Mermaid Port, East Dock.
Duke Stannis, protected by soldiers, disembarked with Davos Seaworth, known as the Onion Knight.
Duke Stannis walked around the dock for a while, didn't ride a horse, and then walked on foot to the inner city of Mermaid Port.
Stannis, who had been silent throughout the journey, stopped and sharply looked around: "Davos, tell me, what do you see?"
Davos, whom Stannis spoke of, had an ordinary appearance, a thin build, brown eyes under short brown hair, and a thick gray beard.
Sir Davos Seaworth, known as the Onion Knight, served as the Commander of Master of Ships Duke Stannis's Narrow Sea Fleet, and was so trusted by Stannis that he also acted as an advisor.
Davos was once a smuggler. During the War of the Usurper, Davos piloted a small boat laden with onions and pickled fish, breaking through the Redwyne Fleet's blockade to deliver supplies to Stannis, who was holding Storm's End.
Thanks to these provisions, Storm's End was able to hold out until reinforcements arrived. For this great service, Stannis knighted Davos and granted him fertile lands at Cape Wrath.
After knighting Davos, Stannis said, "Good deeds do not erase bad deeds, nor do bad deeds conceal good deeds; each action has its own reckoning."
Impartial Stannis punished Davos for his past smuggling crimes, with the first joint of four fingers on Davos's left hand, excluding the thumb, being cut off.
Davos placed the severed joints in a leather pouch and wore them around his neck, considering them a lucky charm to protect his family.
Afterward, Davos chose the surname "Seaworth" as his new family name.
...
Sir Davos also looked around, following Duke Stannis's gaze, and respectfully said, "Duke Stannis, what I've seen along the way is order."
Duke Stannis, with a taut face, subtly nodded: "Go on."
Davos began, "At first, I only saw that the residents here were very orderly, but following you along the way, I now feel they are all obeying a series of detailed commands."
Duke Stannis's nod was a little more pronounced: "Davos, anything else?"
Davos blinked, hesitated for a moment, and said in an uncertain tone, "It's cleaner here?"
A glint flashed in Duke Stannis's sharp eyes: "Davos, these are not commands. The people are selflessly obeying strict laws. This is how a kingdom should be."
As Stannis spoke again, several individuals, led by Butler Herschel, were hurrying towards Stannis and his group.
Butler Herschel, slightly out of breath, first composed himself before standing before Duke Stannis and bowing respectfully: "Your Grace, I am Herschel, the Butler of Whispering City and the Governor of Mermaid Port. I greet you on behalf of House Clebber."
When Duke Stannis conducted inspections, he never liked prior notifications. His eyes sought the most authentic facts.
Herschel, who was supervising the "Phase Two" progress of Mermaid Port, rushed over upon hearing the news of Duke Stannis's arrival at Mermaid Port.
...
Duke Stannis's brows furrowed: "Where is your lord?"
Duke Stannis had also recently heard about a new port called Mermaid Port north of the straits of Dragonstone.
Two days prior, cunning pirates had broken through the Royal Fleet's patrols and slipped into Blackwater Bay, even attacking and damaging two merchant ships. Duke Stannis was furious upon hearing the news.
Enraged, Duke Stannis left Dragonstone directly under the pretext of inspecting the fleet, and during the inspection, he summarily executed several captains of the Royal Fleet responsible for patrolling the relevant areas on the open sea.
On his return journey after the inspection, Master of Ships Duke Stannis remembered the new port named Mermaid Port.
Fleets and ports are closely related, and every Master of Ships pays attention to every port, especially those in Blackwater Bay, which serves as a barrier for King's Landing.
Coincidentally, the black bess, carrying Duke Stannis at the time, was not far from Mermaid Port. The black bess's course was changed towards Mermaid Port under Duke Stannis's command.
...
The inquiry under Duke Stannis's sharp gaze made Butler Herschel's heart pound heavily, almost forgetting to breathe.
Butler Herschel ignored the beads of sweat covering his forehead: "Our lord, Baron Green Kleber, has been appointed as a steward by Her Majesty the Queen and is currently at the Red Keep."
Stannis's brows furrowed even tighter, "Lannister again!"
Is Lannister so attractive? Lannister can give what he, Stannis, can also give. Why is it that all the talented people he could value have already pledged allegiance to Lannister!
Davos moved closer to Duke Stannis and whispered, "Duke Stannis, the nobles of Crab Claw Point have been suppressed by Prime Minister Jon's Vale Noble for over a decade.
I heard that this young baron named Green is very militarily talented. He defeated a combined force of twenty thousand Mountain Barbarians with a few hundred men and reclaimed large tracts of fertile land lost over a decade ago.
Even I can see that Baron Green has an ambitious heart. I think his allegiance to the Queen was out of necessity; he is using the Queen to counter the Vale Noble."
Duke Stannis looked at Davos: "I remember Robert already judged and punished the nobles of Crab Claw Point after the war. What's going on with Prime Minister Jon and the Vale Noble's subsequent actions?"
Davos shook his head; he truly didn't know about that. Those great nobles were not like Duke Stannis, possessing great and upright qualities. Perhaps only the Others knew what those people were constantly plotting.
Davos was Duke Stannis's most loyal supporter.
...
Duke Stannis waved Butler Herschel away, then strode towards the dock, saying to Davos, "A kingdom cannot be governed by dark schemes. Prime Minister Jon is putting the cart before the horse. Do you also think I should continue to assist him and form a political alliance?"
Davos organized his thoughts before replying, "Perhaps Prime Minister Jon has unavoidable difficulties?"
Duke Stannis snorted coldly: "I hope so."
Along the way, Davos saw a group of children, about ten years old, in the distance, forming a very neat small square formation under the guidance of a spirited old man.
Due to the distance, Davos could only see the old man holding a bow and explaining something, faintly hearing the children's laughter from time to time.
At this moment, Duke Stannis spoke: "Can my Dragonstone be like this too?"
Davos replied: "Duke Stannis, every place is different; it's very difficult."