A/N: Well, that really was a long time without an update - though I gladly notice that some more readers found my little story to be quite enjoyable (at least to some extend, I hope, otherwise you probably wouldn't be here). I'm truly sorry, guys. I was preoccupied with some German fanfictions I wrote, Harry Potter ones, I finished one, started another, and somehow completely forgot about practising my English and the Game of Thrones. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I especially made it a bit longer than usual :)


It was the evening before the fight –Oh Gods, the fight! - and Iryna wanted to join her brother for dinner, as the possibility was very real that this could be their last evening spend together.

Oberyn would never admit the slightest chance of him losing, though. Well, maybe he did the right thing there...

Mylah pinned her princess's wild curls up, while Iryna looked at herself in the mirror, until her eyes caught Jaqen walking into the picture.

"What is it, now?", she said, slightly annoyed as her nerves got the best of her.

"A man wonders", he answered "why a princess hasn't told him."

She sighed at him falling back into his old manner of speaking, as always when they were alone (well, not alone, but Mylah, the handmaiden and trusted confidante of the princess did not really count).

"Well, I thought it was a good idea", Iryna shrugged "actually you should be happy. Joss being here makes your job easier."

"No", the Faceless Man insisted "more difficult."

"Joss is a good man", she said and smiled at herself in the mirror "you should get along, in the end you're both Braavosi."

"A man is not. A man does not have a home", Jaqen said harshly.

"And a princess is foolish", Iryna sighed and rolled her eyes „I know, I know. That's all I've gotten to hear from you the last three days. And Oberyn isn't really helping either. So, please, Jaqen could you just tell me when Joss arrives and accompany me to greet him?"


He nodded curtly and took position by the door, not eager to upset the princess even more. Though the Faceless Man never really let anyone close in any regard, he felt his walls starting to crumble because of the Dornish woman. Just like back with the girl. He really did not enjoy noticing how he started to develop any kind of feelings. He had to offer her protection, nothing more, only paying his debts, but yet he started to want to protect her, to know her safe. The man decided not to think about it any longer – thinking about it would only make matters worse – and do his, what would the princess call it?, his job.


"Thank you, Mylah", Iryna said, checking her hair in the mirror "Very nicely done, indeed."

"Thanks, Princess", Mylah curtsied "Which gown do you want to put on?"

"The light green one, please. Oberyn has always liked it. It's a bit too girlish for my taste, but anyways..."

She touched her hair ever so slightly to see if it really was fixed and then got up to stand behind the dressing screen.

"Excuse me, my Princess", Mylah said, as she came back from the wardrobe with the dress "but I can't help to wonder... Will Prince Oberyn be safe?"

"He is a great warrior", Iryna tried to keep her voice steady and to radiant some kind of confidence – she wouldn't want any of the Dornish servants distraught „I think he has a good chance to survive. There's a motivation for him to fight Ser Gregor, a personal one, he has been eager for this a long time."

"But isn't personal involvement said to be a distraction? Like hatred would make you blind and foolish."

"Oberyn has never been foolish. Eager, impatient, temperamental, yes, but not foolish", Iryna said in a tone that let her handmaiden know to stop asking questions, while the princess thought to herself, yes, her brother never had been truly foolish. Until now.


The evening advanced and for the first time, Ellaria and Iryna were actually working together to make it a great dinner for Oberyn. They put on an act of being nice to one another – not just tolerating but treating each other with kindness. Everyone avoided any talk about tomorrow's trial by combat, instead they ate and drank and joked and after a while all of them had forgotten, that this might be the last time they could be together.

But much too early, Jaqen interrupted, quietly closing up to the princess, whispering in her ear.

Iryna sighed: "I am sorry, brother, I have to retrive. Joss has arrived at the Keep, as Jaqen tells me, he met Jaime Lannister at the Gate, which might be problematic. I will see you tomorrow, after breakfast."

"Greetings to Joss", Oberyn said, fighting back a comment about how she should not have invited him here in the first place "I will fetch you from your quarters, then, sister, and we might have the chance to talk in peace."

She nodded, kissed him on the cheek and bade both him and Ellaria a good night, before following Jaqen to the gate.


"Lannister", she greeted the Kingslayer "What seems to be the problem?"

Her eyes searched the surroundings: Where was Joss?

"There is a man, who says he knows you."

Ser Jaime opened the small door next to the big gate, and there he stood, just outside the Keep, his dog next to him: Joss. His hair shorter than she had ever known it, his green eyes sparkeling in the -

The Lannister shut the door loudly, awakening Iryna from her thoughts. By the Seven, Joss looked good. Better than she had remembered.

"Why did you do that? Let him in!", she demanded.

"So you do know him?", the Kingslayer raised an eyebrow.

"I bloody well do", Iryna cursed, in a very un-Iryna-esque way that made the Lannister chuckle "He's an old friend of the family. Now let him in!"

"And what would his business be, Princess?", he asked mockingly, still ignoring her demands.

"To support my brother, I guess."

"To support you, more like."

Iryna could not believe the nerves this man had, to laugh at her and mock her, while all she wanted was to see Joss, finally.

"What is his name anyways?", he asked now.

"Joss. Joss Randel", Iryna answered, her patience coming to an end "Would you now kindly..."

"He's Braavosi."

"Yes", she sighed "I know that."

She could hear Jaqen move behind her, and saw in the corner of her eye that he stood there now in a more relaxed manner. Obviously he saw something changing and she didn't.

"Well, I am sorry, Princess, but my father and sister alike have decided that no foreigner may enter the Red Keep."

"And naturally you couldn't have told me that from the start, could you?", her eyes were glowing with anger in the light of the few torches around them.

"No. I am of a quite curious nature. Anyways, what do you want to do now?", the Lannister said.

"Well. I guess you have to send him away, don't you?", Iryna answered, annoyed as ever. Why did he play that stupid game if he could have send Joss away without talking to her?

"Or maybe...", he said, and something in his voice changed "we could let him in anyways. You're lucky that I sent Ser Bores away, so we can now discuss your options."

She eyed the Kingslayer suspiciously: "My options?"

He gestured to a small table close to the gate, with some dices and cards on it, and filled two cups of wine, as he sat down.

Iryna still stood up tall, still angry: "My friend is waiting. I don't want to drink wine now, especially not with you – since when did you decide to be friendly with me, anyways?"

"I have never been unfriendly with you, as far as I can remember. Would you now kindly have a glass of wine with me and think of a way to get your little lover inside?"

"He is not my lover", Iryna said, a bit more loudly than she wanted to, but eventually she sat down, Jaqen following her like a shadow.

"Well, we have to find a way to explain his appearance in the city. Especially if Varys's plan maps out, and Oberyn wins tomorrow -"

"Which we still are not quite sure of", Iryna interrupted with a bad feeling in her stomach.

The Lannister nodded " - even if he wins, rumours might come up, that your friend helped him. My sister would like that. Another life she could ruin."

"Gods, your sister is one hell of a bitch", Iryna sighed, ignoring the irritated look on his face, taking a big gulp of wine "So, what are you proposing to do about Joss?"

"I would send him away, because, well, it is my duty after all. But I don't think you would like that."

"Since when do you give a shit if I like something?"

"I feel like you have a rather negative image of me in your mind, Princess. I'm not all that bad. And in the end, your brother risks his life for my brother."

No, she thought, my brother risks his life for stupid vengeance.

"Very well then", she nodded.

"Could he act Westerosi? It didn't seem like it, at least the few words I've exchanged with him."

"No, I don't think so. His Andalish is quite good, though we still sometimes switch into Braavosi. Even if he could keep up speaking only the Common Tongue, he is a man of Braavos with everything he does."

She sighed.

"Mhm", Jaime said, taking a sip of wine himself now "you do like him, don't you?"

"I do. And I can hardly send him back, now that he has come all the way."

"You could still give him money to rent himself a room somewhere in the city and meet him?"

"I need him here, though", Iryna grimaced. She was sure the Kingslayer would not understand, but he did not question that remark.

"Of course, you could always pretend he was your betrothed. My father wants to strengthen the bonds with Dorne, he will hardly forbid you to have your soon-to-be-husband living here."

"But why would I want my betrothed in King's Landing?"

"You missed him, or something? Additionally with the trial tomorrow, you would need a strong shoulder to lean on to."

"But wouldn't they want me to marry him in the end? I'll stay here for quite some time, you know. Having a seat in the small council and everything."

"You could still break it off. Seven hells, girl, I am trying to help you here."

"Yeah, well, you are trying. Plotting really isn't one of your skills, right?"

"No", he snorted.

"Mine neither", she admitted.

"It's one of those situations I would like to have Tyrion with me", he sighed and Iryna looked at him with awe.

Does that Lannister seriously have feelings? Any kind of feelings? Good gods! Who would have thought?

"I guess the betrothal thing could work out, though", she added after a while, eager again to finally see Joss.

"It's your risk."

"It's yours, too. Guess your sister won't like you for letting in a Braavosi against her permission."

"I'll deal with Cersei", he nodded.

"Now could you finally open the door?", the Dornish girl asked, but now the tone of her voice was softer, nicer.

"Allright", he got up and put the key into the whole.

"Wait", she asked him and he turned to face her.

"You can call me Iryna if you want", she smiled.

"Jaime", he said, grinning "but don't start flirting with me now, Princess, you're just about to meet your newly betrothed."


As soon as the door opened, Joss went inside the Keep, as he did not exactly want to be locked out again. Inko ran pass him, greeting the Princess of Dorne before he had a chance himself.

She bend down to pet the dog and as she rose, Joss noticed how much more beautifull she had become in the many months that had passed since they had last met.

"Iryna", he greeted her, after a while, fearing that his staring might become too awkward.

"Joss", she smiled, only a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.

He dropped his bag and with a few quick strides was right in front of her, kissing the back of her hand and bringing up to his forehead bowing in front of her, as it was the proper greeting in Dorne for a lady of her status, taking their friendship into account.

"I am sorry you had to wait", Iryna apologised, as he rose again.

"You don't have to be", he smiled "What were those few moments compared to all the time I have been waiting to hear from you. No, don't apologise again. It's allright. We are both here now."

She smiled and it seemed to light up the dark yard.

Only for a minute though, since suddenly her face turned serious again:

"There has been a little complication, though", she looked over her shoulder, to the blonde knight, that had opened the door, only to slam it in Joss's face, only to open it again.

Then she came closer to him, taking him by the hand, walking away from the blonde knight, and another man with brown hair, who wanted to follow them but was seemingly held back by a gesture of Iryna's hand.


Uff. So there's that. Hope you liked it. Promise to update more often. Peace out.