The Sworn Sword

""The Longinch will expect us at the dam"", Dunk heard the old knight say, ""so we will burn her crops instead. Fire for fire"". Ser Bennis thought that would be just the thing, only maybe they should put her mill to the torch as well. ""It's six leagues on t'other side o' the castle, the Longinch won't be looking for us there. Burn the mill and kill the miller, that'll cost her dear"".

Egg was listening, too. He coughed, and looked at Dunk with wide white eyes. ""Ser, you have to stop them"".

""How?"" Dunk asked.

The Red Widow will stop them. Her, and that Lucas the Longinch. ""They're only making noise, Egg. It's that, or piss their breeches. And it's naught to do with us now"".

Dawn came with hazy gray skies and air that burned the eyes. Dunk meant to make an early start, though after their sleepless night he did not know how far they'd get. He and Egg broke their fast on boiled eggs while Bennis was rousting the others outside for more drill. They are Osgrey men and we are not, he told himself.

He ate four of the eggs. Ser Eustace owed him that much, as he saw it. Egg ate two. They washed them down with ale.

""We could go to Fair Isle, ser"", the boy said as they were gathering up their things. ""If they're being raided by the ironmen, Lord Farman might be looking for some swords"".

It was a good thought. ""Have you ever been to Fair Isle?""

""No, ser"", Egg said, ""but they say it's fair. Lord Farman's seat is fair, too. It's called Faircastle"".

Dunk laughed. ""Faircastle it shall be"".

He felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. ""I'll see to the horses"", he said, when he'd tied his armor up in a bundle, secured with hempen rope. ""Go to the roof and get our bedrolls, squire"". The last thing he wanted this morning was another confrontation with the chequy lion. ""If you see Ser Eustace, let him be"".

""I will, ser"".

Outside, Bennis had his recruits lined up with their spears and shields, and was trying to teach them to advance in unison.

The brown knight paid Dunk not the slightest heed as he crossed the yard. He will lead the whole lot of them to death. The Red Widow could be here any moment. Egg came bursting from the tower door and clattered down the wooden steps with their bedrolls. Above him, Ser Eustace stood stiffly on the balcony, his hands resting on the parapet. When his eyes met Dunk's his mustache quivered, and he quickly turned away. The air was hazy with blowing smoke.