Agreement

Samwell looked at the woman before him, and the strange feeling in his heart grew ever stronger.

She simply did not seem like a Wildling.

The elegance and pride that radiated from her bones could neither be feigned nor imitated. Only someone raised from childhood without want, attended by servants, and given a proper upbringing could possess such qualities.

Such a woman could only have come from a noble castle, not the Red Mountains, a place steeped in savagery and ignorance.

"Lady Nara, forgive my presumptuousness, but are you a native-born Wildling?"

Nara smiled faintly, seemingly unsurprised by the question.

"I fear not."

"You fear not?"

"Yes, my lord. Many people have asked me similar questions, but I truly cannot give them a definite answer. Because I do not remember either."

Samwell's expression immediately turned strange.

"Did you once lose your memory?"

"Yes, my lord. The previous chieftain of the Wandering Crow Tribe, my husband, rescued me from the Summer Sea over ten years ago. But I can no longer remember why I fell into the sea, and I lost all memories from before that."

Nara reached up to smooth the hair by her ear, her tone touched with melancholy. "Perhaps I was once some noble lady from a castle. But that is no longer important. Now, I am merely the chieftain of the Wandering Crow Tribe. So, my lord, I came here this time for my people. We did not take part in Liniya's conspiracy, nor did we ever intend to oppose you. Therefore, I ask that you release those innocent tribesmen and allow them to return to the mountains."

Samwell did not rush to answer Nara's request. Instead, he stared into her violet eyes and fell into deep thought.

He already had a guess regarding Nara's true identity.

There were not many families in Westeros with violet eyes. The most famous, of course, had been the former royal house—House Targaryen.

But the Targaryens had silver hair and violet eyes, whereas the woman before him had dark brown hair.

Besides, the surviving Targaryens were all exiled across the Narrow Sea in Essos. It was impossible for one of them to have appeared in the Summer Sea.

Yet there was one woman who fit Nara's circumstances perfectly.

She was the sister of Arthur Dayne, the "Sword of the Morning"; the dream lover of Eddard Stark, Duke of The North; and the goddess whom Barristan Selmy, the Kingsguard known as "the Bold," had never forgotten—

Ashara Dayne.

First, House Dayne's seat, Starfall, stood on the eastern bank of the Torrentine River's mouth, not far from here.

Moreover, it had been roughly ten years ago, after the War of the Usurper ended, that Eddard Stark brought House Dayne's ancestral greatsword, [Dawn], to Starfall and returned it. He also told them that Arthur Dayne, the "Sword of the Morning," had died at the Tower of Joy. It was said that Ashara Dayne could not bear the blow of her brother's death and, consumed by grief, leaped from the top of the White Stone Sword Tower into the sea.

Yet her body had never been found.

Now, it seemed that Ashara had likely survived her plunge into the sea. The previous chieftain of the Wandering Crow Tribe must have rescued her, and she had lost her memories as a result.

With that thought, the way Samwell looked at Nara immediately changed.

As the most important city in western Dorne, Starfall sat on the shores of the Summer Sea, directly across the water from Samwell's territory.

If he wished to extend his reach into Dorne, Starfall would be the best stepping stone. And Nara before him—Ashara Dayne—was a key that could open Starfall's gates.

"Lady Nara, I know you did not participate in Liniya's conspiracy, so I will not make things difficult for the warriors of the Wandering Crow Tribe. You may take them away whenever you wish."

"Thank you for your mercy and fairness." Nara quietly let out a breath of relief and hurriedly offered her thanks.

She was just about to take her leave when Samwell spoke again.

"I came here on behalf of Duke Mace to develop these lands, and I am willing to offer protection to all Wildlings. Would the Wandering Crow Tribe be willing to become my subjects?"

"I am sorry." Nara refused. "We of the Wandering Crow Tribe serve only the Old Gods and cannot swear loyalty to a knight who follows the Seven. If these mountains have become your territory, then we can leave as well. The Wandering Crow Tribe has never claimed land."

The answer did not surprise Samwell too much.

After all, no one would willingly submit to another without reason.

Had it been another tribe, Samwell would either have beaten them into submission or driven them away outright.

But the Wandering Crow Tribe was different. Whether it was Nara's true identity or the Ghost Grass, neither allowed Samwell to resort to violence so easily.

He needed to win them over.

Samwell smiled faintly. "In that case, I will not force you. But there is no need for you to leave. So long as you do not attack my subjects or enter their settlements without invitation, I can grant you special permission to remain in these mountains. Moreover, you may trade freely with my subjects."

Nara was somewhat surprised. She truly had not expected this young lord to be so generous.

"You are indeed a merciful lord. On behalf of all my people, I thank you!"

"I am glad to gain the friendship of the Wandering Crow Tribe." Samwell smiled. "Oh, right, Lady Nara. I heard that there is a kind of Ghost Grass in the Red Mountains. Have you seen it before?"

Nara froze for a moment, then nodded.

"Of course. It is a rather rare wild herb with a mysterious spirituality. Only those favored by the Old Gods can find it within the mountains."

Samwell was delighted and asked, "Could you help me gather Ghost Grass? I can purchase it for one Silver Stag per plant. Of course, if you would rather exchange it for grain or other goods of equal value, that is fine as well."

After considering it for a moment, Nara said, "So long as you agree to one more condition, the Wandering Crow Tribe will gather Ghost Grass for you."

"What condition?"

"You and your subjects must not destroy a single Weirwood in the Red Mountains."

Samwell was taken aback.

There were Weirwoods in the Red Mountains?

Weirwoods were sacred trees in the eyes of those who worshiped the Old Gods.

But he remembered that, aside from The North, the Andals had already destroyed all the Weirwoods in the south.

Still, the Red Mountains were vast. It was possible that a few had slipped through the net.

"Yes. I agree to your condition. In fact, if you learn more about me, you will find that I have not forced all my subjects to convert to the Seven. They may still keep their original faith voluntarily. I respect your faith as well, and I will not destroy the Weirwoods."

"You possess a tolerant heart. Both the old and new gods will watch over you!" Nara smiled.

These negotiations had gone far more smoothly than she had imagined.

This young nobleman from The Reach was also far friendlier than she had expected.

With that assurance, she no longer had to worry about the remaining Weirwoods being destroyed. At that moment, she even sincerely hoped Samwell's territory would continue to expand, so that more Weirwoods could be protected.

And Ghost Grass could actually be exchanged for a Silver Stag. This trade agreement would greatly improve her people's lives.

What a generous lord!