Chapter 368: Lady Ynys

In the Storm Hall, Lady Ynys Yronwood sat on a chair, her expression betraying a trace of unease as she waited.

She was the elder sister of the current Lord of Yronwood and the wife of Roger Allyrion, heir to Godsgrace.

Though over thirty and the mother of two, she retained a graceful figure and an air of mature allure.

She wore an elegant black lace gown, a wide-brimmed hat, and a black spider-silk veil that obscured her face from the nose upward, leaving only her pale lips and smooth chin visible.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, Lady Ynys immediately stood.

A tall man clad in a blue velvet doublet entered, the ruby-studded Valyrian steel crown atop his head marking him unmistakably as the Storm King.

"Your Grace," Lady Ynys curtsied gracefully.

"Take a seat," Samwell said casually, motioning with his hand.

"Thank you, Your Grace." Lady Ynys sat upright, her hands folded neatly at her waist, her posture emphasizing her slender frame and refined curves.

"Tell me about the situation in Dorne," Samwell said, his voice calm and devoid of inflection.

Lady Ynys's eyes reddened, and her shoulders trembled as though she were silently weeping.

She raised her head, her delicate demeanor tinged with vulnerability. But the sculpted features of the young Storm King, seated high above, showed no trace of warmth. His brown-black eyes held only a detached scrutiny, devoid of pity.

Realizing her subtle attempts at manipulation were futile, Lady Ynys sighed inwardly, restraining her emotions as she began her account.

Following Princess Arianne Martell's assassination of Anders Yronwood, her younger brother, Cletus Yronwood, inherited the title of Earl and formally declared a break with Sunspear.

Princess Arianne wasted no time branding House Yronwood as traitors and mobilized her forces to march on Yronwood. She also issued a summons, calling on the other noble houses of Dorne to provide troops.

Although Princess Arianne, as the lawful heir to Prince Doran, was the legitimate ruler of Dorne, the repeated misfortunes under House Martell's leadership had severely eroded its prestige.

Had Prince Doran or Prince Oberyn still been alive, their personal charisma might have united the Dornish lords. But Arianne lacked their influence.

Moreover, her actions—killing Anders Yronwood and detaining other Dornish nobles—had stirred widespread resentment. Consequently, when Sunspear's call to arms went out, the response was underwhelming.

Most lords adopted a wait-and-see approach, unwilling to openly defy Sunspear but sending only token forces of elderly or infirm soldiers.

Some houses in western Dorne didn't even bother to send a single soldier, Lady Ynys added, cautiously glancing at Samwell.

These western Dornish lords had clearly been swayed by House Dayne of Starfall, whose abundant grain supplies had allowed them to curry favor with houses like Blackmont, High Hermitage, and Bromwell.

Lady Ynys knew that Starfall fell squarely within the Storm King's sphere of influence. After all, it was Samwell's support that had secured Lady Nathalie Dayne's position as head of House Dayne .

That Starfall had managed to amass enough grain to win over other Dornish lords was undoubtedly due to backing from the Reach.

Despite repeated overtures from House Yronwood seeking aid from Starfall, Nathalie Dayne had consistently declined to send troops, no matter how many concessions Lord Cletus offered.

Thus, Lady Ynys assumed an air of pitiable fragility, her eyes fixed on Samwell in hopes of gaining his favor.

Samwell understood her intent but did not immediately respond. Instead, he asked:

"What is Godsgrace's position in all of this?"

At this, Lady Ynys began to cry, tears slipping beneath her veil as she replied:

"Your Grace, Godsgrace is no longer under Allyrion control."

"Oh?" Samwell raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"After Princess Arianne's summons, my husband, Ser Roger, hesitated to fully oppose House Martell. He also feared for his mother, Lady Derlone Allyrion, who remains imprisoned in Sunspear. To avoid provocation, he sent a small detachment to answer the call.

"But when Martell's forces passed through Godsgrace on their way to Yronwood, Princess Arianne camped outside the castle and demanded my husband meet her.

"Fearing she might use his refusal as a pretext for an attack, Ser Roger reluctantly agreed. But after meeting with her, he inexplicably pledged 3,000 troops to aid House Martell and appointed Daemon Sand as the castle's acting castellan.

"My husband would never appoint a lowborn bastard as acting castellan, nor would he commit the full strength of House Allyrion to Sunspear's cause! I suspect Ser Roger is now under Martell's control… my poor husband!" Lady Ynys's voice broke as she wept.

"And how did you escape from Godsgrace?" Samwell asked, cutting through her sobs.

"I was visiting my family in Yronwood at the time, Your Grace. That's how I avoided being caught in this tragedy."

Samwell nodded, his expression unreadable. "And your children? You have two sons, correct? Where are they?"

"They're still in Godsgrace," Lady Ynys whispered, her voice trembling. "I don't know if they're safe… or…" She dissolved into tears again, her swan-like neck bowing in despair.

Samwell's gaze remained cold as he waited for her to regain her composure. Once her sobs subsided, he asked:

"What is the situation in Yronwood now?"

"Dire," Lady Ynys said, wiping her tears. "When Lord Tywin invaded Dorne, Yronwood, as the frontline stronghold, was sacked. Our food stores were pillaged. Now, with Martell forces besieging the city…"

She looked up at Samwell with pleading eyes.

"Your Grace, House Yronwood has brave warriors who are determined to resist, but without food, they'll starve to death within the city walls. Even if you can't send troops, please send us grain!"

"Martell hasn't fully surrounded Yronwood?"

"No. Yronwood guards the southern end of the Boneway, so Martell can only attack from the south. The northern route remains open," Lady Ynys replied eagerly.

"I'll send grain," Samwell said with a faint smile. "In two weeks, supply ships will arrive at the mouth of the Ynys River. Tell Lord Cletus to send men to receive them."

"Thank you, Your Grace!" Lady Ynys exclaimed, standing to bow deeply. "House Yronwood and House Allyrion will never forget your kindness!"

Samwell studied her for a moment before adding with a knowing smile:

"With this aid, I trust House Yronwood will secure victory."

(End of Chapter)