United we stand – Divided we Fall
Volume I - Chapter 12 : Budging to badgers
Banefort, 197 A.C., first moon, first fortnight.
Summer
Lauros Lydden, the ruling Lord of Deep Den was penning several letters for his castellan and his Maester regarding the reconstruction of several small keeps and villages on his lands. Quentyn Ball's passage had left death, destruction and burnt villages in its wake.
This was going to cost him so much! It made him have nightmares about his coffers being empty and seeing their bottom!
It was quite late and he was probably the only highborn not sleeping, even more after tonight's feast.
The rebellious Lord, may he burn in the Seven Hells, had cut through his lands like a hot knife through butter. They had left his castle untouched but killed as many of his peasants as they could, knowing it would deplete him of men, be it to wage war or to till the land. The rebellious army, mostly made up of cavalry and light sieging weapon, had used the Gold Road to move as fast as possible towards Lannisport.
It was a stain on his House that he hadn't been able to stop or even slow the attacking force. They had been unprepared for the surprise attack. His lands being higher in the mountains than those of the plains, spring hadn't been as far advanced as in the Reach or on the western shore. On top of destroying everything along the Gold Road – the biggest villages of his lands – and burning several bridges, it had delayed the work in the field considerably.
His informant in Banefort had, months ago, let him know that gold had been found in this part of the Westerland, which was unexpected and offered him a chance to ally himself with Lord Kendrick before anyone get hold of that piece of news. House Banefort wasn't a major House of the Westerlands but that together with the new tin mine could very well change things.
Lauros had used the time spent on war front and he got to know the young Lord.
What he had heard of Kendrick Banefort was that he was young, unexperienced and with a self-esteem quite developed. The young Lord hadn't disappointed in that regard. It made manipulating him almost too easy. Which was as the same time good and bad. Good because it could play in his favour now, bad because it meant someone else could very well do the same thing latter.
Lauros Lydden was nearing thirty and nine nameday. His heir, Charel, was a good lad, still a bit idealistic and he tended to spend far too much, but he was growing out of it. He had fought well on the loyalist side with him and he already had a grandson.
He had a daughter, too. Johanna. She was ten and eight nameday and were it not for the long-term illness she caught when she was a child, she would be already married.
When she was nine, she had fallen ill. Nothing the Maester did would stop her fever, her headaches, her aching neck or frequent vomiting.
It had been winter and they had needed to wait for the spring to arrive before another Maester came from the Citadel an gave her a treatment that put an end to her illness. But it had come a bit too late and Johanna's left leg had become partially paralyzed. His daughter could walk, but she needed a walking stick and no honourable House had asked for her hand.
Or they had asked for a too substantial dowry.
This type of illness made other Houses wary of possible flaw in the family. One of his distant cousins who didn't see some colours had never found a highborn woman to marry.
Lord Lauros didn't want to spend much on his daughter's dowry. But he couldn't have her become a spinster either!
Therefore, even though House Banefort wasn't a major player in the Westerland's politic – Lord Kendrick's mother may have been a Crakehall, she only had been a first cousin of the ruling Lord -, he had decided he would approach Lord Kendrick and suggest his daughter's hand. Despite her physical disability, she could give him an heir and it would give House Banefort a blood tie with one of the main bannermen of House Lannister.
That was how he found himself this evening in Banefort with his daughter. The wedding had been announced during a feast tonight. It would happen in half a moon time.
A noise at the door put an end to his thoughts. After several heartbeats, one of his guards knocked twice. Someone wanted to see him.
"Come in!"
The door opened. A boy was waiting outside. One of his guards, the one who had opened the door, stood in the door's embrasure, bowed and began speaking.
"My Lord, the boy was very insistent. It told me he needed to speak with you urgently. At first, I refused, but he told me that 'he had provided House Lydden great services in the past' and that you would understand, whatever it means.
Lord Lauros was taken aback. He looked at his desk where several important letters were spread out. The ink was dry. He put them away, thinking quickly and coming to a decision.
"Let him enter. Don't let anyone disturb us."
He waited until the young boy stood in front of him and the door was closed. The boy bowed. He was dressed as a stableboy.
"Thank you for hearing me, my Lo'd."
Lord Lauros grunted.
"Etiquette dictates that commoners only answer when they are being addressed by highborn. Were we in Deep Den, I would have you punished for this. Especially when it comes from a blackmailer."
"Good thing that I'm not here to blackmail you, milo'd, on the contrary."
The Lord of Deep Den looked at the boy. Really looked. There was intelligence in his eyes but worry too. The boy waited for him to speak.
"What do you want? You have already been rewarded for your … work."
In front of him stood his informant who had let him know of the presence of gold on Lord Banefort's lands.
"I can't stay here, milo'd. They are looking for the person who leaked the presence of gold."
"Then begone, I don't need your help anymore."
"Oh, but that is where you might be wrong, with respect, milo'd. I have valuable information… for the correct price, naturally."
Lord Lauros hated men who asked for money whenever they just did their job. He threw a small purse between them that disappeared from view quickly.
"Her name is Mina and his is Lucas, his brother. Together with two other thralls, they escaped from Blacktyde.
Lucas is the one you should be interested in. He is the one who improved the tin mining by a fourth and found the gold nugget. It was also him who found the ochre deposit on Lord Adderley's lands, east of Drymoat – or so I heard, milo'd."
This… was unexpected, he mused. Either he was lying to him or this could turn to be a very, very interesting discussion.
"You are probably thinking that this can't be true, milord" smirked the stableboy who had taken a seat uninvited.
"It's a possibility I'm assessing as we speak."
"I spoke with Tom, the Maester's assistant after he get himself arrested – the gaoler had been conscripted and we hadn't need one before Tom was put in the cell. When I brought him his meals, I used the occasion to speak with him. He confirmed that it was Lucas who was responsible for the discoveries in Drymoat, as well as the new tin mine and the gold nugget.
The lad is however very close to his sister and the senior miner who took him as his apprentice. And to the other thrall, the Captain. He had the Maester of Banefort fetch the Captain and the other thrall from Drymoat."
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A while later, the stable boy exited the room and Lord Lauros was left to ponder.
He could take the boy and the girl; he could use her to control him. The senior miner named Blacklock as well, and why not one of the thralls too if they had some competence. Skilled men were always useful.
Lucas and the senior miner could work for him, helping to rebuild what has been destroyed by rebellious army.
The question now, was how to convince his future son-in-law to let him depart with them.
As the night progressed, a plan began to form in the shrewd Lord's head.
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Ten miles east of Banefort, 197 A.C., first moon, first fortnight.
Several days later
Summer
Lucas POV
I was coming back to Banefort after several months away, together with Captain Hook, Blacklock, several guards and most of all four hundred pounds of tin ingots loaded on three mules.
We travelled not on our own this time, it was deemed unsafe.
We had been summoned to Banefort castle two days ago. The envoy had been very clear: we had to come as fast as possible and bring back with us the ingots – the envoy had come with the three mules to that end and several demobilized soldiers turned men-at-arms.
For once, we didn't arrive at sunset to the castle. It was nearing midday.
The last months had been hard. First, we were ambushed at night by the Stackspear men for trespassing. Joan had probably been killed, although we never knew for sure. He had gone to relieve himself and it was his shout that warned us. In hindsight, maybe we shouldn't have tried to escape. But at the time, we didn't know if they were outlaws or whatever. Then our guard had killed one of them and it had gone south afterwards. Blacklock was badly wounded.
We were able to find shelter in the Salivarett's septry. I had been too tired to stay awake when one of the Brother treated Blacklock. When his fever wouldn't go away and his stump began to smell really bad, I removed the bandages myself only to discover his wound hadn't been cauterized correctly.
The following hour had been… gruesome. I really hope I will never have to witness another man being amputated or to have to cauterize a wound with a white-hot blade. Sometimes, in my dreams, I still heard Blacklock as he screamed and pleaded for the pain to stop. It was dreadful. And I was realistic enough to know it would probably not be the last time I witness or take part in that sort of activity. Westeros wasn't the kind of place to offer such luxury.
After this, the inhabitants of Salivarett began whispering about my actions and me being possessed by some demon who feed on one's pain.
If I had to bet, I would put money on the Brother responsible for treating Blacklock in the first place. It wouldn't surprise me that he didn't take well that I called him a duffer. Not my best move, but he was preventing me to treat Blacklock at the time.
After that, it isn't necessary to explain why we had to leave as soon as Blacklock was able to stand.
New instructions coming from Maester Jorgen reached us: we were to stay far from the border and go to the new tin mine – it had been dubbed Deemine by the miner, rather unoriginally.
Despite his injury and his precarious state of health, Blacklock took an important part in overseeing the mineral processing.
The process wasn't too complex but required several steps.
The cassiterite, the tin oxide, had to be crushed first, then sluiced down a palong. The heavier tin ore would sink and remain in the palong for collection while the lighter earth and stone were swept away.
The extracted ore had then to be roasted in a reverberatory furnace at around 600 grads Celsius to drive of the sulphur. As this require only a modest quantity of wood, it was done on site. I was able to instruct Captain Hook who had joined us – for my pleasure – how to build such a furnace. The roasted ore was then leached with water as I didn't have acid.
After another passage in a reverberatory furnace at a higher temperature, the ore was smelted with coal.
I surprised everyone when I convinced them to retreat the granulated slag. They hadn't known it still contained tin.
Finally, fire refining was used to get tin ingot.
However, as one can guess, it is far easier to describe the process than to do it and get the sought-after result. But thanks to Blacklock and the Captain, it worked.
I was eager to see Mina and Harmond. My half-sister had sent me a short message on a chunk of parchment. Captain Hook delivered it when he arrived. I was very proud of her and happy to know she was doing well. Harmond's protective attitude towards her had eased up the attempts made to 'woo' her.
We finally crested the last col before we came within sight of Banefort castle and the ocean behind it. The altocumulus protected us from the sun and made it impossible to see Pyke from where we stood. When the weather was good and there wasn't any cloud, one could make out the island.
Today was a rather favourable day for travelling. The temperatures were higher than during the previous months. I had been rather happy about it, until I took notice how I was the only one to be glad of it.
Indeed, a short spring would generally mean a short summer. The peasants of the most fertile lands could hope to harvest three more time if they were lucky before next winter was to arise. Probably a year-long winter.
Winter that went on for months or years was difficult to imagine for someone used to temperated regions. I had, however, lived in North Canada and I was already used to very long winters. I could only hope it would not last years.
As we made our way down the slope, Blacklock draw my attention to the castle in front of us.
"Is it me or are there more movement than usually?"
Blacklock's injury and wound had deeply affected the experienced miner. Not only physically but mentally too. In a society where strength is used in almost every way to assess one's value, to be crippled – or perceived as such – was more than a setback, it could be dramatic. As such, Blacklock wasn't sure if he would keep his position.
Despite knowing quite some tips I didn't regarding the implementation of roasting of refining ore, it had become clear that I was at least as much knowledgeable on this topic in general and more when it came to prospecting.
I had insured Blacklock that I wouldn't accept his position if Maester Jorgen were to suggest I replace him. Blacklock had been the first and only person who hadn't tried to use me for his personal gain. Yes, he had wanted to understand how I drew my conclusion, but this was because he liked what he did and thrived to always get better.
Despite his rough around the edges personality and his silent nature, he had taken me as his apprentice and looked after me when nothing was compelling him to do so.
People like him were too few and far between.
"Yes, your right. There are a lot more flags than when we were here last time. And quite more people too. There is another coat of arms too!"
"It's the Lydden's" answered one of the guards.
We turned to look at the envoy who was accompanying us back.
"The Lydden's? Who are they?"
"Noble House from middle east of the Westerland. Among the chief bannermen of House Lannister. An important host."
We all turned to look at the envoy who answered the unasked question by a simple "it wasn't something you needed to learn".
He had told us that the Rebellion was over with Aegor River's escape, but not that Lord Lydden would be at Banefort. What a moron, I thought.
The King had announced that he would forgive every Lord who bent the knee. This simple statement had seen a lot of rebel Lords defect Aegor's side after more than three months of an attrition war in the Dornish Marshes without any hope to win for the rebels but heavy losses on the loyalist side
The fact that several Dornish Lords had jumped on the occasion to cross over their northern border to join the war against the hostile army at their threshold might have helped in that regard too.
We kept going.
After some time, in the distance, two men walking in our direction appeared. As we were drawing closer, it became apparent that one of them had a strange posture, hunched over, with something visibly heavy on his shoulders.
Soon, we were close enough to make them out. At first, I thought I was hallucinating as one of them looked like Harmond.
That was until we were close enough and it turned out that it was indeed my companion in misery!
He was looking miserable. He had several bruises on his faces, several cuts, a black eye and his lips were covered in scabs from thirst and a smack. His clothes were torn on numerous places.
"Harmond? What happened to you?" asked Captain Hook in shock at seeing his friend like this.
Harmond didn't answer however.
"This is his punishment for injuring a soldier." I looked disbelievingly at the guard/persecutor, then at Harmond.
"They tried to harm her" whispered Harmond. His voice was a whisper, it held his exhaustion. A wicked smile formed on the corner of his mouth, leading to his lips' wounds to bleed anew. "One of them won't be able to harm her anymore".
"Don't stop walking, villein". The persecutor hit Harmond in the back with a stick, eliciting a muffled shout of pain from my friend who started to walk again.
Our party started to move away, not caring for our friend's treatment, until only the Captain, Blacklock and myself remained, looking bewildered at our friend's hunched form.
"Stop here!" shouted the Captain to the persecutor's back. He walked as fast as possible to him. Blacklock and I followed him.
"The law is that the culprit sentenced to this punishment is at the public mercy, be it their anger or their clemency. I will have this man drink his fill." Captain Hook pulled out his goatskin flask and held it out to allow Harmond to drink from it.
When he was done, nearly emptying the flask, he thanked the Captain.
"Please, look out for Mina upon your return."
"Of course, Harmond. But what shall happen to you? Where are you going like that?" I heard myself ask. I was in shock at seeing Harmond in such a situation.
"If he survives until we reach the border of Lord Kendricks lands, he will be let free. Should he cross again House Banefort's lands, however, his live will be forfeit."
I came closer to the persecutor.
"Do you have children?"
"Why would you know, shortie?"
Blacklock cut me off before I could answer.
"Connor has a daughter. Don't look at me like this, Con'. Lucas is my apprentice."
"Wouldn't you do what this man has done to protect your daughter from unjustified harm?"
"I'm merely the persecutor. I'm not the one deciding what his sentence should be" he snapped back.
"You're right. But think of this. A day will come when you will hope for someone to help you or our loved one. How…"
"Stop it, shortie. You won't soften me like this."
"Take this, Connor" said Blacklock who had get closer without me noticing. He gave the persecutor what little he had left in term of money. "When you come back, I'll give your half a stag if you swear to take Harmond to the nearest border. In the best of shape."
The persecutor held out his hand but Blacklock closed his fist before he could take the money and the miner looked straight at him.
"Swear on Jenny's head that you will do exactly like I said."
While Connor swore, the Captain and I went to Harmond.
"Don't lose hope, Harmond. The persecutor will lead you to the nearest border. Take this" the Captain swiftly put what little money he had left in one of our friend's clothes where it wouldn't fall. "We will help you. Don't lose hope."
"He is right, we will do everything we can to help you, Harmond." I faced my friend and promised to him. "Like on the boat we escaped Blacktyde from. We are all on the same boat and we won't give you up. Especially after what you have done for Mina."
The look of reawakening hope and simultaneous despair poor Harmond shot us were more than any word could convey.
The persecutor approached, sadly putting an end to our discussion.
It was the last time I saw Harmond.
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Later that day
Lucas POV
When Blacklock and I exited Maester Jorgen's office, I wasn't feeling as confident as when we had entered it.
Once we arrived at the castle, the senior miner and I were summoned to the Maester's tower where we learnt that Lord Kendrick had decided he wouldn't allow any Ironborn in his castle. What happened with Harmond had cemented his decision.
It was one of Lord Lydden's guards, his soon-to-be father-in-law, that had tried to harm Mina.
Harmond's fist had sent the man tumbling backwards. The guard never went up after hitting his head on the hearth's edge.
The Lord of Deep Den had asked to take us with him to his lands as a compensation, which Lord Banefort had quickly accepted.
I would have preferred to stay at Banefort personally, but again the choice was taken away from me. And from Maester Jorgen if I was able to correctly read between the lines.
Blacklock had tried to step in and he had pleaded Lord Banefort to reconsider. To no avail.
At least, Captain Hook and Mina would come with me too.
The Lord of Banefort had, it seemed, become full of himself, driven by his military success.
He had refused to listen to Maester Jorgen when he had tried two days ago to defend Harmond from being punished for defending Mina.
After leaving the tower, I went looking for Mina. I was finally able to get back to her as she was coming back from the cellar.
"Lucas!" she shouted as she took me in her arms.
I held her tightly, beyond happy to see again. She had grown and looked healthier than the last time I saw her – even though she had dark rings under her eyes.
We went to the servants' quarter where we discussed and she told me what had happened since we departed for the Stackspear's border.
I told her too what happened. She was scared when I told her about the attack and Blacklock's injury.
Then I told her about Lord Kendrick's decision and our coming departure.
"I heard that he reproached Maester Jorgen and his uncle Ser Parrick for their management and not having done their upmost to find the gold deposit."
"Really?" I asked, quite surprised. Maester Jorgen was more than dutiful. I would go as far as calling him obsessed with improving House Banefort's situation.
She stood pondering for a while.
I used the time to really look at her. Mina was growing into a fine woman. Not that I was feeling anything else than brotherly love for her. But it made me realise that we would have to be even more careful with the presence of so many men-at-arms that the presence of Lord Lauros had brought along.
"I heard a lot of things about Lord Lauros Lydden. Some were positive. I heard several people saying however that the man was shrewd and an absolute miser."
I had thought highborn would sooner starve than be seen as penny-pinching, but it seemed Lord Lauros was the exception.
At least, I thought, I know where I stand with tightwad people – I lost count how many of my bosses back on Earth knew nothing but looking at the right bottom of any document in front of them.
"I have a very good news, however", I added.
"Maester Jorgen made Blacklock appoint me Senior Miner. He justified it by telling Lord Kendrick House Banefort couldn't decently send a lowly miner for compensation to Deep Den. I believe it was a kind of 'fuck you' that Maester Jorgen addressed to both Lord Kendrick and Lord Lauros. He really didn't appreciate that Lord Kendrick decided to leave us go.
Mina laughed a bit, something I hadn't see her done since … ages.
"I will go to the kitchen; I have to help for tonight's feast."
Mina' words put an end to my thoughts.
"I don't believe it would be wise. There will be a lot of unknown men and too much alcohol."
Mina turned, her hands on her hips and fixed me with a glare.
"And why not?" she asked in a defiant tone.
This … was unexpected, though.
"Lucas, as much as I appreciate your concerns, I'm not defenceless. I take care of myself when you are away."
I looked at her, flabbergasted. How could she say this after what happened with Harmond? Unless… she didn't know about his punishment?
"Mina… I… I know you are careful but surely… don't you know about Harmond punishment?" I told her. Her glare became a grimace and her defiance turned to sorrow and to tears. I found myself comforting her. She wept in my arms as she confessed to believe it was her fault, that she should had been more careful.
What was I to do but to try and comfort her? And explain how most people were untrustful?
I tried to tell her that our situation would improve and that Harmond would be able to start anew once he crossed Banefort's border. I told her that the next months were going to be challenging, but that we could look to the future with improvement in sights. Going to Deep Den wasn't what I had foreseen, but we would use it as an opportunity to improve our situation and start anew.
It helped a bit.
Several days later, however, news reached us that Harmond hadn't survived long enough to reach Banefort's border.
That day Mina lost whatever remained of her innocence.
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End of Volume I
Let me know if you are interested in the sequel of Lucas' adventures (Volume II).
Volume I was my first published story in English. I tried to improve my writing skills a lot and took several advices that were kindly given in reviews.
Hopefully, should Volume II be published, it will be better written!
Thanks to all of you for having followed United we Stand – Divided we Fall : Volume I.
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Note: some of you might have recognize Johanna's illness: polio.
If you have the chance to discuss with elderly people, you might find that this kind of mentality - one should not marry someone from a family where a member has been ill from had some disease, like polio – was still commonplace in Europe in the fifties.
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Answers to reviews
Naosj: Thanks for the review and the praise. Concerning the first part of your review, I must admit I don't understand it…? Feel free to explain it further to me.
