"Lord Arthur!" A scout bowed to Arthur. "The town ahead refuses us entry but can provide us with provisions!"
Currently, only three horses were in use by the team: his own, Lucien's, and Hakon's.
Now, with Lucien and Hakon each acting as a centurion for a phalanx, only ten fast-running infantrymen could be chosen from the soldiers to serve as scouts.
Arthur frowned and asked, "Did you show Lady Roslyn's seal?"
The scout respectfully replied, "We did, but they claim that with wildlings rampant and bandits running wild, they cannot verify identities, and they ask for your understanding, Lord!"
Arthur knew this was a polite refusal, but their willingness to provide provisions was indeed a great kindness.
This was already the third town. Towns in Westeros are managed by town officials appointed by the Lord.
How could these people not recognize Lady Roslyn's seal?
He didn't think Lady Roslyn had given any specific instructions.
It was simply that these town officials believed that as long as Deep Valley City remained safe, the war was distant, and they could protect themselves.
Arthur now had to consider his next step. Lady Roslyn had authorized him to recruit soldiers as needed throughout House Deddings's territory, whether from villages or towns.
Yet, he hadn't even entered a single town; he had been politely refused every time.
With a soft sigh, he waved his right hand and said to Hakon beside him, "Set up camp immediately! Build fortifications! Deploy scouts widely!"
Hakon scratched his head, "Lord Arthur, is it really that serious? Aren't we still outside the war zone?"
Arthur glared at him, "What do you know?! Remember this! Always be foolproof before doing anything!"
"Yes!" Hakon stood at attention, chest out.
The expansion of his undertaking was not going smoothly, and Arthur felt quite flustered.
The only thing that was going well was the current team.
Arthur watched as the two phalanxes below began to execute the camping order under the commands of Lucien and Hakon.
He had actually noticed that both men had significant issues with their leadership styles.
The troops led by Lucien stood rigidly, their formation precise, but the atmosphere was extremely oppressive, almost silent.
If a soldier's movement was even half a beat slow, the wooden cane in Lucien's hand would lash out.
Moreover, because of previous incidents, the soldiers were very afraid of him, so they followed his orders without fail, not daring to be even slightly negligent.
The troops led by Hakon, however, were the complete opposite.
His phalanx was much more undisciplined, the lines crooked, and soldiers occasionally conversed in low whispers, rustling.
Hakon himself often joked with them.
Consequently, the phalanx was disorganized.
Although Arthur observed this, he did not criticize anyone.
Lucien was overly strict, and Hakon was overly lax.
Criticism would not teach them how to do better; they needed to practice and reflect on their own.
And Arthur himself didn't know much about management.
At the temporary encampment, the bonfires crackled, and the air was filled with the smell of food and sweat.
Soldiers sat in small groups, chatting in low voices, or silently eating their allotted food, the atmosphere extremely oppressive.
Suleiman sat before his bonfire, wiping the Myr longsword given to him by Raymon Dayne. The blade gleamed coldly in the firelight.
Lucien and Hakon walked over and sat by the fire.
"Grandpa Arthur, there's something I need to report to you." Hakon's voice was low, and his mood seemed somewhat sad.
Arthur stopped what he was doing and looked at him, "What is it?"
"A soldier... might be trying to desert," Hakon said.
Arthur's gaze sharpened, "Who told you?"
"Another soldier in his rank. That soldier felt uneasy and came to tell me," Hakon replied in a low voice, as this incident occurred in his phalanx.
"Where is he?" Arthur asked in a deep voice.
Desertion was absolutely intolerable in the army; one desertion would lead to another, quickly creating a chain reaction.
"He's still with the team; he hasn't made his move yet." Hakon paused, "Grandpa, should we arrest him and execute him publicly?"
Arthur was silent for a moment, not answering immediately, then slowly said, "Why does he want to flee?"
Hakon sighed and recounted what he had learned: "That soldier is named Tommen, only twenty years old. His father was conscripted by Lord Dading a long time ago, accompanying Lord Balon to Seaguard to defend against the Ironborn."
"There was news at first, but now it's been a very, very long time with no news... It's very likely... he's already fallen in battle."
"At home, he only has his mother and two young sisters. He worries that if he also dies, his family will have no one to care for them and will starve."
He slowly stood up. "Hakon, go gather your troops. Lucien, you go gather your troops too. Everyone, assemble here." Arthur commanded.
Hakon and Lucien immediately carried out the orders.
Soon, in the open space in the middle of the temporary camp, two teams of one hundred and fifty men each had assembled in the night.
They weren't standing perfectly straight, especially in the dim light, and though the soldiers' whispered conversations weren't loud, in the quiet night, they could still be heard.
They didn't know why they had been assembled in the middle of the night, and many had confused or even uneasy expressions.
Arthur did not walk forward but stood in front of them, the firelight illuminating his face.
Lucien and Hakon stood behind him, their expressions serious.
Arthur just stood there, watching them, and the soldiers grew increasingly uneasy and fearful.
Seeing that the atmosphere was ripe, Arthur finally spoke slowly:
"I have gathered you here."
"Because most of you were dragged here unwillingly."
"You don't want to be here; you want to go home."
"You are afraid of death, afraid that if you die, your families will have no one to care for them and will starve."
A low murmur rippled through the ranks; these words struck at their deepest fears.
This was also why the team was so suppressed; some quietly sobbed.
"Bring out the chest! Lucien! Hakon!" Arthur shouted loudly.
Lucien and Hakon were seen carrying out a large chest.
"Open it!" Arthur said in a deep voice.
The soldiers all looked up, curiously watching Arthur, wondering what he intended to do.
Under Arthur's command, Lucien and Hakon carried the chest to a platform in front of the troops and opened it.
Inside the chest was nothing but neatly stacked silver stags, which shone with a dazzling white light under the illumination of the fire.
This was the recruitment fund Lady Roslyn had given him, but now he had money with no place to recruit.
The soldiers began to whisper among themselves, wondering what this young Lord intended to do.
Arthur took a few steps forward and stood beside the chest, his face expressionless as he surveyed his surroundings:
"First, I want you to face the truth!"
"From the moment you were conscripted! You can never go back!"
"If you run back now! Your lands will be seized by Lady Roslyn! And you will be hanged by Lady Roslyn! Your families will also be implicated and suffer terrible punishment!"
The soldiers' faces turned pale in the firelight! And some soldiers who had harbored thoughts of fleeing trembled with fear, believing they had already been discovered by Arthur!
"And I!" Arthur's voice carried a hint of self-deprecating laughter, "am just like you—with no way out!"
Arthur needed the soldiers to feel that he stood with them, facing the same predicament, to better unite their hearts.
His voice softened but became more powerful:
"There is only one path before us! And only this one path!"
"Either see it through to the end and complete the mission! Return alive! Or die together on the way!"
He paused, seeing the soldiers' gazes converge:
"But I promise you here and now! In my name, Arthur! In the name of my Stinkfort Family!"
"For all who fall in battle with me! I will support your families!"
"If your family's land is seized!"
"I will allocate the best land on my own territory! And build the best homes for your families!"
Arthur drew his longsword, pointing it at the sky! He shouted fiercely:
"By the Seven! If I break this oath! May dragonfire consume me! May my lineage be severed!" His vow echoed throughout the camp.