Samwell rested his army in Tor for a day before giving the order to march eastward.
Joining the march were 500 soldiers sent by House Jordayne.
Though the number wasn't large, Samwell understood that House Jordayne had given all it could.
Unlike House Dayne, which had maintained neutrality, most Dornish lords had suffered devastating losses from years of war. For House Jordayne, mustering 500 soldiers meant scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Even Lady Myria Jordayne, the only daughter and heir of Lord Tebbor Jordayne, donned armor and joined the march herself.
Clad in armor, Lady Myria exuded a commanding presence, far from the fragile image of a pampered noblewoman. Her demeanor reminded Samwell of Brienne of Tarth.
After leaving Tor, the army could no longer follow the coastline and was forced to head south into the desert.
In this harsh terrain, the best time to march was during dawn and dusk when the sun's heat was less oppressive.
Now, at sunset, the western sky shimmered like golden-purple silk, the clouds streaked with fiery hues. The camp's tents glowed faintly red, and the waning daylight marked the perfect time to resume their journey.
Just as Samwell mounted his white dragon to lead the march, scouts arrived, escorting two young boys.
"Your Grace, we encountered a party from House Allyrion ahead. These two are the sons of Ser Roderick Allyrion and request an audience with you."
Samwell's eyes narrowed slightly.
House Allyrion ruled Godsgrace, and its current leader, Lady Delonne Allyrion, was imprisoned in Sunspear.
Her only son, Ser Roderick Allyrion, was dead, making these two boys the heirs to Godsgrace.
"Your Grace," said the elder boy, bowing deeply, "I am Will Allyrion, eldest son of Ser Roderick."
"And I am Wyllem Allyrion, his younger brother. It is an honor to meet you."
The two youths, with brown hair and dark eyes, looked about thirteen or fourteen years old. Both were visibly nervous, their gazes frequently darting toward the white dragon with a mix of awe and fear.
Samwell studied the boys for a moment before asking,
"Did Lady Ynys send you to me?"
"Yes." Will nodded quickly, producing a letter from his cloak. "Mother said this letter was of great importance and insisted we deliver it to you personally."
Samwell nodded inwardly, unsurprised.
Lady Ynys of House Yronwood had once been invaluable to his efforts—albeit not willingly.
She had traveled to Storm's End seeking aid, only to betray Samwell by sharing his military plans with House Martell.
Fortunately, Samwell had anticipated her duplicity and used her actions to lure the Arbor fleet into a devastating ambush at sea.
Though Lady Ynys had unwittingly played a role in his victory, her betrayal was not something Samwell would easily forget.
Now, it seemed, she was reaching out again.
Taking the letter from Will, Samwell quickly scanned its contents, his expression unreadable.
The Allyrion brothers stood anxiously, their mother's stern warning not to read the letter leaving them ignorant of its contents. They could only assume she was asking for aid, as Godsgrace was in grave danger.
"Your Grace," Will ventured, "the Golden Company is advancing on Godsgrace. Please, I beg you, hasten your march to save House Allyrion and our people."
"Your Grace," Wyllem added, "House Allyrion is prepared to swear fealty to you if you will come to our aid."
"The Golden Company is heading for Godsgrace? Not Sunspear?" Lady Myria Jordayne interjected, visibly surprised.
In their earlier strategy meetings, everyone had agreed that after conquering Ghost Hill, the Golden Company's most likely target was Sunspear.
Sunspear held immense political significance as the seat of House Martell, and the imprisoned Dornish lords, as well as the captive armies of the Riverlands and the Vale, were valuable assets.
Securing Sunspear could consolidate the Golden Company's hold on Dorne, granting them access to fresh troops and strategic momentum.
Thus, the news that they were marching west to Godsgrace instead of south to Sunspear caught everyone off guard.
"It's true!" Will exclaimed, his face flushed. "Many saw the army flying the banner of the three-headed red dragon advancing toward Godsgrace."
"Yes, and the red-and-white gryphon banner as well," Wyllem added.
"That's the sigil of Jon Connington, the Mad King's Hand," Myria noted, turning to Samwell for his thoughts.
Samwell folded the letter and smiled reassuringly at the brothers.
"Thank you, Will, Wyllem, for House Allyrion's trust. I will not let you down. Lady Nathalie, take the lead and march the army to Godsgrace."
"Yes, Your Grace," Nathalie replied promptly, though her eyes widened slightly as Samwell handed her the letter.
"Read it and then burn it," Samwell instructed before mounting his dragon. "I'll scout ahead and assess the situation. Keep moving."
"Yes, Your Grace."
The white dragon took to the sky, its powerful wings stirring up gusts of sand as it soared eastward.
Meanwhile, Nathalie issued orders to resume the march and unfolded the letter. She read it carefully, flipping it over multiple times, her brow furrowed in confusion.
The more she read, the more puzzled she became. Though she wanted to consult her bannermen, Samwell's instructions held her back. Reluctantly, she burned the letter and kept her doubts to herself.
Two days later, the army emerged from the great desert to the sight of the sapphire waters of the Scourge River. The most grueling part of the journey was finally behind them.
At midday, under a relentless sun that beat down like a hammer, the soldiers' spirits remained high.
When Nathalie gave the order to camp by the riverbank, many rushed to the water, reveling in its cool embrace.
Suddenly, a shadow swept over them, and the sunlight dimmed. Cheers erupted as they saw the white dragon descending, bringing Samwell back.
Nathalie rushed to meet him, practically bouncing with excitement.
"Sam, have some water."
"Thank you."
"Are you hungry? I have dried cheese, raisins, and soaked oats ready."
Samwell took a few bites of cheese and sipped some wine before being approached by Lady Myria and the Allyrion brothers.
"I flew over Godsgrace," Samwell said. "The Golden Company has indeed advanced westward and entered the city."
The Allyrion brothers paled visibly.
Samwell offered them a reassuring smile.
"There are no signs of heavy fighting, so it seems Godsgrace surrendered without resistance. Don't worry, I'll drive the Golden Company out soon."
The brothers bowed deeply in gratitude.
Lady Myria asked, "Your Grace, does this mean the Golden Company isn't heading for Sunspear?"
"No, they are," Samwell replied. "I saw another force moving south from Ghost Hill. It seems they've split their army."
"That's not a wise decision," Lady Myria observed.
"Regardless of their strategy, we'll stick to our plan." Samwell made his decision.
"After resting here, we march to Godsgrace. As for Sunspear, we'll leave that to Ser Olifor of House Yronwood."
"Yes, Your Grace."
(End of Chapter)