Take the Money and the Men!

Twenty-year-old Amparo was tall, standing only half a head shorter than Gryn, at about 1.75 meters.

Her light brown hair was casually tied back. She had a woman's delicate features, yet carried herself with a soldier's vigor.

Her skin was a slightly deep wheat color, and a little rough.

The lines of muscle across her body were smooth, so she didn't look bulky.

Most women in Crabb Territory farmed and hunted just like the men. Amparo was considered quite well-kept by comparison.

Amparo wore a coarse brown linen tunic with the sleeves cut off, its hem reaching only to mid-thigh. A thick rope was tied around her waist.

Her calves were wrapped in bindings, and she wore straw sandals woven from wheat stalks.

Perhaps noticing Gryn's gaze, Amparo flexed her toes a few times.

This was her first time being summoned by the lord himself, and it had come so suddenly. Even as an expert hunter, Amparo was nervous.

"Amparo, they say you once hunted down a black bear?"

Gryn's voice was a little youthful, but steady enough to carry a maturity beyond his years. Amparo's nerves seemed to settle.

"I had help from someone nearby. I landed more shots than they did."

After a little small talk, Gryn saw that Amparo had relaxed and asked, "Would you be willing to fight for me?"

Amparo looked confused. "Against the Wildlings? I've killed plenty of them, at least ten. They often trespass in our hunting grounds and try to steal our game."

She was a little single-minded, so Gryn tried putting it another way.

"You're brave. I mean, would you like to become one of my household soldiers? Like those men on the training grounds. I'll give you iron armor and a sword."

Amparo stared blankly. Gryn continued, "At least two Gold Dragons a year."

"It'll depend mainly on your performance. You'll earn even more in rewards from the spoils of war."

"I'm willing, my lord," Amparo answered at once.

As if needing to make sure she hadn't misheard, Amparo asked, "But I'm a woman, and they're all men. Won't that..."

Every household soldier of House Crabb was a man. Amparo worried that the men would ostracize her. As a woman, she wasn't worried about being harassed—at worst, they'd make lewd comments. If anyone went too far, she'd cut him down. She was strong!

Gryn agreed. "That's a fair point. The territory's Spearwives sometimes fight alongside my household soldiers, but they don't count as formal combatants. They only help with simple tasks. That's just temporary, and no one minds. But formally joining them is different."

"Besides, keeping men and women mixed together all day would lead to a lot of unnecessary trouble."

Amparo nodded. That was exactly what I was thinking, but I didn't know how to say it. The lord is very wise.

"You're well-known among the Spearwives. If I asked you to recruit them, how many could you gather?"

"They could all become household soldiers, right? I know twenty or thirty of them, and they're all skilled hunters."

"I'm going to establish a legion in the territory made up entirely of Spearwives. It'll be called the Thorn Legion."

[In tribute to the Queen of Thorns]

"We're about to go to war. Recruit as many as you can. Those who dare to fight alongside men—especially those without men—will do. As long as they're willing to follow your orders, you'll be appointed commander of the Thorn Legion."

Gryn was patient, explaining everything carefully until Amparo understood. Her chest rose and fell as she struggled to contain her excitement. She gazed at Gryn with shining eyes.

Gryn's tone turned serious. "Amparo, can I trust you?"

Only Gryn, Amparo, and Maester Al were in the study. Maester Al sat quietly in a corner, seemingly asleep.

How could she prove it?

Amparo watched the quiet Maester Al for a while, then glanced to either side and gritted her teeth as if making up her mind. "Do you want me to prove it now?"

Gryn raised an eyebrow at Amparo's strange question, then nodded calmly.

Rustle, rustle.

All the clothes on Amparo's body fell away.

Gryn looked at Amparo, her cheeks flushed as she stared back at him, and thought of Mother Leopard.

His pupils widened, then shrank. He turned his face away. "Ahem. You have a nice figure."

Maester Al, who had woken at some point, showed his few remaining teeth as he trembled in his seat and winked at Gryn.

At last, the thickheaded Amparo realized something was wrong and hurriedly covered her private parts with both hands.

"That's not what I meant. Put your clothes back on. I'm not blaming you. It was an honor to admire your charms. Today has been a pleasant day."

Amparo got dressed again, her cheeks still red. Her toes had practically dug out two Whispers.

"Amparo, kneel. Ahem, you're my warrior. Kneel on one knee."

The little interruption was behind them. The lord still had work to do.

"Repeat after me: I, Amparo—"

"I, Amparo..."

"I swear my allegiance, loving what he loves and hating what he hates."

"I swear my allegiance, loving what he loves and hating what he hates..."

"I swear that all my words and deeds, every action and movement, will follow the will of Gryn Crabb, without fail."

"From this day until death."

"From this day until death."

"I swear by the New and Old Gods."

"I swear by the New and Old Gods."

Fine drizzle shrouded the entire city of Whispers.

Outside the city gate.

A girl of sixteen or seventeen wore leather armor over an orange short tunic and carried an old hunting bow on her back.

She was short and thin, yet gave off a tough, wiry air.

The girl's name was Lena. She had brown skin and silvery hair tied in a high ponytail.

Bored from waiting, Lena kept glancing through the city gate.

Amparo finally appeared at the gate, and Lena sprang to her feet.

"Hey, Mother Leopard, did Lord Gryn finally let you out? How was it?"

Amparo walked up to Lena. "Little Lena, are you in heat again?"

Then she turned to show off her cloak, which was deep blue and embroidered with golden Marsh Marigolds.

Lena vigorously wiped the rain from her face, her big eyes opening even wider.

"Marsh Marigolds? Isn't that House Crabb's sigil? Amparo, have you gone crazy? You'll be hanged! Even if the lord forgives you, the White Walkers will bite your neck off. Hurry up and give it back... Don't pull me! Let's run away, leave this place, right now!"

"Stop, stop, that's not what you think!"

"Oh, then..."

Lena raised her eyebrows, her expression turning suggestive. "Did Mother Leopard's passion please the lord? Is this a reward?"

Amparo's cheeks turned a deeper red. She put a hand to her face and sighed. "Lena, stop guessing. Shut your mouth and listen to me. Let me explain."

Gryn had given Amparo the cloak embroidered with House Crabb's sigil. Wearing one in Crabb Territory was a sign of status. Before now, only the knights Pell and Mason had worn cloaks bearing the sigil.

Amparo's mission was urgent. The cloak was an advance reward from Gryn, meant to give her more authority when recruiting Spearwives and make things easier.

Whether she could hold on to the cloak afterward depended on her abilities.

Gryn's test had already begun.

After Amparo had told her everything, Lena exclaimed excitedly, "That's wonderful! This is great news. There'll definitely be plenty of sisters willing to join."

"Come on, what are we waiting for? Once you deal with a few troublemakers, you can gather one or two hundred women."

"Haha! Take the money and the men!"

"By the way, Commander of the Thorn Legion, I'm signing up first!"

Lena spoke so quickly, one sentence after another, that Amparo couldn't get a word in.

But Lena's good mood rubbed off on Amparo, who was usually unsmiling.

Amparo smiled and nodded, and without realizing it, the two of them quickened their pace.