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When the three days Stannis and Arthur had agreed upon were up, Stannis did not delay for a moment. On the evening of the third day, he left Dragonstone Castle and returned to his cabin on the Fury.
Quentyn, who had gone adventuring in the Dragonmont, failed to find any dragon eggs, much like Cletus had failed to find any whores on the island.
However, Jimmy and Zac, whom Arthur had sent to the fishing village and port to buy supplies, returned with plenty of seagull eggs and chicken eggs. Though these eggs wouldn't hatch any dragons, they would certainly improve Arthur's meals for the voyage ahead.
The Royal Fleet then sailed through the Gullet, rounded Massey's Hook, and headed south along the coast. The journey was smooth, with calm winds and gentle seas.
Arthur used the free time to fulfill his knightly duties to his squire, guiding Penrose in sword practice on the deck.
"Penrose, keep your back straight when you swing. That's fundamental."
"When facing an enemy taller and faster than you, rushing in is a mistake. Observe first."
"Keep your wrist flexible during the strike. That way, your enemy can't easily predict your next move."
Their sparring sessions quickly attracted the attention of the Fury's crew. Many sailors gathered around to watch intently, hoping to glean a trick or two from the 'Sword of the Morning.'
When the Royal Fleet entered Shipbreaker Bay and docked at Tarth to replenish food and water, the contrast with Dragonstone was striking.
Tarth, known as the Sapphire Isle, was stunningly beautiful. Not only did it boast high mountains, lakes, and waterfalls, but the entire island was lush and green, covered in vibrant vegetation.
The island's mountains shielded the western harbor from the storms blowing off the Narrow Sea, making it one of the few safe havens in the Stormlands. Ships frequently stopped here for respite.
"Arthur, you must allow me to host you properly for a few days, as thanks for our cooperation thus far."
Lord Selwyn Tarth welcomed Arthur and his party with exceptional warmth at Evenfall Hall, even preparing a grand feast in their honor.
Arthur had brought him an unexpected income of one hundred thousand gold dragons; Lord Selwyn had every reason to be hospitable.
Furthermore, the warehouse and logistics system established by Vic V and Vic VI on Tarth had greatly enhanced the island's competitiveness in trade.
The feast was sumptuous, featuring many delicacies from the nearby Free Cities—a world away from the blood sausage, hardtack, and salt beef Arthur had been eating on the ship.
Throughout the banquet, the smile never left Lord Selwyn's face, and he frequently toasted Arthur.
Even after the feast ended, Selwyn felt it wasn't enough. He announced publicly, "I will arrange for all the food and supplies needed for your ships. You need not worry about a thing."
This generosity surprised both Stannis and Imry Florent, giving them a glimpse of Arthur's influence.
Arthur also reunited with his former squire, Vic V.
The next day, Arthur and Vic V visited a complex of warehouses surrounded by a two-meter-high wall, located not far from the harbor.
Vic V had a worker open one of the storehouses. "Thanks to Lord Selwyn's support, we were able to lease this large plot of land outside the port to build these warehouses. He even granted us tax incentives."
"To achieve this much in such a short time is no easy feat," Arthur remarked, observing the orderly arrangement of goods inside. Most were exquisite tapestries from Lys and intricate carpets from Myr.
Arthur then toured several other warehouses, mostly filled with handicrafts and specialty liquors from Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh.
"We are not far from the Stepstones, Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh," Vic V explained. "And since this harbor is rarely troubled by storms, Braavosi captains are very willing to stop here to transfer cargo and resupply."
"We stockpile food and supplies to sell to the captains who dock here, and we sell these luxury goods to the Stormlords and Westerosi merchants. The profits are quite substantial."
Arthur reviewed the ledger's cash flow; it was indeed as Vic V had described. "How are Zahn and your father, Vic T, doing in Braavos? Any news from them?"
Since arriving at Starfall, Arthur had paid little attention to his businesses in Braavos. Once the Redwyne fleet blockaded Starfall, news had been cut off entirely.
"Generally speaking, things are stable," Vic V replied. "In the warehousing industry, besides what we've built here on Tarth, Zahn reached an agreement with the Night's Watch. They've established warehouses at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. They trade grain and textiles with the Night's Watch and the wildlings in exchange for furs, ivory, and high-quality timber."
"As for the shipping fleet..."
Listening to Vic V's report, Arthur gained a general understanding of the situation in Braavos.
The shipping business now directly controlled over thirty merchant vessels of varying sizes capable of ocean voyages.
The insurance industry was expanding in tandem with the warehousing business. Although it couldn't dominate the market as completely as it did in the North, it was gradually penetrating various Free Cities, grabbing a slice of the pie.
Now, almost all swordsmen and bravos in Braavos sought certification from the Swordsman's Guild to gain the qualification to wield corresponding grades of swords (Snow Brand, Peach Brand, Black Mamba Brand).
Certified swordsmen were more trusted by employers and often commanded higher wages.
Due to the rapid expansion of various businesses and a shortage of manpower, Zahn had signed security contracts with several mercenary companies. The one with the closest ties was a company called the Wolf Pack.
The Wolf Pack was a mercenary company composed mostly of Northerners. Its history could be traced back to the Dance of the Dragons, when dragons still lived.
Back then, winter was coming. North of the Neck, snow was already deep, and cold winds howled. In castles and villages across the North, people high and low prayed before the heart trees for winter to end quickly.
However, the fewer mouths there were to feed, the easier it was to survive the dark days.
Lord Cregan Stark led an army of 'Winter Wolves'—mostly surplus population from the North—south to join the war.
Victory was secondary. They joined the army for glory, adventure, and plunder. But most importantly, they joined to die a worthy death!
However, by the time they reached the battlefield, the war was effectively over.
If these men returned, they would only bring suffering to their kin and cause famine in their homeland.
In the end, many Northerners stayed in the Riverlands, while others formed mercenary companies and crossed the Narrow Sea to earn gold.
Since then, whenever winter came to the North, bringing deep snow and howling winds, the Wolf Pack across the Narrow Sea would receive a replenishment of "surplus Northern men." This tradition continued to this day, and the company remained predominantly Northern.
Upon learning of the Wolf Pack's background and its current size of about eight hundred men, Arthur, who rarely interfered in Braavos affairs, wrote a letter to Zahn.
He instructed Zahn to strengthen cooperation with the Wolf Pack. If conditions were right, he should bring the entire company under their banner.
Then, using the Wolf Pack's name, they should recruit more men from the North to expand the company's size!