the full support and pledge of The Seven Blades, our blades are yours to do with however you command us to use them, my lord."
Tyrion's smile was as bright as the golden balls in the wooden bucket. He was pleased to hear those words and one by one paid each of the seven blades. They opened their hands and smiled or nodded as they graciously accepted more gold than they ever held in their hands.
"All seven of you may rise. It's time for us to head back to Casterly Rock, we have other business to attend to."
In his office chamber, Tyrion found a gift waiting for him near his desk. It was obviously what he thought it was but pretended to feign ignorance. "Hmm, I wonder what this might be. Who on earth could be hiding under this snow-white tarp."
"From the looks of it my lord, it seems its a woman hiding under the tarp, but why isn't she moving" Galvan said, tapping his chin.
"Galvan, my gods" Ivory gasped, shaking her head at his naivete.
Tyrion pulled the drape off of his gift and marveled at the beautiful work of religious art standing before him. A seven-foot-tall nude woman made of pearlescent marble with three baby dwarves shined with an almost serene light when the light of the sun bathed it. There was one baby dwarf at her feet crawling on its hands and feet. Another being cradled in her arm playing with her long hair and another on top of her shoulders crowing her with a crown of crystal. But when the light hit the crystal crown just right, her crown became a brilliant rainbow illuminating the entire space. At her feet where she stood on a low pedestal was a sliver candle, unlit.
"My gods, or should I say, oh my goddess. This couldn't have been made by hands of men, Donald, could it have?"
"I found the best sculptor in all of Westeros my lord, and he wasn't cheap, or rather he didn't make himself cheap, and I also needed to find a Lapidary who knew the exact type of crystal the original statue wore."
"I say the money was well spent, Maester Donald. She is divine to behold. What is with the candle? Stupid question. A deity requires a votive candle."
"True my lord, but the candle is to be lit after the awakening ceremony. Only then will her senses come alive. The ceremony requires her to be showered with seawater, adorned with rare flowers, and kissed with honey-covered lips by the dwarf seeking her protection and favor, of course, there are ceremonial invocations that must be said before and after the kiss. No need to worry my lord, I will recite the invocations for you since the language of my island is very difficult to voice."
"I am in your debt Maester Donald, truly I am, and I know I will be able to repay it." Tyrion said, patting his maester on his back.
