Whispers Town, the lord's council chamber.
Lord Glyn Crabb, Per Pell, Massen Baker, Maester Al, Steward Herschel, and Emparo sat around the table, discussing the "eastward advance" plan to reclaim their former lands.
A large map of the eastern part of Crackclaw Point was spread across the center of the table.
The plan was nearly finalized. After pondering for a moment, Glyn spoke:
"Reclaiming our old lands is an expedition. Securing supplies is the top priority. At regular intervals—based on half a day's march at normal speed—we must establish camps protected by wooden palisades and advance step by step."
"Everyone, the Crabb family has not conducted a long-range campaign outside our territory for more than a decade. In the past, our battles took place near our own lands. Supplies were easy to replenish, and wounded soldiers could receive timely treatment."
"But once we leave home, it's different. All around you will be enemies you must face at any moment. If supplies are not guaranteed, we may collapse before the battle even begins—and lose before we ever fight. As legion commanders, you must always place logistics first. The commanders of House Crabb must engrave this in their minds."
Everyone replied solemnly, "Yes, my lord!"
"Ser Pell, your Recon Corps must depart in advance to gather intelligence along the route. They are to select camp sites ahead of time. When choosing locations, terrain and water sources must be carefully considered. In three days, I will lead the main army to set out."
Glyn rose to his feet, and the others followed suit.
Slowly sweeping his gaze across their faces, Glyn said, "Reclaim our old lands—united we stand!"
"Yes! Reclaim our old lands—united we stand!"
"Reclaim our old lands—united we stand!!"
"Reclaim our old lands—united we stand!!!"
–
The war council ended. Everyone left the chamber, except for Steward Herschel, who stayed behind to report other matters concerning the territory.
There were countless affairs to handle, and Herschel could only report them one by one.
Glyn was listening intently when the heavy doors of the council chamber were suddenly pushed open. A tall figure appeared in the doorway—Housekeeper Surana.
She bowed and said, "Forgive the intrusion, my lord. I thought the meeting had ended."
Glyn's calm gaze shifted to her. "Surana, is there something urgent?"
"Your cousin, Lady Lyanna Crabb…"
Before Surana could finish, another tall figure appeared at the doorway.
She was slender, and her appearance bore six or seven parts resemblance to Glyn. This was the woman Surana had mentioned—Glyn's cousin, Lyanna Crabb.
Glyn had just risen from his chair when the dust-covered Lyanna threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably, her cries filled with grievance.
Glyn tried to guess what had happened, but said nothing. He simply raised a hand to gently pat her back, silently soothing her emotions.
After a long while, Surana stepped forward, offered a few quiet words of comfort, helped Lyanna Crabb to sit in a nearby chair, and then picked up a wine cup and poured her a glass of red wine.
Glyn waited quietly until Lyanna finished several large gulps of red wine. Only then did he speak.
"Lyanna, tell me—why are you so heartbroken? I'm here."
Tears shimmered in Lyanna's eyes. "Woshor wants to dissolve our marriage…."
Woshor's full name was Woshor Meika, a merchant from Gulltown in the Vale. Lyanna Crabb had been married to Woshor Meika about four years earlier, in accordance with arrangements made by Glyn's mother.
How had a noblewoman like Lyanna ended up marrying a merchant?
After the War of the Usurper, Jon Arryn, the King's Hand and Lord Paramount of the Vale, never relaxed his suppression of the Dragon loyalists on Crackclaw Point. The Vale's power blocs naturally followed suit.
Glyn's mother struggled to keep House Crabb afloat under this pressure. After holding on for ten exhausting years, she finally chose a dignified compromise. Lyanna Crabb, having just come of age, was pushed into a political marriage with the Vale.
The Vale nobility looked down upon the half-wild nobles of Crackclaw Point. With no better option, Glyn's mother chose Woshor Meika, a merchant said to maintain good relations with the nobles of Gulltown.
Strictly speaking, this marriage was nothing more than a humiliation imposed on House Crabb by the Vale.
After nearly ten years of blockade and suppression, the Vale nobles had long lost their initial fervor. With a decade of pressure and this additional insult, they had sufficiently demonstrated their loyalty to Jon Arryn and could afford to loosen their grip.
House Crabb had indeed lost some noble dignity—but the marriage did ease relations with the Vale. The blockade was lifted, traveling merchants once again entered Crabb lands with much-needed supplies, and Crabb leather goods could be sold at fair prices.
The respite gained at the cost of Lyanna Crabb's marriage planted deep resentment long ago.
It was only that House Crabb had been too weak at the time for anyone to care.
–
"My cousin," Glyn asked quietly, "why does he want to annul the marriage?"
Sobbing, Lyanna replied, "I only found out later—it's because a noble widow from Runestone has taken a liking to Woshor! She has no children. If he divorces me and marries her, their legitimate child could inherit a title."
Hearing this, Glyn's long fingers tightened against his knee.
Lyanna continued, "People in the Vale already mocked my marriage. If I'm divorced… how am I supposed to live? I refused, of course. He even struck me. I was terrified. When he went out, I ran away in secret with my maid and came back here…!"
Glyn narrowed his eyes slightly. "It seems the people of the Vale truly do not take us seriously."
Surana ached with anger on Lyanna's behalf. "Those damned Vale folk—every last one should have their throats torn out by the Others! That vile Woshor thinks that once he divorces Lady Lyanna and marries that shameless noble widow, he'll become one of the Vale nobility, and that House Crabb would never dare retaliate—only swallow the insult."
Lyanna nodded tearfully. Yes—that was exactly what the wretch was thinking.
Glyn rubbed his brow, then looked straight at Lyanna. "Lyanna, everyone in Whispers Town has never forgotten your contribution—not for a single day. You are my family. Since the day you married, your room has been kept exactly as it was. Someone cleans it every day, as if you never left this home."
As lord, Glyn made his stance clear. Tears welled up again in Lyanna's eyes. "Glyn…"
All along the journey, Lyanna had been deeply uneasy. When she married, Glyn had been only eleven—shy and frail.
Glyn's mother had since passed away. The boy she remembered had inherited the lands and become lord, and Lyanna dared not imagine how he would treat her after hearing what had happened.
She felt she had disgraced the family and did not know how to face him. Yet in the end, she realized she had nowhere else to go.
Only Whispers Town—the place outsiders mocked as a wild, backward land—gave her a sense of safety.
So she came, without hesitation.
After four years apart, her cousin had grown up. His calm, steady presence was reassuring.
Glyn reached out and gently held Lyanna's slender, icy-cold hand.
"Lyanna, this will always be your home."
Then he asked softly, "If I were to present Woshor's head to you… would that make you feel a little better?"
(End of Chapter)