Disclaimer: I don't own ASoIaF/GoT.

In response to a guest review on : Firstly, about the cadet-branch names: it's canon that most cadet branches have their origin House's name attached to their new one. I'm just following that. Besides, the Northrons are generally practical, simple people. They're not going to fuss about spending ages coming up with something brand new just for the sake of standing out.

Second of all: in regards to the Arryn stuff. Who said that Jon was poisoned by Lysa and Baelish in this? He wasn't. In this, it really was the Lannisters who did it. men loyal to Littlefinger killed Elbert because Petyr wants to be powerful, and he knew that he could manipulate Lysa.

No the Vale lords have not yet outright revolted (though that doesn't mean they aren't suspicious/plotting). I hope that, save that, you like the story.

Now that's done: on with the chapter:

Read, enjoy and review!

Chapter Twenty-One

Oberyn VI

King's Landing: 20th July, 298 AC

They used one of the secret passageways that Crystal had sniffed out in order to smuggle the children from the Red Keep to the docks. Aly's paranoia (or justified caution as she stubbornly called it and she was likely right, given everything that had occurred) had once again proved a great boon for them when she had ordered their most trusted men to map out the passages her direwolf had discovered. One, very conveniently for them, led right down to an alleyway beside the harbour where the Northron ship waited for them.

"Mother, Father what is happening?" Mariah asked plaintively, her voice trembling.

The children were doing their best to maintain their composure, but the tight grips they kept on the knives that Oberyn had given to each of them and their frightened eyes gave their fear away. His daughters had been raised to be ladies, to be safe and protected by their guards. Dorren had always been more interested in his books than fighting, and Oberyn had indulged it, because it brought to mind many fond evenings of listening to his elder brother tell stories to he and Elia. As a child, only Doran's tales and soft-spoken manner had been able to calm Oberyn's excited temperament. But as a consequence of his laxity in training his children in self-defence, none of his children were prepared to be dragged out of bed and hustled out of a passageway they hadn't known even existed.

Arron was clutching at his mother's hands, trying and failing to suppress his tears. The twins held hands tightly, and Lewyn was sniffling. Sarella was clutching the edge of her cloak tightly, while Meria and Lia held their knives as if the weapons were their sole anchors to life itself.

Despite his almost crippling guilt over them being so frightened, he was proud of them all for holding up as well as they were. Arron was but six, Lewyn still two turns of the moon away from seeing nine namedays. None of his girls had ever been raised for anything like this, though the influence of Aly's Northron 'women must be able to care for themselves' attitude had made them far more capable of defending themselves than most Southron ladies. Still, it surprised him a bit that Mariah, his dreamy little girl with her love of songs, was the first one to question why they had been woken in the middle of the night and hastened from the castle, not even allowed to change into more appropriate attire. The girls were in their night shifts still, the boys were in their sleeping tunics with cloaks over them to protect them from the cool air. He would have expected Lia to be the one to question them first.

Then again, Lia knew the most of what had happened to Aly's family, so perhaps she had guessed at least whom they were fleeing, if not why.

"You are going on a trip, my love," Aly replied to Mariah, her voice as steady as ever, though he knew her well enough to detect the thread of fear in her tone. Fear for their children, of course. She had wanted to leave them behind at Sunspear and he, oblivious to just how deeply the lions had dug their claws into the capital and the throne, had ignored her. He cursed himself for that. "To visit your uncle and his family at Winterfell in the North. It shall be great fun for all of you, and my brother will be delighted to meet his nieces and nephews. Do not be disappointed if he appears aloof. Ned is not an open person."

Oberyn recalled the two occasions he had met Eddard Stark. The first time, the man had appeared calm and cold, right up until his goodbrother had crowned Elia as Queen of Love and Beauty. For a brief moment, the man had looked infuriated by the insult to his royal sister. The second time, it had been when Oberyn had come to Winterfell in order as to deliver the bones of the fallen Starks and take Aly as his wife. Oberyn had always been grateful that he had been under guest right when he revealed the betrothal that Robert had ordered, otherwise the man would probably have killed him.

But Oberyn knew enough of the Magnar of the Winterlands to trust that he would faithfully protect his sister's children, regardless of their father. He had originally thought they ought to have the children sent to Sunspear, but Aly had a valid point when she said that the Winterlands had never been invaded by outsiders, unlike his own kingdom. And the Starks' bannermen were fanatically devoted to their lieges, including Aly and her own children due to growing alongside each other. He trusted his own men, but he knew that they were not so loyal to the Martells as the Winterlanders were to the Starks. The Lannisters could potentially get their men into Sunspear to kidnap or assassinate the children, or else bribe someone to do so for them.

The children would be safer in the North.

He feared greatly for Rickard and little Lorie, and earlier that eve he had tasked Daemon with going back south to Sunspear. His former squire had a letter from Oberyn to his eldest son, revealing what they knew and giving Rickard instructions on what he should do in the event of things going badly, or successfully. After all, there was no doubt that Tywin Lannister would not take his daughter's disgrace well, especially as he and Aly had come to a conclusion as to whom the queen's lover was whilst going over and organizing their evidence for him to present to the king. After all, Tywin's ruthlessness was well-known to everyone.

Aly kept the children distracted as they made their way down the tunnel, while Oberyn brooded over what to do about Cersei's children.

He could not forget what had happened to Aly's nieces and nephew during the Sack, the way that Robert had spat on the tiny bodies. Joffrey was a madboy, surely the Gods' punishment for the sins committed by Cersei and the other Lannisters, but Myrcella and Tommen were innocents. Robert's fury would be terrible to behold when he learned of what his wife had done. He had always loathed being humiliated.

Oberyn had to figure out what to do to protect the children from the king's wrath. Myrcella, at least, was tucked safely away in Sunspear. But what to do about Joffrey and Tommen? The eldest of Cersei's sons was mad, that was obvious. Perhaps the Wall was the best solution. That still left Tommen. Oberyn needed to have a plan in place for what to do about each child before he spoke to Robert, so that he could give the ideas to the king and persuade him not to harm any of the children who called him 'Father'.

But before that, Oberyn needed to protect his own children from the Lannisters' anger.

At last, they exited the passage into a dirty alleyway, the smell making the children all wrinkle their noses in disgust.

Two of the guards escorting them walked ahead, checking for enemies, followed by Aly with their younger children. Meria and Sarella went in the middle, still holding onto their daggers tightly, whilst Lia stayed at Oberyn's side. Two more guards followed, guarding their backs. To his relief, they made it to the waiting boat without incident.

A group of his guards were there along with Robert's bastard son Gendry, who looked sullen and confused and was clutching a sack to his chest, and a frightened young woman holding a squirming child. The whore from Chataya's and her infant daughter Barra, Oberyn assumed. It was a relief to see them all unharmed, even if he logically knew that Cersei had no way to know what he and Aly had realized. Cersei had murdered children with her bare hands to try and keep her secret from getting out. She would no doubt do so again without batting an eyelid in remorse.

He was sure that there were more of Robert's bastards scattered around the place, and he knew that Edric Storm and Mya Stone were in Dragonstone and the Vale respectively, but there was little he could do for them. He didn't know whom or even how many there were, and the others were out of his reach. He could only hope that it was the same for the Lannisters as well.

"Magnara," one of the Winterlanders, an aged man who still stood straight despite being around Jon Arryn's age, stepped forward and bowed to Aly. She smiled at him though it failed to reach her eyes. "We are glad to see you again."

"And I you, Lord Skystark," she replied. They moved closer to one another and began speaking softly in the Old Tongue, Arron still clinging to his mother's hand and Lewyn and Mariah hovering near to her, all of them pouting in distress. Oberyn assumed that Aly was instructing the sailor on what she wanted him to do, and giving him the letter for her brother with their knowledge and evidence.

Meanwhile, Lia had sought his attention. Her face was pale, her eyes wide and worried in the moonlight. "Papa, is this because of the Lannisters?" she whispered to him, her eyes watery. "Are they going to kill us, like they did Mama's family?"

He swallowed, pained by her words. The use of the childish 'Papa' and 'Mama' instead of 'Father' and 'Mother' signalled to him just how frightened she was.

He squeezed her hand softly and leaned down to quickly kiss her forehead. "This is merely a precaution, my little Kelpie," he promised her. "I promise. Everything will be fine. And you have always wanted to see your mother's homeland and meet her family. This trip will be great fun for all of you."

Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes glimmered in the dark light, breaking his heart.

"Milord, milady," Davos Seaworth, a minor (and relatively new) Northron lord, interrupted them apologetically. "Forgive me, but we need to board quickly."

"I don' ge' wha's goin' on!" Gendry suddenly blurted out. "Why should I go with yese? I dunno yese! Any o' yese! 'm no' goin' anywhere!"

The young whore abruptly burst into tears, which then caused her own babe to start crying, in turn resulting in Arron sobbing and Lewyn starting to hiccup.

"Don't send us away, Father, Mother," Lewyn pled. "We'll be good, I promise. I-"

"Mama!" Arron howled, flinging himself into Aly's embrace. "I want to stay with you! Don't send us away, I want to stay with you!"

"Please do not make us leave, come with us!" Mariah begged, grabbing Oberyn's arm and looking up at him imploringly. He cradled her close, trying to calm her down as Aly did the same with the boys.

"Hush, hush, there's a brave boy," Aly frantically tried to soothe the distraught pair. "Boys, I am sorry but you must go. Please do not make this harder than it must be. We are not sending you away because you have been bold. Please my darlings," she sounded on the verge of tears herself, and Oberyn intervened, forcing himself to be stern in spite of his family's distress.

"Children, you are scions of House Martell," he reminded them sternly. "We are Unbowed, Unbent and Unbroken. You must behave like it. You will go home to Sunspear with us after this, but for now you must go and stay with your mother's family in Winterfell. And you have to leave now."

Still distraught but reluctantly giving into his unyielding tone, the boys and Mariah pulled away from he and Aly and began miserably saying their goodbyes. Gendry and the young whore (no, the young mother. She was a mother first now. He could see her love for her child in the way she held the babe close to her breast, trying to shield the girl. The poor girl was only Sarella's age. At least in the Winterlands she would probably get a better life. The Starks were beloved of their people for many reasons, chief among them that they cared and provided for them all, quality or common.) had somehow been coaxed onto the ship by Lord Seaworth, and most of the sailors were already aboard, preparing to leave.

He kissed his children goodbye one-by-one, instructing the boys to look after their sisters and giving the same instructions to the girls. He came to Meria last.

She flung herself into his arms with a hiccupping sob, the first embrace she had condescended to give him since he had refused Perros' request to wed her. He hushed her and rocked her as if she were a young girl who had come to him in tears after skinning her knees again.

"Shush, my brave little snakelet," he soothed her. "All will be well. Help Sarella look after your siblings. You two are the eldest two, that is your responsibility. Be brave, and our family will soon be reunited."

"Be careful Father," she whispered. "Promise me."

He suppressed a flinch, reminded of her mother's last words, and nodded silently. "We will be," he vowed. "I promise." He hesitated and then added. "Once all of this is over, I will contact the Blackmonts. I think that I was perhaps overly-hasty in refusing Perros' proposal."

She briefly lit up with delight, but turned solemn again quickly. "Just be careful, Papa," she insisted. "You and Mother. I would not know what any of us would do without you."

"All will be well," he promised, before releasing her. One of Seaworth's sons escorted her up the gangplank, and the board was pulled up and away from the docks with that. He and Aly stood watching from within the circle of guards.

"You should go with them," he said softly, though they had already fought over this and he had lost the battle entirely. She shook her head.

"I am your wife," she replied simply. "My place is at your side."

He sighed, knowing that, even if it would be far safer for her and the babe that she carried, he was too selfish to send her away. "Did you give them the letter for your brother?"

"Aye," she confirmed. "Even if we are silenced, Ned and Rickard will both know, and Stannis must at least strongly suspect the truth. The lions will not be able to hide this."

"Hopefully we are being paranoid," Oberyn murmured. "I sent Ser Garibald to track Robert down and give him the note that I wrote. He will return immediately on reading it."

Oberyn had not dared to commit to paper the accusations he had against the queen, both out of fear of it being intercepted and of Robert's reaction without Oberyn there to calm his rage. Instead, he had written that he had discovered evidence of Jon being murdered. The king would come racing back on reading that, he knew. Jon had been a father to both of them. Robert would be enraged at the thought that he had murdered instead of having a natural death, eager to learn whom would be punished for the crime.

For all he and Robert had changed over the years, Oberyn still considered him his dearest friend. It made him flinch to know that he would have to give news of his wife's betrayals to his oldest friend.

"The Gods are on our side," Aly insisted softly, squeezing his hand firmly. "I know that they are. The lions will not get away with what they have done."

Of course, Aly was probably thinking more of her own family than Robert. She quite possibly believed he deserved the hurt after his insults towards her kin. Oberyn did not ask. It would only worsen his already dark mood.

"I hope that you are right, my love," he replied softly instead.

ASoVASoVASoV

The Red Keep: 21st July, 298 AC

The next morning, Oberyn was doing his best to act normal. He was in the middle of holding court when the door to the Great Hall slammed open and the King came storming in, his face crumpled in rage.

"What is this, Oberyn?" he bellowed, shaking the note in the air as he strode up towards where Oberyn was seated on the uncomfortable Iron Throne. "What is this about Jon-?"

"Not here, Your Grace," Oberyn cut him off hastily as he rose from the throne, spying Aly slipping away from the corner of his eye as he did so. He had no doubt she had gone to fetch their proof. Aly had been waiting for an opportunity such as this for over a decade and a half. Now her chance was at last within sight and she was bursting with anxiety and glee. "We must speak in private about this."

Robert looked angry and impatient, but barked angrily that court was dismissed and followed Oberyn to the small antechamber behind dais of the throne.

"Well?" he demanded, eyes blazing with fury. "Tell me, damn you! What do you mean, you have evidence Jon was murdered? Who did it? How long have you suspected this? Why did you not tell me earlier? I-"

"Hush, Robert, let me explain please," Oberyn held up his hands, trying to calm his enraged friend. He had already decided that acting as if they were simply friends, not King and Hand, was the best way to go for the moment. Robert would respond better to it, hopefully.

Jaw tight, Robert gestured sharply for him to go on.

"I will show you the evidence I have now in a moment," Oberyn stated. "My lady wife is bringing it from our chambers now. I have suspected it since the night you arrived at Sunspear. Elbert came to me in the dead of night, revealing that Jon had been investigating something and died suddenly right after telling him he had almost enough evidence to bring the matter before you. I did not tell you because of whom it was we suspected of the act."

"What do you mean?" Robert's voice was dark, suspicion dawning in his eyes. Perhaps he had always suspected, somewhere deep within him. Robert Baratheon was many things, and he was not a good ruler. But nobody, not even Aly or her Stark kin, had ever called him a fool.

"Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen are not your children, Robert," Oberyn revealed quietly, laying the whole thing bare before his king. "They are the queen's bastards. Jon learned of it, and she had him killed to try and cover it up."

All things considered, Oberyn was not surprised nor did he blame the king for his enraged reaction. He lifted up an entire sidetable and flung it at the wall, ink pots, documents and all. It crashed loudly against the wall, making Oberyn wince slightly.

"I'LL KILL THAT WHORING BITCH AND HER SPAWN!" Robert roared.

Oberyn wondered what it said, that Robert believed him without a second's hesitation. Yes, there was the chance that he had suspected in the back of his mind. But perhaps it said something about the king and queen's relationship that Robert so quickly believed she would be unfaithful. They were vicious to one another. No wonder both had turned to others to gain comfort.

Oberyn moved forward quickly, placing a hand carefully on Robert's shoulder. "Calm yourself, my old friend," he begged him. "I have come up with plans for what to do about everyone involved in this treason. But you cannot kill the children."

"I am the king and-"

"And you will be called another Mad King, a tyrant, if you murder three children, children you believed to be your own until moment's past," Oberyn interrupted him, going right for the jugular and making the king freeze. He hastily continued, before Robert could grow angry at him instead.

"I have come up with plans for what to do with everyone, Cersei and her lover and the children," he said soothingly, not giving Robert time to respond. He did not mention Aly's aid in coming up with those ideas. She was right in saying that Robert would probably refuse to listen to the suggestions if he did, solely because of her connection to the Targaryens. It was the same reason that he would be concealing just how much of the investigation had been conducted by her, guilty as he felt taking credit for his wife's actions. People could claim that she was framing the queen as revenge for Lyanna.

"Well?" Robert grunted, eyes still ablaze with anger. "What are those plans then?"

"Obviously, Cersei must be punished for her treason, and her lover as well," Oberyn stated calmly. "That is justice. But you will be seen only as a tyrant should you harm the children. Myrcella is in Dorne already. Of course, the betrothal can no longer stand. A bastard born of treasonous adultery cannot be Lady of Dorne. But Aly and I can raise her and Tommen as our wards in Sunspear. That will ensure that Tywin cannot move against you, as he will no doubt be furious at all of this, and try to salvage his children's reputation. As for Joffrey, it is now clear why he is so mad. A punishment from the Gods to Cersei for her breaking her wifely vows to you. Discreetly send him to the Wall, and nobody can say that you have not been most merciful."

He held his breath, watching Robert glower out the window, fists clenched. Abruptly, the king ripped away from him and stalked to the door, yanking it open to reveal Ser Barristan and Aly, who swiftly fell into obeisance.

"Arrest that adulterous bitch I call my wife for treason!" he ordered his Lord Commander. "And arrest any who tries to defend her as well! Confine her bastard sons to their chambers until I grant leave for them to be let out! You!" He turned to Aly, jabbing a finger at the bundle of papers she held to her chest. "Give me that!"

"Of course, Your Grace," she murmured meekly, holding the folder out like an offering.

He grabbed it off her and waited impatiently for Ser Barristan to bow and murmur his agreement, the old knight looking stunned by the order, then slammed the door shut again.

"Robert," Oberyn said hesitantly, stepping closer to his childhood friend.

"Is there anything else?" Robert growled.

"No, save for the details of it all," Oberyn replied softly. "But all of it is written down in there."

"Then leave me," Robert ordered curtly. "I wish to look through this evidence that you have gathered."

Oberyn hesitated, resulting in a chair being hurled at him that he only just dodged.

"LEAVE!" His king bellowed.

"Your Grace," Oberyn muttered with a bow. He paused at the door, glancing back at his old friend. "I wish I did not have to tell you this, Robert," he apologized solemnly. "So much."

Robert was busy downing wine straight from a jug, and did not answer.

ASoVASoVASoV

Aly awaited him outside, eyes sparkling with excitement and a rosy flush lighting her cheeks. "Come and let's watch," she pleaded.

He sighed and nodded, taking her arm and guiding her along the hallways.

Knowing the royals' routines well after their time in the capital, they arrived at the area in the gardens where the queen was taking tea with her sons shortly before Ser Barristan did with a group of guards (none of whom, Oberyn noted, were Westermen, nor had any known allegiance to the Lannisters. Sensible of the man.). They stayed out of sight, able to see the confrontation take place without been seen themselves.

The queen scowled at the sight of the Lord Commander, rising to her feet. "Ser Barristan," she greeted him coolly. "I was under the impression that you were away guarding His Grace on his hunt."

The Kingsguard looked solemn. "The King is returned, my queen," he replied. "He has dispatched me to take you into custody, along with your sons."

Cersei's face paled, then reddened in fury. Joffrey jumped to his feet in fury, and Tommen looked frightened. Ser Jaime, who had been guarding the queen and princes, grabbed his sword.

"How dare you?" Cersei spat, fists clenched. "I am the queen!"

"And I am the Crown Prince!" Joffrey added, equally as indignant. "You cannot make me do anything!"

"Spoiled brat," Aly whispered to him. Oberyn hummed in acknowledgement of her words, but didn't remove his gaze from the scene. A part of him felt guilty. Cersei was a woman after all, and her children innocent in spite of Joffrey's sadism. Perhaps he should have given them the chance to flee.

But then again, Cersei might have been a woman, but she was a woman who had personally drowned two innocent babes, only a few moons old. She had gained her throne by stepping over the bodies of Aly's sister and her children. And she would not have fled. He and Aly had recently come to the conclusion that she was probably plotting Robert's death, in order to have her son as king and be Regent. It would explain why she had publicly ordered her lord husband not to fight in the melee. After so many years as his wife, she had to know that he would have done exactly the opposite of what she ordered. It had been a murder attempt, disturbing as it was to contemplate. Oberyn had added that suspicion to the documents as well.

So, if he had confronted Cersei and given her time to flee, she would not have used it to save herself and her sons. At least not by running. More likely, Robert would have been poisoned by his Lannister squire, and then Oberyn and Aly would have been the ones who were arrested for treason.

He reached down to lay a hand over Aly's swollen belly, the feel of his unborn child squirming within its' mother's womb reminding him of what was at stake. He had made the correct decision, the only decision.

His family came first. Always.

As Oberyn brooded, he continued to watch the argument. Ser Barristan overruled the queen and prince's objections. When Jaime attacked him, the White Lion was defeated by his superior. Cersei and the boys were grabbed by the other guards, (Tommen was held much more gently than his struggling brother. The poor, timid boy was struggling not to cry, and Oberyn spotted Aly looking guilty as she watched the child.) and they were all taken back to the keep.

The first part was over, and nobody had been harmed. That was something at least, but how was the Old Lion going to react when he learned that his queenly daughter and favourite son were accused of treasonous incest?

Almost as if his own thoughts were mocking him, the lyrics of the Rains of Castamere ran through Oberyn's mind.

And who are you, the proud lord said,
That I must bow so low?
Only a cat of a different coat,
That's all the truth I know.
In a coat of gold or a coat of red,
A lion still has claws,
And mine are long and sharp, my lord,
As long and sharp as yours.