Turn 1: Harroway Town
It took you three days to reach the banks of the Green Fork and while it at first was an exciting and novel thing to leave the city, you were rather sick of walking by noon of the second day. His horse unfortunately had only room for one of your in addition to the baggage, so while the knight gave you some very early brief riding lessons so that you could rest a bit while you kept moving, the journey was still tiring.
Especially since you spent both mornings and evenings setting and breaking camp, foraging for some extra food to stretch the dry trail rations he had, and finding some water in the middle of the countryside. None of which you had any experience with. Luckily, you had not boasted too much and you quickly got the hang of it, something that Ser Orton praised you a few times for.
The other thing you learned in those first few days was how help him into and out of his armor. Not that he stopped wearing it ever for long. Usually he just disappeared for a while to wash himself and his underclothes, then had you help him put it all back on. It seemed rather uncomfortable to sleep that way, though when asked about it, he just vaguely said it was safer that way and changed the topic.
All in all, your first taste of knighthood was a bit sobering. No fancy taverns or lordly estates to rest in. No drinking and feasting. It was a bedroll that was always mildly soggy and a thing soup made with dried meat and whatever greens you had found.
But you had always wanted this and you weren't going to quit at the first sign of hardship, even if it was not the kind of difficulty you had expected.
Things became easier once you reached the river though. Ser Orton quickly found a passing river barge that was willing to take the two of you and his horse along. For free even. Most traders apparently were quite happy to feed a knight accompanying them, since it kept trouble away from them.
Another three days passed on that boat, though now you were almost more bothered by the boredom. There was not much to do besides trying to fish, cleaning up after the horse and gossiping with the traders. Though the last was not much to your taste, since they mostly talked about the Ironborn and you would have preferred not to dwell on that too much.
Ser Orton explained that this was what most of his time was like. Travelling. Waiting. Some training, though there had not been a good time for that so far. Tourneys were rare events and a true war thankfully rarer still, but the bards rarely sang about the long days riding along the Kingsroad. It sounded a bit as if he was prodding to see if you'd rather stay in Harroway, though you had no intention to. You always wanted to leave the slum, not change which one you lived in.
Arriving in Harroway Town just strengthened your resolve. In most respects, the place was nigh indistinguishable from Seagard. Just smaller. There was no big city wall and the keep was just a fat, round tower in the center, but all the other things were similar. The docks and slums, sneaking along the waterfront until reaching the tanneries at the edge of town. The merchant district near the keep.
Yet what stood out was how different the people were. Everyone looked vaguely afraid and travelers like you were eyed with some suspicion. This redoubled when you were left standing alone near the keep with the horse while Ser Orton spoke with the local lord. You half expected a guard to come on suspicion that you were trying to steal from a knight.
You were a squire now. Perhaps not officially, but unless Ser Orton sent you away, you'd stick with him until it became truth. All you needed to do was to convince him that you were capable and worthy of his time. The only question was how to go about it.
You have 3 actions. Some activities may cost more than one action, or cost none at all. This will be noted on the action in question.
Ser Orton has his own matters to attend to, so you can only do one action involving him.
[] [Ser Orton] Learn from Ser Orton.
While he already started to explain things to you as they came up, there's likely still a lot expected of a squire that you don't know yet. Ask Ser Orton for some extra tutelage.
Note: You will continue learning in the background even if this option is not chosen, just slower.
[] [Ser Orton] Ask for combat training.
You know how to defend yourself in a scrap, but more often than not, that meant running away. If you want to become a famous knight like Barristan Selmy or Duncan the Tall, you will need to learn how to use a sword.
[] [Ser Orton] Ask for riding lessons.
While you already sat on his horse for a while, Ser Orton led it around the entire time. It would certainly be useful if you knew how to ride on your own, even if you own horse is a faraway dream right now.
[] [Ser Orton] Ask for lessons on nobility.
There's a keep in Harroway Town and you think the lord is called Harroway too? It might be wise to ask Ser Orton to teach you more about the nobility before you embarrass yourself and him.
[] Speak with other squires.
There are likely a few other knights in the lords employ and they too likely have their own squires. Maybe you can learn more about what is expected of you by speaking with them.
[] Gather rumors.
Sailors talk a lot and river traders are apparently no different. With so many people coming and going, you can perhaps learn more about what is happening in the Riverlands and elsewhere, which might be handy for Ser Orton.
[] Buy travelling clothes. (Free)
Your old clothes won't do. Neither do you look much like a squire, they are also just not good to be out in the wilderness. If you can get some money, you could perhaps buy something.
Note: While this action is free, it automatically fails if you do not do anything that gets you money.
[] Try to find some work in the keep.
Now that you are more or less a squire and Ser Orton implicitly vouches for you, you can probably try to find some day labors to be done for the local lord.
[] Try to find some work in the town.
There's always a need for day laborers everywhere and with people fleeing from Seagard, you can certainly convince someone that you are not just a street rat and can be trusted.
[] Get some money illegally.
So far, you've managed to get through life with the occasional theft. But now you need more than a loaf of bread. Perhaps it is time to try and steal or swindle for more than just a few copper.
[] Attend services in the Sept.
You never were the most pious, though Ser Orton noted that a knight should be, and Harroway Town has a nice sept. Visit it a few times and see if you can figure out what you are supposed to learn there.
AN: Bit of a slow chapter, but the travel was pleasantly uneventful even if Ser Orton kept expecting an ambush.
