The Sworn Sword

""Ser Useless should of fucked a few more peasant wenches while he still had a bit o' sap left in them old sad balls o' his"", he said. ""If he'd sown himself a nice crop o' bastard boys back then, might be we'd have some soldiers now"".

""They seem no worse than any other peasant levy"". Dunk had marched with a few such while squiring for Ser Arlan.

""Aye"", Ser Bennis said. ""In a fortnight they might stand their own, 'gainst some other lot o' peasants. Knights, though?"" He shook his head, and spat.

Standfast's well was in the undercellar, in a dank chamber walled in stone and earth.

It was there that Sam Stoops' wife soaked and scrubbed and beat the clothes before carrying them up to the roof to dry. The big stone washtub was also used for baths. Bathing required drawing water from the well bucket by bucket, heating it over the hearth in a big iron kettle, emptying the kettle into the tub, then starting the whole process once again. It took four buckets to fill the kettle, and three kettles to fill the tub. By the time the last kettle was hot the water from the first had cooled to lukewarm. Ser Bennis had been heard to say that the whole thing was too much bloody bother, which was why he crawled with lice and fleas and smelled like a bad cheese.

Dunk at least had Egg to help him when he felt in dire need of a good wash, as he did tonight. The lad drew the water in a glum silence, and hardly spoke as it was heating. ""Egg?"" Dunk asked as the last kettle was coming to a boil.

""Is aught amiss?"" When Egg made no reply, he said, ""Help me with the kettle"".

Together they wrestled it from hearth to tub, taking care not to splash themselves. ""Ser"", the boy said, ""what do you think Ser Eustace means to do?""

""Tear down the dam, and fight off the Widow's men if they try to stop us"". He spoke loudly, so as to be heard above the splashing of the bathwater. Steam rose in a white curtain as they poured, bringing a flush to his face.

""Their shields are woven wood, ser.

A lance could punch right through them, or a crossbow bolt"".

""We may find some bits of armor for them, when they're ready"". That was the best they could hope for.

""They might be killed, ser. Wet Wat is still half a boy. Will Barleycorn is to be married the next time the septon comes. And Big Rob doesn't even know his left foot from his right"".

Dunk let the empty kettle thump down onto the hard-packed earthen floor.