Crackclaw Point – Golden Port
The next morning, while thin mist still clung to the waters of Crab Bay, a massive warship sliced through the haze and glided toward Golden Port. Its black-and-yellow sails bore the crowned stag of House Baratheon snapping proudly in the wind—Stannis Baratheon's flagship, Fury.
Stannis stood at the prow like a spear, face stern, jaw clenched, as humorless as ever.
His wife, Lady Selyse Baratheon, stood beside him. Her pale face showed the weariness of a long voyage, but her eyes sparkled with open curiosity as the port came into clearer view.
Their six-year-old daughter, Princess Shireen Baratheon, stayed safely tucked beside the loyal Onion Knight, Ser Davos Seaworth.
Shireen's cheeks were smooth and rosy, showing no trace of the terrible greyscale that had nearly killed her years ago. That was entirely thanks to Pierce. While living on Dragonstone, he had generously had Maester Ferren treat the girl.
It was during that same period that Pierce had helped Stannis develop the dragon-glass mines on Dragonstone, built glassworks, and opened new trade routes to Myr—greatly easing the island's chronic money problems.
That combination of favor and demonstrated ability had earned Pierce unusual respect from the usually cold Stannis Baratheon.
As Fury entered the harbor, everyone on deck was stunned by what they saw.
The docks were alive with noise and movement—ships coming and going, cranes creaking as they loaded and unloaded cargo.
Farther inland, the eastern district construction site swarmed with workers like ants, but organized ants. The sheer energy and order of it all was something none of them had ever witnessed anywhere else in Westeros.
Especially striking were the glossy black-stone buildings rising at an unbelievable speed, like a growing forest of obsidian.
"Is this… really the same barren Crackclaw Point?" Lady Selyse whispered in disbelief.
Davos narrowed his eyes. His sailor's sharp gaze caught even more details.
"My lord, look at how they're running the docks. And those men in uniform carrying short clubs… are those city guards?"
Stannis said nothing, but the tight line of his mouth softened slightly. Deep in his eyes, a flicker of genuine admiration appeared. Pierce Celtigar had achieved what most men would call impossible.
Pierce had already been notified. He waited on the dock with a proper honor guard. The welcome was simple and efficient—exactly the way Stannis liked it—while still observing every necessary courtesy. Afterward, the group moved to Pierce's large command tent.
Lunch was served inside the tent. Though Pierce called it "a simple midday meal," the long table covered in snow-white linen was loaded with roasted fish, seafood stew, honey-glazed chicken, fresh vegetable salads, Dornish oranges, and golden Arbor wine.
The spread was so lavish and refined that Stannis's family and Davos—used to Dragonstone's plain fare—were secretly stunned. This "casual lunch" was better than most of their formal dinners back home.
Melanye and Melisandre stood quietly behind Pierce. Melanye wore a flowing white dress, silver-white hair and golden eyes giving her an elegant, otherworldly grace. Melisandre stood in her signature red robes, beautiful yet carrying the solemn air of a religious fanatic. As advisors rather than nobility, they remained standing during the formal meal.
During the meal, Stannis finally spoke, his voice like gravel grinding together:
"Your port is developing at an impressive speed, Lord Pierce. You've shown… remarkable organizational ability."
Coming from Stannis, that was high praise.
"Thank you, Lord Stannis. Everything I've done is simply for survival and growth," Pierce replied modestly.
"But I've heard you're aggressively recruiting smallfolk and craftsmen from all over," Stannis continued, tone turning critical. "That may increase population quickly, but it could also dilute your authority among the native population. It goes against the usual way a lord governs his lands. Loyalty needs time to take root."
Lady Selyse and Davos both glanced at Pierce nervously, worried Stannis's bluntness might offend their increasingly powerful host.
Pierce simply smiled and set down his wine cup. "Lord Stannis, in my view, population isn't a burden—it's the most valuable resource. I need more hands to develop both agriculture and industry."
"Agriculture and industry?" Stannis repeated the unfamiliar words.
"Exactly." Pierce leaned forward, laying out his vision. "Agriculture is the foundation of any land. I plan to turn both banks of the Golden Crab River—from Brown Hollow and Tearmark Lake all the way to the sea—into fertile farmland. For that, I've introduced a new crop."
He signaled a servant, who brought forward a wooden box. Inside were slender golden grains.
"This is rice from Yi Ti. Grown properly in paddies, it yields far more than wheat or barley. Once we scale it up, Crackclaw Point won't just feed itself—we'll be able to export grain."
Stannis picked up a few grains and examined them closely. For the first time, clear curiosity broke through his stern expression.
Food security was always a ruler's greatest concern.
Princess Shireen was also fascinated by the strange new grain. "Lord Pierce, is Yi Ti very far away? I read about it in Maester Cressen's books. What's it like?"
Pierce smiled gently at the girl. "Yes, Princess Shireen, it's very far—east of Qarth. Right now… it's quite chaotic. Three powerful men all claim to be the rightful 'Son of Heaven,' and the wars never stop. I'm on good terms with one of them, a sorcerer-lord called 'Cao.' Though I prefer to call him Old Cao."
He added with a touch of humor. "He has a rather particular habit—collecting the beautiful wives of his defeated enemies and adopting the sons of men who died in battle."
Shireen looked half-understanding, then asked another question. "What about the Isle of Leng? The books say it's ruled by queens. How can women be rulers there? In Westeros, only Princess Rhaenyra ever tried…"
At the mention of Rhaenyra, both Stannis and Selyse's expressions darkened.
Shireen noticed her parents' displeasure and lowered her head, looking hurt.
Pierce answered calmly. "Princess Shireen, Leng is a special case. Every queen must pay a terrible price. They must go underground and… serve a certain ancient being with their own bodies in exchange for protecting the kingdom from disaster. It's a heavy and horrifying sacrifice."
"Serve? What does that mean?" Shireen asked innocently.
Pierce smiled with a hint of deeper meaning. "That's something you'll understand better when you're older. Fortunately, the Isle of Leng is… much better now."
Davos, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke. His gray eyes fixed sharply on Pierce. "My lord, if you'll forgive my boldness… I'd guess those changes on Leng have something to do with you, don't they?"
"Oh?" Pierce raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that, Ser Davos?"
Davos glanced nervously at Stannis. When his lord didn't stop him, he continued. "I once sailed to Volantis… on business. There I met merchants from Leng. They spoke of… changes. More importantly…"
He pointed at the teardrop-shaped jade pendant hanging from a silver chain around Pierce's neck. "If I'm not mistaken, that stone's style and material is something only the royal family of Leng is allowed to wear."
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Pierce's jade. He touched the warm stone and gave a small smile, neither confirming nor denying it. "It's merely a personal ornament, Ser Davos. You have sharp eyes."
The topic was lightly brushed aside, but the seed of curiosity had been planted.
After lunch, Pierce took them to visit his experimental fields. Vast plots of land were neatly organized, with different varieties of rice and wheat growing strong under the sun.
When Stannis learned that Pierce was systematically collecting human and animal waste, treating it, and using it as fertilizer, his surprise was obvious once again.
Pierce credited all of it to "knowledge gained from travels in the eastern lands."
As they were finishing the tour, shouting erupted from a nearby construction area. They walked over to find several workers in a brawl.
A few men had been slacking, slowing the entire crew and earning collective punishment. The others, furious at being punished for someone else's laziness, had gone from arguing to fists.
Pierce's patrol guards had already restored order. Captain Rosco Blount sent his cousin Benard to investigate.
The facts were quickly established.
Pierce gave his verdict immediately: "All those involved in the fight will receive three days of hard labor and lose corresponding work points under the Port Security Regulations. The injured will be treated by the maester, with costs deducted from their pay."
Stannis spoke up. "Lord Pierce, why not punish the ones who started slacking? They were the root of the problem."
Pierce replied, "Slackers are handled internally by their foremen according to regulations. But these men who resorted to violence ignored my laws, fought openly on the worksite, and created risk of injury. That threatens order. If everyone starts using fists whenever they're unhappy, my port will never know peace."
Davos tried gently, "My lord, perhaps show some mercy? Let them see your kindness…"
Pierce shook his head firmly. "Ser Davos, kindness doesn't feed people and it doesn't pay in gold dragons. I already give them far higher wages than anywhere else—that is my kindness. The principle of equivalent exchange is simple: you work, you get paid. Causing trouble breaks that principle. The slackers will be dealt with internally, but if these fighters injure people and delay the project, who compensates for the lost time and gold dragons?"
Stannis and Davos fell into thoughtful silence. They had just witnessed a style of rule very different from traditional feudal lordship—cold, practical, and based entirely on rules and efficiency.
Later, Pierce showed them the food processing plant. They watched skilled workers sealing spiced fish and seafood into glass jars with wax. Once again, Stannis and the others were stunned.
"Canned food?" Stannis realized. "I've heard merchants in Myr talk about this. They say it keeps food fresh for a very long time."
"Correct," Pierce said proudly. "This is currently one of my most important export products. It sells extremely well in Essos. With these, sailors on long voyages and soldiers on campaign can eat relatively fresh meals."
By evening, Pierce invited everyone to one of his taverns in the eastern district to rest.
The tavern was elegantly decorated and offered mixed drinks and specialty beverages Stannis had never seen before. The usually stern prince felt like he had stepped into a new world.
Finally, on the way back, they walked along the newly paved black-stone streets.
Smooth mirror-like roads, neatly planted trees, public trash bins everywhere, and even separate, supervised public restrooms for men and women—everything left Stannis's group amazed.
When they saw elderly people wearing red armbands sternly stopping a sailor from urinating in the street, Pierce explained:
"I give these elders light work and food as payment. It keeps them active and helps maintain public cleanliness."
He left out the part where these same elders also served as his grassroots informants.
As the sun set and night fell, a grand bonfire feast had been prepared in the square in front of Pierce's keep.
A massive bonfire crackled in the center, flames leaping toward the sky.
Long tables covered in white cloths surrounded it, piled high with an overwhelming array of food: whole roast suckling pigs, honey-glazed chickens, mountains of crabs and lobsters, fresh grilled fish, giant baskets of bread, colorful fruit platters, and countless casks of ale, beer, and wine.
Servants moved constantly, making sure no cup stayed empty. The atmosphere was warm and lively—completely different from Dragonstone's usual solemn restraint.
As the highest-ranking noble present, Prince of Dragonstone, Pierce invited Stannis to officially open the feast.
Perhaps because of everything he had seen that day, or perhaps because of the strong drinks from Pierce's tavern, Stannis's face looked slightly flushed in the firelight. Though he still tried to maintain his usual gravity, there was a rare note of excitement in his voice.
He stood, looking around the crowd, and his powerful voice cut through the noise:
"In the name of House Baratheon of Dragonstone! I, Stannis Baratheon, Prince of Dragonstone, declare—this feast has begun!"
The crowd erupted in loud cheers.
In the middle of the applause, Stannis turned to Pierce and spoke clearly for all to hear:
"Furthermore, with all of you as witnesses, I announce that House Baratheon of Dragonstone and House Celtigar of Golden Port will form an even closer bond. I hereby betroth my daughter, Shireen Baratheon, to Lord Pierce Celtigar. The marriage will take place immediately after her fifteenth nameday!"