Patrek and Olander

[Lord Howland Royce]

Ser Patrek Redfort watched the northern army march closer and closer with something akin to dread. Well, he knew that they would be brought back to fight sooner or later.

[Ollie]

Olander Reed and various other noted and skilled warriors of the north arrive at the Twins at the head of 15,000 northern soldiers. The Lady Frey has better sense than to dream of denying such a force passage. The marching army sets up camp well away from the two castles under order of Olander Reed, in hopes of easing the burden on the Frey household. The trifling 500 crownland forces went largely ignored.

[Lord Howland Royce]

Ser Patrek rode to the settling army, after asking a few soldiers of the where abouts of their commander he found the tent and asked the guards if he may speak to Olander Reed.

[Ollie]

He was permitted into the captain's tent, and Olander Reed greeted him with a small incline of his head. "Ser Patrek, a pleasure. Please, take a seat. May I offer you a cup of mulled wine, or some honeyed bread?" he asked, canting his head to the side.

[Lord Howland Royce]

Ser Patrek nodded back and smiled, "Plain bread would be nice, thank you. I would rather not get used to something that will be in short demand while we march".

[Ollie]

Olander took a seat, and within a few moments a tray with a crusty loaf of bread was brought before them, accompanied by a small dish of butter and honey. The crannogman tore off one of the heels himself and nibbled on it.

"To what do I owe the visit?" he asked, plainly.

[Lord Howland Royce]

Ser Patrek took a pause from eating a piece of bread, and handed the crannogman a letter from the King stating that Ser Patrek and his men should stay put until reinforced.

[Ollie]

Olander perused the letter with a leisure while finished his slice of bread. The loaf must have been good and well, because as far as any could tell, the crannogman appeared quite alive and unpoisioned.

"A pity," he sighed, and slid the letter back to Ser Patrek. "It is unfortunate that this letter did not reach my forces in time. We must have missed it to keep on schedule with our plans."

[Lord Howland Royce]

Patrek grunted, "Is that so? The Lady Frey know we got this letter, my men have heard the King's order. State your intentions plainly or do not bother."

[Ollie]

"My intentions?" asked Olander simply in his soft voice. "My intentions are plain. For all intents are purposes, I am marching my men southward to Seagard to defect from my good King Rickon and to join up with the rowdy band of miscreants that name Erik Pyke their King." He leaned back in his chair and studied how the knight before him took the information.

[Lord Howland Royce]

Patrek nearly reached for his axe as the word defect came out from the crannogman's lips. The axe wasn't there however and as Reed continued to speak he paused. "I see, and what you do after can not include my men because they might be recognised?"

[Ollie]

The tiny crannogman paused, tugging at the wisps of hair on his chin. If Olander had detected anything from Patrek's expression, he said nothing of it. "Secret plans don't remain secret for long if you speak freely of them," he explained, and tore another hunk of bread from the loaf. It was hearty bread, thick and filling, if a bit tough.

"I'm sure King Rickon would prefer the head of the pretender King Erik sooner, rather than later. Think of all the bloodshed saved if we remove the head of the kraken, rather than combating his tentacles one by one."

[Lord Howland Royce]

Patrek nodded, "I can see the wisdom in that. However 500 out of 15 500 are hardly noticable."

[Ollie]

He nodded. "True enough," he said, musing silently to himself for a time. "If you accompany me, you and your men will be under my command. They must be informed of the plan, and integrated with my company. One southron soldier might go unnoticed, but a cluster of 500 is a bit more conspicuous."

[Lord Howland Royce]

"Agreed, it is only reasonable after all," Patrek said. "the traitor Pyke might have seen me a few times in King's Landing, but I suspect that he did not take much notice of the guards. Never spoken to the man. I have also changed quite a bit since I left the city". Patrek said grimacing at his long unkept hair and wild beard.