He was not the only lord to have importunate help: boys of the town and the villages had come with the wagons, and even a stray dog that refused all attempts to drive it off it belonged to a boy and it would not go.
Another wagon deposited firewood at the intersections of lanes in the camp. Men and boys ran and seized up armfuls, as if there would not be enough.
His two boys came back with sufficient, and began to make a fire. So in the newly raised tent he sat in a folding chair from his own apartment, and had a leisurely cup of tea while the wagons came in.
The camp grew very soon in directions he could not see, as if the pace of the order of march had translated directly to the pace of the distribution and raising of tents. The outer edge and the horse-camp would continue growing as the supply wagons rolled in, but they would have the most of the men in camp and those who had walked farthest with the army camping earliest, and those who had joined them latest camping last. The camp had taken shape first around the spears marking the rows, then in a division established next by standards, those of the lords set by quarter, and those of villages set as they came in proper intervals, so that men would know where tents were to be set. Campfires were lit, men were having tea, preparing their own meals by units, a block of tents together.
So were the lords in command: there was one mess for the combined guard, the Kingʼs Dragon Guard with a tent of their own adjacent to the three lordsʼ tents, with Lord Commander Gwywyn, and Lord Captain Kerdin directly in charge not only of the regulars but of such of the Princeʼs Guard as had come with them. By Annasʼ direction his servants took themselves in with the Kingʼs staff and the high command to prepare supper.
By the time the sun approached the horizon it was only the heavy wagons coming in, and the first of the distributions of grain was being made, sacks dumped off a wagon beginning not with the Kingʼs tent, but from the established edge of the camp and on, as the wagon rolled and the men aboard heaved grain sacks off into the waiting arms of men belonging to those tents, and a youthful scribe sat atop the stacks at the front of the wagon ticking off the sacks on a tablet.
It was all quite remarkable to watch. It went very quickly, considering the number of men involved, many of whom had not had drill; but there were enough soldiers who did know, who yelled instructions or imprecations as appropriate.
Cefwyn offered supper to them in his own tent, and Uwen and Idrys, and the lady and her two ladies all came, which was a fair number for a tent to accommodate. They brought their own folding chairs, and the dining table was the map-case set on two chests, adequate only to hold the cooking-pots from which they served: the young ladies were very tentative, and had no idea at all how to manage, but Ninvris was well at home, and laid a slice of hard bread into a bowl and had Annas put the stew on it. Then the ladies thought that it was proper to do that, too.
They were, Tristen thought, as young as he had been when he arrived among the folk of Amefel.
It was a simple, hasty stew; but it came very welcome after no sleep and a day of leave-takings and moderate confusion. So did a cup or two of wine. Tristen marked how Cefwynʼs face was drawn and how his hand would steal surreptitiously to his leg. But after a little wine the pain seemed to ease.
Idrys came in, and had his supper; from outside came the smell of fires and cookery. Someone in the distance had a pipe, and played it quietly and well. They sat in warmth and pleasant company and discussed the day and the weather and their situation, while now and again reports came in Gwywyn and Kerdin managed that, and Idrys, on whose shoulders a good deal of the effort of ordering the march had rested, stretched out his long legs in front of him, drank two cups of wine and relaxed. Gwywyn came in once to report that the outriders had met the returning messenger from the outpost at Emwy ruin, nearest Tasienʼs camp: and, their intelligence consequently extending all the way to the river, they could state with assurance that the field beyond Emwy was clear and their line of march toward Emwy and Lewen plain was secure: Asyneddin had not crossed the river and that was very good news.
That brought a third cup of wine, and there were far lighter expressions. The lady said then she was for bed, and so they all said.
We shall break camp before light, Cefwyn reminded them, and they were beginning to take their leave of him, and went out into the dark, Ninvris to the north and himself to the south.
But just then came a rider thundering down the road and, by the sound of it, to their very door. The guards shouted angrily outside, and the rider kept going past the tent, hoofbeats fading in the distance.
Cefwyn had started from his chair. Idrys had been quicker, and at the door of the tent a Guelen guardsman was on his way in.
Your Majesty, that man said, distraught and angry.
But in just that small interval came another such rider thundering past, and another angry outcry from the guards, as the rider passed.
Cefwyn cursed and walked past Idrysʼ questions and the guardʼs attempt at explanation and stopped still in the doorway of the tent.
Tristen came and stood at Cefwynʼs shoulder. The only oddity he could discover was his own banner, which had stood alone a short distance from the Marhanen Dragon and the Eagle of the Amefin of Henasʼamef.
Two poles now stood imbedded in the earth, bearing village standards of the Amefin, at angles crossing his own black banner.
Another rider came speeding through the camp, village standard flying from the spear he held.
Damn, said Idrys, and would have gone out.
No, said Cefwyn sharply; and to his guards, No altercation.
That man came by and flung his spear and another standard joined the Sihh banner.
Came a body of men afoot, right behind him, and four more of the Amefin standards went into place about the Tower and Star. Without seeming to notice the guards or them watching, they planted their standards, troubling themselves to straighten and make firm the standards hastily set. Then they turned and walked away.
Plague on them! Idrys muttered; and Tristen felt cold and isolate somehow at fault for what he understood as a shifting of allegiances of the Amefin to his banner, which he neither wanted, nor knew what to do with. He thought that he ought to say something, to protest that he was against it, but he did not know what had caused it, and the words stuck in his throat.
Orien, Cefwyn said. Damn her! There was another rider coming.
We should stop this, Idrys said, and by now Gwywyn and Kerdin and a number of the Guelen guard were near the door, from their tent at the rear. But Cefwyn said, No, damn it, let them do as they will. Do nothing!Iʼll not break what unity we have!
Cefwyn thrust past them back into the tent, and before Annas could intervene, Cefwyn poured himself more wine and flung himself down into his chair. A frown was on his face in the candle-light, and Tristen came back to stand uncertainly facing him.
What shall I do? Tristen asked. There was such anger and resentment in the look that Cefwyn gave him, a gnawing sort of anger, hurt and small and frightening to him. CanIstop it? I will. I shall go and talk to them.
A moment Cefwyn seemed unable even to speak to him, but sat with his hand clenched on his chair-arm. Then Cefwyn gave a great sigh and shook his head. No.