The grey-black walls of Blackhaven rose in the distance after nearly three weeks of riding. Were it not for the knowledge that they had essentially fled the capital, returning to a familiar place would have been a welcome respite. To make matters worse, Jon had never seen girls so miserable as his sisters and Jeyne Poole. Alysanne was trying her hardest to make the other girls happy, but she was probably the moodiest of them all.

He felt badly for Alys. She had spent the least amount of time with their father, even though she had wanted to see him so strongly. Yet she had done her duty in gathering everything the girls would need for their journey. She had not complained, not even when Prince Oberyn had told them that their father had commanded them south, along with their half-sisters. Arthur had complained, but he had enjoyed the busyness of the capital and had little desire to return south. Even Jon had enjoyed King's Landing. He had spent a great amount of time speaking with Lord Renly Baratheon, Ser Loras Tyrell, and several other knights and minor lords during his stay in the capital. He was thinking of asking his mother if he could learn to be a knight for one of the lords in the Stormlands or Reach.

The closer they drew to Blackhaven, they could see several hundred tents surrounding the castle. Drawing nearer, the banners which flew above the tents could be seen. Houses whose loyalty was to House Dondarrion were encamped by the thousands around the castle. As they passed the soldiers, some of them recognized Lord Dondarrion at the head of their small group, and cheered.

The gates were open to their approach. Inside the walls, they were warmly greeted by Rylan Dondarrion, Lord Beric's younger brother. Yet while his greeting was kind, the younger Dondarrion appeared to be anxious. It was a few short moments after they were within Blackhaven that Lord Beric dismounted from his steed and walked from the group with his brother. The rest of the group was assisted by stewards, grooms, and attendants. Their horses were taken to the stables while their belongings were taken into the castle. Finally, they were all escorted inside to be shown where they would be staying.

The children of the group, consisting of Jon, Arthur, Alysanne, Edric, Sansa, Arya, and Jeyne Poole, were given rooms in the eastern wing of the castle. The rooms were all close to one another, with bed chambers, sitting rooms, and a shared dining hall.

Jon was fairly certain that he had stayed in the same set of rooms with his family before, when they had visited Blackhaven with Aunt Allyria. Their shared dining hall was already laid with food and drink so that they might refresh after their journey. They chose their own bed chambers and went in them to rest, refresh, and change out of their travel clothes before eating.

The bed chamber Jon had chosen was airy and spacious. He did not have many clothes with him, having left most everything behind in King's Landing save what he needed most. Not that he had taken much to King's Landing from Starfall to begin with. He and Arthur had taken much of their winnings from the tournament and archery contests with them from King's Landing, but had also left a great amount behind in the safe keeping of the Hand and Red Viper.

He stripped out of his dirty clothes, filled a wash basin with the water from a pitcher on the stand in a corner of the room, and used a sponge to clean away the filth of travel. It was a relief to be clean again after days on end of riding in the hot summer sun. He had been able to handle the days of riding well. His half-sister, Sansa, and her friend Jeyne had been considerably less pleasant about the days of riding.

Neither of his half-sisters had been happy to learn that their father had sent them from the city. They had both been angry and suspicious, even after Lord Beric had shown them their father's letter. Lord Stark had explained that sending them from the city without any word was for their own safety, as King's Landing was growing too dangerous for their presence.

Arya had attempted to ride back on two separate occasions. After that, she had been forced to ride double. She would ride with Alysanne for a few hours and then with Arthur or Jon. Arya had at least seemed to enjoy the riding. She was also pleased that Syrio Forel had chosen to accompany them as well. She was finally allowed to ride on her own again after a solid week of riding doubled with one of her siblings. Her mood had improved since she had been riding on her own again. She had spent much of her time speaking with Edric, Arthur, Syrio, and Alysanne.

Sansa and Jeyne had not resisted the journey, though both had complained greatly in the beginning. After a week, they had become mostly silent companions in the journey. Jon and Alys were occasionally able to elicit smiles from the girls, but otherwise there was not much they could do to improve their moods.

After washing, Jon found some clean clothes in his travel bags and dressed. It was a pleasant feeling to be clean and in clean clothing again. He left the room so that he might eat. Edric and Arya were already seated at the table, filling their mouths with the piles of food.

"Don't make yourself sick, little sister," Jon said with a laugh.

She grinned at him. She had not bothered washing or changing out of her travel clothes. "I won't. Edric promised to show me around the castle."

Jon seated himself beside her and laughed as he grabbed some of the food for himself. "You should both change and wash before you explore the castle. Instead of a Lord and a highborn girl they might mistake you for serving staff!"

"Why would we change before we explore," Arya complained, not hindered by his rebuke. "All we will have to do is change again when we return and I don't have many clothes."

Edric nodded in agreement with Arya. "Besides which, they know me here as the Lord of Starfall."

"Aye, they do, Lord Dayne," Jon replied with a laugh. "I was only teasing. What do you want to show my little sister?"

"The gallery and the storm tower so that she can see the mountains of Dorne."

"Are the mountains in Dorne really red?"

"They are," Jon replied, a bit wistful at the thought of home.

She pursed her lips together, pondering. "Why?"

Edric looked at her as though she had asked the strangest question ever uttered. Jon merely shrugged. "I do not know. Perhaps the maesters do?"

Edric and Arya smiled at one another conspiratorially. "We should go see Maester Wyman when we are done eating," he suggested.

She pushed away from the table, a crust of bread still in her hand. "I'm done."

All three of them laughed. Edric grabbed a roll, drained his glass of water, and stood. He then led the rather impatient Arya from the room.

Arthur emerged from his room not too long after their departure. He joined Jon at the table, and also helped himself to the food. They spoke as they ate. When he was finished, Arthur informed him that he was going to rest for an hour or so. Jon was glad of that, for he had decided that he wanted time alone in the castle gardens to think and reflect.

The gardens within the castle walls were watered from springs within the castle. From the springs canals and channels had been made to direct the water into the castle and through the gardens. It was a peaceful, quiet place, where the herbs grew sweet and the birds nested in the trees.

Jon seated himself beneath a cedar tree and breathed in the cool air of the gardens. He thought back to King's Landing, to Prince Oberyn's last words to him. The Prince's commands had been straightforward and simple, until his last request to Jon alone.

"When you see my brother, tell him that it is time. He will understand what I mean. Now go, take your sisters to safety in Dorne."

Jon had no idea what Prince Oberyn could have meant by "it is time", but he would do his duty, as was expected of him.

He also thought upon their sudden departure from King's Landing. What had their father been doing that caused him to send them all south? Was whatever he had done the reason for all of the bannermen who were encamped outside of Blackhaven?

If it had just been Jon and his brother and sister, he would have assumed that that their father no longer wanted them around. Yet they had all been sent at the same time from King's Landing with Lord Beric and his men as escorts. Not that Jon thought his father capable of sending away his children for no reason. In the time they had spent together, Lord Stark had always been available to speak with each of his children. He had asked Jon about his interests, goals, and plans for the future.

Jon had answered his father truthfully, he had not put much thought into his future. Jon knew that in a few years Edric would be an adult and receive all of his rights as Lord of Starfall, and he could remove Jon and his siblings from Starfall if he so chose. Not that Edric would ever do such a thing, but it was within his rights. Jon knew that House Martell would welcome him into their service. He knew that he wanted to be a knight, but beyond that he had not thought much upon the future.

Well... other than Tyene. He had thought about the future he could have with her. He had thought of marrying her, of raising a family with her. Yet he had no idea what she truly wanted. Did she still want him or had her interests moved on to someone else? He hoped that she still wanted him. He wanted to see her again, to kiss her, to tell her that being apart hurt worse than anything else in the world.

Did any of that truly matter? Even if she did love him, they were just bastards. He had no lands or titles and would have none unless they were granted to him by a lord such as his father or her uncle. He could earn titles and glory as a knight. He could be worth of her hand.

In the midst of his reverie, Taele, one of the maids approached him. She was around seventeen years of age, a lovely girl who was in service to Cerin Dondarrion, the younger sister of Beric and Rylan. He had spoken with her on several visits between Allyria and Beric. She was pretty, and at times Jon thought she knew how lovely she was to look upon. Yet her beauty could not compare to the one he loved.

"Hello Jon, Lord Beric wants to speak with you. It seems quite urgent."

He stood quickly, knowing that Lord Beric would probably be telling them why the soldiers were at the castle. At least, that was his assumption. "Thank you, shall I go to Lord Beric's solar?"

"Aye, the larger one near the library."

"Thank you Taele."

With that, he bowed his head to acknowledge her words, and walked away. The walk to the solar was not terribly far, and he knew the halls relatively well. When he arrived, Alysanne, Arthur, Edric, Lord Beric, Lord Rylan, and Lady Cerin were all present. He wondered why they were gathering, but he learned nothing until his half-sisters arrived as well.

"I know that we have just arrived," Lord Beric began, "However, letters arrived here during our journey south which will require our immediate attention. It seems that since our departure from King's Landing that King Robert Baratheon died due to wounds which he sustained during his hunt."

Jon heard Sansa and Lady Cerin gasp. That King Robert had died so suddenly, truly was a shock. He listened as Lord Beric continued.

"It seems that upon the King's death that a coup was staged."

To that, Arthur, Jon, and Arya all tried to speak at once but were silenced by Lord Beric.

"The coup ousted the former Queen Cersei, and her children. They have been decried as bastards born of incest between the Lady Cersei and her twin brother Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer."

Arya muttered something under her breath, at which Sansa looked both nauseous and offended. Their quiet bickering was silenced as they learned more.

"Lord Renly Baratheon has been declared King of the Seven Kingdoms. He has the support of your father, Lord Eddard of House Stark, Prince Doran of House Martell, and Lord Mace of House Tyrell. King Renly has also called his bannermen to arms and all of his lords are to send forces to support him in King's Landing."

"Did father really support Lord Renly," Sansa questioned.

Lord Beric bowed his head affirmatively. "His seal and signature are affixed to the decree of succession, Lady Sansa."

Alysanne gazed at Lord Beric, puzzled. "Isn't Lord, or rather King, Renly the third son? What of Lord Stannis Baratheon?"

He sighed. "There is no mention of Lord Stannis. Though I can tell you that he is a wearisome man, and would make a terrible king. Oh he would be a better ruler than King Robert was, but in the end someone would slit his throat in his sleep for being so harsh and unbending. Renly is a good man, and will be a good king if we can keep the throne in his favor."

There was silence in the room as the children stared at Lord Beric with wide eyes and open mouths. It was seldom that a person was so blunt before them, especially regarding such weighty concerns.

"House Dondarrion is sword to Storm's End and, by virtue of that fact, to King Renly. It is our solemn duty to support and defend our liege lord. As such, I shall be sending our forces to King's Landing. Rylan will be departing from Blackhaven with our assembled bannermen two days hence. I shall be departing at the same time with some of my men to meet with the Dornish and Reach forces which are assembling at Nightsong. I will be leading the swords from Starfall after I wed Lady Allyria at Nightsong. After we are wed, she will come here to be established as the Lady of Blackhaven. The Lady Ashara and Lucas will be arriving with her."

He paused for a moment, allowing the children to absorb everything that he had told them.

"As for the rest of you, Jon, you will be departing on the morrow. Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn have both sent letters requiring your presence at Sunspear. You will be travelling to Wyl where you will take a ship to Sunspear."

"Alysanne, you have been appointed as the guardian for your half-sisters. You, the Ladies Sansa and Arya, as well as any other guests, have been invited to stay at the Water Gardens until all hostilities have ceased. You are also welcomed to remain here until your Lady Mother, brother, and aunt arrive. I would give you leave to remain here, however I believe that the invitation to the Water Gardens should not be turned down. It would be prudent for all of you to write to your parents regarding your health and safety now that you are here. I would, however, discourage you from mentioning where you are as we are at war and ravens can quite easily be intercepted."

He did not say much more, though he did answer their questions and allow each of them to read the letters that he had received.

The swiftness of their departure from King's Landing now made sense, however it did not explain all of the questions which had filled Jon's head. Nor did it explain why he was needed in Sunspear. Yet he would go as he was commanded, for that was his duty. He also hoped that maybe he could see Tyene again when he reached the capital of Dorne.

Jon departed from Blackhaven the following day with an escort of ten men. Parting had been difficult. He knew that, with the coming war, he might not see them again. Arthur and Edric were going to be riding with Lord Beric into battle. Jon assumed that he too would join the armies at King's Landing.

He might have been young, but he was not so foolish as to believe that he could not die in battle. So they had hugged and kissed in parting, his siblings and cousin whom he had known for his entire life and his half-sisters whom he had known for mere months.

His brother, cousin, and the army of House Dondarrion would depart the following day. His sisters would remain at Blackhaven awaiting the arrival of his mother and youngest brother before they departed for the Water Gardens. They would be safe, he believed, and he did pray that some day they might all be united again.


Waiting was an unbearable task. Waiting in the castle where Elia and her babes had been murdered was maddening. Oberyn Martell knew that patience was important, had everyone not told him that since he was a boy? Now, as he awaited word of King Renly Baratheon's decision, he was as patient as he could muster.

Doran's letters had been firm. Arianne was to be queen, nothing less was acceptable. He also suggested that Jon should be wed to one of Oberyn's daughters. To anyone else, the suggestion would have seemed a passing thought, but Oberyn understood the greater implication. To control the last of House Targaryen in favor of House Martell, Jon would have to wed one of Oberyn's daughters. Granted, the children of the Mad King were still somewhere in the world, but there was always a chance that they too were mad. Having watched Jon from his infancy, Doran and Oberyn had every faith in his sanity and reasoning.

In King's Landing, hours and days had been spent deliberating the possibilities for the future of Westeros. Getting the support of some of the Kingdoms had not been difficult. With Renly had come the loyalty of the Stormlands. With Oberyn's presence, Prince Doran's support had been a simple task to ensure. With Lord Stark's support had come the North. Through Lord Stark's marriage had come ties to the Vale and Riverlands. From Lady Arryn there had been no reply. Several Vale Lords had not decided to await the Lady's wishes and had begun to swear allegiance by raven. Lord Royce was among the Lords who had assisted in the coup, and he had sent word to Runestone that their men should come to support their King. Lord Edmure Tully had responded to the change of sovereignty with a terse reply that he would "kneel before the king who could get the bloody lions out of the Riverlands."

Edmure's response had made Renly laugh, a welcomed change from the somberness which had shrouded the new king since the day of his ascension. Not that his demeanor was unexpected. With a dead brother, a dead lover, and an impending war with the Lannisters, the newly appointed king certainly had enough reasons to be somber.

The Tyrells had granted their support by way of letter and the arrival of Garlan Tyrell, second son of Lord Mace Tyrell. He was sent to negotiate the desires of his House on behalf of his father, who was gathering the armies of the Reach for their march to King's Landing. The desires of House Tyrell were quite obvious, at least to a man like Oberyn. They wanted the crown for their daughter. A plan which conflicted with a very similar desire in House Martell.

Such matters were what the King was now deliberating. Marriage... for a man such as him the matter would be one of politics and little else. While the Tyrells were richer in lands and resources, they had not been there to seat Renly upon the throne.

The discussion had been long and drawn out between the King, Lord Stark, Ser Garlan, Lord Varys, and Oberyn himself. They were all in agreement that a marriage alliance would be the best way to cement the bonds between the southern kingdoms. Tyrell had pushed for his sister to be Renly's bride. Yet Oberyn had been quick to remind them all that it was Elia Martell whose children should have sat upon the Iron Throne. Her niece would be a just choice for queen. The Lady Margaery would be a fair bride for Prince Quentyn. Such an arrangement would create strong ties between all three kingdoms. If Margaery were to wed Quentyn and Arianne were to wed Renly, their offspring would be royal cousins.

Throughout all of the discussions, the king had remained quiet. He had listened intently to all of their arguments. Eventually, he had dismissed everyone so that he could weigh his options alone.

So Oberyn waited, stalking the halls and courtyards of the Red Keep, while the King pondered the future.

The future.

Such an uncertain thing, the future. He did not often like to think upon it. War was a certainty with the Lannisters. Already their forces were reported as having split into two masses. One force remained in the Riverlands, under the command of Ser Jaime Lannister. The second force was on its way south under the command of Lord Tywin Lannister.

The Lords of the Stormlands and Reach were already amassing in and around King's Landing. Hopefully enough men at arms would arrive by the time Lord Tywin's forces arrived at King's Landing. Dorne would send its naval forces in support soon, though they did have concerns about Lord Stannis Baratheon on Dragonstone. Lord Stannis had denounced his brother's ascension to the throne. Renly had replied to his brother, declaring that the will of the people had made him king as it had for Robert. They had not yet received a response.

Lord Varys found him as he walked along the outer battlements of the Red Keep. He remembered the first time he had walked there. Elia had been Rhaegar's wife for less than half a year, and she was not yet accustomed to her life as future queen. It was upon this wall where she had told him that she was with child. She had been so happy and he had shared in her joy. His sweet sister...

"May we talk," Varys asked as he approached.

"If you wish," Oberyn replied with a sigh.

He approached and spoke in a low, hushed tone, not that his voice could have been heard over the wind which gusted strongly across the wall. "I know that your desire is to place Princess Arianne upon the throne, but what if Renly should chose Lady Margaery instead?"

"Then Arianne shall be wed to Lord Willas Tyrell, was that not the general consensus?"

A thin smile. "It was, however I know that is not the desire of your House."

He turned to face the man, his back pressed against the wall. "I desire many things which are impossible. Nothing will restore my sister and her children to me. The Mountain is dead, yet two still remain. It was you who told my brother and I that Amory Lorch was responsible for the murder of Rhaenys. It was Tywin Lannister who was responsible for both of those monsters. With their heads laid at my feet, at my brother's feet, shall out blood debt be repaid."

He bowed his head briefly. "Yet it is not only their deaths which we have worked toward. It is also the boy's future which has been worked for."

Oberyn smiled ever so slightly at the eunuch. "I sent word to my brother that the boy should wed one of my daughters, a bastard for a bastard. Even if his birth should come to light, his legitimacy is impossible to prove or disprove."

"His blood is enough for some to rally behind."

"Who would rally behind a dragon's bastard? Lord Stark has given his blessing on a match between the boy and one of my girls. I support the match as well. He and my daughter Tyene are quite fond of one another. If she does not want the match then he can be wed to my daughter Elia." He laughed bitterly. "My sister might have found humor in that. She did have a rather dark humor."

Varys sighed heavily, sorrow visible in his visage. "I do recall that, my lord."

"Yet you could not save her," he hissed.

"No one could save her, not from Aerys Targaryen nor Tywin Lannister. Queen Rhaella wanted Elia and her children to go to Dragonstone. If they had then they would have lived and we could have watched over them." The man's tone remained calm, even, obsequious.

"Neither Doran nor I would have allowed their exile."

Varys sighed wearily. "I do not doubt that, my lord, yet now is not a time to discuss what might have been but what can be. Will you choose to tell the boy the truth and if so what will be done?"

"So few of us know the truth, Lord Varys. Lord Stark, Lord Reed, you, my brother, myself, Lady Ashara, and the nursemaid Wylla. The secret can die with us if it needs to."

The spider cocked his head to the side, considering. "And what if the boy should have a child who resembled his father? Violet eyes would be easy enough to ignore, his supposed mother has them, but silver hair like his father is much more difficult to explain away."

"The Daynes have Targaryen blood."

"So do the Martells and Baratheons, but it would be hard to know that from looking upon any in your family or theirs."

"You seem rather concerned about the fate of the boy," he replied shortly.

"Are you," came the hasty retort.

He breathed deep, in and out. He thought about the boy, about Jon. He had hated him when he had first seen him. A mere babe and yet he represented a great offense against Elia. Yet Ashara had persuaded him to keep the boy safe. As he watched Jon grow, he had become truly impressed by the boy. He was the quietest of the three eldest 'desert wolves', a term Ashara had used for her children since their infancy. He had a quick mind and a great deal of talent for weapons and strategy. He was not as inclined toward business and numbers as Alysanne was, nor was he as reckless as Arthur. Jon had been a pleasure to train, mold, and help raise. He was actually quite fond of the idea that the boy could be his son by marriage.

"I have raised him as I would a son. His fate is of great concern to me, which is why I am having him wed one of my daughters."

"Then it would also be wise of you and Lord Stark to tell him the truth now. He is young enough to see how dangerous a coup is, how important support is. He may come to forgive the secrecy and lies of his birth if he learns them now, if he learns that he has been kept safe by the lies. Perhaps he may even gain the good graces of King Renly and ask for the Targaryens to return from exile."

"Why would Renly ever allow them to return?"

"As a matter of good will. If he is the King we hope for him to be, then he will be able to restore balance to this country. Part of that balance could be in allowing two exiled children a place to call home. Then they could be wed to whomever he chose and watched as he pleases."

Oberyn regarded the man curiously. Why did the Targaryens matter so much to the man? "It is a matter to consider. Yet for the moment there are greater concerns than the return of two exiles."

He did not seemed pleased by the response, but he acquiesced instead of pressing the matter. "Indeed. I shall leave you to your walk, Prince Oberyn."

He watched the eunuch shuffle away, curious as to what schemes were forming in the man's head. Why would he want the Targaryen children to return? Though the spider's whispers had always been of help, he had hardly been pushing for the Targaryen restoration. He too had bid for patience, for caution. Jon could never learn the truth. The Targaryens could never be restored and would likely never be returned.

With a sigh he turned to watch the gulls flying in the bay. He thought of Elia and her children. He thought of Lyanna Stark and her son. He thought of the man who had fathered both of their children. The Silver Prince whose passions had torn the kingdom apart. A man whose father had burned lords to death within the halls of the Red Keep. He closed his eyes and in a moment could see the crown of blue roses fall onto Lyanna Stark's lap. He could see Elia's cold sorrow at the loss of her husband's love. He could see the young man who was the result of so many wrongs.

Jon was a good boy. He did not doubt the boy's courage, intellect, or tenacity. Yet the throne was not for him. The throne was never to have been for him. The throne should have been Aegon's. The throne should have belonged to the blood of House Martell. Perhaps, soon, that particular wrong would be righted.

Given the right circumstances and at the right time, perhaps Jon could be told the truth of his parentage, but not now. There was no support for House Targaryen now. Should the need ever arise for him to be told the truth, he should first be wed to a Martell so that he could bring no further offense against Elia's House. The betrothal pact between Arianne and Jon could be destroyed without a soul ever knowing of its existence.

It was hours later when King Renly assembled his councilors together again. He had made his decision. In the name of justice and as a reward for the assistance in his ascension, he would wed Princess Arianne Martell. He had drafted a formal decree for the marriage contract as well as a second contract between House Tyrell and Martell for a betrothal between the Lady Margaery Tyrell and Prince Quentyn Martell. The two betrothal contracts were signed by all councilors who were present.

Given the fact that a hostile army was heading to King's Landing, both marriages would take place after the Lannister armies were subdued.

It was a victory for House Martell. Princess Arianne would become Queen of Westeros. The only obstacle was the Lannisters. Though Oberyn could not see how Lord Tywin expected to win a fight when so outnumbered.

So he would wait until the armies arrived. With a smile on his lips, he realized that he could wait for war. He could wait a few more short months to see Tywin Lannister dead.


The journey by sea to Sunspear was far swifter than by land. Jon had made the journey more than once from Starfall, and had always enjoyed the journey. Arthur was the only one in the family who preferred to make the journey by land as sea travel churned his stomach. Jon found that there was a certain peace which he could draw from the seas that was more difficult to find on land.

The journey took less than a week from Wyl. The winds were strong and the weather fair as they sailed the Sea of Dorne, around the Broken Arm, and finally to Sunspear. He loved Sunspear. He loved the mud-brick walls of the shadow city. He loved the smell of spice in the air. He loved the Towers of the Old Palace. So different was Sunspear from Starfall, Oldtown, or King's Landing, but it was wonderfully different.

Upon arriving at the palace, he met with the steward. The steward escorted him to Ser Manfrey Martell, and Ser Manfrey escorted him to Prince Doran's private solar. Prince Doran was seated in his rolling chair, gazing out of a window when Jon arrived. Aero Hotah was standing close to the door, a quiet and imposing presence who guarded over the ruler of Dorne. When he was inside the room, Jon walked to his Prince and knelt before him.

"My lord."

"Jon, it is good to see you again." The Prince of Dorne's voice was soft and weary. He indicated for Jon to be seated, so he rose and seated himself upon a bench near Doran. "How was your journey?"

Jon laughed. "It was long, my lord. However, there were no difficulties along the way."

Doran nodded his head slowly. His words came even slower. "That is good to hear. Tell me, what was the last news you had of King's Landing?"

"King Robert has died and Renly Baratheon is now king. Lord Dondarrion allowed us to read the decrees which had come forth from the King, my father, and Prince Oberyn. I left Blackhaven a day after we arrived so that I could respond to your summons." He paused, anxious to know if Prince Oberyn's words would truly make sense. "Before leaving King's Landing, Prince Oberyn told me that I must tell you 'it is time'. He said that you would understand what it meant."

Doran Martell's expression darkened. "I do understand," anger tinged his voice, "However, he was wrong. Now is not the time." He sighed deeply, his head hanging low for a moment before he looked at Jon with a much more peaceful expression. "It is no matter now, for the issue to which he was referring is irrelevant at this time. There are, however, other concerns, other ravens which have flown. My daughter shall be queen."

Jon felt his jaw go slack. Evidently much had happened since he had left King's Landing. "That is wonderful to hear, my lord."

The man's lips pressed tight together. "I am glad that my blood will sit upon the throne as it was meant to, yet I am ever wary of sending those whom I love to that city. When the Lannisters are subdued, my eldest children will go to King's Landing so that alliances may be formed through marriage. Arianne shall be Queen, and Quentyn shall wed Margaery Tyrell. He shall become my heir."

"An alliance such as bound the North, Riverlands, and Vale?"

Doran affirmed the question with a nod of his head. "It was Lord Stark's suggestion, and all parties have agreed that this arrangement is the most beneficial and just arrangement of alliances. As a way of uniting the North to the crown, a match has been proposed between yourself and one of my nieces. My brother and daughter have both spoken of a fondness between yourself and Tyene. She has been spoken to of this matter, but has declined to make any decisions at this time."

Jon's mouth went dry. A match between himself and Tyene? Such a thought was overwhelming. "If it please you and Prince Oberyn, as well as Tyene, I should gladly accept such a proposal."

A soft smile lighted across his face. "It does please myself and my brother. It is Tyene whom you must convince. Failing her acceptance, you will wed one of my other nieces. As there are no other matches which would be possible at this time due to age or impropriety of birth, it is important to our Houses that this match take place."

"I... I understand, my lord. I shall do my duty and wed as is desired by my lords and my parents."

"Good," he replied with a nod of his head. "There is one further matter before I dismiss you. By week's end, we shall be sending ships with our armies from Sunspear to King's Landing. You, as well as my eldest two nieces, shall be travelling with them to join the armies of the Stormlands and Reach."

"It will be my honor to serve, my lord."

"Remember that wars are bloody things. Would that wars could cease." He sighed heavily. "Now go, seek out my niece that you may resolve the issue of your betrothal."

"Of course, my lord." Jon knelt again before the Prince of Dorne, and kissed his hand before he left the room.

Jon's mind and heart were racing when he left the room. He could wed Tyene, his beautiful, wonderful Sand Snake. At least... he could wed her if she chose to marry him. He did not find the idea of wedding one of her sisters quite so appealing.

He supposed that he should find Arianne before Tyene, so that he might congratulate the Princess of Dorne for her betrothal. He also thought that it might be a wise idea to learn where his rooms were or to freshen up after such a long journey, but he wanted to find Tyene.

As he sought his beloved's location, his thoughts also turned to the future battles in which he must fight. He knew that Arthur and Edric would be in the fighting as well, under Lord Beric's command. It was only right that Jon, as their elder, should be in the fight as well. The thought also struck him that should he die, or Arthur, that they had not even said their farewells to their mother or youngest brother. Nor had they said farewell to their father. If they died in battle, their parents would never see them alive again. He shuddered at the thought and pushed it away so that he might find Tyene.

He eventually learned where she was, and found Tyene reading in one of the large, airy rooms which overlooked terraced courtyards of the Old Palace. She was robed in blue silk which was trimmed with silver. His breath caught when he looked at her, and at the smile which shown on her face when she looked up at him.

"Ty," he greeted, his heart in his throat.

She looked up from her book, laid it aside, and a smile illumined her face. "I had heard that you were here, my sweet. I have missed you."

"I have missed you as well. Have you heard our Prince's suggestion," he asked with some trepidation.

Her nose wrinkled ever so slightly. "Suggestion implies that our fathers have not already stated their intended conclusion. I read the letters. My father and yours wish for us to wed. Or, should I refuse, that you wed my sister Elia."

He found himself at a loss for words. Did she not want him? He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Are you opposed to such a match?"

The ghost of a smile flickered on her lips. She motioned for him to sit beside her, which he did readily. "I am opposed to you marrying my sister, any of my sisters. As for myself, I am upset that my father is forcing this. He has never before cared about whom I or any of my sisters favor. Nor has he ever planned a match for any of us. He always told us that we could wed if we chose, but that he would not defend us if we chose poorly for he had trained us to handle ourselves in such matters."

She softened then, raising a hand to his cheek. "I am not opposed to you." She pressed her lips softly to his for a brief moment. "I am opposed to losing my freedom."

He replied fervently and quickly. "I would never deny you anything."

She laughed. "Yes you would, and with good reason. As we now stand, I can go where I wish, with whomever, for however long, and no one can say anything against it save my father. Should we wed I doubt that you would allow such a thing."

"I..." He was at a loss for words. "Would you not want to only be with me?"

She cocked her head to the side, golden strands of her hair strayed across her face. He hated the expression she had, it made him feel incredibly young compared to her. He was younger than her, but hated the reminder.

"I need to consider the possibilities." She kissed him again, soft and quick. She stood, and stepped away, smiling sweetly. "I must go to the sept."

"The sept?"

"To pray for guidance, my sweet."

"Oh... of course."

"I was born in a sept. I suppose that makes me closer to the gods in a way. I often find clarity when I am in their presence. Should I not seek them about such matters as marriage?"

Not waiting for a reply, she bent to him and pressed her lips to his again before she turned to leave. Her movements were slow and precise as she walked away. Jon was at a loss for what he should be thinking or feeling. His beautiful Tyene... did she want him or not? Would she even give an answer before he left to fight in the impending war?


NOTES:

My thanks to all of you who are following this story, much love.

Chapters 1 and 2 have been rewritten, not just revised. No events are really all that different but they are so much better than when I first did them, so I encourage you to check them out. Mostly you have Salamon2 to thank for pointing out the flaws with the original first chapter... it may have taken me months to do the rewrite, but I am so much happier with how it is written and hope that you are too!

Chapter 3 is a timeline. I know some people were annoyed when I posted that... but if I posted it too close to this chapter it would screw up the URLs.

Now for a rant...

A point of contention... STOP SAYING I SHOULD KILL CATELYN! If this was just one or two people I would ignore it, and kinda have... but this is ridiculous people. I have this story outlined, I know who lives, who dies, who marries, who has kids with whom... if I kill anyone it will be because that is how I planned it. I LIKE CATELYN! If you should dislike anyone between Ashara and Cat in this story, it's Ashara! For crying out loud people, she writes a married man a letter saying how 'he's the only one she wants' when she is sleeping with Oberyn, while pregnant with Ned's son! Cat hasn't even been seen in this story yet... but she has every right to think of Ashara as a 'southern whore'. In her situation you would not think so kindly of Ashara either.

I don't mind suggestions or tips for things that need to be improved. Sometimes it is something I haven't thought of and should have. I have had loads of helpful suggestions from many different readers, like Salamon2, and several others. I enjoy having conversations with you, my readers. But demanding pairings or deaths or what happens in the next chapter is kinda rude. Maybe I won't be popular for this particular rant, but honestly I enjoy writing to tell a story. If I change everything I have planned just to appease one or two people, the story would turn into rubbish. I want to be a good writer. I don't plead for comments or attention. I am genuinely pleased by how much attention this story has gotten, but I have also just gotten frustrated by some of the comments lately. No, I'm not singling anyone out, and no it's not you personally, dear reader. It is a conglomeration of many different people whom this is directed to.