Beneath Starfall, in a dim and spacious crypt, the solemn voices of the septons echoed softly through the stone chambers.
Members of House Dayne, along with their vassals, gathered here to pay their respects to their young lord and his aunt.
When the septon completed the words of prayer, eight knights stepped forward and lifted the coffins of Edric and Allyria Dayne, placing them in recesses carved into the stone walls. There, they would rest eternally, alongside generations of their Dayne ancestors.
With this, the funeral came to an end.
The septon was the first to leave, followed closely by Lord Beric Dondarrion, who had personally returned the bodies of his nephew and wife but now walked away, visibly burdened with guilt.
Other guests who had come to pay their respects gradually made their exit.
Only members of House Dayne, along with several others bearing the "Sand" name, remained behind.
Their expressions were somber, yet there was a sense of anticipation among them, as if they were waiting for something.
With Edric Dayne dead and no heir left behind, House Dayne's main line had met a devastating end.
This raised a grave question—who would now inherit the title of the Lord of Starfall?
Although the main Dayne line had ended, House Dayne had numerous cadet branches. However, the line of succession among them was hopelessly tangled, and not even the most skilled maester in heraldry could easily determine the rightful heir.
Adding to the tension were several "Sands" of the Dayne family who stood by, notably Ulrick Sand.
A respected figure who had served as Starfall's steward for over a decade, Ulrick enjoyed considerable influence in the house. All he lacked was a legitimate surname.
And now, in the shadows of the crypt, an undercurrent of tension began to surface.
Finally, one of the older family members, his steps slow and unsteady, approached the front and turned to address the gathering.
"Since everyone is here, perhaps we should discuss who should inherit the title of Lord of Starfall…"
"I object!" a commanding voice interjected.
The crowd turned, both surprised and unsurprised, to see Ulrick Sand step forward.
As the eldest Sand of House Dayne, Ulrick had a certain gravitas and confidence.
Unfazed by the stares around him, Ulrick Sand walked up to the front, scanning the assembly with a steady, serious gaze that took in each expression. Then, he spoke in a clear voice.
"I believe there are more urgent matters at hand than deciding the inheritance."
One person asked, "Then, Sir Ulrick, what do you think our most urgent concern should be?"
"To avenge Lord Edric Dayne and Lady Allyria Dayne!" Ulrick's voice rang out, firm and resolute.
His words echoed through the crypt, stirring a murmur among those present.
"Avenge them? They were killed during a hunting accident. If you're talking about the boar, it's probably already been butchered by Lord Beric," one man remarked with a chuckle.
However, his joke was met with nothing but angry glares.
Ulrick smirked derisively at the man and retorted, "Do you honestly believe it was an accident?"
"Do you mean it wasn't?"
"Absolutely not!" Ulrick replied emphatically. "This was a calculated and dishonorable assassination targeting a woman and a child."
His words threw the gathering into a tense stir, voices rising in hushed discussions.
After a moment, someone asked, "Sir Ulrick, do you have any idea who the culprit might be?"
"I know exactly who did this."
"Who?"
Ulrick took a deep breath and spoke, pausing for effect:
"Samwell Caesar, the Lord of Eagle's point!"
This declaration sparked an uproar.
"What proof do you have?"
At Ulrick's signal, one of his attendants left the crypt, returning shortly with a battered, bloodied man who could barely walk.
"Who is this?" someone questioned.
Ulrick kicked the man, who crumpled to the floor, wincing in pain. "Introduce yourself," he ordered.
"Yes, yes, of course!" The man, trembling and weak, stammered, "My name… is Gill. I work for Lord Caesar…"
"And what were you doing in Starfall?"
"Lord Caesar… sent me to… monitor House Dayne's affairs…" Gill admitted, his voice barely audible, clearly terrified by the memory of the torture he had endured.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Yet, another voice spoke up calmly, "Even if that's true, it doesn't prove that Samwell Caesar orchestrated the deaths of Lord Edric and Lady Allyria."
Ulrick's gaze immediately honed in on the speaker—Ser Gerold Dayne, known as the "Darkstar" of High Hermitage.
As one of the most powerful Dayne cadet branches, the Daynes of High Hermitage were indeed strong contenders in the succession. And as the eldest son of that line, Gerold had the most substantial claim to Starfall's lordship, assuming Ulrick didn't change his surname.
Seeing through Ulrick's ambitions, Darkstar had intervened, trying to undercut his position.
Yet Ulrick appeared unfazed, responding calmly as though prepared for this line of questioning.
"You all remember that Caesar was here in Starfall just last month. And he even showed me a portrait."
Ulrick turned to look at his steward, Ser Thrya.
Thrya nodded, confirming, "It's true. I was present. Lord Caesar did show us a portrait and asked if we knew the subject. But… that was a portrait of Lady Ashara. How does it relate to this?"
"Back then, I too thought it was Lady Ashara. But in hindsight, I'm convinced he intended to confirm the likeness of Lady Allyria."
Thrya frowned, though he eventually nodded. "There's a resemblance between the two. It's possible."
"Exactly!" Ulrick proclaimed. "Caesar was making sure the assassin had an accurate description."
"That's hardly proof!" Darkstar retorted dismissively.
"Yet it's enough to raise grave suspicion," Ulrick countered coldly. "And more than that, Caesar's hold on Eagle's point is a direct threat to Starfall. He's likely to become a true enemy of House Dayne in the future. Ser Gerold, why are you so intent on defending him?"
"I simply don't wish to see a knight's honor tarnished without clear evidence." Gerold tried to keep his voice steady, though he realized his argument was losing strength.
For indeed, no matter what he said, Samwell Caesar's position on Eagle's eyrie made him a threat to House Dayne, and now, under these suspicious circumstances, defending him was risky.
"I do not wish to accuse an innocent man without cause. But to ensure that Lord Edric Dayne and Lady Allyria Dayne rest in peace, we must bring Samwell Caesar here to face trial!"
With that, Ulrick drew his sword and roared, "Who will stand with me?"
Without hesitation, knights stepped forward. "I will!"
"And I!"
More voices echoed in agreement.
Watching knight after knight rise to his call, Ulrick's face lit up with barely concealed triumph.
He knew that his moment had finally arrived.
(End of Chapter)