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Page 113
mouth is a fool, either. Therefore, as I said, something is brewing. However, it is necessary to allow him to make the first moves. Unfortunately, whatever that move is will be against you on your land. Thereby, win or loseyou lose. Now, I would like to suggest that we divert the attention of the king's men from offense to defense and that we take this war onto soil other than our own.''
Richard stopped eating. A silence fell. Without a word being said, Walter felt that he had seldom been aware of so eloquent an argument. He wondered why he was bring kept at the table when it was clear that Richard was perfectly capable of making his points with a single word or, as in this case, without speaking at all. The earl's reluctance to initiate an attack in an area not already armed and engaged in the war against him was expressed in every line of his face and body. Equally clear, however, was Prince Llewelyn's conviction that this must be done. At last Llewelyn spoke againone word.
"Shrewsbury."
Had Walter been capable of it, he would have pricked up his ears with interest. If Richard agreed to attack Shrewsbury, there were two routes he could use to take his army north. As far as travel went, the easier route lay to the east. The land was less hilly along that route, and the roads were better. However, the road passed by Grosmont, Hereford, Leominster, and Ludlow. Whether any of the towns or keeps would attack Pembroke's army if they were not themselves attacked first was questionable; however, warnings would certainly fly north ahead of the army to Shrewsbury and south to the king in Gloucester.
The other route ran up along the Usk through Talgarth and then along the valley of the Wye. It was a harder road, but mainly settled by Welsh, who had little interest in the war as long as it did not burn them out. And if Richard did choose the westerly route, he would likely pass by Knight's Towera keep that Walter owned by law but did not control. Would Sir Heribert, the castellan of Knight's Tower, dare hold out against Richard's army? Walter would not ask that Richard pause to take the keep if the castellan resisted, but he thought the threat to do so would be enough.
For the sake of the supplies that Walter would be glad to offer, it might even be worth a feint. And once Knight's

 
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