"My Lord, I never imagined we would be going to the Reach like this."
Penrose gasped for breath, his forehead slick with sweat, his black hair plastered to his skin. He struggled to keep up with Arthur's pace, trudging heavily along the rugged mountain path of the Red Mountains.
Blisters had formed on his feet, and every step sent a jolt of pain up his legs.
"I used to think climbing mountains was fun." Arthur didn't slow his stride. His violet eyes swept over the endless peaks layered in the distance.
"If I had the choice, I'd much rather be at Starpost Keep feeding my eagle, reading reports, and judging criminals. But the Gods rarely grant us our wishes."
Ever since Penrose left the protective skirts of his mother, Lady Larra, and became Arthur's squire, he had grown livelier by the day, like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
Especially since taking on the duty of caring for Sharpwing, the boy had shot up in height like bamboo after spring rain. perhaps the Blackmonts truly had some unseen bond with raptors.
Arthur hadn't planned on bringing Penrose on this campaign against the Ring. When he told the boy to stay behind, Penrose's eyes had instantly reddened, and he had asked pitifully, "Did I do something wrong? Do you not want me anymore?"
Arthur tried to brush him off with excuses about his age and safety.
"Ser, you can't leave me behind!" Penrose Blackmont wiped away his tears and argued earnestly. "I swore to follow you, to obey you, to help you clean your weapons and armor, and to tend to your horse and falcon!"
So, Arthur had no choice but to bring the boy along with his five hundred elite troops.
These five hundred were the cream of the crop: two hundred sharpshooters selected by Jimmy, and three hundred armored men-at-arms handpicked by Gerold.
Aside from the Mountain Corps and the cavalry, this was the most potent fighting force Starfall could muster.
As they marched, the column of five hundred men moved in disciplined order. No one straggled, and few words were exchanged. The only sounds were boots crunching on gravel and scabbards clinking against armor.
When the setting sun dyed the mountains blood-red, the troop arrived at the former stronghold of the Vulture Tribe, now renamed Eagle's Roost, just before dark.
Outside Eagle's Roost lived the members of the two tribes that had been forced to migrate here after rebelling with the Vulture Tribe.
Smoke rose into the twilight from their crude wooden huts and tents. Livestock were penned in rough enclosures nearby.
A large portion of Eagle's Roost had been converted into a garrison for the Mountain Corps. Simple warehouses and barracks had been constructed from wood and stone.
Part of the camp relied on the existing stone and wood walls built by the Vulture Tribe, while the rest was enclosed by a newly built, low wooden palisade, with two-story wooden watchtowers at the corners.
It couldn't compare to the main Mountain Corps base in the Violet Gorge, but achieving this much in a few months within the harsh environment of the Red Mountains was no small feat.
Arthur intended to keep a detachment of the Mountain Corps stationed here permanently, turning it into Starfall's bastion in the Red Mountains to ensure his authority over the region.
"There's a sept here?" Penrose pointed in surprise at a large log building.
Through the open doors, several free folk could be seen kneeling devoutly in prayer before roughly carved statues of the Seven.
"What's so strange about that?" Jimmy chuckled, strumming his bowstring lightly.
"When people find the Old Gods cannot grant them victory on the battlefield, they naturally seek the protection of the victors' gods—gods who seem more convincing."
Arthur watched silently.
This was one of the terms he had agreed upon with the tribal chieftains after the war: every tribal settlement must build a sept to allow septons to spread the Faith of the Seven.
The resident septon at Eagle's Roost not only preached but also taught reading, writing, and scripture to the sons of the chieftains sent here as hostages.
At the gates of the camp, the guards saluted as soon as they saw Arthur. "My Lord, Ser Bard has already designated the camping area for the new troops as ordered."
Arthur signaled to Gerold and Jimmy, then walked through the familiar yet strange camp to the main command tent, guarded by sentries.
Inside the central tent, oil lamps cast the shadows of several tall figures against the canvas.
"Lord Quentyn Roxton has realized our intent to use small units for harassment and sabotage. He's formed a mobile cavalry unit to respond quickly to beacon signals."
"Furthermore, they've hidden soldiers in some outposts to ambush my tribesmen."
When the guard lifted the tent flap, Arthur saw Ser Bard pointing a dagger at a location on the map. Bear Di and three tribal chieftains stood around the table, their expressions grave.
"My Lord."
Everyone saluted in unison.
Arthur waved a hand to dismiss the formalities and walked straight to the wooden table covered with sheepskin maps.
He scanned the dense markings on the map, which showed recent movements in the territory of the Ring. "What is the situation now?"
Ser Bard reported:
"As per your orders, after the small scouting parties sent by the three chieftains identified weak points in the Ring's defenses, I led the Mountain Corps to burn down one village and several outposts."
"However, this drew the attention of Lord Quentyn Roxton. He assembled a light cavalry force of over two hundred men for rapid response. They have since thwarted our harassment attempts multiple times."
Considering the lack of fresh intelligence, Ser Bard had decided not to strike again with the Mountain Corps to avoid a full-scale engagement with Roxton's main cavalry force, which could escalate the conflict uncontrollably.
Instead, he had restricted operations to harassment and intelligence gathering by small wildling bands.
"Where is the main base of Roxton's cavalry?" Arthur asked.
Bear Di pointed a thick finger at a spot on the map of the Ring. "Behind Derring Keep, near Ring itself."
On the map, Derring Keep was located in the middle of the borderlands between the Ring and the Red Mountains. To its left lay Ring, the seat of House Roxton.
"Quentyn Roxton chose a good spot. Positioned on the second line, it's not easily attacked but allows for convenient support."
Arthur remembered Lord Quentyn Roxton from the tourney at Starfall. If he recalled correctly, the man had been eliminated by Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers.
Ser Bard pointed to a distinct black line on the map.
"There is a path with a relatively gentle slope leading from the Red Mountains to Derring Keep. The village and outposts I burned were all in the vicinity of Derring Keep.
"This path, known as the Pebble Way, extends west all the way to Ring.
"I believe Quentyn Roxton stationed his cavalry here partly to defend Ring itself."
Arthur asked, "Aside from the Pebble Way, are there any other paths from the Red Mountains into the Ring's lands similar to it?"
A tribal chieftain replied, "There are a few paths leading to Twilight Keep and Freedom Hill, but none are as gentle as the Pebble Way."
Twilight Keep lay to the north of Derring Keep, and Freedom Hill to the south.