“You say you want to submit to ?”
Outside the camp, Nyria and Lynd, both clad in armor and prepared for a major confrontation, stood perplexed by the words of the wildlings' leaders before them.
For thousands of years, the nobles of the Marches and the wildling tribes had been locked in conflict. The idea of either side surrendering without a fight was unheard of—let alone an entire tribe offering submission. And yet, here stood not one, but a dozen tribes united in their willingness to submit.
When Lynd first learned that his fiefdom would be the Marches, he had prepared himself for a brutal campaign, expecting to subjugate the wildling tribes through force. Now, however, before his army had even set foot on the land, and with only a small survey party accompanying him, he was faced with sothing wholly unexpected: a large-scale surrender. The situation felt almost surreal.
“Yes, my lord,” one of the tribal leaders said, stepping forward. He spoke the common tongue fluently, acting as a representative for the others.
“Why?” Nyria’s tone was sharp with suspicion as her piercing gaze moved over the assembled leaders.
A leader replied, his voice steady, “You and the Chosen One, Ser Lynd, are both exceptionally powerful. We have no chance of defeating you. If we tried, we would either be annihilated or forced to flee elsewhere. But leaving these lands would only result in us being annexed by stronger tribes or attacked by nobles beyond the mountains. So, why not submit to you?”
Nyria frowned, unconvinced. “Is it only because of my strength?”
“Not entirely,” the leader said carefully. “After you and Ser Lynd incorporated the wildlings in Tumbleton, you did not oppress them into slavery. You didn’t disband their tribes. You treated them as equals to the people from beyond the mountains. We’ve never seen anything like it before. At first, so of us believed it to be a lie, but I’ve been there myself and seen the truth. Those treated in this way sent word back to us.” He gestured to the other leaders. “So of their kin were also incorporated under your rule, and their reports confird the sa.”
An older tribal leader, speaking in halting common tongue, added, “Since we cannot defeat you, and you offer fair treatnt after surrender, while allowing tribes to remain intact... we are not fools. We know what choice to make.”
Nyria’s expression hardened. “You speak only of the benefits of submitting, but not of the responsibilities it entails. You will have to pay taxes, abide by the laws I set, and provide young warriors for my army when I call upon you to fight.”
The younger tribal leader responded swiftly, his tone pragmatic. “Isn’t that what any leader requires? Even now, we pay taxes to the other leaders of the Wildlings. These terms are no different.”
Lynd, who had been silent throughout the exchange, observed the tribal leaders with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. The conditions that he and Nyria had imposed on the tribes were far from lenient. Aside from the Gravel Tribe, most tribes had been granted no special treatnt. They had been confined to specific territories and forbidden from moving their settlents. Many of their people were relegated to nial labor, tasks far from what one might consider "fair treatnt."
Yet, in the eyes of these wildling leaders, such terms seed generous. Lynd couldn’t help but wonder just how dire the conditions imposed by other lords had been if these tribes considered this arrangent a better alternative.
Even with the leaders’ explanations, Lynd sensed there was more to their surrender than what had been said aloud. So deeper, unspoken reason lingered behind their words.
Lynd stepped forward and asked directly, “Both I and Lady Nyria want the truth. We don’t appreciate being lied to. While the reasons you’ve given sound reasonable, I still feel you’re hiding sothing. I want you to share the real reason you’ve chosen to submit to .”
Hearing Lynd’s words, the wildling tribe leaders exchanged hushed whispers, discussing among themselves for a mont. Finally, the oldest among them stepped forward. Bowing slightly, he said, “My lord, the extre cold has devastated our tribe, leaving us with heavy losses and depleting our food supplies. Hamir, as the self-proclaid Wildling King, is rallying warriors to go raiding again. But we know his true intention: to use our people as pawns, sacrificing us to weaken others’ forces. Even if we win, the price would be devastating for our tribe. Submitting to you, My lord, is our only way to survive.”
As the old man finished, Lynd and Nyria exchanged a glance, silently weighing the sincerity of his words. Then, Nyria addressed the tribal leaders, who were visibly tense. “I accept your submission. After you swear your oaths to us, I will allocate grain to help your people through these hard tis. The details of your submission will be handled later.”
Relief washed over the tribal leaders. They bowed deeply to both Nyria and Lynd, murmuring words in their native tongue. Though the words were unintelligible, their grateful and respectful expressions revealed their aning—so form of blessing or praise.
Nyria and Lynd then prepared a temporary altar. Lothor hunted an animal for the ritual, and they conducted the ancient sacrificial rites to honor both the Seven Gods and the Old Gods. In front of the altar, the tribal leaders swore their oaths of loyalty in the na of their respective deities.
Despite the ritual's simplicity, it seed effective. The tension that had lingered on the tribal leaders’ faces dissipated completely once Lynd and Nyria made their own Lord's Oaths in return.
The old tribal leader’s weathered face broke into an awkward yet genuine smile as he said eagerly, “We’ll return to our tribe, gather our belongings, and prepare to move as soon as you call for us.”
“Migrate? There’s no need for that,” Nyria interjected with a shake of her head.
“Ah? We don’t need to move to Tumbleton?” The tribal leaders who understood the common tongue looked confused.
“No.” Nyria shook her head again, gesturing toward Lynd. “Lord Lynd was recently granted the title of Lord of Sumrhall by King Robert. The lands surrounding Sumrhall are his fiefdom. Additionally, Lord Mace Tyrell has granted him the lands north of the Wyl and west of the Red Watch. From now on, he is your lord—the one to whom you will pledge your loyalty.”
The tribal leaders nodded in understanding. Their earlier confusion about why they had sworn to both Nyria and Lynd now made sense.
“It is our honor to beco subjects of the Chosen One,” one of them declared, bowing to Lynd. The others followed suit, their faces showing not a trace of displeasure. On the contrary, they seed genuinely delighted.
For these wildling leaders, placing their faith in a legendary warrior with a reputation for strength aligned far more with their culture and expectations than swearing loyalty to a female lord—no matter how capable.
Lynd led the tribal chiefs to the camp, where servants brought them food and wine to celebrate their newfound allegiance.
anwhile, outside the camp, Glory, wandering near the periter, caught sight of several figures moving stealthily among the trees. Their weapons and deanor set them apart from the wildling tribes currently within the camp. It was clear that these were not allies but another group entirely, lurking with unknown intentions.
“How many people know that you have co here to find us?” Lynd asked the tribal leaders.
The tribal leaders exchanged uneasy glances before the elder replied, “A lot.”
“How many is a lot?” Lynd pressed, his voice rising.
“All the tribal elders,” the elder answered once more, his tone unwavering.
Lynd narrowed his eyes and continued, “And how many people know about your plan to join us?”
“All the elders,” ca the sa response.
“Can they keep a secret?” Lynd asked again. This ti, he didn’t wait for an answer; the stunned expressions on the tribal chiefs’ faces gave him everything he needed to know.
With a serious expression, Lynd stated, “The fact that you ca to see must already be known by people from other tribes. Soone was spying outside my camp. You didn’t arrange for those people, did you?”
The tribal leaders’ faces visibly changed. They shook their heads emphatically, clearly indicating that they had not sent anyone to spy outside the camp.
Lynd raised a hand to silence them and directly ordered Glory to take action against the spies, instructing her to leave one alive to be brought back for questioning.
It wasn’t long before Glory appeared in the camp, a bloodied wildling tribesman clutched in her jaws. Glory carried him into a tent, dropped him to the ground, then turned and bounded out of the tent, casually heading outside to play.
The sight of Glory sent an uneasy wave through the tribal leaders, who, despite having heard tales of its prowess, felt their panic intensify. Their fearful expressions lingered until it had left.
Lynd paid no attention to their unease and gestured to Jon. Jon approached the unconscious man, knelt to examine him, and reported, “No fatal injuries. He just fainted from shock.”
“Does anyone recognize which tribe he’s from?” Lynd asked the gathered tribal leaders.
One of them quickly responded, “He’s from the Stone Mountain Tribe of the Wildling King. The tattoo on his face is the Wildling King’s red fla totem.”
Without hesitation, Lynd ordered, “Take my n and interrogate him. I want to know why he was stalking us and what the current situation is with the wildling tribes.”
Jon imdiately complied, taking the unconscious wildling with him. The tribal leader who had spoken hurriedly followed, ensuring no detail was overlooked.
Turning his attention back to the remaining leaders, Lynd said, “Now, tell about this Wildling King.”
The other tribal leaders quickly obliged, recounting everything they knew about the Wildling King and their own Red Watch clans.
The area surrounding both sides of the Red Watch River was known as the Red Watch region. The wildling tribes there were descendants of the First n who had resisted submission to the Andals. This area included groups with ties to Dorne, The Reach, and the Riverlands. Over ti, these groups had co together to form the Red Watch Clan.
Because of the diverse bloodlines within the clan, the Red Watch were known to be more open than other wildling tribes. This openness had led to a tradition of venturing beyond their lands to capture n and won, a practice ant to strengthen and diversify the bloodlines of their clan.
The Wildling King Hamir's mother was a spearwoman from the Stone Mountain Tribe. During a raid when she and others from her tribe descended the mountain to plunder, they captured a man. From that union, she gave birth to the Wildling King. Later, she left the tribe along with that man and settled outside the mountains. Over a decade passed before the Wildling King returned to the Stone Mountain Tribe. Upon his return, he gradually built influence within the tribe, eventually amassing enough power to beco its leader.
Following this, Hamir employed various thods to annex or ally with other wildling tribes, transforming the Stone Mountain Tribe into the largest and most powerful tribe within the Red Watch clan. A few years ago, during the Usurper’s War, Hamir officially claid the title of Wildling King of the Red Watch clan.
Interestingly, after becoming the Wildling King, Hamir attempted to rally the entire Red Watch clan to attack Storm’s End and raid the Stormlands. However, his ambitions were thwarted by opposition from the leaders of other tribes, who refused to support the plan. Undeterred, Hamir led the Stone Mountain Tribe alone in an attempt to attack Storm’s End. Their efforts failed disastrously when they were mistaken for enemies by the House Tyrell army besieging Storm’s End, leading to their defeat.
Rumors circulated among the wildling tribes that Hamir’s lineage was extraordinary. It was said that his father was none other than Wyland Wyl, the current Lord of Castle Wyl.
This rumor fueled speculation that Hamir’s rise to power was supported by resources provided by his noble father. These resources included iron weapons, a rarity among wildling tribes, allowing nearly every warrior in the Stone Mountain Tribe to be ard with one. Without this support, it was said, Hamir would not have been able to establish himself so generously or so powerfully.
“Wyl Castle?” Lynd paused for a mont. He had not anticipated that the Wildling King of a barbarian tribe in his territory would have connections to Wyl Castle—a location not included in his itinerary for this inspection of the Stormlands.
In Lynd’s plan, his primary focus was to address the Lords of the Stormlands first, ensuring stability in the region before turning his attention to the Lords of Dorne. The temperant and character of the Dornish people made it clear to Lynd that a conflict with Wyl would likely escalate into a larger confrontation. Any attack on Wyl Castle would trigger a chain reaction, potentially drawing in multiple enemies.
This concern arose from Lynd’s earlier conversations with the Red Viper, during which he learned about the alliance of the Lords of the Dornish Marches. Centered around Yronwood, this alliance bound the Lords to a pact of mutual defense.
If one castle were attacked, the others were obligated to co to its aid. In such a scenario, Lynd could face a coordinated attack from several Dornish Lords. To avoid this, he knew he had to ensure stability in his rear before taking any action.
Yet the revelation of the Wildling King Hamir’s connection to Wyl Castle presented Lynd with a unique opportunity—an opportunity to launch an attack on Wyl Castle with justifiable cause. If Lynd could produce conclusive evidence proving that Wyland Wyl was indeed Hamir’s father and was secretly supplying him with resources to support attacks on the Stormlands, the other Lords of Dorne would have no grounds to co to Wyl’s aid.
As Lynd considered this, Jon and the tribal leader returned to the tent to deliver the results of their interrogation. The scout they had captured was indeed sent by the Wildling King Hamir. However, the scout was unaware that the tribal leaders had co to Lynd to pledge allegiance. Instead, he believed they were attempting to broker a deal with Lynd to purchase weapons and equipnt to use against the Stone Mountain Tribe.
After hearing this, Lynd’s mind began to formulate a plan. He quickly started delegating tasks to the tribal leaders to ensure they fulfilled their roles in his strategy. Then, without delay, Lynd penned a letter to Lord Elwood of Grassy Vale, requesting a supply of food and weapons to be transported to Sumrhall.
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