With barely any additional information, Lynd could already tell that the pirate mentioned in the report was most likely Euron.
He glanced again at the date on the report and noticed it was from seven days ago. Considering the time it would've taken those merchants to reach Ny Sar, they must have seen Euron in Qarth nearly a month ago.
"Why wasn't such important intel sent to Summerhall?" Lynd asked Nymeria, setting the report aside.
Nymeria explained, "It was just a few merchants talking about a pirate, and it was so far from Qarth that I didn't think it was anything significant at the time."
Lynd didn't blame her—if anything, it was his own fault. When he'd established the intelligence network of the Kingdom of Lorne, he had intentionally kept Summerhall's system separate from the kingdom's. They operated independently, with no overlap or mutual authority.
The idea had been to maintain mutual oversight and gather complementary information from different angles.
But the downside was just as clear: each system had its own focus, and their judgments on what constituted important intel could differ wildly. Just like now—what Lynd considered critical, Nymeria had seen as trivial.
Still, despite the clear drawbacks of maintaining two separate intelligence networks, Lynd had no intention of merging them. He preferred to let them continue operating on their own.
"Is Euron's sacrifice really that terrifying?" Nymeria asked, a trace of doubt in her voice.
"I don't know for sure. But I do know that Willas isn't someone who exaggerates. And from where he's standing now, he sees far more than we do." Lynd looked at her seriously. "The Long Night will come. The Eternal Winter will arrive. We'd best prepare early." He paused, then added, "If necessary, we move south."
"Move south?" Nymeria blinked. "You mean to Sothoryos?"
"Yes," Lynd nodded.
"Do we really need to go that far?" Nymeria asked uncertainly.
Lynd sighed. "Better to be safe than sorry."
He didn't go into detail—mostly because he couldn't. He had a vague feeling that the Long Night and Eternal Winter weren't purely magical in nature. They might be tied to the planet's movement, something only astronomy scholars might be able to explain.
If it really came down to planetary motion, then no matter how strong the Wall was, it couldn't hold back the southward creep of the Eternal Winter's cold. In that case, not just Westeros, but even Essos might be doomed. A migration to Sothoryos would become inevitable.
That was why Lynd already had plans in mind to send people to explore Sothoryos. He also asked Nymeria to gather as much information as possible about the continent, just in case.
"If it really comes down to a large-scale migration, then the rear must be stable, and all supplies must be secured," Nymeria said seriously. "I think it's time to unify the entire continent of Westeros. You should meet the Mother of Dragons."
"Daenerys?" Lynd frowned. "Is that really necessary?"
Nymeria replied with admiration, "She's become quite formidable. She's taken control of Qarth, reclaimed the Free Cities around it, and brought over a dozen Dothraki khalasars under her banner. Even without counting her three dragons, she commands over fifty thousand warriors. I heard she also sent people to Slaver's Bay to buy up Unsullied and other slaves. Apparently, she bought out every single Unsullied and slave there."
"She has that much money?" Lynd asked, doubtful.
Nymeria, a little envious, said, "She doesn't—but the Thirteen of Qarth and the Warlocks of the House of the Undying did. After taking Qarth, she executed all the Thirteen, burned down the House of the Undying and killed the warlocks inside, seizing all their wealth. That was the fortune Qarth had accumulated over thousands of years."
At that, Lynd couldn't help but feel stunned. Even with his own unexpected rise, Daenerys still seemed to be the world's true chosen one. All the wealth he had painstakingly gathered over the past decade was nothing compared to what Daenerys had acquired in just one month.
It had to be said—right now, Daenerys really did have the aura of a nouveau riche, throwing money around everywhere.
Lynd suddenly thought of something and asked, "That batch of weapons you ordered a while ago—was it meant for Daenerys?"
Nymeria nodded. "Qohor received Daenerys's weapons order, but with their current production capacity, it's difficult for them to finish it on time. That's why they asked for your help to handle part of it."
"Just part of it?" Lynd was slightly surprised. He remembered the size of that order—it was the largest he'd seen in years. No exaggeration, it was enough to rearm every army currently at war in the Westerlands, the Vale, the Riverlands, and the North, and still have some left over.
A possibility occurred to him. "Is she planning to make a move on Slaver's Bay?"
"You thought so too?" Nymeria nodded. "That was my first thought when I received the order. Looks like the Mother of Dragons has serious ambitions. Which suits us just fine—we need ambitious partners."
Lynd frowned. "Have you considered who would rule a unified West Essos?"
"Who else? You, of course!" Nymeria said excitedly, pointing at him.
"Me?" Lynd was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond. Something about Nymeria felt off. She was unusually enthusiastic about unifying West Essos, and it didn't seem like a sudden impulse brought on by talk of the Long Night. It felt more like a plan that had been brewing for quite some time.
Lynd didn't answer her directly. He just said he was tired from the flight over from Summerhall and needed to freshen up, brushing the matter aside for now.
...
While washing up, he quietly asked the servant attending him whether any new close aides had recently arrived around Nymeria. The servant quickly listed a few names, and among them, Lynd recognized two: Ellaria, the Red Viper's paramour, and Mellario of Norvos, wife of Prince Doran.
These two women were anything but ordinary. Their political acumen outmatched most on the continent of Westeros. It was clear that Prince Doran had arranged for them to support Nymeria here on Ny Sar.
Ellaria wasn't a concern. Though she was the Red Viper's favorite, her temperament was entirely different—she was a pacifist, unlikely to push Nymeria toward joining Daenerys in unifying West Essos. That left Mellario as the likely source of Nymeria's growing ambition.
Lynd recalled that when Nymeria's mother had passed away, Mellario had looked after her for a time and helped deal with those eyeing Tumbleton. That support had allowed Nymeria to gain control of the town. Because of that, she shared a special bond with Mellario, so it made sense that she'd be influenced by her.
Still, Lynd deeply disliked the feeling of being manipulated—even if the intent behind it was well-meaning. So, before he left, he decided he would speak with Ellaria and Mellario personally.
...
As Lynd sent word for the two women to be summoned, in a garden villa on the eastern bank of the Ny Sar River, Ellaria hurried across a meadow and stopped under a tree. Looking at Mellario, who was sitting beneath it with her eyes closed in silent meditation, she said anxiously, "Lynd Tarran is here. Do you think he's figured out the advice you gave Nymeria? Is he planning to..."
"Don't panic. If he really meant to punish us, we would've been arrested already."
Like many Norvosi women, Mellario had shaved her head, but unlike others, she didn't wear a wig. Instead, she left her scalp bare and adorned it with intricate tattoos—giving her an unconventional, striking beauty.
Compared to Ellaria's anxious pacing, Mellario remained composed. She picked up the wine jug, poured a glass, and handed it to Ellaria, saying calmly, "And don't forget, the advice we gave was for Nymeria's benefit. There wasn't a hint of malice in it."
"That's not the point." Ellaria took the glass, sipped from it, and steadied herself before continuing, "Oberyn once said that Lynd Tarran and Prince Doran are quite alike—both are men who love making plans and following them meticulously. People like that all have one thing in common: they hate when others interfere with their plans. What we did may very well have disrupted his original intentions. Even if it was well-meaning and beneficial to Nymeria, he's not likely to appreciate it."
"Hmph, another Doran," Mellario muttered with clear displeasure. Even just hearing Doran's name still seemed to irritate her.
She lifted her cup and drank it down in one go before saying calmly, "No point dwelling on it now. If Lynd Tarran really intends to punish us, there's no escaping it. We might as well enjoy the wine while we wait for his summons—and then show him our good intentions."
Ellaria, seeing her companion had no better plan either, could only sigh. She silently blamed herself for foolishly agreeing to stay in Ny Sar with Mellario. She should've simply delivered Prince Doran's message and returned to Dorne.
...
As the two of them drank in silence, a servant rushed in and informed them that the queen's palace had sent for them to attend a meeting.
The two women exchanged a glance and sighed at the same time. They each returned to their rooms to change clothes, then made their way to the palace.
They arrived quickly and were led by a servant—not to the council chamber as usual, but to the study in the rear garden. Noticing this subtle shift, they exchanged another look.
"Lady Ellaria, it's been a while." Inside the study, the two women saw Lynd, now dressed in casual attire. He showed no sign of anger. After greeting Ellaria, he turned to the woman with a strikingly exotic appearance. "And this must be the Prince's wife?"
"Lord Lynd, it's best if you simply call me Mellario. Being called the Prince's wife here might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings," Mellario said with a bow, lightening the moment with a subtle joke.
Lynd nodded, then looked at both of them and asked, "Can you tell me—was the idea to encourage Nymeria to unify West Essos Prince Doran's, or did it come from the two of you?"
Mellario answered without hesitation, "It was ours. No—more accurately, it was my idea. Ellaria was simply following my lead."
Ellaria immediately took her hand and corrected, "No, it was our idea. Mellario couldn't have convinced Her Majesty on her own."
Watching their gesture of closeness, something flickered in Lynd's expression—an odd look in his eyes. A sudden thought crossed his mind: maybe Prince Doran had unknowingly been cuckolded.
"You may have misunderstood me," Lynd said seriously. "I am indeed unhappy that you stirred up Nymeria, but I never intended to punish you. In fact, your planning helps fill the gaps in my own. As long as it doesn't interfere with the execution of my plans, I have no reason to act against you. The reason I called you here was simply to understand the details of your plan, and how it connects to Dorne—so I don't accidentally harm my allies."
Mellario and Ellaria looked at each other and exhaled slightly in relief.
The pressure Lynd exuded was overwhelming. Despite their status and their powerful partners back in Westeros, standing before Lynd made them feel like they were no different from ordinary folk.
Ellaria was somewhat used to it. She had met Lynd more than once alongside the Red Viper, and had built up some resistance to his commanding presence.
But Mellario was another matter entirely. She had never met Lynd before—everything she knew about him came from rumors. Facing him now, with no preparation, she was completely unshielded against the weight of the authority he carried. Her usually sharp tongue failed her; all she could do was answer honestly, question by question.
And now, as Lynd asked about their detailed plan, Mellario found she couldn't hide anything. So she laid everything out, clearly and completely.
When she finished, Lynd looked truly surprised. After a moment, he asked, "So the entire plan to unify West Essos... started out as something you did for your daughter?"
Mellario raised her chin slightly and said, "That's how it began. But now I think—if men can play the game of thrones in the Seven Kingdoms, why can't women lead a grand unification on the continent of West Essos?"