Game of Thrones: Knight’s Honor

"How many casualties?" Lynd asked, his gaze shifting to Nymeria, who was still in the midst of shedding her battle-worn armor with the help of a few female attendants.

Scar-Eyed, who had accompanied Nymeria on the mission to suppress the bandits, stepped forward and reported, "Seventeen dead, thirteen injured—three of whom are seriously wounded and will not be able to fight again, even if they recover." After a brief pause, he added, "The casualties were all guards from Tumbleton. None of our men were hurt."

Lynd turned to Scar-Eyed, his tone sharp. "Don't say things like that again. The guards from Tumbleton are also our men. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my lord," Scar-Eyed nodded.

As Tumbleton's prosperity grew, bandits from the surrounding areas continued to converge. While Wenda the White Fawn's forces were able to repel smaller groups, they struggled against larger bands. When the numbers swelled to one or two hundred, Wenda's group could no longer effectively block their advance. As a result, Lynd and Nymeria had to cooperate with Wenda from time to time to clear out the larger bands encroaching on Tumbledown Road.

Initially, Lynd had personally led these expeditions. However, the bandits proved so easily dealt with that it felt excessive, like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Eventually, he delegated the task to the warlike Nymeria, sending the Second Cavalry Patrols to support her efforts.

The bandit group eradicated this time was composed of nearly 300 individuals, many of whom had originally fled from the Mander region to the Stormlands. Now, they had returned, guided by members of their own who were familiar with the area. This marked the third major bandit eradication following Nymeria's recent army expansion. However, the results were less than ideal—double-digit casualties suggested shortcomings in the newly expanded force.

It had been a month since Lynd signed the exclusive procurement agreement with Lys Falwell. With sufficient supplies secured, both Lynd's cavalry patrols and Nymeria's garrison guards had expanded. However, the expansion remained moderate due to the delayed arrival of new warhorses. Lynd's force grew by fewer than 100 men, primarily composed of sellswords and mercenaries who had joined after hearing of the opportunities.

These recruits were incorporated into Scar-Eyed's Second Cavalry Patrols, where they served as temporary Rangers tasked with patrolling Tumbledown Road. This marked what was likely the final time Lynd would rely on such a large contingent of sellswords and mercenaries. While their combat skills were undeniable, their independent and undisciplined natures made them ill-suited for a disciplined army. For this reason, they were assigned to the Second Cavalry Patrols rather than the Guard's Unit.

In contrast, Nymeria's expansion of the garrison guards was much larger, adding 300 new recruits. Unlike the Tumbleton guards, these newcomers were refugees from the Riverlands, drawn by the promise of stability and security.

It was no secret that Lord Tywin's army was withdrawing from the areas west of the Mander River. Before the withdrawal, Lord Tywin had publicly declared that the campaign to suppress bandits along The Goldroad had concluded successfully, framing the withdrawal and subsequent disbanding of his forces as a logical step.

However, while Lord Tywin was withdrawing his troops, he looted Nymeria's nominal territory west of the Mander River. He took everything of value and destroyed what he could not take. Even the wheat, nearly ready for harvest, was burned, and the villagers were captured and taken to the Westerlands, leaving the land desolate and abandoned.

Yet human greed often ignores distant orders. Although Lord Tywin's directive to plunder was limited to Nymeria's territory, the army carrying out the task, emboldened by their success, turned rogue. Disguised as bandits, they extended their raids into neighboring areas.

Worse still, Tywin's infamous "mad dogs," Amory Lorch and Gregor Clegane, crossed the Blackwater Rush into the Riverlands, where they wreaked havoc.

By the time news reached Tywin and he dispatched an army to apprehend the two and bring them back to Casterly Rock, the villages near the Blackwater Rush lay in ruins. Refugees fled en masse to King's Landing.

King Robert sent an envoy to summon Lord Tywin to King's Landing for an explanation. Tywin, however, feigned an old injury to avoid appearing and sent hundreds of heads as a gesture. Publicly, he claimed the executed men were the rebels responsible for the Riverlands' devastation.

Everyone knew the truth: the victims were scapegoats, prisoners sacrificed to deflect blame. Despite this, the measure proved effective. Tywin agreed to compensate the affected Lords, who, in turn, benefited significantly. By invoking the law of defending the land, they declared that fleeing refugees had forfeited their claims, allowing the Lords to reclaim the cultivated land as their own.

While Nymeria's reclamation of lands west of the Mander might seem similar, the distinction was stark. In Tywin's case, the displaced were oath-bound subjects deserving protection. Nymeria's efforts focused on reclaiming the land of free folk with no prior obligations.

This episode concluded with Tywin compensating Nymeria as well. Acting on Lynd's advice, Nymeria had filed a formal complaint to the Iron Throne as the Lady of Tumbleton, joining Riverlands Lords in accusing Tywin of plundering their territories. The compensation she received largely funded her subsequent army expansion.

In contrast to other territories that were hostile to refugees, Tumbleton welcomed them as it worked to regain control over its lands. Guided by Lynd, many refugees gathered in King's Landing made their way to Tumbleton and became its subjects.

Nymeria's actions earned her recognition from Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, for easing the burden on King's Landing. The refugees had become a pressing issue in the capital, and Nymeria's willingness to take them in was a welcome relief for the Iron Throne.

Once settled, the refugees were not integrated into the eight villages already reclaimed by Nymeria. Instead, following Lynd's suggestion, she allocated new lands for them to establish their own villages. Some of the younger, able-bodied men were recruited into Tumbleton's garrison.

The rapid expansion of the garrison came at a cost, significantly weakening its overall defensive capabilities. This was evident in the recent bandit suppression campaigns, where even with superior numbers, the garrison suffered dozens of casualties.

Still, Lynd made no objections. Such losses were expected, and he understood they would continue until the newly recruited personnel fully transformed into disciplined soldiers.

"There was one guy in this bandit group who was quite good. He actually managed to block two of my axe swings. I originally wanted to capture him alive, but I didn't expect that guy to turn and run. I chased after him, grabbed him by the nose, and smashed him against a rock. His face was smashed to smithereens."

Back in the office, Nymeria was excitedly recounting her battle while wiping down her giant axe and applying oil to it, as was her habit. Lynd listened quietly, occasionally pointing out flaws in her fighting technique.

It had to be acknowledged that Nymeria's combat abilities had improved rapidly through real battle experience, as if she were born to be a warrior. Whenever Lynd highlighted an issue in her technique, she quickly adapted and corrected it.

The last time they sparred, Nymeria had performed significantly better than the Red Viper. Against Lynd's Knight's Greatsword, she not only withstood three consecutive strikes but also launched a dangerous counterattack. This was a marked improvement over the Red Viper, who had been completely on the defensive when facing the Banished Knight's swordsmanship.

However, this did not mean Nymeria's overall strength surpassed that of Oberyn. Her performance owed much to her familiarity with Lynd's attack patterns, a knowledge Oberyn lacked when facing Lynd for the first time.

"You sent someone to investigate the situation on the west bank of the Mander River. Do you have the results yet?" Lynd asked as Nymeria placed her giant axe back on the weapons rack.

"Ruins. All I could see were ruins. Not a single person, not even an animal. All the farmland has been burned, the wells filled in, and even the Seven's Septs have been destroyed by those Westerlanders." At his question, the excitement drained from Nymeria's face, replaced by visible anger.

Though the free folk in the west were not her subjects—more like a group of bandits who had seized her land—the land itself belonged to her. Seeing it so wantonly ravaged by the army of the Westerlands naturally incensed her.

After a moment of sulking, a smile returned to Nymeria's face. "But I'm still in luck. Someone over there found something good," she said, retrieving a short note from her pocket and handing it to Lynd.

Lynd took the note and read it carefully, his expression growing serious. After handing it back to Nymeria, he asked, "Who else knows about this?"

"Apart from the person who found it, it's just you and me," Nymeria replied, pausing briefly before adding, "and the nearby free folk probably know as well."

"The nearby free folk? Are you referring to the ones Lord Tywin captured?" Lynd asked, startled.

Nymeria nodded.

Lynd frowned, thinking deeply before saying, "It seems we need to accelerate some of our plans. I'm heading to the wildling tribes in Buttock Ridge tomorrow. Will you come with me?"

"Of course," Nymeria replied, her excitement evident.

The note Nymeria had shown Lynd contained startling news: a silver mine had been discovered in Nymeria's territory west of the Mander River. The entrance to the mine shaft was concealed by trees, with signs of prior mining activity likely carried out by the free folk.

While the value of a silver mine was not as great as that of a gold mine, for a small lord like Nymeria, it could be transformative, multiplying her power many times over.

However, the discovery posed a serious risk. Once the free folk spoke of the mine, it was only a matter of time before Lord Tywin learned of it.

For Tywin, the silver mine would be an irresistible asset, one he would take by any means necessary. Even if he didn't send an army outright, he might dispatch troops disguised as free folk to seize it.

This left Lynd with an urgent need to secure the mine.

Tumbleton's current state of disarray complicated matters. Despite the influx of refugees, the town remained understaffed for reconstruction and expansion. Nymeria's army was already stretched thin maintaining security in and around Tumbleton, leaving no manpower to spare for the silver mine.

Lynd considered leading his Guard's Unit to the mine and stationing them there, leaving the First and Second Cavalry Patrols to handle Tumbleton's security. However, this would almost certainly alert Highgarden to the mine's existence. If Highgarden ordered him to work the mine under their oversight, Lynd would find himself in a political bind.

Instead, Lynd decided to seek external help from the wildling tribes.

For the journey to Buttock Ridge, Lynd planned to bring the Guard's Unit and the First Cavalry Patrols—just over a hundred men in total. He chose not to involve Tumbleton's garrison troops, knowing they lacked the discipline and skill to be of use in a real confrontation.

Nymeria, however, wasn't going to Buttock Ridge alone with Lynd. She intended to bring her newly formed guard along.

This elite group consisted of twenty members—half from the garrison guards and the other half recruited from sellswords and hired knights of proven strength. The key requirement for joining the guard was the ability to withstand Nymeria's attacks.

After sparring with Lynd, Nymeria often trained with her personal guard, possibly to rebuild the confidence Lynd's superior skill had shaken. This habit elevated her status in the eyes of her guard, fostering deep loyalty.

In addition to her guard, Nymeria planned to bring her two female attendants.

The attendants were twin sisters who had been part of a circus passing through Tumbleton en route to Highgarden. Skilled in knife-throwing and proficient in scimitar and spear techniques from Across the Narrow Sea, their performances originated in the fighting arenas of Meereen.

Nymeria, drawn to their exotic skills, offered to recruit them as her ladies-in-waiting. Initially, the sisters—accustomed to a life of freedom—refused. It wasn't until Nymeria promised that, should they meet her expectations, she would appoint them as rare female knights of the Seven Kingdoms, that they accepted the offer.