Thanks for showing interest in this story. It is an alternate universe for reasons that you will see when reading my story. PLEASE only use constructive criticism!
Copyright Disclaimer: This is a work of complete fiction and as such I do not own any character's belonging to George R.R. Martin or the writers of Game of Thrones.
"Arianne do you have any idea what this could be about," I asked my older sister as we walked the stone halls of the palace away from the Water Gardens. Our father, Prince Doran Martell had suggested a day at the Water Gardens and no one thought anything of it. It was common for him to suggest such a thing. Being in the water soothed his legs, which were suffering from gout.
"None my dear sister but it should be interesting," Arianne replied.
"You mean more interesting that the knight whose bed you've been sharing these past few weeks," I told her. Her face flushed before she playfully smacked my shoulder.
"You know it would not kill you to take a lover," Arianne told me.
"I will only ever love my husband whoever he may be," I told her.
"Boring, besides more than likely you'll be married to a Dornishman who would not give a horse's ass if you were a maiden or not," Arianne said in response as we stopped in front of the intricately carved wooden doors that led to our father's study in palace.
"Enter," we heard our father say. We both shrugged and entered closing the door behind us. Our father Doran sat in his chair in front of the window the sea breeze bringing cool air inside as a relief from the hot day we were currently experiencing. We sat down in the wooden chairs opposite his writing table upon which he was currently writing a missive.
"Please sit there is something I must discuss with both of you," He replied looking up from the missive. Arianne shared a cautious look before sitting down, our gowns of light green and light blue respectively moved softly as we sat down.
"Father what is this about," Arianne asked him.
"As you know since your Aunt Elia's death we in Dorne have become politically silent. No more we must gain allies preferably those who hate the Lannisters," He replied. I, and I am almost positive Arianne, knew where this was going.
"An alliance through marriage," I said although I could have whispered the words. Ever since we were young we assumed that yes we would have to marry for political reasons but within Dorne. The thought of leaving Dorne never occurred to us.
"Who," Arianne said harshly standing up preparing to be on the defensive. While she was the oldest she was also the heir to Sunspear. But being older than 15 and no marriage agreements she had gotten used to the idea of not getting married at least for a few years.
"I have here the agreement of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell for one of my daughters to marry his eldest son. All that remains is for me to write in the name of the daughter I have chosen," Father replied.
"How could you do this to us? All our lives you have told us we would marry within Dorne and now you want to ship one of us off all the way to The North. How could you," Arianne exclaimed rather loudly that I was surprised no one from the pools came running to see why she was near shouting.
"We need alliances. Our political silence is for the best but with the way things are going we will be strong but not the strongest we need more alliances past our borders," He replied.
"This is unfair," Arianne said.
"It is quite simple," I said, voicing my first opinion on the conversation. Both turned to look at me. Father, in curiosity, and Arianne, in shock, at my words. I honestly shocked myself but the core of the matter made everything quite simple.
"Elianna understands," Father said.
"This is ludicrous," Arianne retorted.
"Father says we need alliances, which yes given the way the Lannisters have been growing in power it makes sense to strengthen ourselves and we can only do that so much within our borders. An alliance with the Starks is perfect. They are a noble house, honor their alliances and hate the Lannisters," I told her. She grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I still say we can protect ourselves within our borders. We have been successful in the past," Arianne said.
"If the Lannisters get more power it would not be enough," Father told her.
"Let's say this makes sense. Would the Tyrell's not be a better choice? Yes, we have our problems with them but The Reach borders us," Arianne said sitting down arms still crossed.
"If more years had passed then yes it would. Olenna Tyrell would be more likely to enter into an alliance with us if we are seen to align with a house she would consider noble which the Starks are," I told her.
"Your sister is right. This alliance will go forward the question is which one of you. I know that Arianne you are the heir but you are also the eldest and are unmarried," He told us.
"Now you are concerned with my unmarried status," Arianne retorted as if snake venom was dripping from her words. Arianne if provoked in the right way could be angered easily. She had just come to terms with her unmarried status a short time ago.
"You will not take that tone with me," Our father shouted. Before long the two were exchanging the harshest words possible without yelling. Mother, before she left, once told me that the reason they argue the way they do is because they are so much alike but too stubborn to see it. I miss her so much. She said she fell out of love and then left for the Free Cities and has not returned. Could that happen to whichever one of us he chooses to go? Would we fall in love with our husband than years later fall out of love? I shook my head. This was a marriage to strengthen alliances not one to encourage love. The likely outcome would be we would tolerate our spouse and nothing more. Love was a possibility but not a likelihood.
Arianne was the eldest but from what I knew the Stark heir was around my age. We were both trained to run a household like Sunspear but a northern household would be completely different. Both of us have never known anything but Dorne so the idea of leaving was a scary one. We had always been close so whichever one of us left would still leave the other and that was the base point. We had always been close just as our brothers Quentyn and Trystane had always been closer.
"I will go," I shouted above their yelling.
"Elianna no I'm the elder I should go," Arianne said sitting back down in her seat.
"No, Arianne you've been dreaming about ruling Dorne and the only lessons you ever truly paid attention to are the ones with father about ruling Dorne. It also makes sense since the Stark heir and I are the same age," I told her.
"Are you sure Elianna," Father asked. I looked at my sister who looked sad but I saw sense of relief in her eyes that was not her. She was scared of leaving Dorne, her home and marrying a man she knew not and who lived so far away.
"I am. It is the only decision that makes sense. Besides, you said I understood the situation better, which means I can help Dorne from beyond our borders while Arianne helps from within. I have a feeling that Arianne would have made the Stark boy miserable from day one for having to even be in the north much less marry," I said a teasing smile upon my face. Arianne smiled and stood up to give me a hug.
"Thank you sister," she whispered in my ear. I nodded.
"Very well, I'll send this raven to Lord Stark confirming the agreement. We will have a feast to send you off by the end of the week. Your Uncle Oberyn will be escorting you along with Ellaria and your cousins. You will also have an escort and will keep on one ladies maid," Father said.
"I will go with her. It is only right that I see my sister wed when our father cannot especially since I am the heir," Arianne told our father confidently.
"You only want to see what a Northern man is like for a lover," I whispered in her ear. She just smiled.
"No, Arianne you will stay here with Oberyn gone the Tyrell's might try something. Having you here will dissuade them from seeing us as weak," Father said she was about to protest but I put my hand on her arm.
"You will visit me soon besides too many Dornish beauties might overwhelm the North," I told her.
"Very well I want a raven everyday sister," She told me.
"I will now I demand you help me prepare," I said to her.
"Very well let's," Arianne said linking her arm with me as we left my father's office.
That was over a month ago. We boarded a ship sailing for White Harbor and from there we began traveling on horseback to Winterfell. Among those my father sent with me besides some knights and servants were my uncle's paramour Ellaria whom all my brothers and sister called Aunt Ellaria even though they were not married she had been a constant in most of our lives at our Uncle's side. Going north was a new experience for her and she had been like a mother to me since my mother abandoned the family. I was grateful for her and my uncle's help on this journey. I was very close to the both of them and knew that he would make my last days as a Martell ones to remember.
"Soon you will be a married lady. Are you nervous," Uncle Oberyn asks as he rides up next to me.
"Nervous but that's mostly the cold I am concerned about. This, from what I understand, is their summer. I'm nervous about their winter," I told him.
"Yes from the heat and sand of Dorne to the cold and ice of the North. A brutal transition for any person but for a Martell woman an easy obstacle to overcome," He replied.
"Well I have a feeling you will be generating your own heat when we arrive," I told him smirking.
"You have been around me for far too long little one," He replied laughing.
"Maybe, but that time around you has given me the skill to spot a snake," I told him. He straightened up.
"You may not have to worry about them here but if a Lannister is near be ready to strike," He replied.
"I will and with what you taught me dispatching them would be easy," I told him.
"Sometimes I think you're my daughter and not Doran's," Oberyn said.
"But I am his as seen by the lighter coloring of my skin thanks to my mother," I told him. It was then that I stopped riding for what I saw in the distance terrified me more than I would care to admit in front of my Uncle who always pushed us to be strong and never forget that Lannisters are not the only ones who repay their debts.
The great stone castle of the North was intimidating and defensible. There was however, a sense of adventure emanating from its stones that intrigued me.
"Your new home little one," Oberyn said bringing his horse to stand next to mine.
"Yes it is so different from Sunspear," I replied.
"It is but I have no doubt that you will make it your own in due time," Oberyn said to me.
"I hope so," I told him. He reached over and took my hand squeezing it.
"Have strength little one. You have so much of your Aunt Elia in you and I know you will be a credit to our house in the North," Oberyn said to me. I nodded and we continued on the journey that would forever change my life for I was one-step closer to change from Elianna Martell to Elianna Stark.