The King of Winters

Chapter 68

Asher

Edgar Dustin and Owen of Stardom had led twenty men and gone ahead to scout, and it was them who brought back word of the clear road at the crossroads.

"For the inn, Asher?" Ethan Hunt asked.

"Mmm," Asher said deep in thought. He surveyed his army: near three hundred heavy horses, five hundred of light cavalry and the larger part of them footmen. Bill Dustin was leading the men on foot behind him. He wondered how long he would have to stay here and hold the ford. Lord Arryn might be close already. It didn't matter anyway, he'd promised Andrew that he would hold the ford and he intended to do it for as long as he could. "It might be best if we set up our camp and defences as quick as possible," he suggested.

"Might be," said Denys Snow. "We might come against opposition before Lord Arryn arrives."

Jon Locke glowered, a fearsome sight to see. "Why waste time when you have the land in sight?"

"We ought to have that inn, my lord," Finnick the Orphan-Captain said. "Its too good a place to defend against armies twice our numbers."

"Wait for it until you're sure that no one is hiding for us in or around the inn." Reyna Longbraid was a small hard woman, flat as a boy, and no fool.

"Its clear, Asher," Edgar said. "It seems all is well and clear at the inn. We shall ride for the crossroads in peace."

"The cavalry shall come with me to the inn," Asher said. "Send a rider back to Bill telling him to bring the foot here and not in a rush."

He put his heels to his horse and trotted off, his men following him. Edgar and Owen rode with him. Behind them Ethan, Denys and the other High Officers of the Company of the Rose followed on their own garrons.

The officers rode together, and Finnick and Reyna stayed close to each other rather than with the others. It was not a secret in the company that Finnick and Reyna stayed in the same tent most nights.

He could use those distant towers of unmortared stone and post watchers in them to watch the lands around for enemy movements. As their party down the kingsroad, Asher saw that the crossroads was a perfect position to hold command of both the Trident and the Kingsguard. Where the Kingsroad twisted into a narrow causeway with the river close on one side and a short, wide wall of dry stone, Asher Forrester came to find his first strong point. "Owen," he called for his friend, "gather some men and block the road to the north here. A low earthen wall four feet should close off the road, and put a dozen crossbowmen to man the heights." Asher halted his followers there and pointed to Gilden Norrey in their company. "Norrey you have the command here. No one gets in or out without my leave."

The work was quick to start, and the wall started to come up. They trotted past green fields and stone and wooden holdfasts alike, down to the crossroads and the Green Fork of the Trident. Asher saw that the river had quieted a great deal now as it ran quiet and calm nearby. The air was fresh and light without the hint of rain. The day was clear with the sunlight shimmering upon the clear water of the Green Fork. A perfect day for fording the river, Asher thought. He hoped that the weather would not betray them and will stay calm until Lord Arryn comes down by the high road.

Half a league from the crossroads, Asher stopped and called for Finnick. "Erect a barricade of sharpened stakes around the perimeter of the the Crossroads Inn. Man the barricade with pikemen and archers all the time. Spread out our camp behind the line. We will take the inn at the crossroads for the quarters of the high officers for our stay here." He turned to look at the man to whom he gave the command. "And remember no pillaging or raping."

"As you say, my lord." Finnick wheeled his horse about and shouted commands. Men went about to collect logs for the rows of stakes to make a line of barricade. Asher led his party through.