The mouth of the White Knife, near the Bite.
White Harbor was the only true city in the North and one of the five major cities of Westeros, though it was the smallest of the lot.
But compared to the inland castle towns of the North, which existed almost exclusively to serve the noble families, the foot traffic here was on an entirely different level.
The Outer Harbor of White Harbor.
The water was packed tight with ships of all sizes.
A foreign merchant cog was dropping anchor, sailors shouting from the masts as they played out the lines.
Local fishing boats, squat and sturdy, still had thin layers of ice clinging to their decks.
The fish market was a riot of noise.
Canvas awnings snapped and cracked in the biting wind.
Barrels were overflowing with shimmering silver herring and fat cod.
Fishwives in thick woolens, knives at their belts, hawked their wares in the rough, throaty accents of the North, their fingertips red with cold.
Porters hauled heavy burlap sacks over cobblestones slick with mud, water, and fish scales, their footsteps landing with dull thuds.
Inside the sacks were spices and fine linens from the South, or furs and ores destined for Southern markets.
If Don Quixote and his group of seven riders and twelve horses had walked into any other part of the North, they would have turned heads instantly.
But here, in the bustling fish market of White Harbor, aside from a few bored onlookers, most people didn't give them a second glance.
"This is so different from the rest of the North! So many people, so busy!"
Cole exclaimed, sticking close to his companions, terrified of getting separated in the crowd.
Alden suddenly pointed to one side and shouted:
"Cole, look! What's that?"
Cole followed his finger.
Three fishermen were straining to lift a single fish basket containing five or six massive lobsters.
Cole stared for a long time but couldn't place what they were.
Warren suddenly sighed:
"Those look like lobsters. I saw one once at a noble's feast in the North, but it wasn't anywhere near that big!"
Cole looked at the bizarre creatures, which were practically the size of his torso, and asked skeptically:
"Are those really lobsters? I've seen lobsters in the tavern, but aren't they usually the size of two fingers?"
"These are giant lobsters, caught specifically for the high lords. You can't compare them to the crawfish us commoners eat," Warren scoffed.
The group started buzzing about the giant lobsters they had never seen before.
Adele scanned the unfamiliar sights around her with curiosity and asked Don Quixote:
"My Lord, are we going to settle down here?"
"We'll be staying here for a while," Don Quixote smiled, his eyes also taking in the novel surroundings.
He wasn't fascinated by the bustling market itself.
In his past life, he had seen countless malls and tourist spots far busier than this.
But the strange fish, so different from those in his previous world, were a feast for his eyes.
————
The road ahead was thick with people, slowing Don Quixote's group to a crawl. Since they weren't in a rush, they took their time, moving with the flow of the crowd and looking around.
Past the fish market, they arrived at the main gate facing the outer harbor—Seal Gate!
The gate was named for Seal Rock, which guarded the entrance to the outer harbor.
It was a massive grey-green rock rising fifty feet above the water.
Ruins of an ancient First Men ringfort sat atop it, now fortified by House Manderly with scorpions, spitfires, and crossbowmen.
Seal Rock was White Harbor's natural barrier and landmark.
The massive gate set into the thick white walls was wide enough for pack horses and wagons to pass through.
But even so, Don Quixote could see a bottleneck.
Countless people and goods were jammed outside Seal Gate.
At the front of the line, White Harbor guards in chainmail and short grey-green wool cloaks were inspecting travelers and cargo, armed with iron spears, halberds, and swords.
A few knights in full plate armor patrolled the crowd on high horses, looking imposing.
Don Quixote scanned his surroundings as they waited in line.
His gaze soon settled on the banners hanging from the flagpoles on the towers flanking the gate and the lintel above the iron-reinforced wooden doors.
On a field of blue-green, a white merman with a beard and tail held a black trident.
Staring at the merman sigil, the information about House Manderly became clear in Don Quixote's mind:
"House Manderly, originally from the Reach.
"Exiled after losing a power struggle against House Peake and House Tyrell.
"They wandered for nearly a century before being taken in by House Stark of the North.
"They eventually settled here in White Harbor.
"One of the few Northern houses that follows the Faith of the Seven and keeps the Andal traditions of knighthood.
"By controlling White Harbor, the only city in the North, House Manderly dominates the trade routes between the North, the South, and Essos.
"This makes them one of the wealthiest vassals of House Stark.
"And one of their most loyal supporters."
Thanks to his enhanced spirit, memories that had once been blurry were now sharp and easily recalled.
After a good while.
Don Quixote and his group finally reached the front of the line at Seal Gate.
A mounted knight looked down at Don Quixote, who was leading the group, and asked coldly:
"Who are you? Where are you from? What is your business in White Harbor?"
As he spoke, two White Harbor guards in grey-green cloaks immediately stepped forward.
Spears angled toward the ground, their sharp gazes swept over the seven people and twelve horses, lingering for a long time on the swords at their waists.
Don Quixote gave a wry smile:
"My Lord, we are freelance knights from various places.
"We couldn't find work elsewhere in the North, so we thought we'd try our luck here in the most prosperous city in the North!"
The knight signaled the two guards with a glance and said:
"Compared to the rest of the North, you lot will certainly find it easier to get hired in White Harbor.
"But remember this! This is White Harbor! This is Lord Wyman's territory!
"If you dare cause trouble! If you dare trespass in the noble districts! I've thrown plenty of freelance knights and sellswords into the Wolf's Den myself!"
The Wolf's Den was an ancient castle in White Harbor, built by King Jon Stark to defend against pirates.
When House Manderly was granted the land, they built New Castle, and the Wolf's Den was converted into a prison.
Meanwhile, the two guards moved closer to the group:
"We need to inspect your luggage!"
Don Quixote nodded and smiled:
"Of course."
He signaled his companions not to obstruct the search.
Before long.
The two guards turned back to report to the knight:
"My Lord, inspection complete. Their packs contain clothes, rations, and a few furs. No contraband.
"Their weapons are standard issue."
The knight nodded and said to Don Quixote:
"White Harbor welcomes outsiders. Go register over there, and you may enter the city."
...