"My lord, I have gathered 23,945 of our people. Some are on their way to Miracle Harbor, while others have already arrived," Russell reported eagerly in the study.
"More than 20,000?" Lynd raised an eyebrow, surprised. Based on Russell's previous descriptions, he had expected that most of the Greenblood River orphans would be unwilling to abandon their current lives.
Russell explained honestly, "Word of your deeds in Essos has already spread to Dorne. With your name protecting them, they believe there won't be much danger in rebuilding Ghoyan Drohe, so…"
He hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Lynd with a conflicted expression. Clearly, he was not entirely pleased with how easily his people avoided hardship yet jumped at opportunity.
Lynd shook his head. "It's fine. You don't need to worry that I'll blame them for going where the wind blows. As long as they're willing to help rebuild Ghoyan Drohe, that's all that matters."
At this point, Mus spoke in a low voice. "With over 20,000 people, plus the river bandits who were already occupying the floating strongholds of Ghoyan Drohe, the numbers should be sufficient. Any more might cause unnecessary complications."
"That was my thought as well," Lynd said before asking, "Are the supplies ready?"
Mus nodded. "Everything is prepared. Weapons and armor are stocked and can be distributed at any time."
Lynd then turned to Gorman, the executive chairman of the Miracle Merchant Guild. "What about the ships? How is the fleet's preparation coming along?"
"They're ready," Gorman replied seriously. "We have enough ships to transport over 30,000 people along with all the necessary supplies in one trip. However, Pentos has yet to respond. We don't know if they'll allow us to dock."
Lynd waved off the concern. "It doesn't matter. Even if we can't use Pentos' docks, we can ferry people ashore in small boats outside the city." Then, as another thought crossed his mind, he added, "Once the transports are done, send a few of our better ships to Pentos to pick up the scholars from the Sphinx Academy and their collection of books. Understood?"
"Yes, my lord," Gorman responded quickly.
...
"I want to go to Essos as well," Nymeria suddenly said.
The room fell silent for a moment, and then all eyes turned to Lynd.
Lynd frowned slightly. "Is this because of Ny Sar?"
Nymeria nodded.
Seeing her response, Lynd felt a twinge of regret—regret that he had mentioned Ny Sar to her at all.
After returning to Summerhall, he had, as always, shared stories with Nymeria about his experiences in Essos. But when he spoke of Ny Sar, the old man in the river, and the statue of Queen Nymeria in the ruins—a statue that looked exactly like her—Nymeria's reaction had been unusual.
At first, Lynd didn't think much of it. But in the following days, Nymeria began to have strange dreams. In them, she found herself in Ny Sar, except the city was still intact, and she encountered the old man in the river.
Lynd initially assumed she was simply having vivid dreams inspired by his storytelling. But when he questioned her about the details, he discovered something uncanny—Nymeria's descriptions of the city's layout and architecture were identical to the real Ny Sar.
Yet Nymeria had never set foot anywhere near Ny Sar. She hadn't even been to the coastal regions of the Free Cities, let alone deep into Essos' interior. How could she possibly know so much about its geography?
That left only two possibilities: either Nymeria was the reincarnation of Queen Nymeria, or her bloodline had somehow awakened ancestral memories.
The concept of reincarnation was not unheard of in the world of ice and fire. The most well-known prophecy spoke of the rebirth of Azor Ahai, the Lightbringer. If that legend held truth, then the idea of Nymeria being the warrior queen's reincarnation wasn't entirely impossible.
However, Lynd was more inclined to believe that it was a matter of blood rather than reincarnation. Nymeria had already surpassed mortal limits through various means, gaining extraordinary abilities in the process. One of the most remarkable was her ability to communicate with highly intelligent creatures like Glory and the Cannibal—not just sensing their thoughts but conveying her own to them as well.
This ability seemed somewhat similar to the Greenseers' gift of communicating with animals, yet upon closer examination, it was fundamentally different. Later, Malora discovered through ancient texts that this power had also appeared in legendary heroes of the past—figures like Garth Greenhand and, notably, the Warrior Queen.
According to legend, when the Warrior Queen led the Rhoynar in their great migration, they initially intended to settle on the continent of Sothoryos. However, they faced numerous disasters there, including a devastating attack from a swarm of wyverns. In the end, it was the Warrior Queen herself who negotiated with the Dragonlord of the wyverns, striking an accord that spared her people from annihilation.
This tale suggested that the two Nymerias possessed remarkably similar abilities, reinforcing Lynd's belief that when Nymeria transcended mortal limits, she had also awakened ancestral powers.
However, the very lineage that once strengthened her was now becoming a burden. She had not slept properly in some time—every night, her dreams carried her back to Ny Sar. Even if Russell and the others had not come, Nymeria likely would have asked Lynd to travel to Ny Sar with her regardless.
...
"In a little while, after I finish dealing with everything here…" Lynd hesitated, worried about Nymeria's safety.
"One of us has to stay behind," Nymeria interrupted, stepping closer and pressing a finger against his chest. "I stayed while you went out before. Now that I'm leaving, you need to stay. It's about time you experienced the joy of sitting in a chair all day, listening to reports, and handling endless administrative tasks."
"Fine. I agree." Seeing that she was set on this, Lynd could only nod.
Russell quickly added, "My lord, rest assured—we will protect Lady Nymeria."
"No need," Lynd shook his head. "She won't be traveling with you."
With that, he swiftly signed off on the financial and logistical directives for the expansion and reconstruction of Ghoyan Drohe that Mus had brought him, then ordered them to depart as soon as possible.
After Mus and the others left, Lynd summoned Qyburn, Septon Hullen, Elder Colin, and Holy Sister Melessa.
Septon Hullen, Elder Colin, and Holy Sister Melessa arrived first, reaching the castle within half an hour.
"How many of the Chosen Children can be mobilized right now?" Lynd asked Septon Hullen
Hullen answered solemnly, "Seven hundred. They have all completed the necessary trials and undergone warrior training." He hesitated briefly before adding, "If we include those stationed at the Black Cave…"
Lynd shook his head. "No need. Leave the Black Cave forces where they are. Seven hundred is enough."
Next, he turned to Elder Colin and Holy Sister Melessa, inquiring about the number of Redeemed Sisters and Silent Men available.
Their answers came quickly: thirteen Redeemed Sisters and sixteen Silent Men.
"Equip them immediately and have them stand by at the Miracle Sept," Lynd ordered.
The three swiftly left to make preparations.
"I'll also dispatch a thousand members of the Chosen Legion to accompany you to Ny Sar. You'll travel on ships from the Miracle Fleet, and the Three Seas Kraken will send their own people as well. Once you arrive in Volantis, switch to longboats and follow the Rhoyne north to Ny Sar." Lynd carefully planned out the route before continuing, "While in Volantis, visit the leaders of the Elephant and Tiger factions on my behalf. They should also send people to assist with your protection."
Nymeria didn't argue. Instead, she simply smiled, reassuring him. "There's no need to be so nervous. Even if I traveled to Essos alone, I wouldn't be in any danger."
...
That evening, Qyburn arrived from the Black Cave, wiping sweat from his forehead. "My lord, did you summon me in such a hurry to ask about the progress of the potions?" he asked.
"No." Lynd shook his head. "How many undead soldiers have you created so far?"
Qyburn hesitated for a moment before answering truthfully, "Only seven."
"Seven?" Lynd nodded. "That should be enough." Then he asked, "Are these undead warriors really as powerful as you claim?"
Qyburn immediately launched into an explanation. "As long as their hearts remain intact, they can continue fighting indefinitely—even if they are decapitated. However, if they lose their heads, they become uncontrollable, which is why I requested the development of heavy armor twice as thick as standard plate."
.Lynd nodded in satisfaction and said, "Send them all here. Their job will be to protect Nymeria."
"Yes," Qyburn responded without hesitation, asking no further questions before leaving the study to begin preparations for the undead warriors.
The undead warriors were Qyburn's latest creation, developed through the use of sacrificial slabs. While Malora had assisted in the process, she admitted that she couldn't fully grasp how it worked. Qyburn himself had no clear explanation either—he simply followed his instincts, carried out the steps he felt were necessary, and waited for the results.
Even so, the mortality rate had been extremely high. Of the forty-four condemned criminals used as test subjects, only seven had successfully been transformed into undead warriors.
Before Lynd departed for Essos, Qyburn had reported that the process had been completed and had invited him to inspect the results. However, Lynd had been too preoccupied with the development of magical armor at the time and had put the matter on hold. Now, with Nymeria in need of warriors who could act as her unyielding shield in times of danger, these undead warriors had a clear purpose.
"I've seen those undead warriors—they're terrifying," Nymeria remarked after Qyburn left, a trace of unease in her voice. "Their combat skills are ordinary, no different from regular soldiers, but they never tire. They can keep swinging their weapons indefinitely, unfazed by pain or injury, and their strength is far beyond that of normal men. Even I would have to be cautious against them." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "You shouldn't let Qyburn continue making more of them. They resemble the wights far too much."
Lynd did not answer her concerns directly. He merely nodded and responded softly, "Hmm."
...
The next day, in the Redemption Sept, seven undead warriors stood in formation on the training grounds. Each of them towered over two meters in height, clad head to toe in heavy armor. Beneath the plate, they wore fitted chainmail for additional protection. In their hands, they wielded massive two-handed war hammers, each designed for both slashing and crushing—one side functioning as an axe, the other as a spiked hammer capable of breaking through armor.
As Qyburn instructed Nymeria on how to control them, Lynd took the opportunity to examine them up close.
According to the records, the criminals used for the experiments had been of average height, none taller than a meter and a half. Yet now, these undead warriors stood over two meters tall. Clearly, their bones, muscles, and bodies had undergone extensive forced growth through alchemical enhancements.
Even their internal composition seemed unnatural. Lynd could still detect the scent of medicinal concoctions emanating from their bodies—rather than the stench of rotting flesh—which suggested that they had been infused with a special fluid to sustain them.
Another striking detail was the complete absence of magical energy. These creatures were not products of sorcery, but of pure alchemical modification. Perhaps this was why, despite having observed the entire process, Malora had been unable to understand how Qyburn had created them.
Once Nymeria had mastered their control, Lynd gestured for her to command the undead warriors to attack.
With the transfer of control granted by Qyburn's sigil, the undead warriors immediately obeyed Nymeria's commands. From their movements and reactions, it was evident that they retained a level of basic intelligence. When ordered to attack, they coordinated their strikes rather than fighting mindlessly like headless beasts.
However, as Nymeria had pointed out, their combat abilities were rather crude. They relied solely on their inexhaustible stamina and their inability to die, charging forward with brute force. Against an opponent like the Red Viper—an agile fighter who could exploit their weaknesses—it was possible that they could be neutralized without injury.
That said, such an outcome was only likely in single combat, and if they weren't wearing their armor. Once two or more undead warriors worked together, it would be nearly impossible for an ordinary soldier to take them down.
And now, with seven of them acting as a single unit, they could serve as an impenetrable defense for Nymeria, capable of holding off thousands.
Satisfied with their capabilities, Lynd finally felt reassured about Nymeria's journey along the Rhoyne.
...
The next day, Nymeria entrusted all her affairs to Lynd. Accompanied by her retinue, she departed from the Redeemer and set out for Miracle Harbor.
Her departure sparked speculation among many, with some wondering whether she was traveling to Dorne to visit Prince Doran—given the unique relationship between the two.