The Sworn Sword

I had twice complained to Osgrey, yet he did nothing. I do not ask thrice. The king's law grants me the power of pit and gallows"".

It was Egg who answered her. ""On your own lands"", the boy insisted. ""The king's law gives lords the power of pit and gallows on their own lands"".

""Clever boy"", she said. ""If you know that much, you will also know that landed knights have no right to punish without their liege lord's leave. Ser Eustace holds Standfast of Lord Rowan. Bennis broke the king's peace when he drew blood, and must answer for it"".

She looked to Dunk. ""If Ser Eustace will deliver Bennis to me, I'll slit his nose, and that will be the end of it. If I must come and take him, I make no such promise"".

Dunk had a sudden sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. ""I will tell him, but he won't give up Ser Bennis"". He hesitated. ""The dam was the cause of all the trouble. If your ladyship would consent to take it down-""

""Impossible"", declared the young maester by Lady Rohanne's side.

""Coldmoat supports twenty times as many smallfolk as does Standfast. Her ladyship has fields of wheat and corn and barley, all dying from the drought. She has half a dozen orchards, apples and apricots and three kinds of pears. She has cows about to calf, five hundred head of black-nosed sheep, and she breeds the finest horses in the Reach. We have a dozen mares about to foal"".

""Ser Eustace has sheep, too"", Dunk said. ""He has melons in the fields, beans and barleycorn, and.

. "".

""You were taking water for the moat !"" Egg said loudly.

I was getting to the moat, Dunk thought.

""The moat is essential to Coldmoat's defenses"", the maester insisted. ""Do you suggest that Lady Rohanne leave herself open to attack, in such uncertain times as these?""

""Well"", Dunk said slowly, ""a dry moat is still a moat. And m'lady has strong walls, with ample men to defend them"".

""Ser Duncan"", Lady Rohanne said, ""I was ten years old when the black dragon rose.

I begged my father not to put himself at risk, or at least to leave my husband. Who would protect me, if both my men were gone? So he took me up onto the ramparts, and pointed out Coldmoat's strong points. ‘Keep them strong,' he said, ‘and they will keep you safe. If you see to your defenses, no man may do you harm.' The first thing he pointed at was the moat"". She stroked her cheek with the tail of her braid. ""My first husband perished on the Redgrass Field.