Ordhan knew that the lord's comment was lightly made, said as if in jest, but to him it was a compliment deeply-felt no matter how it was meant. He said nothing, only bowing his head to acknowledge it, but the softening of his eyes spoke volumes. Even when Piers went on to praise the mettle of the guards, it meant more.
"I cannot agree more, ser," said Ordhan in answer. It was no wonder that the knight's mind was drawn to the same matter as the lord's, given that it was a thing he often dwelled upon, even more so when his rank was mentioned or his deeds were praised. He would not be so rude as to contradict Piers about his own merits, but Ordhan's thoughts were set and no one could convince him otherwise--not while those fallen with the king lay unmourned, dishonored, while the one who let them die stood immortalized in stone, and riffraff like Ordhan had been knighted. Given his own family, Ordhan could not imagine such blindness.
Piers may be able to approach a topic in a circle, hinting at what he meant without outright saying it, but Ordhan could be nothing if not direct. "It was the Grey Wardens in my company," he answered. The matter had been complicated and dangerous, but they had managed it somehow, no thanks to himself. "They came upon elves being led to be sold, outside the city, and used what they learned there to find who was leading it."