Game of Thrones: Knight’s Honor

Although many people were being punished, their injuries were all superficial. Each was a strong and able-bodied knight, so these wounds were minor to them and could be easily treated with medicine. Even Willas, who appeared to be the most seriously injured, was not in any real danger. Lynd's strikes were precise; though each lash seemed to tear the skin and flesh, they only caused surface-level injuries that would heal in a day or two with proper care.

However, despite the superficial nature of the wounds, the pain Willas experienced was excruciating. It was severe enough for him to cry out publicly and eventually faint from the agony. Because of this, even though the accompanying Maesters and herbalists confirmed that his injuries were superficial, they remained concerned about his condition. They advised Willas to stay in Oldtown for two more days to ensure his recovery before continuing his journey.

Initially, Willas was displeased with the delay, as it would tighten their schedule. However, news from the High Tower suggested that waiting two days would also allow them to monitor the Ironborn pirates reportedly still lingering near Whispering Sound. This reasoning convinced Willas to postpone the journey, which coincidentally gave Lynd time to reorganize the team.

Though Lynd was currently acting as the captain of the cavalry and military judge, his authority extended across every position in the thousand-strong army, including its 2,000 soldiers. Despite his significant power, he exercised it with restraint. Lynd introduced a military judge and a supervisory team to the ranks but otherwise left the system unchanged.

As for the cavalry force composed of several hundred knights, squires, and mounted retainers, he divided them into two parts: one consisting of heavy cavalry made up of knights and squires, and the other consisting of light cavalry formed by mounted retainers skilled in riding and close combat.

Noble heirs who were knights were assigned to one of these divisions, while those who were not were sent to serve as staff under Willas.

After addressing these structural matters, Lynd delegated day-to-day responsibilities to Jon and three men-at-arms who had survived the Starry Sept battle.

Lynd promoted these three to secondary lieutenants to assist Jon in managing the army's operations. With this delegation in place, Lynd needed only to oversee the overall direction, ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Compared to the army's administrative demands, Lynd found himself troubled by the unexpected arrival of Malora Hightower in the barracks. Malora, accompanied by her maid, announced her intention to join the group and explore Dorne for a time. After arriving, she stayed mostly inside the tent prepared for her, rarely appearing in public. Yet Lynd was acutely aware that the "Mad Maid" had come because of him.

Despite recognizing the source of his trouble, Lynd felt uncertain about how to handle it. Malora had not approached him or even shown herself since her arrival. If he tried to explain her intentions to others, no one would believe him—they would assume Lynd was enamored with Malora's beauty.

Moreover, before Lynd had even used force to subdue this troop, Meloya had already conquered them with her beauty.

On the very day she moved into the camp, more than a dozen knights, some still bearing wounds, rushed to her tent to swear lifelong loyalty and to serve as her honor guards. This even led to disputes among them, culminating in a knightly duel right outside Meloya's tent.

The chaos only ended when Lynd intervened, punishing the knights with ten lashes each—not on their backs, but on their buttocks, and delivering the punishment directly outside Malora's tent. Such a humiliating experience, Lynd hoped, would temper their impulsive behavior for a while.

After this incident, Lynd compelled Malora to wear a veil while in the barracks, warning that she would otherwise be expelled, regardless of the prestige of House Hightower. Malora did not resist and began covering her face with a veil whenever she left her tent. While her presence still caused some stir, it was far less disruptive than before—perhaps also due to Lynd's public punishment of the knights.

Shortly after Malora moved into the barracks, her younger brother, Garth Hightower, joined her. He brought with him over a hundred hedge knights and more than 300 soldiers, ostensibly to ensure Malora's safety. However, the real intent was to bolster Willas's forces, a gesture Willas welcomed.

Rather than integrating Garth's men directly into Willas's ranks, Lynd organized them as a separate unit responsible for protecting Willas, Malora, and the civilian staff, including the Maesters.

Compared to Malora, Lynd found Garth to be a more agreeable presence. Garth exhibited the qualities Lynd valued in a soldier: obedience, strict discipline, and thoroughness. He also spoke plainly, with no pretense or hidden motives.

Upon his arrival, Garth challenged Lynd to a duel, declaring that he did not believe Lynd deserved the title of the best swordsman in the Seven Kingdoms. Although Lynd had little regard for such titles, he could not ignore the challenge since it was issued publicly in front of the camp. Declining would undermine the authority he had recently established through his firm actions.

Lynd accepted the challenge but on his own terms. He proposed to duel not only Garth but also the hundred hedge knights Garth had brought with him—all at once. The duel was scheduled for that evening, and the decision stirred great anticipation within the barracks. The location chosen was just outside the camp, and given the morning's curfew—enforced after the knights' punishment—there was no communication allowed between the barracks and the outside world. No one could leave, and no outsiders, such as vendors or prostitutes, were permitted entry.

Yet, by the afternoon, news of the duel had already spread throughout Oldtown, drawing the attention of both the common folk and the city's elite. Although the Ironborn invasion the previous day had disrupted Oldtown's economy and businesses, it had left much of the city's population, particularly the wealthy and influential, relatively unscathed.

The Ironborn focused their attacks on the docklands and commercial districts. Their assault on the municipal district had been repelled by the garrison, while those who targeted the religious district were swiftly dealt with by Lynd before they could inflict serious harm. Meanwhile, the residential and city districts near the Citadel, separated from the affected areas by the Honeywine River, remained untouched. Many residents were unaware an invasion had even occurred until the following morning.

The heaviest financial losses fell upon the sea merchants, whose warehouses had been completely looted by the Ironborn. Secondary losses were incurred by House Hightower, which, under preexisting rental agreements, was obligated to compensate merchants for about 10% of the value of their stolen goods. While the individual claims were modest, their cumulative impact was significant.

However, the financial compensation itself was not the Hightowers' primary concern. The greater issue was the potential damage to Oldtown's reputation. News of the Ironborn's looting could lead merchants to question the city's safety, potentially reducing maritime trade and, by extension, the city's tax revenues. This would affect not only the Hightowers' income but also the livelihoods of Oldtown's residents, risking public dissatisfaction and weakening overall morale.

For this reason, House Hightower was eager to find ways to bolster the city's spirits. The duel between Lynd and Garth presented a timely opportunity to do just that.

During this time, Lynd was unquestionably the most talked-about figure in Oldtown. The song of the Bear Hunter had achieved its intended effect, casting Lynd as a legendary figure with roots in a humble hunter's background.

Initially, many had been skeptical of the tales surrounding him. However, as his feats became more widely known, their doubts began to waver. After all, if he could kill a beast as fearsome as a bear, it was reasonable to believe that he was incredibly strong. Perhaps the rumors of him killing hundreds of people were not so far-fetched after all.

The turning point in these whispers came with the aftermath of the Ironborn attack. Lynd's ferocious massacre in the square in front of the Starry Sept had been witnessed by no one, but those tasked with cleaning up the battlefield testified to the astonishing uniformity of the wounds on the bodies. Every corpse bore injuries consistent with a single style of combat, and the count of severed heads confirmed that over 700 Ironborn had been slain.

News of a single individual killing more than 700 Ironborn spread rapidly throughout Oldtown. Though many dismissed it as an exaggeration, curiosity about the mysterious slayer grew. Investigations soon revealed that the only force stationed near the Starry Sept during the battle was Willas Tyrell's Guard. Of the Tyrell knights, twelve had led troops in the counterattack elsewhere, leaving just Lynd, eight knightly guards, and about twenty ordinary guards to defend the Sept.

Further inquiries unearthed details about the battle in the streets below Starry Sept Square, where the knights and squires had engaged the enemy, killing more than 80 Ironborn.

This left only one plausible conclusion: when over 700 Ironborn stormed Starry Sept Square, the only person standing in their way was Lynd the Bear Hunter. The implication that he had singlehandedly defeated more than 700 armed and ruthless Ironborn was almost too much for ordinary people to fathom.

The people of Oldtown were no strangers to Lynd's reputation, particularly the tale of his near-hundred kills at the King's Landing Tournament of Combat. That story had already seemed unbelievable to many. Now, faced with rumors of him defeating more than 700 heavily armed invaders, disbelief reached a fever pitch. Most dismissed it as an outright lie.

Then, just as skepticism about Lynd was at its peak, news emerged from the Tyrell barracks outside the castle: Lynd was preparing to challenge Garth Hightower and his 100 hedge knights alone. The revelation immediately captivated Oldtown. Even the looted merchants, preoccupied with their losses, could not ignore the prospect of such an extraordinary duel.

The people of Oldtown knew Lynd through an array of rumors, but their knowledge of Garth Hightower was rooted in well-documented facts. Those familiar with Garth all offered a consistent assessment: he was a serious and disciplined man, a formidable fighter, and an exemplar of knighthood.

Garth's exploits lent credence to this reputation. During his service with the Oldtown garrison, he had transformed the chaotic dock district into one of the most orderly areas in the city. His method was brutally straightforward: he went directly to the strongholds of the dock's criminal elements, fought his way through, eliminated the problem, and left. The scar across his lip was a testament to his time in the docklands.

Now, this seasoned warrior was preparing to face Lynd, leading a hundred hired knights in the challenge. The duel promised to be nothing short of spectacular, and it naturally became the center of attention for the entire city.

This incident also alarmed Lord Leyton, who chose not to intervene. Instead, he personally went to the House Tyrell barracks outside the castle and requested that Lynd hold the duel in the recently cleared dock square.

Lynd had no objections, as the location made no difference to him.

By nightfall, the wharf square was surrounded by a massive crowd. Nobles and officials from Oldtown filled the surrounding buildings, while the streets were packed with spectators on temporary platforms erected for the occasion. Even the rooftops were teeming with people, all eagerly awaiting the spectacle of the duel.

The duel left the audience both disappointed and satisfied. They were disappointed because it ended far too quickly—after waiting for hours since the evening, the contest concluded in less than five minutes. Yet they were satisfied because they had witnessed the rise of a legendary warrior. Every rumor about Lynd, even the most unbelievable one claiming he had single-handedly slain over a thousand Ironborn, became undeniably credible in their eyes.

They saw Lynd, armed with only two training swords, effortlessly defeat 101 knights without sustaining a single blow. Each step he took was accompanied by a commanding swing of his swords, and with every strike, three or four knights fell to the ground. Knights who seemed formidable to ordinary people appeared as defenseless as infants before Lynd.

No one doubted the authenticity of the duel. It was inconceivable that Garth and the hundred hired knights had conspired to feign defeat, not only because of Garth's esteemed reputation but also because the audience could feel the sheer power behind Lynd's attacks. Some knights were sent flying by his strikes, crashing into nearby wooden frames with enough force to nearly break them. Others were hurled into the crowd, scattering onlookers. The force behind Lynd's blows was unmistakable.

Out of the 101 combatants, only Garth managed to withstand a single strike without immediately falling. However, even he could do no more than parry once. His sword was knocked from his hands, and the tremendous impact left his arms numb and useless. Helpless, he watched as Lynd approached and lightly tapped the blade of his sword against his neck, symbolizing his defeat.

In this moment, Lynd's reputation soared to unprecedented heights in Oldtown. Even the House Tyrell army, initially skeptical, regarded him with immense admiration. His influence, carried by the merchants passing through Oldtown, would soon spread far beyond the city's walls.