"If you wanted guarantees, you probably shouldn't have murdered a high lord's sworn sword first," the Smallwood commander replied. "My lord will likely send more men, but as you've told me, you are hardly unable to call more yourself. You hold the mill and bridge. We hold the tavern. I dare say that is as close to equal footing as we're going to get today without bloodshed, ser."
"Zack doesn't give two hoots for statistics. He deals in sadistics."
Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Aug 11, 2016 13:33:17 GMT
"Indeed." replied Edmure drily to the knight. "You'd better make yourself comfortable in the tavern in that case."
It looked as if Willas was going to be little help to their cause. His contribution to their expedition had been disappointing, still standing there seemingly dumbstruck.
Instead he beckoned to Willem and drew him away from the others and certainly out of earshot of the Smallwood knight. Willem had made two bad mistakes so far, but at least he had shown that he was prepared to act.
Edmure drew close and spoke in a low voice, making sure the Smallwood knight could not hear. "Find Lord Vance either at the bridge or the mill and bring him here. I would have his counsel, before I act further." He grasped his cousin by the elbow. "Do not fail me in this Willem."
He found Lord Roger where he had been sent, his dozen knights holding the bridge and mill, though they would not hold either long against a proper force. Despite this, he still carried the same grim militant countenance.
"Ser Willem," he said in greeting, as if they had been separated for some time. "Is the village ours again then?"
"Zack doesn't give two hoots for statistics. He deals in sadistics."
"Indeed." replied Edmure drily to the knight. "You'd better make yourself comfortable in the tavern in that case."
It looked as if Willas was going to be little help to their cause. His contribution to their expedition had been disappointing, still standing there seemingly dumbstruck.
Willis continued to stand there. He'd been thinking about a girl he'd bedded once. Better than listening to Edmure argue about shit.
"Color me surprised," he drolled, as he mounted his horse and road back for the tavern. He looked at the strange scene out front in a similar manner to which the Smallwood captain had, though it was tinged with anger rather than disbelief.
"What is the situation, ser?" he inquired of Edmure.
"Zack doesn't give two hoots for statistics. He deals in sadistics."
Post by Ser Willis Blackfort on Aug 11, 2016 20:48:07 GMT
"Fuckin' impasse." Willis said quietly to Roger, although he hadn't been asked, snapping from his reverie. "Likely have to kill the lot of them, shit an idea though that might be. But once you start killin' a man's friends and companions, that quickly becomes the only recourse."
Post by Tim of Raventree on Aug 11, 2016 21:04:50 GMT
Meanwhilel Jared had been waiting patiently for Edmure and Roger to make the necessary decision. In the end, though, duty claimed him. He began moving among the people now to see if there any more harm that had been done to the smallfolk.
"Color me surprised," he drolled, as he mounted his horse and road back for the tavern. He looked at the strange scene out front in a similar manner to which the Smallwood captain had, though it was tinged with anger rather than disbelief.
"What is the situation, ser?" he inquired of Edmure.
"The village is essentially ours apart from the tavern." replied Edmure to Lord Vance. "Some Smallwood knights and crossbowmen I believe occupying it are of course refusing to leave the tavern, although they have offered to send a rider to summon Lord Smallwood. The tavern is surrounded so they can only leave without bloodshed on my say so."
He smiled grimly. "I think I know what Lord Smallwood's response will be. Ride here in force and overwhelms us once he sees how small our force is. The village returns to his rule. So we have three choices. We retreat, we attack them in the tavern and overwhelm them or thirdly we treat with Lord Smallwood. The third requires us to make sure we can stand our ground if negotiations do not go well. In any event for the latter two options, we need more men and quickly. Complicating the situation further is that two of the invaders were caught raping a 14 year old girl by one of my men. One died for his crimes, when he refused to stop when commanded."
Post by Ser Willis Blackfort on Aug 11, 2016 22:19:39 GMT
"Open to alternate solutions?" Willis asked, then not waiting for a response. "Set the fuckin' tavern on fire. Leave a wide-open path for 'em to run. They've lost their foothold, no fightin' required. And they run back home, tellin' how they've been outmaneuvered by the Blackforts."
Had the Smallwood knight within heard Edmure, he would have yelled that no one had commanded jack shit and that they had simply barged in and started swinging their swords.
"Well, my thought would be to burn down the tavern and kill everyone that comes out," Lord Roger replied gruffly, agreeing with Willis, eyeing the two story building as if it were an oozing sore in need of lancing. "Better burned to the ground than in Smallwood hands. But then it would be war, and war in winter never ends well for either side."
"On the other hand, you did say you came hear for diplomacy, ser. If the man offers you an option to treat, you could always hear the swine before you gut him. He'll certainly bring more men, as any man with half a brain would do, but you can do the same."
"Zack doesn't give two hoots for statistics. He deals in sadistics."
Post by Edwyn Blackfort on Aug 11, 2016 22:43:05 GMT
"And we start a war." said Edmure sharply to Willis. "That's what I am trying to avoid, if possible. If you remember this is supposed to be a diplomatic mission. That's why Jon was originally placed in command."
He considered Lord Vance's words considering that they had fourteen knights, a septon and ten guardsmen. "You have more men. And they are nearer to here than Harrenhal. I suggest you bring them here. Crossbowmen preferably. The twenty five men we have will not be enough."
"My keep has a garrison of 20, 40 in wartime," Lord Roger informed him. "I can call up some levies, but that will cost gold and food, and as I said, it is winter. We need knights, Ser, fighting men, especially if Piper lends his aid to his vassal. By killing his man, you gave him the excuse he wanted. You played right into his hand. Meet strength with strength or this parley will become a bloodbath."
"Zack doesn't give two hoots for statistics. He deals in sadistics."