Chapter 47: Harrison the Killer (Part I)
Roll pinned the rat he'd just caught outside the fence to the ground, grabbed his hair, and turned his face toward Ian.
"Would you care to explain your purpose, Master Guard?" Ian held the torch less than three inches from the man's face. He could already see him clearly—it was the guard who'd gone in to report.
"Ser, this is a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding! I only came to see if you needed anything else. Ah! Move that thing away, move it away, please!" As Ian brought the torch closer to his face, the guard suddenly wailed.
"What orders did Ser Harrison give you?"
"Ser Harrison? No, he didn't... Ahhh! Mmph!" Ian thrust the torch directly at the guard's face. The guard was about to scream when Roll, standing behind him, gagged him.
"What orders did Ser Harrison give you? I won't ask a third time."
"He told me to watch you closely and report back if you did anything suspicious," the guard shuddered.
"That's all?"
"That's all, ser. Ser Harrison seemed very anxious at the time. He only said that before rushing me out," the guard explained hastily, fearing Ian wouldn't believe him.
"What did you see when you entered the castle?"
"I saw nothing, nothing at all," the guard shook his head. "I didn't even see Uncle Kerry who'd gone in earlier. Ser Harrison met me on the first floor himself."
"Thank you for your honesty. May the Seven have mercy on you."
"Oh, you're so merciful."
"Send him to the Seven."
"No!"
Ian had barely finished speaking when Roll snapped the guard's neck.
"Let's go." Ian said without further explanation, turning to Dorian.
"Follow me." Dorian, not wanting to waste time, headed straight for the rear gate.
The group rode northwest into the manor, where Dorian's trusted company was stationed.
"So what exactly did you figure out back there?" Dorian rode alongside Ian.
"Harrison killed Clubfoot, then he killed the old guard who first went in to report."
"What are you saying? Harrison killed Clubfoot to take command? That's impossible! He'd never be able to hold my adoptive father's original forces by doing that! Everyone would want revenge for Clubfoot!"
"Wouldn't they?"
"Of course they would. If Clubfoot's dead, then all my adoptive father's men would rally to me!" Dorian's tone was firm, clearly confident.
"Exactly."
"What?"
"There's no reason for Harrison to remain holed up in the castle doing nothing. Ser Harrison killing Clubfoot was probably an accident. Though we don't know why, Ser Harrison clearly wasn't prepared for it.
After he killed Clubfoot, he realized civil war would break out, so he's anxiously hiding in the castle, trying to figure out what to do. Then the old guard announcing us walked in on him."
"Then why didn't he lure me inside and kill me too? That would've left our faction leaderless. Without someone to command them, the sellswords might've given up revenge and scattered."
"Don't you think he considered it? The reason he didn't invite us into the castle just now was because of me. Harrison is a landed knight—his holdings and estate are all here. He wouldn't dare attack a Lannister.
That's why he wanted to lodge me in the rear guest quarters, hoping to resolve this tonight and meet with me tomorrow as if nothing happened."
"Then isn't he afraid I'll use this time to rally everyone and expose his crimes?"
"How would he know we've discovered his crimes?"
Dorian looked stunned.
"We're exploiting an information advantage right now. While he still thinks we're in the dark, we'll find your supporters and then gather the sellswords from your adoptive father's faction to expose Ser Harrison's murders."
"Ser Harrison is a landed knight directly appointed by the Iron Throne." Dorian thought Ian must be mad.
"All the better. If he were sworn to a local lord, that would be trickier. As for the Iron Throne?" I'm worried Robert might get gored by a boar before he even notices he's lost a landed knight on the Crownlands border.
Harrison paced the narrow hall, sighing and clutching his face.
This was a disaster. Though this was his manor, nearly a hundred of the sellswords present belonged to the late Blackwing Morgan's faction.
Normally, this wouldn't have mattered. While he and Morgan disagreed on many things, Morgan was fair-minded, and they'd actually gotten along well.
But now, everything was different. Morgan had left only yesterday, and today Clubfoot returned with news of his death.
Harrison couldn't accept it easily. After all, Morgan had ridden out with ten men, and Clubfoot told him everyone was fine except Morgan. How could there not be something wrong?
An argument broke out between Harrison and Clubfoot, during which Harrison brought up the story of the traitor Morgan had mentioned earlier. To his shock, this enraged Clubfoot.
Clubfoot demanded to know if Harrison was calling him the traitor, then drew his sword and lunged at him.
The attack was so sudden that Harrison barely dodged, instinctively grabbing a carving fork and stabbing back. The metal tines pierced Clubfoot's throat.
By the time Harrison realized what had happened, Clubfoot was already dead.
He couldn't explain this scene. Clubfoot died from a fork. Who would believe Clubfoot attacked him first and he killed him in self-defense?
Anyone would assume he'd taken advantage of Clubfoot's guard being down and suddenly murdered him with the fork.
First, Captain Morgan dies under mysterious circumstances, then Captain Morgan's closest friend—the company's second-in-command—dies in his own castle. Harrison couldn't imagine any way to prevent the sellswords from rising up against him.
Harrison walked to the window and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw everything appeared normal outside.
Since Crooked Cap hadn't reported back, it meant Dorian—who'd returned with that Lannister lord—hadn't noticed anything amiss and hadn't caused trouble.
This was crucial. Harrison needed time to think through how to resolve his predicament. Though he'd been pondering for hours, he still had no ideas.
Harrison was a capable fighter, but he wasn't a clever man. Otherwise he wouldn't have been content serving under Morgan as second-in-command.
What should I do? Harrison asked himself.
Fighting was impossible. His influence within the company was already weaker than Morgan's had been, and now he stood accused of murdering Clubfoot.
Will they also blame me for Morgan's murder? Harrison suddenly thought wildly.
If that happened, even the company captains who'd belonged to his faction would probably reconsider their loyalty.
"Vengeance for Morgan!"
"Murderer!"
"Harrison the killer!"
Suddenly, Harrison heard shouts from outside the window.
(End of Chapter)
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