Chapter 3: Mermaid Port
On Glyn Clegane's desk lay three coins: a Gold Dragon, a silver stag, and a copper star.
(Here are some examples for easier reading: A suit of full plate armor starts at 16 Gold Dragons, chainmail starts at 6 Gold Dragons, a quality warhorse starts at 10 Gold Dragons, one Unsullied costs 100 Gold Dragons (shipping not included), a meal with meat and a beer costs 20-30 copper stars, and a peasant's annual income is about 1 Gold Dragon.)
The current coin in the Clegane treasury amounted to a total of just over 2000 Gold Dragons (this refers to cash on hand; goods in the Lord's warehouses are not included in this count).
However, they were 5000 Gold Dragons in debt. The interest paid last year was 500 Gold Dragons.
After the War of the Usurper, at the behest of the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, the nobles and merchants of The Vale had issued mandatory loans to the noble Lords of Crackclaw Point to help them "get through hard times."
This was one of the conditions for post-war peace on Crackclaw Point.
You'd never see a single Gold Dragon of it. The Vale nobles and merchants regarded your very territory as the principal for the loan.
It was just that ruthless.
You could refuse, but the Baratheon armies had not yet been put to rest, and Robert hadn't yet had his fill of fighting.
The Clegane Territory was valued at 5000 Gold Dragons, and the annual interest paid by House Clegane had already accumulated to 7500 Gold Dragons.
According to the contract, they still had to pay for another 5 years, which amounted to 2500 Gold Dragons, and in the final year, they would have to add the principal of 5000 Gold Dragons.
This was a suppressive tactic from the Red Keep, born from their wariness of Crackclaw Point's nobles.
The interest, framed as being for post-war reconstruction, sounded pleasant enough, and the amount was just right—enough for them to eke out a meager existence without being driven to desperate measures, yet restrictive enough to stifle any development.
From the perspective of the Baratheon Dynasty, a weak and docile Lord on Crackclaw Point was a good Lord.
…
The Clegane Territory had a total population of just over 2000 people. Due to the need to guard against the constant harassment from the mountain Wildlings, they had no choice but to tighten their belts and maintain a force of 200 Household Guards ready for deployment at any moment.
This was the absolute limit.
Due to years of warfare, the population of the Clegane Territory was skewed, with fewer men than women.
The women here were sturdily built. Most needed to farm and hunt just like the men. They were a feisty lot.
As long as they were armed, these spearwives could also be conscripted for war, to plunder for coin and for men.
The Clegane Territory was practically in a state of total mobilization. Leaving behind only the craftsmen, the old, and the weak, they could, in a desperate all-out effort, muster a maximum of 1500 soldiers.
Facing the Wildling lords in the surrounding mountains and valleys—the small ones with only a few dozen people and the large ones with only a few hundred, all of them a scattered mess… they were ripe for the taking.
Why bother farming? As was just said, the words of House Clegane have been temporarily changed to "To take is better than to toil."
First, they had to deal with the mountain Wildling tribes who had gathered together, intending to make trouble now that the heir, Glyn, was young.
The war would begin with them.
…
The next day, the dark clouds hung heavy and low.
The arched Light Whisper City was crudely built, lacking any refinement.
But it was large enough to shelter all of the surrounding 1000-plus villagers in times of war.
Glyn stood atop the castle wall, more than 20 meters high, looking down. His grand steward, Herschel, and the knight, Pell, stood respectfully behind him.
After King Robert's death, there would be continuous warfare. Light Whisper City needed to be planned out early.
Glyn looked to the south.
The terrain to the south was flat. He would first plan and build a ring wall on a scale that could hold ten thousand people, then a second ring… Glyn chuckled softly. Let's not call it the first ring, we'll call it the inner city.
"Herschel, take this down."
"The fishing village will henceforth be renamed Mermaid Port."
The grand steward, Herschel, faithfully recorded his words.
"A Mermaid has the upper body of a maiden and the lower body of a fish tail. A Mermaid's beauty is such that even the Seven would sigh in praise."
Herschel hesitated before asking, "My Lord, might this description be a bit… blasphemous? Some of the septons are not very friendly towards us."
Glyn, an atheist, had originally wanted to say that the Seven themselves would be entranced; the phrase he actually used was already a toned-down version.
"Thank you for your candid advice, Herschel."
Glyn paused, then said, "Bards. Go find some reliable bards. Convey the general meaning to them and let them handle the phrasing. They are the professionals."
"Herschel, continue recording. Mermaids love to sing the moving songs passed down through their generations. Mermaids are extremely shy creatures. Only in the dead of night, when no one is around, will they surface to sing. Their beautiful voices are like… hmm, heavenly music."
Glyn had originally wanted to say their voices were kissed by the Seven, but he continued to restrain himself.
"Mermaids are carefree, kind, and optimistic. Only when they are deeply heartbroken, their very souls in agony, will they shed tears. A Mermaid's tear will transform into the most brilliant pearl in this world. One tear, one pearl."
"A Mermaid can only love one person in her entire life. A Mermaid who has truly fallen in love will make a vow of love."
"The vow of love… record this well. It is very important."
"I am willing to become the beloved of [Name], to love what he loves, to think as he thinks, to bear his pain and endure his hardships. Whether in poverty or in wealth, whether humble or noble, whether in times of chaos or forsaken by the gods, I will live for him, die for him, never to leave or forsake him, until forever!"
The mouths of Grand Steward Herschel and Knight Pell fell open simultaneously, their expressions rich with emotion.
Glyn felt they were moved, that they already believed it.
Could the fishing village really be a hidden land of legend?
With that, Glyn changed his original plan.
Only a secret known to one person is a true secret. Let's all get fooled together.
Thus, Glyn also came to believe in the legend of the Mermaid.
Don't forget one important point: Mermaids are the shyest race in the entire world. It's only normal that you can't find them.
Come, come to Mermaid Port, and go mad for the Mermaids.
"This is a secret that has only been passed down orally between the patriarchs of House Clegane for generations. I am telling you this now because you are the two people I trust the most."
Herschel and Pell puffed out their chests.
*Yes, there is no one more reliable in this world than me!* they thought.
"First, we must mobilize all the villagers of the fishing village to build a simple wharf nearby. We need to find a suitable location, even if it's a bit further away. The most important thing is that it's convenient for large ships to dock."
"Second, build a lighthouse to guide nearby ships over."
"At the same time, we need taverns, inns, and shops. The initial requirements don't have to be high; the main thing is to have all the necessary functions. We must earn every last copper star."
"All able-bodied villagers must be armed. The old and the weak can be arranged in suitable positions in the shops. We must guarantee the safety of friendly guests."
"Mermaid Port must become more and more beautiful, more and more comfortable. We cannot disappoint those who come here, drawn by its fame."
"All of this is very important."
The grand steward seemed to understand. "My lord, the longer the legend of the Mermaids exists and the wider it spreads, the more people will be drawn to the fishing… to Mermaid Port. We'll be able to sell our leather directly to buyers instead of having our prices pushed down by traveling merchants. And not just leather… Mermaid Port will become a trading post."
"No wonder you are willing to spread the legend of the Mermaids..."
"Yes. Rules are rigid. For the development of our Territory, as your Lord, certain sacrifices are unavoidable."
"This needs to be spread secretly, naturally. I'm counting on you."
After speaking, Glyn turned away, clasping his hands behind his back and letting out a long sigh.
The hem of Glyn's long robe swayed in the wind.
Herschel bowed with immense solemnity.
Pell, clad in plate armor, his hand gripping his sword hilt so tightly the veins on its back bulged, bowed low alongside Herschel.
(end of chapter)