Game of Thrones: Knight’s Honor

After more than ten days, the camp had been completely rebuilt. It now included enough housing for the current troops and additional accommodations for the future expansion of the army.

While the overall design was simple, it provided adequate shelter from the wind and rain, greatly easing the minds of Lynd's cavalry and boosting their morale.

During this time, Lynd continually sent scouts to gather information about the surrounding mountain people, wildling tribes, and villages, while also tracking any bandits they encountered.

However, the bandits in this region rarely maintained fixed bases of operation. They roamed within defined areas, making it difficult for the scouts to follow them for long before losing the trail.

Using the scouts' reports and cross-referencing them with information provided by Varys and Nymeria, Lynd compiled a detailed map of the power distribution in the upper Mander River region.

East of the Mander, west of Kingswood and The Roseroad, and south of the Blackwater Rush, there were eighteen freefolk villages, seven hill tribes, four wildling tribes, and a dozen bandit groups of varying sizes.

While not all of these factions were overtly hostile, none viewed Lynd's anti-bandit army favorably. This sentiment was exacerbated by the negative actions of Bitterbridge's forces and the Iron Throne's army in the past.

Bitterbridge had sent an army to suppress the bandits, but when they failed to find any, they targeted mountain villages under the pretense of eradicating bandit strongholds. They looted these villages, taking advantage of the absence of young men who had left to work elsewhere. However, on their way back, the Bitterbridge forces were ambushed by a wildling tribe, lured into a swamp where most were killed or injured. Only a handful survived, returning with fabricated stories about their failure to suppress the bandits.

The army sent from King's Landing was even more egregious. They looted every freefolk village they encountered and returned without engaging the bandits at all.

In contrast, the bandits entrenched in the area refrained from looting local villages, opting instead to conduct trade with the villagers. To the local populace, the bandits were far less harmful than the so-called suppressors sent by the noble houses. It was clear which side the villagers would support.

This also clarified for Lynd why House Tyrell chose to ensure the safety of The Roseroad through patrol cavalry and fortified posts rather than launching large-scale operations to eradicate the bandits.

To eliminate the bandits entirely would require wiping out all the freefolk villages, mountain villages, and wildling tribes in the region—a move that would utterly destroy the Tyrell family's reputation. Worse, the ultimate beneficiaries of such actions wouldn't even be the Tyrells.

As for why House Tyrell had entrusted Lynd with so much authority to suppress the bandits, it likely stemmed from his recent affiliation with the house. If anything went wrong, the Tyrells could distance themselves from his actions. Moreover, King Robert's evident appreciation for Lynd during the banquet at the Red Keep provided a safeguard—any missteps might not result in severe punishment from the Iron Throne.

Understanding the true complexities of the region, Lynd was grateful for his cautious approach. Instead of directly attacking the bandits, he had established a foothold in Tumbleton, built a rapport with Lady Nymeria, and secured her cooperation in the war against the bandits.

With Nymeria's support, Lynd now had a legitimate basis for dealing with the local powers. As long as he acted within reason, no one could easily accuse him of wrongdoing.

Lynd's current challenge was deciding his next course of action. Should he retake the freefolk villages, hillfolk villages, and wildling tribes one by one? Or should he first focus on eliminating the bandit gangs near the abandoned road, restoring the road's connection to The Roseroad, and thereby reconnecting Tumbleton to the outside world?

To that end, Lynd gathered his subordinates to ask for their opinions. Nymeria, having heard of the meeting, also came to participate in the discussion.

Everyone shared their perspectives. Some suggested addressing the villages first, citing the successful precedent of the Kingswood Brotherhood's eradication, which demonstrated that resolving village-related issues was essential to eliminating banditry.

However, others countered this idea, pointing out that the Kingsguard had succeeded by bribing villages with money and supplies—a strategy backed by the Iron Throne. Lynd, lacking such resources, would find it impossible to replicate that approach.

Another group proposed clearing the roads first, reopening Tumbleton's commercial routes. This would allow Lynd to accumulate funds, which could later be used to address the free villages.

Still, some argued for dealing with the wildling tribes first. Once the tribes were recovered, they reasoned, the additional manpower would make subsequent tasks significantly easier.

Although each opinion had merit, none aligned with what Lynd had envisioned.

"Why don't we tackle them simultaneously?" Nymeria suggested after studying the map of regional power distribution that Lynd had redrawn. "I can take my men to each village, one by one, and reclaim them in my name. Meanwhile, you can focus on the wildling tribes. Once you recover the tribes and increase manpower, you can deal with the bandits. The mountain villages can wait until later."

Nymeria's proposal was practical, yet Lynd still shook his head, clearly dissatisfied.

"We don't need to address all the villages and hill tribes," Maester Yves, who had accompanied Nymeria, suddenly interjected. "At this stage, we only need to deal with a select few."

The room fell silent. Everyone turned to Maester Yves, surprised.

Though familiar with Maester Yves, most had never heard him speak. He often accompanied Nymeria during discussions with Lynd but had always remained silent, leading Raul and others to wonder if he was mute.

Adding to the intrigue, Maester Yves wore the title of Maester but not the academic chain of the Citadel. This was unusual, as only those who had committed serious transgressions had their chains stripped.

Nymeria could have easily petitioned the Citadel for an official Maester but had instead chosen Yves as her advisor. This choice, coupled with the air of mystery surrounding him, only deepened curiosity.

Now, with Maester Yves breaking his silence, all eyes were on him.

Lynd, initially surprised by Yves's interjection, quickly recovered and gestured for him to continue.

Maester Yves pointed to several interconnected villages and mountain villages on the map and said, "We only need to control these villages and mountain villages. We can take our time with the rest, solving them over a few years."

The others didn't see anything particularly special about the villages and mountain villages Yves had highlighted, but Lynd's face broke into a satisfied smile. It was clear that Maester Yves's suggestion aligned perfectly with his thinking.

In fact, Lynd had already formed a vague plan upon seeing the spread of local powers across the region. However, the plan lacked a clear direction. When Yves identified those specific villages and mountain villages, everything became sharply defined.

Previously, Lynd's focus had been diverted by the need to handle the bandit alliance under the Scorpion Brotherhood and the secret forces sent by Lord Tywin. This had caused him to mistakenly prioritize wiping out the bandits and countering Tywin's interference in Tumbleton's territory as his primary goals.

In truth, Lynd's real objective was to use this anti-bandit mission to build up his resources—both manpower and wealth. Suppressing the bandits was secondary, and the longer it could be delayed, the more advantageous it would be. The locations identified by Maester Yves aligned perfectly with this purpose.

Bert, who had increasingly assumed the role of an advisor to Maester Yves, seemed to grasp the significance of the chosen villages and mountain villages. "These locations are all near the abandoned road," Bert said bluntly. "Maester, are you suggesting that we first restore the trade route, keep it operational, and then address other issues?"

Maester Yves said nothing, retreating silently to Nymeria's side.

Lynd wasn't entirely sure if Yves had deduced his true intentions, but he knew the proposal fit his plans perfectly. Securing these villages and mountain villages was key to controlling the abandoned road. Once they were under his control, the road would be his as well.

With control of the trade route, Lynd could use Tumbleton's commercial road and his tax exemption rights to quickly amass wealth. He could then recover the wildling tribes to expand his manpower. Suppressing the bandits could be delayed—after all, House Tyrell had granted him up to five years, and making periodic progress would suffice. Eradicating the bandits too quickly offered him no real advantage.

Having resolved his thoughts, Lynd instructed Nymeria to prepare. The next day, they would each lead 100 men to the nearest selected village to begin their efforts.

That evening, Jon, whom Lynd had sent on a mission, returned to Tumbleton. Unlike his departure, Jon returned by land, looking disheveled as if he had encountered trouble on the road. His escorts also bore minor injuries.

Instead of opening the sealed letter from Lord Tyrell immediately, Lynd first asked Jon to recount what had happened during his journey.

According to Jon, their trip began smoothly. They traveled downriver to Bitterbridge, where they disembarked, obtained horses, and rode through the night. Two days later, they caught up with Lord Tyrell's caravan, more than 100 miles from New Barrel Castle.

After meeting Lord Tyrell, Jon reported on Lynd's arrival in Tumbleton, his successful establishment of a relationship with Lady Nymeria Footly, the defeat of a bandit alliance of nearly a thousand, and matters concerning Lord Tywin's interference.

Lord Tyrell did not respond immediately. Instead, he spent the night consulting with the powerful families of Highgarden. The following day, he gave Jon a sealed reply to deliver.

Jon's return was delayed due to a blockade at Castle Bitterbridge. Lord Caswell had closed the area while hunting the murderer of his only son.

After leaving Bitterbridge, Jon followed the same route north to Tumbleton. However, shortly after departing, they were ambushed and encountered several groups of bandits along the way. Fortunately, they managed to escape with only minor injuries and no casualties.

After recounting his experience, Jon shared his suspicions about the hidden identities of the bandits they had encountered.

"You suspect the bandits were Bitterbridge guards in disguise?" Lynd asked, surprised. "Why do you think that?"

Jon explained, "Although they were dressed and acted like bandits, their demeanor and some of their characteristics didn't match those of people who've lived in the wilderness for years. Also, one of our men recognized someone among them as a guard from Bitterbridge Castle."

Lynd frowned. "Why would Lord Caswell send his guards disguised as bandits to attack you? Did you offend him when you were in Bitterbridge?"

Jon gave Lynd a peculiar look. "My lord, maybe it's not us who offended Lord Caswell, but you. We might have been caught up in the fallout."

"Me?" Lynd was taken aback, then quickly recalled his time in Bitterbridge. "Hasn't that matter been resolved? Why is that old man still holding a grudge?"

Jon elaborated, "I heard that while you were in Bitterbridge, you injured Ser Lorent Caswell over a dispute involving the son of a smith. Lord Caswell punished you for it. Now it seems that the person who almost killed Lorent Caswell recently was that same smith's son."

Lynd froze for a moment, feeling as though fate was toying with him. He wasn't afraid of Lord Caswell, and even if Caswell sent men disguised as bandits to cause trouble, Lynd was confident he could handle it.

The real problem lay in the future. Once the trade route to Tumbleton was reopened, Bitterbridge—controlled by Lord Caswell—would become critical. Every ship from the upper reaches of the Mander would have to pass through Bitterbridge. If Lord Caswell found an excuse to block the passage of ships, it would cripple the trade route.

Pondering this, a bold idea formed in Lynd's mind: secretly eliminate Lord Caswell and his only son. The new Lord of Bitterbridge would have no reason to harbor any hostility toward him and might even be grateful.

"If he gives me trouble for this reason in the future, I'll just silence him permanently," Lynd thought, swiftly making his decision. Though assassination might invite complications, the reopening of Tumbleton's trade route was vital for his plans. He couldn't afford even a minor setback and was willing to take extreme measures to ensure success.

However, Lynd showed no outward sign of his decision. Instead, he gestured for Jon to return to the room prepared for him and rest.

Once Jon left, Lynd opened the letter from Lord Tyrell and read its contents.

After finishing, a smile appeared on Lynd's face. The letter, beyond its polite formalities, focused on two main points: first, Lynd was instructed to assist Nymeria in restoring the water trade route to Tumbleton as soon as possible; second, he was told not to concern himself with Lord Tywin. If the army of the Westerlands entered Tumbleton's territory, they were to be dealt with decisively, without hesitation.