Chapter 69: Possession

"Mother!"

At the entrance of the valley in Eagle's point, Natalie flew into her mother Nara's arms like a bird returning to its nest. "Why did it take you so long to come back?"

Nara gently stroked her daughter's hair, smiling.

"I was only gone for a month. Was it that long?"

"It was too long!" Natalie pouted, holding her mother close. But after a moment, she seemed to realize they weren't alone and pulled back a little, suddenly shy.

"Did everything go well while I was away?"

"It was fine," Natalie replied, gripping her mother's hand as they walked deeper into the valley. "I even went with Lord Caesar to Starfall!"

"You went to Starfall?" Nara's face changed ever so slightly.

"Yes." Natalie seemed oblivious to her mother's reaction, her voice tinged with a trace of complaint. "But he didn't take me to House Dayne's castle; he just let me wander around the marketplace."

Nara relaxed a little but, at the same time, there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

The two of them walked into the valley, chatting as they went, with Nara glancing around to see how much had changed since she was last here.

"Huh? It looks like there are a lot more Riverlands people here."

"Oh, those are refugees Lord Caesar took in. They arrived just last week—three thousand of them!"

Nara nodded, walking on with Natalie. She visited the elderly and children of the Crowcaller tribe who were being cared for in the welfare center, then went to see Samwell. She handed over several dozen freshly gathered ghost grass plants for him to inspect.

"Lady Nara." Samwell accepted the ghost grass, then probed, "How do your Crow tribesmen find this Ghost-grass?"

"Lord Caesar, a few of our people have been blessed by the Old Gods. Because of this, they possess a heightened sense of perception beyond that of others."

Hearing her vague response, Samwell asked, "Is Natalie among those blessed by the Old Gods?"

After a brief hesitation, Nara nodded. "Yes, she is."

This was enough to give Samwell a general idea of what "Old Gods' blessing" might mean. Seeing Nara's reluctance to say more, he didn't press further.

Reflecting on ghost grass, with its mysterious effects on the mind, Samwell wondered what the active ingredient might be in this plant.

Could it really be some form of blessing from the Old Gods?

Suddenly, a peculiar thought flashed through Samwell's mind—what if he tried using weirwood bark?

The idea was dangerous, though. Consuming part of a weirwood tree would certainly draw the fury of the Old Gods' followers. He would have to be exceptionally discreet if he ever decided to attempt it.

For now, he put the notion aside. After Nara left, he went back to his quarters and ate all the spiritgrass she had brought, allowing his spirit attribute to increase to 2.07.

Breaking past 2, Samwell noticed a faint difference in how he perceived the world around him, though he couldn't quite articulate what felt different.

Lying on his bed, he tried to recall the sensation of inhabiting a bird's body during his previous dream.

However, the more he focused on trying to replicate that experience, the further away it seemed.

Eventually, he decided to try sleeping again, but it was still morning, and he was too restless to sleep.

As frustration began to set in, he thought back to the image from his dream: that ancient, towering weirwood tree with its aged, expressive face etched into the trunk.

The image was vivid in his mind, as if the face were watching him even now.

Focusing his thoughts on the face, Samwell felt his frustration slowly dissipate. His mind grew calmer, and he heard the faintest whisper, as if a voice were trying to reach him, though he couldn't understand its words.

Gradually, it was as if his spirit transformed into a meandering river, flowing gently down an unknown path, reaching out…

Whoosh—

When Samwell opened his eyes, he was soaring through the blue sky!

He could feel the cool breeze and soft clouds around him, and the vast, shimmering sea stretched beneath him.

Unlike the hazy experience before, this time, everything was clear and vivid; Samwell knew without a doubt that he was awake, and he was seeing the world from above.

Realizing that he was inhabiting the body of an eagle, he felt a surge of excitement.

Sharp talons, powerful beak, a dark brown body with white-tipped tail feathers, and wings that spanned nearly ten feet. With eagle eyes, he could spot prey from an astonishing distance.

It was the perfect scouting vantage point!

Samwell marveled at his newfound ability, exhilarated. Testing it out, he maneuvered the eagle to fly higher and then dive down near the waves, soaring around cliffs and even catching an unlucky field mouse as he skimmed across a mountainside.

During his playful flight, he realized he had inadvertently crossed the bay and could see the outline of Starfall in the distance.

Curious, he directed the eagle closer, hoping to get a bird's-eye view of the legendary castle.

As he drew nearer, the towering spires loomed like giant swords, carved from the cliffside.

The sight was breathtaking, and Samwell couldn't help but imagine the day when he would build a castle as grand as Starfall.

But then, his mood darkened.

He noticed something unsettling—the atmosphere in Starfall was tense. Few people were on the streets, and those he saw moved briskly, faces marked with tension and urgency.

What was going on?

He guided the eagle toward House Dayne's castle, and what he saw made his stomach lurch. The place had turned into a veritable military camp!

Flags in various colors, disciplined formations of soldiers, and knights in gleaming armor—House Dayne was clearly mobilizing for war.

And the likely target…

Samwell felt a chill of realization.

Who else could it be?

Guiding the eagle to circle the skies over Starfall, he continued observing the Dayne soldiers, all the while puzzling over why they would suddenly be preparing to attack him.

It didn't make sense. He distinctly remembered reaching a trade agreement with the steward of Starfall for supplying brandy. That was practically handing them money.

Could Ulrick Sand have feigned interest in the deal while secretly preparing to invade Cape Wrath?

Was he a warmonger, or just a madman?

Samwell couldn't understand what would drive Ulrick to turn on him so recklessly, nor could he fathom why the vassals and soldiers of Starfall would follow a bastard-born steward into such a reckless move.

Did they all truly fear Riverlands settlers taking root in Eagle's point this much?

With a resigned sigh, Samwell realized there was no point in agonizing over their motives. He could only do one thing: return and prepare his own forces for the impending assault.

Considering that Starfall wasn't far from Eagle's point, the enemy could sail across the bay in less than a day with favorable winds.

Judging by their level of readiness, he estimated they could be launching an attack in as little as three days, a week at most.

With this in mind, Samwell withdrew his consciousness, jolting awake in his bed.

(End of Chapter)