Blackford Crossing

[Deleted]

Myles Puckens saw they wouldn't be budged. "You should thank me," he spat. "Hayden bedded my mother. Must have had your wife half a hundred times. He was insulting her honor."

He shivered at the thought of the Wall, his fists clenching.

[Ellinda]

The Sheriff acknowledged Myles confession. "Murder is murder, even scum deserve a life. You will spend tonight in the jail and we leave tomorrow for the Wall. I'll escort you myself. Been a while since I seen my cousin."

He looked up at the young men who had helped arrest Myles. "I hear you got a fancy tournament to go to. You're both free to leave at anytime. Thank you for your help and don't forget us little folk here at Blackford Crossing when you get rich and famous." He grinned and swatted Ben on the back. "Specially not if you get rich."

[Deleted]

Myles Puckens stared at him silently. "I didn't mean for it go that far," he said, in one last desperate effort. "I only meant to beat him up really, really badly. Then when he died I ran for it. But I'm happy he died."

He looked down at his hands. "Who will take care of my ma?"

"Any man here will," Lewys scoffed. Myles leapt for him again, but Osmund restrained him.

[Ellinda]

Kaled roughly patted Myles on the shoulder. "I'll keep an eye out for her. She's always been a good friend to me and I'll make sure she's okay. The Wall is a hard life but it is an important one. Make your mother proud of you by defending our land."

Kaled led Myles away to the jail for the night.

[Deleted]

Courtesy of Little Lewys and the equally little Egen, word got around Blackford Crossing of what had happened. They said Widow Puckens burst into tears, went to the village sept, "confessed to lewd acts," and then shut herself in her house for a week, drinking copious amounts of tea.

Meanwhile, Ser Benfry Smith was named a hero. Cassa, Hayden's wife, declared him the patron saint of Blackford Crossing, and was promptly put to bed by the other women.