Tyrion:
The courtyard had been cleared of all men not of the Swannguard or Tyrion, Pod, and Marwyn. A messenger had arrived an hour earlier and briefed him on what the King had wanted. Keep the gates clear and make sure the amount of eyes on me is as minimal as possible. He had done what Aegon wanted and to say it did not worry him was a lie. Was he hurt or wounded? He wondered. The day was perfect at the very least and the sun was still rising and it did not look like there was a cloud in sight. And of course, the Dornish would be arriving later on that day to meet with the King.
He had felt at the time that Aegon took far too few men with him, he should have brought a hundred with him or more. When the line of cavalry appeared through the gates. A great wave of relief went over Tyrion when he saw the Blackfish leading them with Arya Stark on the front of his horse. Lord Harrold Arryn was only a few horses behind him and the man flashed a bright smile when he saw Tyrion. But when Aegon rode in with Rickon Stark on his horse, Tyrion's eyes were drawn to his left arm, which was held up by a rough sling that looked like it was made from a torn woolen shirt.
After the group had made it to the center of the dirt yard, Tyrion wasted no time in moving to Aegon's side. "Gods, what happened to you?" The Targaryen struggled to climb down from his horse with his one good arm and after he did so he helped Rickon down from the dark steed.
A stable boy took the reins from his King and led his Dark away to the stables. "I'll tell you all about it later." He still seemed angry to Tyrion over Lord Piper, and he did not look at him when he said it.
"The Dornish are going to be here today. Princess Arianne is very excited at meeting you, it would not be proper to hold off the meeting." He knew that the Dornish would reluctantly consent to a delay if Aegon could not meet with them, but it was not preferable.
He saw Aegon's head nod and then he had turned to Marwyn and all three started to walk towards the Kingspyre Tower. "No, I'll meet with them. When they arrive, just send Pod to come and find me and we can all take a stroll through the godswood." It was a good idea, and it was a place that Tyrion was sure Aegon planned to use to charm Princess Arianne Martell.
The Blackfish and the Stark girl had already descended down from their horse, and both were over by a basin of water near the stables were cleaning the dirt and muck from their faces off. "Do you care to tell me what happened?"
The Blackfish turned to Tyrion and threw a brief and fleeting look down at Arya who still had her back turned and was still cleaning herself. "We encountered that pack of wolves and the damned Brotherhood without Banners. My niece is dead, as is that wildling woman Osha." Tyrion would be lying if he said he would shed tears for the Lady Stoneheart, but he did feel great sympathy for the Stark children. Though to the girl's credit she did not even react when her great uncle brought up her mother. "I'll need to bring Catelyn's body back to Riverrun for her funeral at the soonest time possible."
It was a reasonable request and in truth Lord Yohn Royce would not mind continuing his leadership of the bulk of the army. It was a position he was meant for in truth, and the only thing that stopped Tyrion from suggesting it to Aegon was the truth that the King had intended for Lord Royce to help lead the Vale after the war, along with Sansa. "That can be organized, but is it truly wise to shirk your duties as the master of war even further?"
That served to anger the Blackfish and with a heavy grunt he informed him. "If you have a problem with that as the Hand of the King, then go speak with the actual King on it it, because he has already granted my request." The old Tully Knight pulled his grand niece along after him and they themselves turned towards the Kingspyre Tower where the Blackfish's own chambers were.
"Did you hear what King Aegon said?" Tyrion asked Pod who then nodded his head. After getting a flagon of wine and having several chairs brought up by soldiers, he and his squire settled in on top of the main gate to the ruined castle and waited for the Dornish to arrive. "Have you been keeping an eye on Edric?" Tyrion asked after a short bout of silence where both of them simply stared out at the field of tents and pavilions that surrounded Harrenhal.
"Aye, he's still been visiting Melly at midnight, my Lord. She brought a friend called Barra with her the night before, but I declined and waited outside until they finished." Pod's cheeks were turning red at his retelling and Tyrion knew it was the worst possible position for Pod to be in. But He needed someone to keep an eye on the coming Lord of the Stormlands, and Pod was turning out to be a favorite companion of the boy. This Melly girl was quite a charmer and very picky from what Tyrion had been led to believe, and it seemed like Edric was the only one she allowed between her legs. "She brewed moon tea just like she always does." Pod remembered to tell him after a long pause.
That was the biggest problem Tyrion had began to find with the boy. He could be a bit arrogant and proud, but nothing he had not come to expect from boy's of that age. But Aegon himself was very adamant that Edric not father any bastards and end up like his father, which left Tyrion with the task of watching after the girls the boy beds to be sure that does not happen. "Good, and be sure to keep a close watch on Edric."
They did not speak again for nearly an hour and Pod had refilled the flagon once already in that time. When they saw the sun and the spear banner coming up over the far horizon, Tyrion knew it was finally time and that the Dornish were here. "Shall I go fetch the King?" Pod asked and had already gotten to his feet and was rolling on the balls of his feet.
Tyrion removed himself from his rather comfy chair and gave Pod the order he waited for. "Right away, and tell him I'll meet him near the gates." Pod ran off down the stairs while Tyrion finished off his cup of wine before following after him down the long and obscenely high staircase to the obscenely high walls of the castle. The courtyard had already woken up sometime earlier while he sat up on the walls and it was even more frantic and chaotic now that they were preparing to welcome the Dornish. The walk to the godswood was one he shared by his lonesome besides for the four Swannguards who followed behind him silently. It was calming however and it gave him some time to collect his thoughts and prepare for what was coming. When Aegon had met him there, he noted how the Targaryen had dressed himself up in a blood red woolen doublet that had long and wide sleeves. "Are you okay?" He asked as they waited for the Dornish, as he noticed how Aegon's face never once shifted during the whole walk towards him as if he was doing all he could to hold himself together and show nothing of how he truly felt.
The silver haired King shook his head and rolled up the left sleeve with his right hand and showed Tyrion his arm, which was bandaged from his bicep to wrist and he wore a brace of hard leather over his elbow which secured his arm and made stopped it from hanging. "Marwyn cleaned it to the best of his abilities. Hurts like fire as you can imagine." With his sleeve now rolled back down, he had to admit that Aegon looked normal and every bit the King he needed to be today.
"Are you sure you can manage? I don't want you to risk worsening it."
"It's fine. I just need to get this over with." He exclaimed and then bit on his lip hard when a cool breeze blew past them.
It was only a few minutes later when both men finally spotted the group of three men and four women. Leading them was short and buxom black haired woman with olive colored skin who wore a flowing dress of red and orange silk. Tyrion guessed she was Princess Arianne Martell and if she was, then rumors of her were true in every way as he himself could feel his own manhood reacting to the sight of her. Behind her was a girl of a similar sandy dornish look to the Princess of Dorne, except she was less beautiful and more pretty with a slightly big nose and brown hair instead of black. There was also the familiar face of Ser Daemon Sand who had served as squire to Prince Oberyn Martell in King's Landing and Tyrion could see the look of distaste in his eyes when he saw them both. Beside him was two other knights who each wore a serious look on their face that told Tyrion they would react at the first signs of any danger. In the back of the group was two younger girls, one was another girl of sandy dornish descent who had black hair pulled back in a tight braid and on her face was a dangerous smirk that reminded him of the one Oberyn once had. The second girl was one Tyrion had not seen in far too long and she wore a long golden shawl that obscured most of her face, but even so she still looked every bit as delicate and graceful as he remembered her being.
When the group stopped before Aegon, Tyrion, and their Swannguard, Princess Arianne's face lit up in excitement when her eyes landed on the King. "Your Grace." She exclaimed and then she and those with her bowed before him, though two of them hesitated before bowing. One was Ser Daemon Sand and the other was Tyrion's niece who first gave her uncle a quick and kind smile.
The Targaryen's false smile was dancing on his face, but he saw how Aegon's eyes lingered on Myrcella and not in attraction, but anger. "Rise, my honored guests." When he bid them, they all slowly returned to their feet. Tyrion knew that Aegon already had understood exactly what had happened and why Myrcella was here. Tyrion knew at the time he would not be happy, but he had no choice but to do this. The letter he had written detailed that the King required Tommen's sister to be brought to him as a hostage and the Martells complied very easily. He did not know what the Martells might do to her in an attempt to please Aegon, so in bringing her here he would protect her and with any luck she would catch the King's interest.
The introductions were thankfully short and when it was his nieces turn to introduce herself, she simply rushed to her uncle and hugged him. "I've heard the most disgusting rumors of you, Nuncle. Tell me it isn't true that you murdered Joffrey and Grandfather?"
It was only then that he could see past her shawl at the horrifyingly deep scar that went across her left cheek and not mention her missing left ear. "Of course I didn't, it was just a cruel lie. Would I ever do something like that?" He had to suppress his desire to demand the Martells tell him of where her scars came from, as it was very obvious that Myrcella was self conscious about them just by the way her hair was tussled to the left side of her head in an attempt to cover it up.
The King then walked over to them and waited expectantly for her to give him her hand, when she did so he politely kissed it and made the girl turn a bright shade of pink. "It is nice to finally meet you, I've only heard the greatest things about you from your uncle."
When she failed to respond, he did not waste anytime in chuckling and turning back to Princess Arianne. When they the two of them moved to take their stroll through the godswood, Tyrion noted how quickly the Dornish Princess had looped her arm through Aegon's bad arm and pulled him ahead a sizable distance from the rest of the group. He did not know if the dark and beautiful Princess could feel the arm brace or tell how much pain Aegon was in, but from how his back had stiffened, he guessed it was extremely painful. The two knights Joss Hood and Garibald Shells were next in the line and both watched the duo closely. While the three other girls gossiped and pointed the sights out to each other in the middle of the group. Which left Tyrion and Ser Daemon Sand in the back of the line in an uncomfortable silence.
He could tell from the occasional stares that Ser Daemon would steal that must have hated him fiercely. It took him a few moments to remember where he had met him from, but when he realized that the man was Oberyn Martell's former squire it made all too much sense. "It's been quite sometime, Ser Daemon."
"Aye, the last time I saw you, you were on trial for killing Joffrey Baratheon. And that was when Oberyn died, standing on your behalf against the Mountain." The disgust and anger was heavy in Ser Daemon's voice and his face soon matched his voice after Princess Arianne's laughter rang out.
Sadly for Ser Daemon, he had already revealed his weakness and it was only too easy to play him now. "We both know Prince Oberyn didn't stand solely on my behalf, he wanted vengeance and that was the easiest way to get it at the time."
"Tell me true, Lannister. Is he really Aegon Targaryen?" The Dornish bastard's voice rose to a high pitch when Aegon picked a blue flower and handed it over to the Dornish Princess.
Tyrion wanted to laugh at how uncomfortable this man must have been watching this, but he looked at the sword hanging at the Dornishman's hip and thought better of it. "He is, I could scarcely believe it myself when I first learned it."
"Then why didn't he tell Oberyn back in King's Landing? They would have sailed for Dorne that very night and crowned him in Sunspear and Oberyn wouldn't have died. Or even better, why didn't he seek out help any time in the years after Robert's Rebellion?" Ser Daemon was reasonably angry over the entire situation and had cause to be, but unfortunately Tyrion had none of the answers to the questions that the bastard put forth.
"I'm not quite sure, but mayhaps you can ask him yourself." As they neared the heartwood, the King and Princess Arianne stopped before it and he noted how the woman seemed to flourish near Aegon where most girls would stutter and blush. "He was very eager to meet, Princess Arianne."
Daemon cleared his throat roughly. "Your army is quite impressive." Tyrion nodded and was wondering when the man would bring this up. Prince Doran was known as two things outside of Dorne, a foolish man of low cunning and of being lazy, or of being a deeply vengeful and patient man who knew how to wait for what he wants. Tyrion always felt himself drawn the the latter idea for safety and it made sense that he would send a warrior who could assess their strength before they made any decisions on alliances. "But it has no Dornish troops and only those of river, vale, and claw."
"Are you offering them to us, Ser Daemon?"
The Knight shook his head and explained. "I have no authority to give them to you. Prince Doran sent me to council Princess Arianne and to assist her with whatever she needed. If you wish for Dorne to join itself to your cause, then you have need to convince her."
"It must be hard for you to watch the woman who you love fawning over another."
Daemon's reaction was nothing that Tyrion thought it would be and instead of getting angry and lashing out, he simply kept staring straight ahead at the Dornish Princess. "It is, but it's something I've grown to accept. I'm a mere bastard and she will either be the Princess of Dorne ... or she will be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. I was never a fit consort for someone of her birth."
"And yet even saying all that and justifying it to yourself over and over ... never helped the pain has it?" The Dornish man shook his head and Tyrion's thought's were drawn back to Tysha and when he exclaimed. "It's not always the lower born who suffer from loving those of high birth, Ser Daemon. Sometimes the highborn feel great pain from their love because they can't act or ever truly be with those that others say are below them."
"Please excuse me, Lord Lannister." Murmured Ser Daemon before he increased his pace to match the two other knights that guarded the Princess Arianne.
They had stopped before the weirwood with it's twisted face and thirteen deep slashes. Aegon had sent for his lute and after a guard brought it to him, he played 'The Winter Maid' for everyone in attendance and Tyrion himself had to admit that it was one of the best songs he had ever heard the King play or sing. All of the women besides Princess Arianne and Elia Sand had teared up at his rendition of the song and he found it impressive that Aegon had played it so well despite his bad arm which he had used to hold the wooden instrument up instead of strumming the strings. After they had all said their farewells, Tyrion had made plans to supp with Myrcella later that night and talk of things. It was quite bold of Princess Arianne when she put a small kiss on Aegon's cheek as farewell in full view of everyone and he wondered if it was for herself, the King, or those who were watching.
The Targaryen's smile did not fade away until the Dornishmen were completely from view and when they were, he spun around to Tyrion in a fury. "What the fucks was that about? Why is she here?"
"I believe we had a meeting scheduled with the Martells for a moon now-"
"Don't play games with me! What kind of nerve did it take for you to sally up the courage to go behind my back like this?" He loomed over Tyrion and his fist was clenched tightly as if he meant to strike him down or contain himself at the very least.
He bit the inside of his lip and could not work up the courage to look Aegon in the eyes and he explained himself. "I wasn't sure what the Martells would do to her to impress you and-"
"So you went just went into negotiations for your own sake and used my name to do it?" The Targaryen's smirk widened and he looked as if he could not believe what he was hearing or saying.
"She is my niece, and she doesn't deserve to be killed or tortured because of her parents. You would have done the very same if you were in my position and you can't tell me differently."
The wild look in his violet eyes gave him a bit of a fright, but instead of striking him the King spun around and slammed his right fist into the trunk of the tree. "Don't you dare try to lecture me and act like you are in the right! Do you want me to toss her in a cell? Because you haven't given me much of a choice here. She may be your niece, but she is also Tommen's sister."
"You are the King, you don't have to answer to anyone." Argued Tyrion in determination.
His arm slumped down the tree and hung loosely at his side and when he looked back at Tyrion he had lost all of the anger in his face. "I'm not that sort of King, we have laws and we have rules that must be followed or chaos will follow it." Aegon bit his lip in deep thought and said after a few moments of deep thought. "She will be under house arrest for the remainder of the war, she may only go out with no less than twenty Swannguards who will answer solely to me."
Tyrion saw his next opportunity for his King and so he pressed his good fortune even further. "I also thought this would be the perfect opportunity to bring her here before you marry." Aegon's brow raised in confusion and so he stepped closer to him to prove his point. "I love you like a brother, Aegon. And I tell you now that you can not find a better bride than Myrcella, she's smart, kind, gracious, and you two are very alike in truth." He wished he could still use her looks to prove her eligibility to the Targaryen, but her facial scars prevented that from being true any longer.
"You call me brother, then you turn around and take advantage of my trust. And to your second proposition ... it disturbs me greatly how much she looks like her mother, and it disturbs me further that she may turn out like her mother." Tyrion meant to speak up in protest, but he silenced him with a cold look of hurt. "I know you must love her greatly otherwise you wouldn't have risked so much, but I decline your offer. Now if you ever do something like this again, I promise you on my family's name that you will pay and I will not look the other way again. Do you understand me, Tyrion?" For now he knew he had to admit defeat and that it would take sometime before Aegon would settle on Princess Arianne Martell and the marriage, so he nodded his understanding. "Now I have to go see my brother, it's been too long since I've seen Balon."
"Ser Balon Swann? What is he doing here?" Tyrion had wondered where the knight was, but he had not heard word or seen the man since his trial.
Aegon let out a chuckle and begun to walk away. "He was assigned to the Kingsguard to protect Myrcella soon after your trial and before I revealed myself. If you would have just been patient and asked me to help I could have had her brought to you silently and unbeknownst to anyone." The Targaryen King was nearly seven yards away before he stopped in his tracks and screamed back. "And with him we have the first member and commander of my Kingsguard."
