283 A.C.

Sunspear

Prince Manfrey Nymeros Martell

Doran had finally left to the water gardens leaving Manfrey in charge of Sunspear affairs. Oberyn however was sent to Braavos. Deep down Manfrey hoped that the Naela's red raven had reached her on time to warn her on what the Viper and the Grass we're up to.

Luckily for him, neither Doran nor Oberyn were aware of his dealings with Naela. He still remembered that day. A bald woman with pale skin, lavender eyes similar to his mother's, dressed in red robes embroidered with Naela's sigil, a heart gules enflamed proper charged with a dragon's head sable crowned. She introduced herself as Faerie had presented Manfrey with terms of an alliance with the Fyreheart and a cage of 13 ravens with feathers as red as blood and much larger than regular ravens and even larger than white ravens from the Citadel.

The terms involved the passing of information concerning Doran's and Oberyn's whereabouts discreetly using the red ravens, as Naela's letter detailed her grave mistrust of his cousins, as she believed that Doran's own objective may very well hurt her plans for a successful Targaryen restoration. She also wanted Manfrey to work closely with his other cousin Arel Dayne to gather Dornish support without Doran's knowledge.

The terms also requested the revealing of all of Doran's spies and friends in the Free Cities. In turn Naela would have Manfrey's eldest daughter and heir Doria would marry Mathis Rowan, his firstborn son Corrin would marry Bethany Redwyne, his second daughter Tyene would marry the heir to Highgarden Wilas Tyrell, his son Olyvar would marry Lynesse Hightower as well as squire alongside the boy king Viserys. Insisting that the king will need a confidants around the same age. Jornelle, Manfrey's youngest daughter, would marry the heir of Randyl Tarly. A means of fully integrating Dorne into the realm more than Daeron the Good did.

Faerie would act as Manfrey's personal assistant and partner in crime. When see wasn't running errands for him, she prowled the Halls of Sunspear.

Regardless, Faerie was useful. And as their time together extended, Manfrey found himself growing fond of her. In the end, he knew he would have to keep himself open for marriage, despite being five times a widow already.

Manfrey had loved all five of them and losing them after nine moons of wedded bliss hurt more than the previous loss.

Meria of Kingsgrave, with her deep emerald eyes and silk black hair. Gwendolyn of Yronwood, as blonde as a Lannister, but far more attractive and much less shallow. Hera Toland, the dragon's ghost, named for her corpse pale skin, though her hair was as scarlet as the red wanderer. Joy Gargalen, who had similar scarlet hair yet hers was shorter, her skin more olive and her eyes were red and yellow. And Val Qorgyle, the black scorpion, black haired, black eyed, and tart tongued on the surface, but a heart of gold when one truly knew her.

Some would snicker and and call him the Walder Frey of Dorne, as Lord Frey was on his seventh wife already.

Manfrey found gathering support to be a hassle and hurting his hand as he wrote messages and a sealed them with the sun and spear of Martell. Houses like the Yronwoods were now in alignment with Doran since Qyentyn would be sent to Yronwood in a few short years. But because Manfrey's second wife was an Yronwood and they had a son together, might bring the Yronwoods into the cause.

Manfrey sat in his solar going over reforms and such that could better Dorne's position. Doran instructed him to cease ties with the rest of the realm and primarily deal with the Free Cities.

"Prince Manfrey," Faerie knocked on the door.

"Come in."

"Naela sent message telling of Ser Arthur and Ser Oswell on their way to Plankytown to take your son to Braavos."

He was wondering when Naela was going to send that message.

"Excellent," he told her.

He couldn't trust having Dornish swords guard his son as most of Sunspear's guard were Doran's creatures. So instead, Manfrey had reached out the Cheesemonger Illyrio Mopatis, a contact of Naela's in Pentos.

The Cheesemonger had sent six pit fighters.

"My Prince!" Manfrey panicked at the sound of Caleotte's voice. He knew that if Caleotte found out about Manfrey's dealings with Naela, he'd tell Doran and thus be branded a traitor. Luckily, Faerie had Manfrey prepare for such an occasion by making sure none of his children were in the Water Gardens or anywhere where Doran could apprehend them should Manfrey get compromised.

Faerie had jumped out of the window of the upon hearing the maester's voice down the hall.

Manfrey had already secured a hiding place for the messages between him and Naela.

Manfrey regained his composure as the voice grew closer. He returned to his seat and pretended to continue reading the reforms from Doran.

"M...my... P...prince," the fat maester loss his breath in some ill-fated attempt to run to the solar.

"What is it Caleotte, I'm very busy at the moment... Sunspear isn't gonna rule over itself."

"There's s-someone... here to...see...you.." he was still heaving. "A-a Ser Gerold Dayne of High Hermitage..."

"What's my cousin doing here?"

"I have no idea, but he says that it is urgent matters."

Behind the fat maester stood Gerold. 15 and smirking like some pompis prat. He had his silver hair combed back, leaving the streak of black hair in front of his face. The truth of the matter was that Gerold wasn't actually knighted yet, and was sent to Sunspear by Arel to squire for Manfrey. Caleotte nearly died of shock when he turned and saw Gerold behind him.

"Very well then," Manfrey got out of his chair. "Leave us Caleotte." He waved his hand and the fat maester slightly bowed. Gerold grinned then and slapped Caleotte's arse, sending a shockwave of exasperation up his spine. He scurried out of the solar only for Gerold to strike his arse again.

The boy went to his knees in laughter only for Faerie to return and flick him on his forehead.

She closed the door then. "I'll admit, that was pretty funny, but I would suggest you ease up on that."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then... I'll just have to teach you a lesson..." Manfrey noticed that the two were flirting with each other.

"Stop it..." He shouted. "Why are you here Gerry,"

"Cousin Arel and my mother want me to be a great knight like Arthur, but because I'm aware of your little plot against cousin Doran, and there's no one trustworthy enough for me to squire for without the truth getting out, they sent me here."

"We might as well make the most of it," Faerie shrugged. "I mean..." She paused then. "Someone's listening in on us."

All of their eyes widened as they looked at each other and then towards the door of the solar.

Faerie drew a dagger from her robes and creeped toward the door. Gerold drew his sword as well.

In some great flash, the only thing Manfrey saw was blood staining the door and the floor in front of the door.

"Meric of Lemonwood," the lord treasurer. Manfrey saw the man dead on the floor. "What have you done!"

"He was clearly spying on us," Gerold said.

"Why else would he stand at the door and not knock?" Faerie asked sarcastically.

"We need to get rid of the body... If word reaches Lemonwood or Doran, we could all get killed under the charge of treason." Manfrey mentioned.

"One problem, how are we gonna get the body out of here?"