Chapter 11

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Gerda Barley.

Far from fragile, but not a large blonde-haired girl either, with unusually large blue eyes, which at times when she was cheerful, and became as carefree as the north wind, quick, pure and free. She had pure white skin adorned with small blue tattoos of her native clan, she was slim and young. In her twenties, she resembled a Valkyrie from the ancient sagas of the Northmen.

There were relatively many women in the Green Cloaks troop, as there were in the Twins themselves and even the county, but very few individuals who could match her natural predatory and rather unusual beauty.

Her name was Gerda Barley. She was from the mountainous Barley clan that had always dwelt in the North, the coldest and harshest region of the Seven Kingdoms. Long ago, she had to leave her homeland for a number of reasons. She was now a wandering warrior, though she wouldn't have called herself 'wandering' in the last two years. She had friends, friends exactly, she could call this strange rabble of people from not only all regions of the Seven Kingdoms and even Essos. They were quite different in both their personalities and the history that had brought them to the Green Cloaks. She was also one of the first associates of Damian Rivers, who was already known by everyone as none other than Blackheart - Blackheart. She was currently in the inner circle of this warrior, and undoubtedly a very savvy commander. At first, she only trained all the women and girls of the squad, as well as the occasional young man who wanted to break out of the peasant or fisherman class and become a full-fledged warrior.

Not all the men in the squad took her seriously, even though she was a northerner! Some of them thought that she would be a "travelling wife" for the squad leader, nothing more. But in time, they realised they were wrong about her and began to respect her and treat her as an equal member of the squad, just like the other women in the squad. Damian had contributed to that. He wasn't a prude like many Southerners and didn't see women only as a means to satisfy his lust or as a "basket" for his future children. He saw ... an equal to himself, and he socialised as an equal no matter what. And now, two years later, Gerda had fifty men under her personal command. Among them were all the female archers, half a dozen northerners, including Barry One-Eyed, who was not particularly eager to be a commander, but recognised Gerda's supremacy and respected her, as well as the survivors of the Unsullied, who had joined them in Braavos at the time.

For three months now, since Walder Frey had left for King's Landing, Damian had been taking all the men capable of holding arms under his hand and binding them to him personally. Even the hundred warriors that he inherited from his relative Black Walder, he "travelled" and now they are quite humble and relatively adequate guys, which were distributed between Larry Short-handed and Varick. In addition, after recruiting from small groups of mercenaries and local peasants, the number of their glorious squad had passed four hundred. Gerda didn't know exactly how many, but a couple of weeks ago, Rex, Damian's brother had spoken of four hundred. Though Damian, Rex, with Tom of Seven Streams and squire Ollie had travelled to Seagard recently and it seemed to be to join the ranks of their mercenary company. Why? Gerda couldn't understand, nor could most of her comrades-in-arms. After all, there was no war now. And the rumours of an imminent clash with the Westerners is an unresolved issue. So having such a large troop is rather strange. But Gerda knew that if Damian decided to do so, there was a good reason and he knew something. Another thing was that she was a little offended that her friend was hiding it from her, even though he might have a reason for it.

Today, she and Varik were "walking" the younglings with their squad's archers and crossbowmen in the Frey lands for the purpose of hunting down bandits and smugglers of those lands. Though, they'd probably get them out of the way soon enough, and not just in those lands. They've even been dubbed the "Forest Knights" for their services to law and order.

Now she had two of her subordinates with her on patrol around their camp, besides Marik, who was bored in the camp. The first was a young girl, Sevila, with golden brown eyes and dark blond hair, and a slight, lean figure that would not appeal to many. She was only 16 years old, but looked younger than her true age. Her second subordinate was a young boy - Rin. He was a rather tall boy, narrow in the shoulders, thin, long and slightly hooked nose, liquid blond hair, straight and down to his shoulders. One strand of it covered half his face, and when he flung it back, revealing the terrible burn he had received a year ago when storming a castle in the Western Lands, he looked at everything with his blue eyes. He was quite a jolly lad of seventeen. Always helping out the female part of the squad and was an arm and a leg to them both without a backwards thought.

- Gerda how much longer do we have to go? We seem to have long since killed all the bandits - whimpered their archer Sevila.

- Don't worry, about five or six more miles and that's it, we'll finish the detour. - The warrior replied with a slight smile. - We've travelled more than that before, and here we've only gone half a dozen. You're getting old. - she said, "You're getting old," she said. - You'll never marry with such poor stamina. You'll die on your first wedding night.

Her friendly laughter was echoed by both Rin and Marik.

- Well, well, well, laugh-laugh at poor Sevilla! - the girl pouted. - I'll remember that one day! - and darted forward through the coniferous forest.

- Don't take offence! - Marik shouted after her. - We're just joking. Nobody thinks you're an old bag. - he said when his laughter died down, but then he added - Only me!

- Marik, you're like a child. Apologise to her. - Gerda reprimanded him. - Take an example from Rin. He didn't say anything bad to her.

- Ha! That's funny. So it's just the two of us joking around. And I'm the only one apologising?! That's not fair! - Marik was indignant. - And Rin didn't make fun of her for staring at your arse! - Marik ratted out his friend.

- That's not true! - began to deny the blushing boy. - She was just walking ahead of me, and I was watching my feet so I wouldn't fall on her if I got caught on a tree root... and... and... and....

- Okay, ha ha ha ha. Relax, Rin, I'm not mad. You were just looking at me, weren't you? I forgive you. But be warned, if you try to pester me or, Gods forbid, spread your hands, I'll teach our cooks how to make porridge out of eggs... your eggs. - The warrior waved her hand and walked on at a leisurely pace.

- Be careful with her, mate. - Marik patted the boy approvingly. - She's friendly to us, but she'll rip our cocks off if we mess with her fur.

- I know," he sighed and followed Marik.

A few minutes later they reached the track, where not only Gerda and Sevila were waiting for them, but also the aforementioned Damian, Rex, Ollie, Tom and another three dozen riders, among whom stood out a dozen and a half archers, the rest were experienced warriors in Gerda's opinion.

- Hello Rin, Marik. We were just talking to Gerda and Sevila about the latest news. - Damian said smilingly.

Sometimes Gerda noticed that she was not the only one who reacted strangely to Damian's words and even to his presence. More often than not, they felt a sense of danger and anxiety that hung around them. But they knew that they had nothing to fear, because they were under his protection, he was their commander, and he would tear up anyone's arse for them. As well as they would for him. But still, at times Gerda realised that Damian was one of those who are called predators. Dangerous, ferocious, proud, cunning, cruel, calculating, and ruthless to their prey. And his bloodshot eyes made her blood run cold, even for a Berserker northerner. Not only that, but she could admit that if she had met him back in the North when she was just a more or less mature girl, she would have given herself to him immediately. He knew how to turn a woman on with a single glance; he was, as he had once joked, an "alpha male," though the blonde didn't quite understand the meaning of those words, but she could guess. And now, even though she slept exclusively with women, she sometimes imagined his hands on her arse and breasts in bed with another girl under the influence of a small degree of hops, not someone else's...

Even now, when Damian sitting on a black raven horse in full harness of the same dark colour towers above them, and with a slight smirk talks to them, Gerda feels that involuntarily the bottom of her stomach is filled with heaviness and heat. And his image is even more "wild" now, he has recently grown a small beard and hair that he was constantly weaving "dreadlocks" and tying them in one high tight ponytail, and seemed even more...

- Gerda! - Damian's voice brought her out of her thoughts. - Were you even listening to me?

- Y-yes. I'm sorry. I was thinking. - She put her thoughts in order and listened to him more carefully.

- That's great! - he smiled even wider. - As I said, these guys recently lost and won at the same time. Most of them couldn't win anything in Sigard's tournament, but they've proven themselves and now they can become dashing members of our squad. Or they might not. It's up to them. It's all about hard work and persistence in training. Will you come with me to Gemini?

- Why? - Barley frowned. - I'm here with Varik to walk the youngsters.

- Marik will help Varik. - Damian waved his hand indifferently. - You're going to help me in the Twins. I need your opinion on a couple of things. Besides, these guys," he nodded toward the other riders, who were silently watching. - Despite their experience in our squad they are new and could use a mentor. - At these words most of the men cringed. After all, their commander was temporarily going to be a woman. But they kept quiet for now. - Besides, our precious King Robert will be in Gemini very soon. He seems to be on his way to the North, so there's reason to feast and perhaps fight new opponents from the Stag Guard, the Lion Guard and maybe even the Kingsguard. You were complaining about the lack of good new opponents, weren't you?

He knew how to bribe a man with his own hopes and emotions. Gerda recognised that although Damian was a warrior, he was also somewhat of a schemer. But she had nothing against it. It wasn't to their detriment, was it?

- Ha! I'll do it. - Gerda gave in. - Marik?

- I'll fuck the youngsters like innocent girls, don't worry Gerda. - Marik grinned and patted himself on the chest.

- You are certainly good. - Damian nodded importantly. - But about the youngsters, will you take care of their military training?

The laughter of all the boys and the two maidens stunned Marik, but he didn't raise an eyebrow at Damian's joke.

- Well, maybe I will. Either way, they'll be happy to remember that it was Gerda who chased them, not me.

- Well, I hope so. Anyway, either way, these guys will be feared. If not for their military valour, then for the fact that the enemy will be afraid to be captured by them and lose his "rose".

After that, everyone was laughing like a horse, including Marik.

- All right. I'm taking Gerda, but you guys remember why you're here and be careful. It's better to be a living paranoid than a dead slob who didn't look up in time.

Damian gave his hand to Gerda and she deftly sat behind Darkheart, and then they galloped off to the Twins.

In Damian's room, besides himself and his "shadow" and part-time brother Rex, were Gerda, Asgen, Ollie, Tom, Lari, Sigurd Frozen, a sergeant who was not a pure river dweller, his father was from the Moon Mountains and he had been brought up for some time among the mountain clans. He used to be with Black Walder, but now he was already serving under Damian Rivers and had no complaints about life. Then there was Theo Frey, who was quite a savvy man, a knight and not a bad commander with three dozen riders under him.

Damian lay on his bed and ate an apple, watching with a smile the argument, between Lari and Asgen about something of his own.

- Would you two stop squabbling? - Gerda grinned and leaned back in the chair by the window. - You're giving me a headache.

- Not only you. - Rex, who stood in the corner of the room and stared gloomily at the floor, supported her. He had a gloomy look on his face most of the time, though. So few people paid attention to it, they were used to him and his brother being on their own. - Larry and Asgen are always very noisy and sometimes even irritable. So you're not the only one who gets tired of hearing it.

- The truth is born in argument. - Damian said and continued eating his apple.

- You're a philosopher. - Tom chuckled.

- Sometimes I get like that. Anyway, why don't you think with your head sometimes? It's not like it's going to fall off. If people thought with their heads more often, most problems could be avoided or turned to their advantage.

- Dreams. - Sigurd chuckled.

- Just observations from life and reasoning about those examples. - Damian shrugged his shoulders, finished his apple, and threw the stump out the window. - Eh! - He stood up and stretched with pleasure, sitting up. - I'd lie there all day, but we've got work to do.

- We'll deal with the newcomers, don't worry about it. - Sigurd waved his hand.

- It's not about them. I'm telling you about the king's imminent arrival. My father told me that they were once attacked in the King's Lands by a small band of brigands who wanted to kill and rob the corpses of the vanguard of King Robert's colony. But they did not succeed. Always such large and wealthy colonies have been a tidbit for idiots or just very daring robbers. I think our good King Robert Baratheon will be no exception.

- Attack the king? - Ollie frowned and faltered. - That's...

- Very dangerous? - Damian smiled at him. - It is. But human nature is greedy, and sometimes that greed and the mirage of huge profits can kill all reason and good judgement. Rex has done some scouting and gathered rumours that a few dozen thieves and forest brothers who live near Riverrun would like to make a profit at the crown's expense. I reckon there's a lot of rabble that'd want to do that. And the old man wants me and the best of us to help escort the king and his retinue safely to the Twins. They're in Riverrun now, but they're getting ready to move. We need to gather our best men today and move out to meet them.

- Which of us will go? - Sigurd asked with anticipation.

- You stay with Tom, Varik will be in charge, you will be his deputy. The rest of you come with me. Gerda?

- Yes?

- Take the blameless ones from your own and half a dozen archers. Rex! You're your flying squad. - Gerda remembered those half a dozen young men who had once been thieves or good hunters. Rex had not got off them until they had learnt many things for which they might well be called assassins like Rex himself. They were also scouts and good fighters. - Theo, take a dozen knights. Lari and Asgen, a dozen light cavalry and mounted crossbowmen each. We won't take regular infantry, they'll slow us down, so we'll all be on horseback.

- Do you smell profit? And a lot of it? - Tom grinned.

- Who knows? - Rivers shrugged his shoulders and looked mysteriously out of the window. - You're free for now. Get your men ready, we'll be moving out in three hours.

Gerda was quick enough to prepare the men she needed, and the rest of the squad's "officers" were quick enough to do the same. Damian was pleasantly surprised by this and decided to move out immediately.

They moved quickly, but carefully. Damian was also careful with his animal instincts, because sometimes they helped everyone out and were trusted by the other guys.

Two days later, they caught up with the column that was moving slowly towards the Twins. It turned out that they were a little late, or rather not so calculated the actions of bandits. They had decided not to ambush them in the forest in a convenient place, but to rob everyone in Riverrun and flee to Essos. But Ser Baristan Selmy was not a Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and an experienced soldier for nothing. He had better instincts than most people. Gerda was sure that even here the glorious Selmy would give young Rivers a head start. So much so that they were placed only at the end of the King's retinue, next to the lesser lords and knights of the realm. It wasn't the most honourable place, but they couldn't complain. Who were they to contradict the queen's brother, who had taken on extra guards from the "old ferret's men"?

A couple of times Gerda cast her glance at Damian, who rode silently ahead of the troop. Some might have thought that he was upset or offended by such "injustice", but the northerner realised that it was difficult to offend this man, and if you managed to do so, you would soon be in trouble with yourself. All the Freys and their vassals had learnt that, and they wanted to teach the suddenly upwardly mobile "upstart bastard" a lesson or say something offensive. Damian had a hard time stopping the freethinking and insolence in his and his subordinates' direction. In the three months since Walder Frey had departed and Black Walder had been sent to the next world, four other legitimate Freys had followed the latter. That was enough for everyone to realise what this Blackheart was all about.

In the evening there was a feast in honour of the king, his family and retinue. Everyone drank, ate and enjoyed themselves, especially the king. Robert was not very fond of the Freys, though, and even when he was drunk he made offensive jokes about them. Barley looked at Damian again, but he didn't raise an eyebrow. That's right! Even a full-fledged heir wouldn't take revenge on the king for insulting his family. Not even Rivers. There was nothing he could do. But Gerda did not want to stay long in the Hall, so she went to bed.

She fell asleep at the side of a pretty young maid whose name she could not remember, though she had known her for a couple of weeks. She always forgot to ask her name. She would have slept through dinner from the drink and the pleasant exhaustion of bedding the girl. But the castle castellan's shriek:

- Fire! - woke the whole castle.

As she dressed quickly and ran out into the corridor, guards and servants ran towards her.

- What's on fire?

- The rooms in the left wing.

She sprinted outside to see that they were indeed engulfed in flames that were beginning to spread to other rooms. But the Freys' men quickly began to extinguish the fire and prevented it from spreading to other places.

- Mummy!" cried a little girl from the window of a room that was also on fire.

- Myrcella! - screamed Queen Cersei in terror. - 'Save my daughter at once! I command it!

Gerda realised with horror that the princess could now be burned alive before her mother's eyes.

The King's men and the Kingsguard had realised this and were now more active in helping the Freys put out the fire. And Ser Jaime Lannister, Baristan Selmy and Aris Oakheart rushed upstairs to the princess.

In an instant Princess Myrcella disappeared from the sight of those in the courtyard, causing the Queen to collapse in a faint and now the Maester and the Queen's maester and maids of honour were already beginning to assist her.

A moment later the royal guards came out into the courtyard with the unconscious girl in their arms, she was fine. The Queen had already regained consciousness, and rushed to her daughter, checking her condition. Gerda stood by her side the whole time, occasionally giving orders to the rank and file members of the squad as to what to do if they flashed by her.

- Mum?" the princess woke up. - Where is the red-eyed knight?

- Who? - The queen didn't understand the question. - You must be dreaming, there is no red-eyed knight here. - and smiled at her daughter, stroking her and holding her close.

- There was. - Jaime Lannister confirmed her niece's words. - It wasn't us who saved Her Highness. As soon as we got to Aunt Jenna and her hubby's room, the squad leader who met us on the way from Riverrun to here, he's an anointed knight, his name is... Damian Rivers. Walder Frey's bastard.

- And where is he? - Tyrion asked as he came closer.

- He was on fire. - Ser Baristan Selmy added. - He gave us the princess and jumped out the window.

- There was a window at the end of the corridor that led to the river. He fell into the river, Your Majesty. - Ockhart reported. - I saw it myself. I'm not sure he could have survived that, he was on fire and the altitude was quite high.

- Our captain is stronger than you think! - said Gerda proudly. - He'll survive, you'll see.

- He already has. - smiled proudly at one of the Green Cloak soldiers and pointed his finger behind the gentlemen's back.

Damian Rivers was waddling towards the south gate, wet and half-naked. He was visibly exhausted and holding onto his left arm.

Gerda, as well as the rest of his men, ran up to him and began to enquire about his health, and to help him get to a place where he could be helped. Somehow this was the first time Gerda had ever worried so much for someone, she didn't even notice her hands shaking, and yet she took command of everyone and sent for her troop maester and his apprentice.

By the time their maester and apprentice arrived, and even his brother Rex, Damian was drinking wine to dull the pain and swearing at anything and anyone in an unknown language. Gerda and even the Maester did not know the language, but she understood Damian's emotions immediately and smiled weakly, sighing with relief. After all, her commander was alright.

Continuation to follow...