With their objective clear, the army finally picked up the pace.
Suleiman and Lymond Lychester rode side by side at the head of the column. The old lord sometimes loudly reminisced about his youthful adventures in Westeros, then fell silent for long stretches, his lips moving as if speaking to invisible ghosts.
Hendry Bracken followed behind with his men, keeping a polite but distant gap.
Ever since Suleiman had spoken so frankly and generously, the knights of House Lychester had shown him unusual warmth.
One of the Lychester knights had hunted a fat wild boar. After skinning and gutting it, he brought half the meat to Suleiman's soldiers with his attendants, smiling at these lowborn commoners without a hint of prejudice.
His attendants stepped forward and offered the meat. "This is for the brave men serving Lord Suleiman."
Suleiman's soldiers were at a loss. They had never encountered anything like this before. They looked to their lord, while the Lychester knight looked to Suleiman as well. Suleiman nodded.
Only then did the knight let out a sigh of relief and have his attendants set down the meat. He turned his horse back toward his own men, and as he passed Suleiman, he murmured, "You're the only people willing to help us."
"Lord Suleiman."
Suleiman responded politely, but the gesture did not move him. A more pressing thought kept circling in his mind: how was Seaguard faring now?
Ever since things had slipped out of his control, Suleiman had felt himself growing restless. Was it because events weren't unfolding as he wanted?
He gave a self-mocking laugh. His composure was still too poor. How could anything in the world always go as one wished? The key was to stay calm amid change—and to have the ability to resolve a crisis and