BlurryDream
patreon
Chapter 245: Wedding Invitation
🕑 Added 2025-04-03 11:24:37 +0000 UTCMore than ten days had passed since Nymeria set sail from Miracle Harbor. Aside from the first few days when Augustus kept crying for his mother, he soon seemed to forget about her entirely. Every day, he played happily with the two Shadowcat cubs that Glory had brought back.
Lynd, meanwhile, spent his days in either his study or the council hall in Redemption Town, handling the various documents submitted by the Council of Government, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Military Affairs.
Unlike Nymeria, who personally oversaw every detail, Lynd had no intention of wasting his time on administrative minutiae. He carefully categorized all affairs by urgency, only handling those the cabinet couldn't resolve on its own—matters concerning the security of his territory or the reception of distinguished visitors.
"Lord Willas, what brings you to my lands?" Lynd was surprised when his subordinates informed him of Willas’s arrival.
After all, Willas was nearly bound to the Godswood of Highgarden, unable to leave at will.
However, when he saw Willas in person, Lynd immediately understood how he had managed to leave Highgarden. In Lynd’s eyes, Garth Greenhand had completely merged with Willas, much like how Bran had fused with the Three-Eyed Crow in his previous life’s memories.
The similarities between them were striking: both were heirs to powerful wardenships, both were paralyzed on one side of their bodies, both had merged with an ancient entity, and both had taken it upon themselves to fight against the White Walkers.
Willas gazed at Lynd calmly and said, "I'm heading to the Wall, so I wanted to see you before I left."
Lynd frowned. "Are you just going to visit, or…?"
"I think I'll be leaving to the Wall," Willas said firmly.
Lynd hesitated before asking, "Does the Lord permit it?"
Willas smiled. "If he didn’t, I wouldn’t be here speaking with you."
Lynd tried to dissuade him. "With all due respect, Lord Willas, this decision seems rather rash. Frankly, in your current condition, what can you even do at the Wall? Wouldn't it be far more valuable for you to remain in Highgarden, ensuring a steady supply of trained warriors for the Watch, rather than donning the black cloak yourself?"
Willas's smile faded, and his expression turned solemn. After a brief pause, he said, "The one beyond the Wall is in trouble. He has fallen into a deep sleep, and I don’t know if he’ll ever wake up. If he doesn't by the end of this long summer, then the Wall will become the true front line. I have to be there to make sure it holds."
"The Three-Eyed Crow is in trouble?" Lynd was taken aback.
Despite the Three-Eyed Crow’s position beyond the Wall, at the very front of the conflict with the White Walkers, he was not defenseless. His domain alone was powerful enough to keep the White Walkers at bay, not to mention the Children of the Forest who lived alongside him.
After all, the true Children of the Forest were nothing like their feeble depictions in his past life's memories. While not all of them wielded near-divine magic like Spark, their long lifespans allowed them to hone their combat skills to an inhuman level. Combined with their mastery of magic and the advantage of familiar terrain, they were more than capable of repelling White Walker incursions.
With such formidable protectors at his side, it was difficult for Lynd to imagine anyone harming the Three-Eyed Crow.
"Who hurt him? Was it the White Walkers?" Lynd asked, puzzled.
Willas shook his head. "I don’t know. I can only sense that his aura has grown extremely weak. And…" He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "He's asking me for help."
Lynd immediately grasped the severity of the situation. Willas and the Three-Eyed Crow weren’t exactly mortal enemies, but they were certainly not allies. In fact, much of Willas’s current condition—his paralysis—could be attributed to the Three-Eyed Crow. For him to now be reaching out to Willas for aid, his situation must be dire.
Understanding the gravity of it all, Lynd asked gravely, "What do you need me to do? Do you want me to accompany you north?"
"No, that’s not necessary," Willas shook his head. "Not yet. I can tell that whatever happened to him isn't related to the White Walkers. It’s the height of summer—there’s no way they would be moving south."
Lynd pressed, "Then what do you need from me?"
Willas fell silent for a moment before saying, "Look after Arianne for me. If anything happens to her in the future, I hope you'll step in and ensure she doesn’t come to harm."
Lynd was taken aback. He had assumed Willas wanted him to look after House Tyrell, but instead, he was asking him to protect Arianne Martell.
Clearly, Willas had once truly loved Arianne. If things had gone differently, perhaps she really would have married him. But fate had taken another course.
Lynd did not refuse. In fact, even if Willas hadn’t asked, he would have helped Arianne if she were in trouble. She was an important ally, after all.
Compared to the calculating and shrewd Prince Doran, Arianne Martell’s straightforward nature made her much easier to deal with.
Over the years, Arianne had played a key role in trade between Summerhall and Dorne. She was also a senior member of the Miracle Merchant Guild, holding the exclusive rights to distribute the Elixir of the Seven in Dorne—an arrangement that had brought her considerable wealth.
Thanks to her control over vast sums of money, Princess Arianne had gathered a large group of supporters and established considerable influence. She was even using her growing power to sway some of Prince Doran’s decisions.
Willas, too, had noticed Arianne’s ambitions and could foresee the outcome. In his eyes, she had little chance of outmaneuvering Prince Doran, which was why he was preemptively arranging an escape route for her.
Willas had arrived unexpectedly and left just as swiftly. Once he received Lynd’s promise to look after Arianne, he departed immediately, giving Lynd no opportunity to ask any further questions.
...
A few days after Willas’s departure, Garlan arrived at Summerhall to visit Lynd.
Over the years, Garlan had matured significantly. His years of knightly training had forged him into a strong and resolute man, shedding the chubby appearance of his youth. The thick beard on his face only added to his commanding presence.
Though Garlan was now the heir to Highgarden, there was no trace of joy in his expression. It was clear that Willas’s decision to take the black and leave for the Wall had shaken him deeply.
“When Willas came to see you, did he say anything?” Garlan asked, his tone casual, as there was no need for formalities between the two of them. Their friendship allowed them to speak freely.
“He asked me to look after Princess Arianne,” Lynd answered truthfully.
Garlan paused for a moment before asking, “And he didn’t mention us?”
Lynd offered an explanation on Willas’s behalf. “I suppose he thought Highgarden didn’t need my help, so he didn’t bring it up.”
But this reasoning did little to appease Garlan. With an air of frustration, he muttered, “That heartless bastard! He threw everything away—his home, his family—and ran off to that forsaken place. Does he really think the White Walkers are more important than his own kin? And what’s he even going to do up there? If the White Walkers attack, does he plan to fight them from a wheelchair? Or have someone carry him into battle?”
In Highgarden, Garlan had no one to confide in, but here, he vented without restraint. Lynd remained silent, simply listening.
Though Garlan’s words were full of reproach, the affection he held for his brother was unmistakable. Inheriting the title under these circumstances brought him no joy—on the contrary, it was a burden. Had it not been for Loras Tyrell’s unsuitability, perhaps Garlan would have made the same choice as Willas, willingly stepping aside.
After a while, Garlan seemed to realize he had said too much. He fell quiet, reached for the pitcher and cup on the table, and poured himself a drink.
Once he had taken a sip, Lynd asked, “Did you come here just to complain about Lord Willas?”
“No,” Garlan shook his head. “I came to invite you to my wedding.”
Lynd was briefly taken aback. “With Lady Leonette of House Fossoway?”
Garlan nodded. “Yes. Also, Lord Joel Flowers is getting married as well, and he hopes you’ll attend.”
“Joel is getting married?” Lynd was genuinely surprised. In his memory, Joel had always been a carefree womanizer, someone who considered taverns and brothels his true home. The idea of him settling down was unexpected. “Who’s the bride?” he asked.
“Lady Melis of Myr,” Garlan replied.
Lynd frowned slightly at the unfamiliar name. “From which powerful Myrish family?”
“None,” Garlan said with a shake of his head.
A thought crossed Lynd’s mind, and he ventured a guess. “A courtesan?”
Garlan nodded. “More precisely, a madam. She owns a brothel, an inn, and a tavern in the town outside Highgarden, along with three manors and farmland in the countryside. She’s very wealthy—extremely wealthy—and just as beautiful.” He paused briefly before adding, “Honestly, Joel is lucky to have her.”
Garlan’s words piqued Lynd’s curiosity about Lady Melis. He inquired about the dates of both weddings and assured Garlan that he would personally attend.
Afterward, the two discussed trade relations between Summerhall and Highgarden. As Highgarden’s heir, Garlan negotiated and signed several trade agreements with Lynd before finally taking his leave from the castle.
In the following days, Lynd focused on preparing for his journey to Highgarden. Unlike before, this time he planned to bring Augustus along so the boy could be introduced to the powerful figures of the Seven Kingdoms.
If it were merely the wedding of the Warden of the South and the second son of the Lord of Highgarden, it wouldn’t have drawn much attention. But Garlan’s status had changed—he was now the future Lord of Highgarden. Such a wedding could not be taken lightly. It was expected that many of the Seven Kingdoms’ great lords would attend, and even those who couldn’t make it in person would likely send high-ranking representatives.
Because of this, it was the perfect opportunity to introduce Augustus to the nobility of the realm.
Traveling alone was one thing, but bringing Augustus required extra precautions. Lynd had to ensure the boy’s safety, though he couldn’t be too excessive in his arrangements. After all, they were attending a wedding, not going to war—one hundred guards would be the limit.
Ideally, Lynd would have relied solely on the Redeemed Sisters, Silent Men, and Chosen Ones for Augustus’s protection. Having passed their trials, their loyalty was beyond question. However, when Nymeria left, she took all the Redemption Sept’s people with her. That left Lynd with only ten Redeemed Sisters and Silent Men stationed at the castle.
Moreover, since this was a noble wedding, it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring only members of the clergy. So, aside from the holy sisters and holy man assigned to Augustus’s personal protection, Lynd selected several dozen knights from the Town of Redemption and Miracle Harbor to accompany them.
Though the wedding was still more than ten days away, Lynd had no intention of waiting until the last moment to depart. He decided to leave early, traveling through the Boneway and passing through his newly built Castle Ridge on the Dornish Marches before heading straight to Highgarden.
However, just as he was about to set off, an unexpected disturbance in the castle’s hatchery disrupted his plans, forcing him to delay his departure for a few days.
...
Lynd had built a dedicated hatchery within the castle for dragon eggs. Initially, it housed only a single egg, but after the wyvern eggs were transported from Pentos, they too were placed in the hatchery under the care of designated attendants.
Since returning, Lynd had spent time in the hatchery each day, using the magic of the Banished Knight to nurture the wyvern eggs with the power of dragon runes.
Originally, he had estimated that the eggs would take at least another month or two to hatch. But now, it seemed his prediction had been wrong—or perhaps the dragon rune infusion had accelerated the process beyond expectation.
By the time Lynd received the news and arrived at the hatchery, one of the wyverns had already hatched. Contrary to his assumptions, it didn’t consume its own eggshell. Instead, it immediately began tearing into the meat and bones that the attendants had prepared in advance, displaying an aggressive nature. The moment anyone approached, it reacted with hostility.
However, as soon as Lynd stepped into the hatchery, the same wyvern that had been fiercely devouring its food suddenly abandoned its meal. It clumsily rolled and scrambled toward him, lifting its head and chirping repeatedly. Everyone around could clearly sense the creature’s strong attachment to Lynd.
Lynd knew that the moment he had begun nurturing the wyvern eggs with dragon rune magic, a bond had already been established. This connection wasn’t one of blood, but something far deeper—a spiritual link, much like the one he shared with Glory and the Cannibal.
He picked up the newly hatched wyvern, holding it up for a closer look. Freshly born, the creature was still hideous, resembling a plucked chick more than the fearsome beast it would one day become.
Just then, the other wyverns began hatching one after another. Within moments, the hatchery was filled with the sharp cries of newborn wyverns.
