"Prince Doran!"

Doran turned to see Areo walk over to him, his captain coming from the big doors to the palace. Hearing news of the Battle at the Trident and the sack of King's Landing had made his heart worse, had made him want to call his banners and send what remained of them to the capital. His sister was dead. His sister's children were dead. The Lannisters had never cared about children, had never cared about the women when they were sacking a city or punishing an unruly lesser lord. His brother, Oberyn, was raging by the docks, debating whether or not to buy the services of the Golden Company and prepare for war against the Lannisters.

"Areo? What is it?"

Areo Hotah looked like he had seen a ghost, his olive skin pale and his dark eyes wide. "My prince, your sister… She's at the gate. Along with four members of the kingsguard."

Doran's eyes widened. "Captain?"

Areo dipped his head in an nod. "Your sister's alive, my lord."

Doran stared and stood up, following Areo as they left the palace and stood on the steps of the palace. The city of Sunspear lay around them, bustling with life. And… His sister stood at the gate of the palace, Rhaenys at her feet and Aegon in her arms. Ser Jaime Lannister, Ser Harlan Tyrell, Ser Gerold Hightower, Ser Arthur Dayne, and Ser Oswell Whent were standing around her.

Lady Lyanna Stark was standing beside Princess Elia too, also holding a babe in her arms.

"Brother!"

"Elia!"

Doran raced over, taking the cobblestone street as fast as his legs allowed and pulled Elia into a tight hug. "Sister… I thought you were dead."

Elia laughed joyfully, returning the hug just as tightly. "Doran."

"How? How did you escape?"

Elia pulled back a little, moved little Aegon about in her arms to quiet him down. "Ser Jaime and Ser Harlan helped me. They saved my life and the lives of my children, Doran."

"Seems like a story," Doran remarked, kneeling down to scoop Rhaenys up into a hug. Rhaenys squealed out a loud laugh, burrowing into his chest.

"Uncle Doran!"

Doran grinned and turned to see Areo smiling widely as well. "Send for my brother. He'll want to know Elia's alive."

"Of course."

"Ser Jaime?" Doran echoed, watching as the kingsguard and Ser Harlan approached. "Why don't we talk in my solar. Ser Arthur, I am glad to see you alive."

Arthur grinned wearily. "If it had not been for Ser Jaime and Ser Harlan, we probably would have stayed there until Lyanna's brother came for us."

"Sister..." Doran spoke, glancing at Elia before staring at Lyanna and the babe in her arms. "Why is Lady Lyanna Stark with you?"

"I invited her, Doran," Elia said, turning and gesturing for Lyanna to come up to them. As she did, Elia reached out and grasped Lyanna's hand, seeing the grey eyes widen. "Rhaegar married her before… We are bound."

"Prince Doran," Lyanna said quietly. "I hope that my presence here does not cause you too much trouble."

Doran blinked before nodding. "Very well. You are most welcome to stay with us, Lady Stark. Everyone, come in. I assume it's been a long journey and we have much to talk about."

"Prince Doran."

Doran turned to look at Ser Harlan Tyrell, the very well known Black Rose. "Yes, ser?"

"Do you have a big roost for hawks or hunting birds?" Harlan asked, his golden eyes intent on him.

"Why do you ask?"

"I have a hawk with me," Harlan replied, gesturing over to the palace wall. Doran followed his gesture and spotted a white hawk, a hawk that was watching them keenly. "She's a friend."

"Yes, we do. It's on the north side of the palace. I have heard of your family's reputation for hawks and horses," Doran said, as they followed Elia and Lyanna inside. "I am grateful to you for rescuing my sister and her family."

The four knights of the kingsguard followed them, silent and weary. Though Doran did notice that Ser Jaime kept glancing at Ser Harlan every now and again as they moved into the palace. The guards all around them looked at them, at their party. Doran knew they must have made quite a sight.

"It was not a problem," Ser Harlan responded.

Doran made sure that as they moved into his solar, the doors were closed behind them and that Areo knew to keep anyone but Oberyn out of them. He didn't want the news of Elia and her children getting out too soon. He knew that Robert would probably make a demand, might even send someone to collect the children.

"He killed Ser Amory Lorch and the Mountain," Elia spoke as they all found seats around the table. Servants soon found them, asking if they wanted drinks. Nearly everyone asked for water, the kingsguard knights finally sitting down at Elia's urging. Lyanna sat down next to Elia, their children between them. Rhaenys held little Jon in her arms, her purple eyes glancing down at her half brother. Aegon had fallen asleep in Elia's lap.

Gerold Hightower stayed by the door, keeping a watch over the group.

"You did?" Doran asked, as Ser Harlan sat down next to Ser Jaime. "That must have been some fight."

"Ser Jaime did most of the fighting," Harlan said, gesturing to the knight next to him. "I wasn't about to let either of his father's bannermen kill Elia or her children."

Doran turned to look at Jaime, raising an eyebrow. "Your father?"

"He ordered their deaths," Jaime offered quietly, sighing. "And Prince Rhaegar told me to protect his family."

"What of the king?" Doran questioned, looking at the Lannister heir. "King Aerys kept my sister and her children as hostages. What happened to him?"

"Ser Gregor killed him, I assume," Jaime answered, looking at him without blinking. "I was keeping your sister from dying, Prince Doran."

Doran stared at him then nodded. "Thank you, ser. I did not think any Lannister held their honor in high regard."

Jaime blinked, his cheeks reddening a little. "Have you heard any news from Robert or my father?"

Doran turned to Elia and Lyanna, with Ser Arthur, Gerold and Oswell looking on. "Robert has taken the throne, as I suspected. He is due to marry your sister, ser. Cersei Lannister will be queen. They do not know Lyanna is alive."

Lyanna took a deep breath, exhaling in relief. "Thank the gods for that. I left a letter for my brother at the tower so he and Benjen know I'm alive."

"Was that wise, my lady?" Doran asked. "Your brother could…"

"I spelled it," Ser Harlan interrupted, nodding to Doran. "My abilities grant me that much. That letter will only be read by Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell and his brother."

"Your… abilities?" Doran repeated curiously.

"I am witchborn, as you all know," Harlan spoke, his golden eyes soft. "I also am… You can call me a sorcerer, a wizard… I can do many things besides bear children."

"I am aware of you being witchborn," Doran confirmed. "What else can you do?"

"Heal, protect, bring castles down," Harlan explained, shrugging. "Among other things."

"Are you like one of the children of the forest?" Ser Arthur asked, sitting forward in his chair.

"A little. Some people think that the witchborn folk are descended from the children of the forest. I don't know where the ability to bear children comes from but I know my magic is different. It comes from something else, something older. Something not of this world."

Jaime turned to look at Harlan before looking at Doran. "He healed my shoulder, after I was injured by Ser Gregor. It doesn't even hurt now."

"Hmmm…" Doran trailed off.

"He helped me birth Jon," Lyanna spoke, glancing to Ser Harlan with a grateful look in her grey eyes. "Thank you, ser."

"You're welcome," Harlan said, dipping his head in a nod. "Princess Elia, what would you like to do, with regards as to your children?"

Doran looked at his sister. "Robert does want them dead. Unfortunately, he put out a bounty for them. That much I know."

"What about Elia herself?" Lyanna asked, raising an eyebrow. "Does Robert want her dead?"

"We would not let that happen, regardless," Ser Arthur said, speaking before whatever Doran was about to say. "My lady, we would die before letting either you or your children die and that goes for you too, Lyanna."

"Should we go to war now?" Lyanna asked, brushing some of her dark hair out of her face and glancing to Rhaenys and Aegon. "Is Dorne capable of protecting us?"

Doran wrinkled his nose at the suggestion that Dorne wasn't capable. "My lady, we held off the dragons. If Robert tries to force the issue, he will have a hard time of it. For now, we will close our borders. I will let our bannermen know to be on the lookout for strange folk."

"We could wait," Harlan suggested, raising an eyebrow in thought. "Wait until the children are old enough to sit the throne and then mount an invasion. The gods know if Robert will be a good king but having seen him from afar… He will make a mistake."

"He's a soldier, not a prince, not a king," Ser Arthur remarked.

"A good soldier does not make a good king," Harlan added, taking a sip of his water. "Prince Doran, if you are in need of more information…"

Doran turned to look at the Black Rose, raised an eyebrow.

"My mother can be a good source of information," Harlan said, looking at Jaime before turning to look at Elia and Lyanna. "If the Lady Stark wants to pass letters to her brothers up north, Lady Olenna would make it so."

"Thank you for the offer," Lyanna replied, covering up a yawn with her hand. Princess Elia's dark eyes softened as she watched the other woman then stood up, handing Aegon over to Doran, who gladly took his nephew.

"Come, Lyanna," Elia said, holding out an arm. "I will show you to your room. Doran, I shall put her in the room next to mine."

"Very well. I know it likely has been a long trip."

Doran peered down at little Aegon, the little tufts of silver hair on his head short but growing. He saw Lyanna take Elia's arm before the she wolf hesitantly let baby Jon into Ser Harlan's arms. Harlan peered down at the babe with wistful eyes before holding the child to his chest, Jon's little head on his shoulder.

"ELIA!"

"Seven help us," Doran muttered, glancing up to the door as it was pushed open, hard.

"Your brother?" Harry asked, grinning a little at Doran's look. Ser Arthur and Ser Gerold all followed Elia and Lyanna, still knights of the kingsguard guarding their charge. Ser Oswell stayed with the kids, watching over Rhaenys, Aegon and Jon.

"Oberyn."

"Prince Doran," Jaime started.

"Yes, ser Jaime?"

"Any news of my father? With my sister marrying Robert and no news of me…"

Doran sighed, his eyes looking on Jaime. "Your father is due to remarry. No other news."

Harry turned to look at Jaime, hearing the other man let out a strangled breath. "Don't you have a brother? Tyrion?"

"Yes. However, my father hates Tyrion," Jaime spoke, shuddering a little. "He thinks Tyrion killed our mother and he hates him for being a dwarf. Not proper for a lion, he thinks."

Doran's eyes narrowed as he stood up, holding little Aegon in his arms. Rhaenys was at his feet, her eyes wide with excitement at seeing her uncle. "You will always have a place here, Ser Jaime. We can do that much for the knight who saved my sister."

"Thank you."

Harry sighed, watched as Prince Oberyn went to embrace his sister. "I don't exactly have respect for my brother but you sound like you actually like your brother."

"Tyrion's smart," Jaime offered, as Doran walked out of the solar. "He's young and has a fascination with dragons. I do not believe he killed our mother. That was not his fault."

"It never is," Harry said quietly, shifting Jon in his lap a little as the boy moved.