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Chapter 178: The Dornish Sea and the Inner Sea
🕑 Added 2025-02-28 12:36:20 +0000 UTC“Damn it, you lazy bums! Get up and tighten the ropes! I want full sail! Full sail, do you hear me?”
Rain and seawater poured over Mills' bald head, running down his cheeks and into his mouth before soaking into the thick Norvosian beard framing his face, then seeping into his collar.
Though Mills hailed from Norvos, an inland Free City within the Free Cities Alliance, he was a man deeply enamored with the sea. He had been sailing for thirty years, ever since his first voyage as a teenager.
He dreamed of saving enough money to buy his own ship, hire a crew of bold sailors, and sail west across the Sunset Sea, hoping to discover a new continent and establish a lucrative trade route.
But fortune had never been particularly kind to him. Every time he managed to set aside a decent sum, he found himself spending it all one way or another. Thankfully, whenever his pockets emptied, he always managed to secure another well-paying position.
At present, he served as captain of the Golden Ram, a ship under the command of a Pentos Magister, Theoste. Just a year ago, he had been the boatswain, but now he held the title of captain.
The Golden Ram had originally been assigned to the White Harbor route. However, six months ago, its course was changed to Miracle Harbor, and it was during this transition that Mills was promoted.
Once he became captain, he quickly realized just how profitable this new route was. Transporting a shipload of white wine and spices from Pentos to Miracle Harbor yielded twice the profits compared to White Harbor. A single trip alone could bring in a fortune.
Understanding the potential, Mills began discreetly setting aside small quantities of cargo in his captain’s quarters, earning himself extra income. If he continued at this pace for another year, he estimated he’d have enough to buy his own ship.
However, he wasn’t content with purchasing an ordinary sailing vessel. He aspired to own a galleon, one that could traverse any sea, much like the Red Prince, a longship boasting three masts and a hundred oars.
But at this rate, smuggling goods on each voyage wouldn’t be enough to afford such a ship in his lifetime. He needed another avenue—something bigger. That’s when the idea struck him: the business of the Elixir of the Seven.
The Septons he had befriended during his last stop at Miracle Harbor were devotees of the Faith of the Seven, entrusted with overseeing a secret medicine warehouse. According to one of them, a particular holy man had strong ties with Septon Joseth, the man responsible for handling orders of the secret medicine. If Mills could establish contact with the bishop, there was a real chance he could acquire a batch of Elixir of the Seven from the Miracle Sept.
Once back in Pentos, he could resell them for a staggering profit—hundreds of golden dragons at least.
Among all the prized goods within the Chosen One’s territory, Miracle Harbor’s Elixir of the Seven were by far the most expensive and sought-after. Each pill sold wholesale for ten Westerosi golden dragons. When transported across the sea to Essos, their value could quadruple, quintuple, or even increase tenfold.
Initially, the secret medicine had been marketed as an aphrodisiac. But its effects far surpassed the typical brothel elixirs—it produced no adverse side effects. Unlike conventional aphrodisiacs, it didn’t leave the user weak or drained. Instead, it invigorated them, keeping their spirit and energy levels high.
Naturally, the Elixir of the Seven became a sensation among the powerful and wealthy, particularly those who indulged in prolonged visits to brothels. The price had skyrocketed from fifty silver stags to one golden dragon.
What truly elevated the pills to legendary status, however, was their rumored ability to bring a person back from the brink of death.
Malaquo Qhaedar, a member of the notorious Tiger Party and one of the three Triarchs of Volantis, was the youngest among them. However, years of battlefield injuries had left his health in dire condition.
During a routine public speech, he collapsed at the lectern.
By the time he was carried home, he was all but dead. Every healer who examined him agreed that there was no hope. But his son, Alios Qhaedar, refused to accept their verdict.
In a desperate move, Alios ground up a Elixir of the Seven he had acquired previously and administered it to his father.
The results were nothing short of miraculous. Mere moments after ingesting the medicine, Malaquo regained consciousness. Though still physically weak, he was noticeably more spirited than before. His old wounds did not resurface, and soon, he was spotted frequenting the brothels of the city once more.
He lived for another six months—until he was assassinated by his political enemies. Even then, before succumbing to his wounds, he managed to kill two of his attackers.
Everyone who knew about Malaquo’s physical condition understood that it was impossible for his previous body to possess such abilities. Naturally, they attributed it to the effects of the Elixir of the Seven.
Because of this, some individuals with ulterior motives conducted experiments, and their findings aligned with expectations—so long as an injury wasn’t fatal or a disease particularly exceptional, the Elixir of the Seven could preserve a life.
As a result, the elixir’s fame spread across the continent of Essos, and this renown even reached Westeros, making it the most sought-after secret medicine there. Virtually every influential figure carried one or two vials.
Due to its immense demand, each batch of the Elixir of the Seven was claimed by the powerful before it could even reach the secret medicine warehouse in the Miracle Sept. Very little ever made it to the market, and what did was sold at exorbitant prices.
Magister Theoste, the owner of Mills, also wished to trade in the Elixir of the Seven, or better yet, use it as a gift to cultivate relationships with the elite in Pentos. However, he found no means of acquiring it. In all of Pentos, the only person capable of occasionally obtaining some from the Miracle Sept and using it to strengthen his connections and position was Magister Illyrio. This advantage was what had allowed Illyrio to stand out among the many governors of Pentos over the past year.
As Mills fantasized about securing a supply of the Elixir of the Seven—debating whether to sell it at a steep price or offer it to Magister Theoste to gain favor and greater influence—a sharp blast from the lookout mast interrupted his thoughts.
He looked up to see the lookout, bound to the mast, blowing his horn while pointing toward the starboard side of the ship.
Sensing that something was wrong, Mills swiftly climbed the mast, disregarding the howling wind and crashing waves. Gripping the ropes with practiced ease, he followed the lookout’s gesture.
More than ten longships with black sails were approaching. Judging by their speed, they were all oar-powered, the kind of swift vessels favored by pirates—designed for chasing down and overtaking any sailing ship, especially in stormy seas.
"Can you make out their flag?" Mills called down to the lookout.
The lookout squinted against the wind and shouted back, "The Siren! It’s the Siren’s ship!"
Hearing that, Mills exhaled a small sigh of relief. He hurried down the mast and barked an order to his first mate, “Quick, raise Miracle Harbor’s red-and-white pennant and our ram’s head flag at the bow.”
The first mate immediately rushed into the cabin, retrieved the flags, and secured them in their designated holders at the front of the ship.
Before long, the dozen or so black-sailed ships came alongside the Golden Ram, sailing parallel to it for a while. After noting the flags displayed on the bow, they sounded their horns, turned their ships, and passed by without engaging.
“Phew!” Mills let out a long breath, though the outcome had already been clear to him.
Two years ago, no one knew who held the most power among the pirates around the Stepstones. But now, that title belonged unquestionably to the Alliance of the Three Sea Krakens.
This alliance had seized control of half the Stepstones, with only Grey Gallows Island—held by Dorne—a few islands controlled by Tyrosh, and a handful of small islets near Essos remaining outside its grasp.
The Three Sea Kraken Alliance was led by three infamous pirates: the sea witch Asha Greyjoy, the deep diver Dagon Harlaw, and the fur seal Baelor Blacktyde.
When the alliance emerged two years ago, it immediately demonstrated its might. With 300 longships, it crushed the reigning Pirate King of the Stepstones in the Battle of Torturer’s Deep, seizing a dozen islands and their surrounding waters within mere months. Later, they even took control of islands held by the Iron Throne, expanding their dominion over nearly half the Stepstones. By then, their fleet boasted thousands of ships, both large and small.
Many believed the alliance would press forward and claim the entirety of the Stepstones. Instead, they halted their expansion.
Rather than pushing further, they established fortified strongholds and ports on three key islands—Torturer's Deep, Bloodstone Island, and the newly renamed Godsgrace Island. They built fortresses and shipyards on surrounding islands, opened fishing grounds in their waters, and governed their territory more like rulers than mere pirates.
Just as observers speculated that the next phase of their plan would be to solidify control before resuming their conquest, the alliance’s ships appeared in an unexpected conflict—intervening in the battle between the Miracle Harbor fleet and the Dorne Alliance fleet. They aided Miracle Harbor’s forces in defeating the fleets from Tor and Ghost Hill, then helped them secure the reefs of Ghaston Grey and the islands of Cape Horn at the northern end of the Sea of Dorne. With this, the Miracle Harbor fleet gained full control of the Sea of Dorne.
At this time, only those in the know believed that the leaders of the three Sea Krakens were all descendants of the major lords—or the lords themselves—who had been handed over to Lynd Tarran, the Lord of Summerhall, during the rebellion in the Iron Islands. Only then did they realize that the Sea of Dorne had effectively become an inland sea entirely under Lynd’s control.
Following this, the alliance of the three Krakens and the Miracle Fleet cooperated to annex several islands belonging to the Pirate League. The Miracle Fleet also established a naval base with thousands of personnel on one of the larger islands of the Stepstones archipelago. Many believed it was only a matter of time before the Chosen One, Lynd, would fully control the Stepstones.
For merchant ships navigating these waters, Lynd’s control of the Stepstones was more of a benefit than a hindrance. As long as they established trade relations with Miracle Harbor and their trade volume reached a certain threshold, they would be granted a flag signifying their status as business partners. This flag allowed them to sail these waters unimpeded, without fear of pirate attacks.
If they were attacked, they could seek out the appropriate trading company in Miracle Harbor and request assistance from the Miracle Fleet in recovering their stolen goods. Generally, even if not all the goods were retrieved, some could still be reclaimed, minimizing their losses.
The only downside was that the business partner flag was only valid for six months. After this period, their trading volume would be reassessed to determine whether their partner status would be renewed.
As the Golden Ram entered the Sea of Dorne, the wind and rain gradually subsided, and the once-turbulent waves calmed, as if a raging beast had been tamed.
“We’re heading to Weeping Town,” Mills instructed the helmsman as he glanced at the sky. “We’ll rest there for the night and set sail again tomorrow.”
At his command, the helmsman immediately turned the rudder, adjusting their course. Mills then called out orders to the sailors, ensuring the sails remained at full strength.
By nightfall, they could already see the coastline of Cape Wrath, with Weeping Town’s castle perched on the hillside. Opposite it, on Long Cry Island, stood the naval base of the Miracle Fleet.
A few months earlier, after securing Longcry Isle, the Miracle Fleet had constructed a naval base there, garrisoning thousands of personnel, including a thousand naval soldiers. The remainder consisted of craftsmen and their families.
Initially, Weeping Town was deeply dissatisfied with this development and considered filing a complaint with Lord Renly of Storm’s End and the Iron Throne. However, the complaint was never submitted. Once the base was established, the town quickly realized its benefits.
First, the stationed soldiers would frequent Weeping Town during their leisure time, significantly boosting tax revenues and benefiting the town’s economy.
Second, many ships traveling to and from Miracle Harbor opted to dock in Weeping Town for the night, drawn by the protection offered by the Miracle Fleet. This influx of visitors further fueled the town’s prosperity.
Within just a month, Weeping Town’s tax revenue surpassed that of previous years. And that was only in taxation. The local taverns and inns, many under the control of the town’s lords, also saw massive profits. Lord Whitehead, once resistant to the base’s presence, no longer had any objections.
In fact, to accommodate more ships, Lord Whitehead even hired craftsmen from the base to expand Weeping Dock. What had once been a small port capable of docking only a handful of ships was now a large dock capable of accommodating more than twenty vessels.
However, by the time the Golden Ram arrived, all available docking space had already been taken. With no choice but to anchor in the bay, Mills began organizing groups of sailors to go ashore for rest while others remained on board.
“Boss, look—look at the base!”
Just as Mills was determining the rotation for shore leave, the lookout—who was about to climb down from the mast—suddenly pointed toward the Miracle Fleet’s base and shouted.
Mills hurried to the helm platform and followed the lookout’s gaze.
Out on the distant sea, a group of seven or eight hundred-man oar boats was towing a massive warship. It was a four-decked vessel, equipped with four main sails and triangular sails at the fore and aft. This type of warship served as the primary combat vessel of the Miracle Fleet. Only six existed, each outfitted with forty giant crossbows—powerful enough to kill a whale—and manned by a standing crew of seven hundred. These ships were known as sea fortresses.
But now, this particular sea fortress was in a dire state. A gaping hole in the hull nearly split the ship in two. Though the front and rear sails remained intact, the four central sails had been completely shredded. The only stroke of luck was that the main dragonbone structure had remained unbroken, meaning repairs were still possible—hence why it was being towed back to the base.
“Did it run into a Kraken? That damage is brutal,” a sailor muttered as he got a clearer view of the wreckage.
“No, not a Kraken,” Mills said grimly, his expression tightening as his eyes locked onto the deep, unmistakable claw marks gouged into the hull.
“It was a Sea Dragon.”
