Walking out of Seal Gate, Don Quixote looked around.
A broad, straight cobblestone avenue stretched out before him.
The houses lining the street were mostly built of white stone, topped with steep roofs of dark grey slate.
On a hill in the distance.
New Castle, the pale seat of House Manderly, stood proudly against the cold wind.
Rising alongside it on the high ground was the Sept of the Snows.
Atop its magnificent dome stood towering statues of the Seven.
It was the heart of the Faith of the Seven in White Harbor.
"The urban planning here is surprisingly orderly."
Don Quixote sniffed the thick scent of brine and salt drifting in the air.
He brought his gaze closer.
He began to observe the cobblestone square in front of him, which featured a fountain in its center.
In the fountain pool stood a statue of a merman wearing a crown, rising twenty feet from tail to crown.
Moss had grown over the merman's curly green-and-white beard.
One prong of the trident in his hand had broken off long ago, but he still looked imposing.
Right now, the Merman's Court was buzzing with activity, just like many other parts of White Harbor.
Beside the fountain, women with buckets and children with wooden cups were gathered.
They were drawing water from the fountain.
Above their heads, a woman was hanging her freshly washed, sheer undergarments on the merman statue's trident to dry.
Aside from these obvious locals, there were many vendors under the arches surrounding the square.
And of course, there were jugglers, hedge wizards, and women selling herbs.
"This must be what the locals call the Merman's Court."
Don Quixote and his group walked slowly, not just killing time.
Cole and the others were discreetly—or sometimes not so discreetly—asking passersby for information.
The group naturally picked up quite a bit of basic information about White Harbor.
"That tall building with the iron-banded oak doors is the Old Mint.
"Apparently, there's a silver mine near White Harbor.
"..."
Don Quixote matched the information he had just gathered—true or false—with the sights before him, forming a preliminary understanding of this strange city.
The group walked slowly around the Merman's Court.
They passed a young girl selling goat's milk.
They passed children chasing squawking chicks.
They passed a young man pushing a cart full of apples.
After turning into a sloping alley.
They passed a vendor selling deep-fried, snow-white cod.
"My Lord, I really want some!"
Adele rubbed her small belly, feeling very hungry, and looked at Don Quixote.
Hearing this, Don Quixote smiled:
"Then buy a little food to tide you over. Once we find a place to stay, we'll go have a proper meal."
He turned to look back at Cole, who had just reached the fried cod vendor, and said:
"Cole, buy some fried cod from that vendor. Get a portion for everyone."
"Yes, My Lord!" Cole responded immediately.
The group slowed down again.
They ate the cod—crispy on the outside, snow-white on the inside—while on horseback before picking up the pace.
Soon, they passed a brothel that was rumored to be cleaner than most.
Finally, they passed a brewery, went down a flight of stairs.
And suddenly saw a tavern hidden beneath a sheepskin warehouse.
Tom looked at the tavern and laughed to Warren:
"Hey, Warren, that sign with the lazy eel on it.
"That must be the infamous Lazy Eel the locals were talking about.
"I heard they have the oldest whores and the worst wine in all of White Harbor!
"And meat pies full of lard and gristle that are impossible to swallow and give you the runs!
"Haha, Warren, how about I treat you? You go try it and see if it's really that bad!"
Along the way, the name they heard most often from the vendors and pedestrians they questioned was the Lazy Eel.
Of course, since they had spent a few copper pennies when asking for information.
The answers they got were likely somewhat reliable.
Warren chuckled:
"Tom, why don't you try it? My treat!"
————
They walked a bit further.
Don Quixote and his group finally reined in their horses in front of an inn famous for its lamprey pies.
Before they could even dismount, an old woman hurried out of the inn.
The old woman looked the group over, her face wreathed in smiles:
"Sers, are you planning on a long stay or just passing through?"
Don Quixote said:
"Just passing through. What kind of rooms do you have?"
The old woman was a bit disappointed, but quickly said:
"We have a common room with shared beds, 2 coppers a night.
"Small private rooms are 6 coppers a night.
"And large rooms with a servant's quarters are 1 Silver Stag a night, breakfast and dinner included."
At this point, the old woman looked at the group's twelve horses and smiled again:
"Our inn has a stable with grooms to feed and watch over the horses. It's very safe.
"If you sers would like us to look after your horses, it's 2 coppers per horse per night."
Hearing this, Shane instinctively looked at the two squires, Cole and Alden, and asked:
"What if we have our own men watch the horses and just use your stable?"
Cole and Alden hurriedly added:
"Lord Don Quixote, the two of us can take turns watching the horses."
The old woman wasn't surprised by this and quickly said:
"If you just want to use the stable, it's 1 copper for two horses per night.
"If you need our fodder, it's 1 copper per horse per night!"
Don Quixote glanced at Shane, then looked at Cole and Alden, smiling:
"It's been a hard journey to get to White Harbor. Everyone is tired.
"You two go get some rest. Let the inn's grooms handle the horses."
He turned to the old woman and said:
"I need one large room with a servant's quarters and two single rooms for tonight.
"And I need you to look after six horses."
The old woman looked at Don Quixote in surprise, thought for a moment, and said:
"Ser, that will be 1 Silver Stag and 24 coppers."
Cole and Alden looked at each other, seeing the gratitude in each other's eyes.
Cole quickly said:
"Lord Don Quixote, Alden and I can squeeze into one room!"
Don Quixote waved his hand:
"No need. You'll have plenty of chances to suffer later. Don't worry about it now."
The old woman then looked at Tom and the others, smiling:
"Sers, what rooms do you need?"
Tom and Warren thought for a moment and said:
"One single room, two horses to be stabled."
Shane frowned, seemingly unhappy with Don Quixote's decision.
He hesitated for a while before grudgingly saying:
"I'll take a single room too, and stable two horses."
...