"Se fuerte hija, recuerda que eres la nieta de Fernando e Isabel y algun dia seras reina" (Be strong daughter and remember you are the daughter of Fernando and Isabel and someday you will be Queen) -The Tudors
Tyene sighed. How longer? "Where are you going?" Nym asked her. "I am not going to stay here the entire day, our father is out there fighting, I want to know how it went."
"It went fine, obviously." Elia said showcasing a toothy grin.
Gossipy Elia. She reminded their father too much of his lost sister. Nym ruffled their younger sister's head. "Hey!" Elia tried to break free of Nym's grasp but she was too small for her yet.
"I am going."
"Tyene no, father told you to stay."
"Have you ever done what she tells you?"
Nym rolled her eyes. There she goes again with the whole it was all Ellaria's idea. She didn't see what the big deal was. So Ellaria wasn't great stepmother material. Big deal. At least she wasn't a snob like the rest of the women their father dated. Nym liked Ellaria, as the mother of their four younger sisters, she and her siblings loved her. Except Tyene that is.
"You are going to get grounded." Elia said voicing Nym's thoughts.
Tyene gave them a bold look that said see if I care and walked out. She heard a young girl crying and went to see what was her problem but the girl was just rude so Tyene turned the other cheek and kept on with her pace.
On her way to see her father she felt a strong pair of hands on her mouth. She kicked and struggled. Another man came and pressed a handkerchief to her nose and she fell asleep.
Oberyn kicked the Mountain and slashed his talons but the bastard got him from his foot, in a moment of distraction he had him pinned down with his back against the floor and he felt immense pressure on his eyes. No! No! Elia! He failed her! He failed his ancestors.
He bit his tongue, refusing to scream but the pressure against his eyes was building and he could feel his blood trailing down his cheeks. This was it. He was ready to die. Father ... mother ... stranger ... maiden ... crone ... warrior ... smith ... the unnamed one ...he begged them to look after his family, especially Tyene. Bringing her to King's Landing had come at a huge risk but he had been assured no one would suspect of her identity. No one will know. The spider promised him.
Then he felt himself go light and he felt a great weight off his chest literally and he opened his eyes to see the Mountain fallen besides him and Tywin Lannister with his hand raised up, calling down the fight.
"What is the meaning of this?" Oberyn demanded Tywin smiled at the sore loser. He shifted his gaze at his son. "Lord Tyrion under the authority of the king you are hereby sentenced to a traitor's death. Prince Oberyn your use of poison renders this trial null and void. You and your mistress and your daughters are dismissed from king's landing."
"You can't do this Tywin! We had a deal"
"We did. I am altering the deal, you better pray I don't alter it any further. Ser Meryn escort the prince, lady Sand and his two daughters."
"Two? What have you done with them?" Oberyn screamed throwing his spear in mid air. He didn't intend it to land on Tywin, he just wanted to scare the bastard.
Tywin smiled. His daughter rose from her sit bearing a triumphant grin.
"Answer me!"
"Your daughters are well cared for Prince Oberyn, we have done nothing but your daughter Tyene is on her way to London as we speak."
"What?" Oberyn's eyes widened in horror. Could they know?
"You should have kept her in Dorne where she would've been safe. She is going to marry her stepfather, the king of England or did you think we didn't know who her harlot mother was when she stepped into our shores along with her other siblings?"
Oberyn turned to Ellaria who looked just as horrified. They were both speechless. Oberyn turned to Tywin again and demanded to have his daughter back. But Tywin was unmoved by the younger man's threats.
"You should be proud she will marry a king and a king of England at that, both our countries will have peace and we will have a strong ally at our back with the kingdom itself being rid of a potential threat."
Oberyn opened his mouth but no sound came. After seconds of silence where the rest of the crowd looked at him with pity and mockery he ran to the steps and launched himself at Tywin but he was stopped by his guards. "You son of a bitch! You bring me my daughter back! You had no right doing this!"
"No, you had no right concealing her identity. Take him away and make sure he and his mistress and his two daughters are on that ship back to Dorne as soon as possible."
Oberyn's screams were widely heard even as they took him farther and farther away. Oleana and the Tyrells who had plotted Tyrion's fall so one of their own could be saved from being Joffrey's wife, now they realized their great mistake in not planning ahead like Tywin Lannister. They could have made great use of that girl, she had the blood of Lancaster, Tratasmara, Burgundy and Martell. In the absence of male heirs from Henry's children, she could stand as a potential claimant to both kingdoms of England and Spain.
Who knew that Mary Tudor's mother would have stooped so low as to sleep with the younger brother of the ruler of Dorne? She guessed it was that hot Spanish blood that cursed through the late queen of England's veins. It was said how her father took woman after woman, whether they said no or yes and sired bastards just as easily as her husband did. Oleana chuckled. Like father, like daughter. She had met the queen when she was still married to Henry in her younger years before she had the princess Mary, and she boasted how alike her father she was. It made her wonder then just what she meant by that, now she knew.
She told to Margaery who was horrified at the spectacle but kept her composure. "It seems we have one more ally for us when you and Tommen start having children."
"But you heard the prince, he will never allow his daughter to be married to that man and he killed one of his wives."
"Don't assumed too soon child, the prince will do what he is told once he gets some sense knocked into him by his brother and his brother is not going to be a fool to pass so marvelous an offer up."
"But it isn't right grandmother. She is being married against her will."
"Nonsense. When she sees the pretty gowns and the crown of St. Edward thrust on her head she will forget about all her troubles. You must not trouble yourself with these things child." she put her hand on hers. "Keep yourself concentrated about Tommen, make sure he sees you every day."
Margaery nodded and smiled at her grandmother, feeling thankful for having such a woman in her life. She sent a mental prayer for the Dornish baseborn girl Tyene so that she could get adjusted in her new position.
As women, they had few options. Tyene would have to rely on her beauty and charm, and if what she heard was true, her intelligence too to win the king of England and hope to the gods that she provided him with a second son to keep her position safe.
Tyene woke. "Where am I?"
"Lady Tyene." Greeted a tall light bearded man with dark hair and blue eyes. He was very handsome and was richly dressed. "Let me welcome you to England, I am the Duke of Suffolk, Charles Brandon, the king's personal friend. The king wants to meet you in person, he has been anxiously waiting for your arrival."
"England ... but how?" Tyene asked feeling disoriented from the sedative she was given.
Charles took a good look at this girl, thinking on the best way to answer her so she wouldn't feel too distressed. She looked a lot like the late princess dowager and her sister, the lady Mary. Indeed, if it wasn't for her ringlets of golden hairs that fell down her waist, she and lady Mary could pass of as twins. He gently told her about the betrothal between herself and the king and that in two days time they would marry in the queen's closet at Hampton.
Tyene was shocked. How could this happen? She demanded to go back but the duke told her that was not possible.
"I demand to see my father. He is the only one who can give me permission to marry."
"Lady Tyene your father has no authority here and the lord Tywin has already agreed to this betrothal and paid twice the dowry other princes of Europe offered His Majesty in return to marrying one of their daughters."
"But I am a bastard, he can't marry me!"
"He can and he will." Cranmer appeared at that moment. He curtsied to her and introduced himself. "Forgive the intrusion but His Majesty's arrival is sooner than we expected he is here and he is very anxious to see you my lady."
"Tell his Majesty that I am not interested!" Tyene screamed.
"My lady the king has spent a lot of time planning this, parliament has agreed to recognize you as the natural born daughter of the late princess dowager and your father prince Oberyn."
"I said I am not ... wait, what? What do you mean natural born daughter of queen Katherine? I am the daughter of prince Oberyn and his liason with a septa. Everyone knows that."
"My lady we have been making inquiries to everyone the princess dowager knew and it all fits and your father kept a lot of secret letters regarding her secret pregnancy."
She looked at the duke who avoided her accusatory gaze. No, it couldn't. She thought. She was the daughter of an unknown Septa, her father had said so many times! But you don't believe it. No she didn't. She always looked different, even the Westeros people could tell she was different from them. But to say she was the daughter of Katherine of Aragon ...
"That's a lie! My mother was an unknown Septa and you two are lying to confuse me. I want you out!"
"Temper, temper is that any way to talk to your future council lords?" Said a taunting voice. "Pleased to make your acquaintance my lady, I am Sir Thomas Seymour, the king's brother in law. Cranmer, the king is here waiting in the parlor. Your Grace."
The duke did not return't Seymour's smile. He walked past him and left the two alone.
"My lady of Aragon or should I call you of Dorne. You will be very pleased to be the king, he was married to my sister and she made him a happy woman, we are all hoping you can make him happy too and bring him another heir."
"What makes you think I will do that?" Did these men see her as a brood mare? Tyene was the daughter of the prince of Dorne, she bowed to no one and like the words of her house, she would remain so.
Thomas smiled at her defiance. She was a silly little thing, the king had fallen in love with her portrait right away. He had told his brother that the king must have a secret passion for his daughter because the girl looked so much like her half sister except for their hair color but that was a minor difference. "What is so funny?" Tyene asked narrowing her eyes at the insolent man.
"You look so much like your sister the former princess Mary. You will see her after the wedding ceremony, she is very beautiful jsut like you except she is less forgiving." He told her, smiling at the memory of how the former princess had railed at him and Sir Francis when they told that her mother had had an affair with the prince of Dorne and begotten a bastard.
She immediately went into a frenzy and shouted at them that wasn't true then told them to go away but Sir Francis delivered the letters right into her hands proving once and for all her mother, the saintly and devoted Katherine of Aragon, had been a whore.
And now her bastard daughter will get to marry her former husband who will give him legitimate children who will one day stand to claim the throne if my nephew doesn't have children of his own while her legitimate daughter will remain a bastard and childless. How ironic.
The majordomo entered the room and announced the king's arrival. Thomas stepped aside and let the king come in.
Henry VIII, a tall and strapping man, red haired sporting a well trimmed beard walked forward to meet his future wife. She looked beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. "My lady, we are deeply pleased with your arrival and we are sorry for any inconvenience you have suffered. Tom bring wine and bread for my lady, I am sure you must be tired."
"Your Majesty I am deeply grateful for the care you have given me but please, I ask you as a humble subject would to return me to my home. My family is all I have and my father must be heartbroken to know I am gone. Please I must get back to them." She said shedding tears, hoping this would move him but she was about to be disappointed.
Henry smiled and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "My lady Tyene, your family will be very happy once they know you are well provided for and nothing would make me happier than to give you what you want but alas, I must consent to my country's wishes and my responsibilities as your guardian. You see before your true mother died she asked me to look after my own and she didn't mean your sister, my daughter Mary but you as well. As a married member of my family, I am your legal guardian and it is my decision that you stay here."
Tyene's face fell. She felt a huge knot in her chest as she looked into his eyes, searching for any way she could convince him otherwise but his mind was resolute. "
"Sir Thomas show lady Tyene to her chambers and tell the seamstress to make sure everything is ready for tomorrow."
Tyene's eyes widened in alarmed. So soon?
Reading her expression he said "The kingdom is in dire need of an heir and everyone is curious to see their new foreign bride, we haven't had one since your mother married my brother."
Tyene was escorted to her chambers by Sir Thomas, they stayed silent the entire time. For the first time Thomas didn't have anything funny to say. He felt the girl's despair as the king told her that she would never leave this place and as her legal guardian he could do with her whatever he wanted.
For a brief moment he was reminded of his sister Jane who was horrified when her father and brother Edward told her that she had to seduce the king in order for their family to rise. Her family was up and coming and she had ambitions of her own, but to seduce the king and turn him away from his faithful wife was too much. But there had been a vital difference between Tyene and his sister. Jane in the end capitulated and agreed to his father's wishes because she wanted to be queen just as much as the next girl and because she had always been close to her family and she had a strong desire to see them the first family in England. Jane's sacrifice had cost her her life, he hoped for the girl's sake that it wouldn't cost hers as well. She was only what? 16? 17? From what he remembered in the council's latest reports.
"Sir Thomas?"
"Yes my lady."
"Do not call me lady. I am no lady and I will not be until tomorrow. I need to know about my sister ... is she ... does she ... will she like me?"
"I think so my lady. She looks just like you."
"That is not good answer Sir. I need to know the truth, will she like me or not?"
The younger Seymour brother could tell she was not a woman who liked flattery, so he chose to give her the truth. "No, my lady. But you must not let that distract you from your future duties. Regardless of her feelings for you or yours for her, you will be queen and she will have to bow to you."
"Thank you Sir. You are dismissed." She said and with a last smile he turned around and left her.
