Eagle's Beak, lord's lodge.
"Everyone, sit."
Samwell took a seat at the round table first, then gestured for everyone else to sit around it as well.
Yet everyone hesitated somewhat, unaccustomed as they were to sitting at the same table as their lord.
Only Chiman silently took the first seat to Samwell's left.
With someone taking the lead, the rest followed and took their seats.
For this meeting, Samwell had summoned the headmen of the fourteen villages under his command, along with Gavin the estate steward, Vidor the master craftsman, Busso the master smith, and Maester Qyburn—a total of eighteen people.
These were the principal administrators of his domain.
Todd Flowers would have counted as one of them, but he had gone to Highgarden to gather refugees and had yet to return, so he was absent.
Once everyone was seated, Natalie, dressed in a floral dress, walked around on her long legs and served each of them flower tea.
After pouring the tea, although there was clearly no place for her here, Natalie did not leave. Instead, she stood behind Samwell, looking every bit the obedient little maid.
Samwell did not send her away. He merely cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back from the vibrant young beauty. "Though the castle has not yet been completed, and I am not officially a lord yet, that is only a matter of time. Therefore, in order to better govern this domain, I have decided to formally accept you as my retainers."
At this, everyone hurriedly rose to their feet. Some bowed, some loudly swore fealty, while others were so excited that they did not know what to do and simply stood there grinning foolishly...
Though being a lord's retainer did not even qualify one as a noble, that did nothing to stop