Seaguard had been under siege for seven full days.
Suleiman's gaze swept over the map spread across the long table. His voice was quiet, yet easily overpowered the low murmurs of every lord in the tent. "How long will our food last?"
The quartermaster looked troubled. He stepped forward, his voice dry. "My lord, at the current rate of consumption, five days at most."
The tent fell silent.
"We've already sent out foraging parties to the surrounding villages and towns."
"But they've had little success. The fires of war have left nine houses out of ten empty. The farmers have fled."
Suleiman tapped his finger lightly on the map.
"Pass on my orders. Every foraging party is to buy food at double or even triple the market price. I'll pay for it."
"Any Riverlands folk willing to sell their food are to be paid in full on the spot."
The order drew a wave of suppressed gasps from the tent. Paying for supplies requisitioned by an army? No one had ever heard of such a thing. You simply took what you needed.
An old lord with a grizzled beard couldn't help stepping forward. "Lord Suleiman, this... this is entirely unnecessary."
"My lord is fighting for the Riverlands, liberating their homes. They ought to support us. We should simply take what we need by force."
He bowed, his tone weathered with age.
"By the customs of war, we have the right to requisition food locally. There's no need to pay such an exorbitant price. It will eat into your own fortune."
"You... truly don't need to pay for it yourself."
Suleiman's gaze passed over everyone present. Their expressions made it clear that they agreed wholeheartedly with the old lord.
He slowly rose from his seat at the head of the table.