The room felt different after seventeen men left it.

The table remained where it had been. The map still covered most of its surface. But the atmosphere had changed. Five people occupied a space that had recently held more than twenty, and the silence settled differently because of it.

The deployment markers from the earlier briefing still sat where the dismissed captains had last moved them.

Col stood on the table’s left side, close enough to the map to study it without leaning. Cedd stood two places to his right with both arms at his sides.

Swen had taken position near the map’s far edge. Godric remained at the far end of the table, exactly where he had stood through both meetings.

Lewin occupied the near edge of the map where he had stopped after entering the room. No one had gave him a place, but he had chosen one that let him reach every section of the table quickly if needed.

Beorn studied the map first. Then he looked at the five men surrounding it.

He started to explain in a even tone, "The refugee influx increased the city daily food consumption past any numbers we could effectively sustain within the season."

He moved around the table as he spoke, forcing each point into sequence. "That means local production cannot bridge the shortage inside the available time frame. The trade route to the kingdom through the barrenland is still disrupted by monsters activity, so those options are gone."

Cedd looked at the map once more, likely running through the information Beorn had already checked several times.

"Then what’s left is to take from someone else," he realized.

It was not a question. He had spent weeks processing refugees through the gate while watching the supply reports worsen week by week. The situation narrowed toward one logical outcome, and he had reached it before Beorn spoke the order aloud.

"Correct," Beorn nodded.

He moved to the eastern side of the map where the survey markings became thinner and the terrain shifted from barrenland crosshatching to the tighter drawing that marked rising elevation.

The Dreadmoor Peaks formed the Badlands’ eastern frontier, expanding southeast beyond Ashmark’s outskirts. The mountains were tall enough to catch weather on their far side, which made the territory beyond them fertile.

On the Badlands side, the foothills controlled the passes through the range. Anyone who held those passes had influence over movement, trade, and supply. Mercenary companies had understood that for years.

"We will target the mercenary companies headquarters in the foothills."

Beorn explained, resting his hand above the foothills. "Two major companies and a spread of smaller ones across the lower ridgelines. They maintain winter stores because they supply their own positions through the cold season. Lewin’s people have been tracking them for the last week."

Godric spoke from the far end of the table.

"Three companies against defended positions in unfamiliar terrain."

He stated the problem once and left it there.

"We have position reports, estimated numbers, and supply locations. The risks can be measured."

Lewin stepped forward immediately. He positioned himself where everyone could clearly see the foothills section of the map.

"The Bound Iron."

He started to report with an awkward tone, not used to the position. "Approximately two hundred and forty men. They occupy a converted fort in a medium-sized pass, one of the secondary crossings through the Dreadmoor Peaks. Their food stores are kept in the lower section of the fort."

He tapped the position lightly. "The structure is well-built, but the valley route stays exposed for most of the ascent. Their watch rotation focuses on the pass road itself, hence the coverage on the lower slope is weaker."

His finger moved south along the foothills. "The Ashen Company. Estimated strength between one hundred sixty and two hundred. Their headquarters are two camps at lower elevation, roughly half a day south of the Bound Iron position. They specialize in raiding contracts, and their camp discipline is lower, with the perimeter between the two sites poorly watched."

Then he moved farther west into the mid-foothills. "Below both major companies are twelve to fifteen independent companies spread through this region." He traced the distribution with two fingers. "The companies sizes range from twenty to fifty men. The largest concentration is here at a water source where multiple of them overlap."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"Past that point, the distance between camps exceeds most groups’ effective response range."

Swen studied the foothills in silence for a few seconds. He was already picturing the operation in his head, looking for complications before they became problems.

"What are the orders about noncombatants? Cooks, laborers, anyone traveling with them."

It was a subtle inquire if the protectorate would take prisoners, and more important slaves. Beorn answered immediately.

"No need to either harm or capture them. The objective is the supply."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"Any resistance is to be met with no mercy. We have no room to take prisoners."

Swen nodded once. He wanted precise limits before executing the order. That habit had likely kept his company functional after the city conflict accelerated his promotion faster than anyone had planned.

Ambiguous orders created unpredictable outcomes.

Col received the mission against the Bound Iron. Beorn identified the fort, the valley route, and the lower storage level.

"Their structure creates one weakness."

Beorn suggested. "They centralize their supplies, meaning the lower section is your single objective. Take it. Establish the convoy point. Hold the fort until the wagons are loaded and returning to Ashmark."

He met Col’s eyes.

"Lewin’s people will survey the escort route before your company advances."

Col considered the plan before responding.

"Should we return as the escort? Or hold the fort?" He asked.

"Your company remains in position until the last wagon leaves the fort."

Beorn gave a single nod. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Then you withdraw."

Cedd received the Ashen Company assignment. Beorn looked over both camp positions and the distance between them. "The separation is their weakness. Hit the nearer camp hard enough that the second cannot organize to assist before your company overwhelms their perimeter."

He gave Cedd the supply estimates from Lewin’s reports.

Cedd accepted the mission without question.

Swen’s mission covered the foothills sweep. Beorn outlined the sequence carefully, from the largest cluster first, then outward from that position, with the convoy advancing behind the operation instead of waiting for complete pacification.

"The independent companies won’t coordinate effectively."

Beorn informed. "That means each engagement remains isolated if you maintain momentum. Advance in sections, be faster than the news the companies are being attacked."

Swen considered the water-source cluster again.

"In that case we will ambush the area they overlap first, and then go from there."

"Correct," Beorn nodded in approval. "Don’t let them organize after the first attack."

Swen’s expression shifted almost immediately. He had already moved from evaluation to implementation.

"That works," he said.

Godric dismissed the three captains with a single word.

They left without delay.

Beorn stayed where he was.

He looked down at the foothills section again. Lewin’s markers identified the Bound Iron, the Ashen Company, and the scattered smaller groups spread across the ridgelines.

Grimholt’s marker sat near the far edge of the map. The ruins band crossed the mid-barrenland exactly where it had been marked.

Then Beorn opened the ledger, removed the quill from his coat, and placed the ledger on the table’s corner.

His hand started moving before he fully thought about what he intended to write.

The combined camps, the Bound Iron, the Ashen Company, and the foothill groups all had enough food to survive a mountain winter. For a city with thousands of people, those supplies extended the granary for only a few weeks.

The numbers didn’t lie.

He had authorized the deaths of hundreds of people to purchase a few additional weeks.

The quill continued across the ledger.

Beorn still did not leave.