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Listening to Torrell's introduction, Gaemon nodded without offering any immediate opinions.
After following the master smith through a full inspection of the still-under-construction armory—inside and out—Gaemon finally spoke.
"Master Torrell, your work is meticulous, and the coordination between the different trades is very reasonable. I don't see any major problems. We'll proceed with this layout for now."
A collective sigh of relief swept through the workshop. Gaemon's approval meant their earlier efforts had been validated.
He then pointed out a few small inefficiencies he'd noticed and discussed them with Torrell.
Torrell thought for a moment, realized these were points he himself had overlooked, and felt a surge of admiration mixed with a touch of embarrassment. Even a young prince had spotted issues that decades in the forge had hidden from him. Clearly, his own skills still had room to grow.
In truth, the problems Gaemon raised belonged to an entirely different technological era.
Suggestions like adding bellows to increase furnace temperature or switching the fuel from charcoal to coal were concepts most smiths in Westeros had never considered.
Torrell understood most of them, but one proposal gave him pause.
"Your Grace," he asked, clearly puzzled, "coal can indeed burn hotter, but blacksmiths have tried it before. The iron it produces always has flaws—brittle spots, inconsistent quality. That's why we still rely on charcoal for forging."
Hearing the doubt, Gaemon suddenly remembered why coal wasn't widely used yet.
Raw coal contained sulfur and other impurities. During burning, those contaminants mixed into the iron, making the finished metal or weapons brittle and prone to snapping. For weapons that needed both hardness and toughness, it was a fatal flaw.
Although some smiths had experimented with turning coal into coke to reduce impurities, the true breakthrough wouldn't come for centuries.
Realizing this, Gaemon felt as if he'd accidentally discovered another gold mine.
The process for turning coal into coke was actually quite simple and could be broken into three main stages: washing, blending, and coking.
Washing removed ash, sulfur, and other impurities from the raw coal.
Blending mixed different types of coal in precise ratios to meet the exact requirements for high-quality coke.
Coking loaded the blended coal into ovens and dry-distilled it at 950–1100°C for 14 to 18 hours, producing usable coke for smelting.
Once he understood the principle, Gaemon immediately asked Aemon to prepare a batch of coal for him to experiment with.
For the next full month, Gaemon stayed side-by-side with Torrell, researching how to turn coal into coke while teaching the Dragonsteel technique to the smiths. His days were packed from dawn until well after dark.
With Gaemon's arrival, the Dragonstone forges gradually moved into full production. One month later, he stood in the workshop holding a freshly forged longsword blank. He studied the intricate patterns running along the blade, ran his fingers over the cold steel, and then turned to the crowd with a voice still edged with excitement.
"It worked. Congratulations—you've successfully forged Dragonsteel."
The tension on every face melted into pure joy. Men turned to one another, shouting, "We did it! We succeeded!"
For a moment the entire smithy erupted into roars and cheers, turning the workshop into a sea of celebration.
When the noise finally died down a little, Gaemon handed the sword blank to Torrell—who was still excitedly hugging the man beside him—and spoke with genuine warmth.
"Congratulations, Master Torrell. This blade you forged is excellent; it's already on par with the ones I made myself. From now on, the forging work on Dragonstone is in your hands. My task here is complete."
Torrell snapped out of his excitement and replied with deep respect.
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Grace. Rest assured, I will take full responsibility here. I will follow your teachings and forge even more powerful weapons for the royal family, to repay your instruction and the Crown's trust."
Gaemon nodded in satisfaction, then clapped Torrell heavily on the shoulder.
"To celebrate your success in forging Dragonsteel, we're holding a feast in the castle tonight. Wine and food are unlimited—everyone, eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves!"
The already jubilant crowd erupted into even louder cheers.
Watching the scene, the corners of Gaemon's mouth lifted into a quiet smile. He turned and slipped out of the smithy, leaving the celebration to the others.
He knew his work on Dragonstone was done. The rest was up to them.
What he didn't see was the group behind him noticing him leave. Just as he stepped through the doorway, a single, thunderous shout rose in perfect unison:
"Prince Gaemon, thank you for your guidance! We will remember it forever!"
Gaemon paused for half a step, then walked out into the evening light with an even brighter smile on his face.
That night, the castle on Dragonstone hosted a feast for hundreds.
Men drank and toasted one another, others danced on the tables, and for one glorious evening everyone forgot rank and status. The hall rang with laughter and the constant clink of wine cups.