The Roseroad

[Deleted]

The red cloaks relaxed and took their hands from their hilts. "Which lord?" one of them chuckled, while the other two looked extremely stern. "These are the royal banners. The queen is going north to King's Landing. She's been at Highgarden for months now since the war came to the capital. All the Mander knows it too, as far as we've seen. Which rock have you been hiding under?"

The red cloak looked like he was in a very chatty mood, but then Lady Cara said, "I do not remember hearing of a House Hutcheson, ser," she said, apologetically. "Where do you hail from?" She glanced at his banner, which struck her as somewhat Dornish in appearance.

[The Flint]

Radek looked straight at the Red Cloak with a look which could cut glass. "I believe one of the rocks was called Deep Den ser. Surely if I were closer to where the action was, as you were, I should have known such things." He turned slightly in his seat to address the lady.

"We are from the Far Reach, milady, House Hutcheson serves the Hightower." Radek gave her a respectful nod.

[Deleted]

The talkative red cloak looked chastened, though his comrades maintained their hauteur and gazed at Ser Radek through thoughtful, cool eyes.

"Well met, Ser Radek," Cara said politely. She walked over, fished a few coins out of her purse and dropped them in the begging brother's bowl with a kind smile. "If you are headed to King's Landing, perhaps we shall meet again." She inclined her head, and turned and walked away. Two of the red cloaks fell into step beside her.

The chatty red cloak turned to follow, hesitated, and turned back to Radek. "Ser Hutcheson," he said, his tone much more respectful, and also a tad curious. "There's wine for you and your companions at our cookfire - me and the other lads - if you have any tales of Deep Den."

[The Flint]

Brother Renard smiled and mumbled a blessing to the young Lannister lady, and pocketed the coins as she turned away.

"Thank you, for your offer." Radek replied, through tight lips.

[Deleted]

"Well, come on then," the guard said cheerfully. "Your squire could probably use some strongwine too."

[The Flint]

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As the moon rose over the road, Ser Radek and Brother Renard walked into the Queen's encampment. Renard clutching his walking staff, and Radek moving amongst the crowd with one hand resting gently on the hilt of his sword.

[Deleted]

Some guards moved to challenge him, but Radek's new friend waved them aside. "Easy lads, he's with me," the red cloak said.

"You starve for gossip the way real men starve for tits," one of the guards complained. "Make sure Captain Stafford doesn't see you idly chatting with strangers, Ken."

"I'm off duty now," Ken said lazily. He led the trio into the encampment of the Queen's Guard, nodding to some of his comrades. "Here," he said to Radek, gesturing hospitably to a cookfire, where another bored red cloak was sitting and sucking on a wineskin. "Move over, Trevor. This here is Ser Radek, the boy's his squire, and the sparrow is their companion. Sit down, you three."

Trevor gave Ken a look, until Ken explained that Radek was a veteran from Deep Den. Then Trevor looked interested. "Have some of this," he said, tossing his wineskin over. "Excellent stuff. The queen makes sure we get good wine."

[The Flint]

"Her grace must be very generous," Radek said, as he raised his hand to decline the wine however, Renard reached across and took it, squeezing a flow of red liquid into his mouth.

"It's not bad," the begging brother confirmed, wiping the back of his hand across his chin, and passing the skin back.

[Deleted]

"She is," Trevor said. "Real nice little lady. Always kind and appreciative and soft-spoken."

"Our starting pay is eighty silver stags a month," Ken confided. "The longer you stay with the Queen's Guard, the higher up it goes. We have to maintain our weapons and horses out of that, but we get good food, good training, an experienced army surgeon and physician, and all kinds of little goodies."

"The King's Men are a bit haughty," Trevor sniffed. "But old Stafford's a good sort, he gets along with their captain and now the King's Men and the Queen's Guard coordinate and practice their training exercises together."

"You should join," Ken said to Radek. "Bet the little queen would be pleased to have a veteran like you in her guard."

[The Flint]

"A generous offer," Radek said. "But I am afraid I must decline. I have business in King's Landing, which must be looked to."

[Deleted]

"That's fine," Ken said easily. "I'm more interested in hearing your tales of the those black-masked devils."

"What business have you in King's Landing?" Trevor asked curiously, taking a gulp of wine and passing it to the squire.

[The Flint]

Radek bit his lip thoughtfully, "The Basilisk men, that's what most were calling them on account of their banners, they were decent fighters. Completely fearless, although straightforward, which is more than I can say for some."

[Deleted]

"Why are you going to King's Landing?" Ken pressed.

Trevor brushed off a lizard that was crawling up his boot. "Do you mean to say some others weren't straightforward?" he asked, eyes narrowing slightly. During their months in the Mander, the Lannister guards had heard a little of what was going on in the world, but very little.

[The Flint]

"I'm going to King's Landing for reasons which are my own." Radek said firmly, "And what I... mean... to say... is that some men are murdering scum."

"Fucking Whirlwind..." muttered Renard betweens suckling on the wine skin. Radek gave the begging brother a glare.

[Deleted]

"Aye," Ken said darkly. "We heard the foreigners were murderers without honor, who sacrificed good Seven-worshipping men - men of the gods! - to their heathen snake god. Though you seem to think highly of them. So these basilisk heathens are not murderings scum to you?"