However, Suleiman's gaze passed over Ser Kurt and fell on the frightened, trembling peasant soldiers behind him. He spoke calmly. "You tell me."
The gesture made every noble knight's heart leap. That unyielding look of Suleiman's—did it mean he wasn't going to let Kurt off the hook...
Several peasant soldiers found their courage. One of the older ones stammered, "I-it was Ser Kurt... When he saw the Ironborn army charging, he was the first to turn his horse and flee. We... we only ran after him..."
The other peasant soldiers joined in, and Ser Kurt's face instantly turned deathly pale.
"That's right! He ran first!"
"It's true!!"
Suleiman nodded, as if he had merely confirmed something trivial. He looked away, then turned back to Ser Kurt. "When soldiers flee, it's because their officer failed to command them properly. So I won't punish them."
He paused, and his voice suddenly turned cold.
"But you, as their commander, not only failed to stop them from fleeing, you led the escape and undermined morale. So I'm going to kill you."
Wait, why was he going to kill him? Ser Kurt panicked. He struggled to his feet and shouted, though his bluster rang hollow. "No!"
"You have no right to punish me! I'm a knight of House Piper! My liege is Lord Monte! Only he can judge me! You can't kill me! You have no such authority!"
Suleiman ignored his shouting. He slowly turned his horse and swept his gaze over the more than twenty knights from different houses around him, as well as the leaders sent by another dozen houses. His gaze was like a cold sword blade, cutting across every face.
Everyone he looked at felt a chill creep up their spine. The young man's fearsome reputation was built on the Trial