Hello everyone ! Here is the second chapter.

Enjoy!

Doran

When the Maester had brought him a letter from King's Landing, he had thought it would be another letter asking him to come bend the knee. He received those almost once a year. He was very surprised when he discovered it was not the case.

Apparently, Tyrion Lannister was now acting as Hand of the King until his father could come back from the war. The shocking news however was that the Imp wanted to betroth the Princess Myrcella to his son.

Prince Doran was conflicted about it. Though still officially linked to the Seven Kingdoms, Dorne had had almost no contact with the outside world in over a decade, since the Lannisters killed his beloved sister, the Princess of Dragonstone. The girl had twelve namedays now and he knew nothing about her. If she was anything like her mother or brother, there was no way his son would marry her. He had heard the rumors, the King was Aerys reborn, cruel, obsessed and delusional. The Queen was no better, self-centered and enabling her son. On the other hand, an alliance with the Crown could guarantee peace, and his son would need to be wed to a highborn Lady at some point anyway. The sooner he got acquainted to his future wife the better his chances for a happy marriage. This offering was the best they had gotten thus far.

He knew he needed to find out more about the royal Princess. He asked one of his guards to summon a dornishman who had traveled the world and would most likely know about Myrcella. His brother, Prince Oberyn.

"You called for me your Highness." He heard later that day.

"Come on, Brother, no need for such formality, it is just me, you and that wheelchair." He joked and turned around to face Oberyn. "I received an intriguing letter today."

"Where did it come from?"

"The capital. Tyrion Lannister, the Hand of the King, sent it to me."

"What does he want? That you bend the knee? You won't, will you?"

"He does not want that. He wants Trystane's hand in marriage."

"What? I thought those golden snobs were against gay marriage or sex or love or whatever." Oberyn interrupted him.

"…for his niece Princess Myrcella." Doran finished.

"Oh!"

"Yes oh! Do you know anything about her?"

"A little, I have never met her but I met people who went to court. Most of them described Joffrey or even Tommen but rarely their sister so I would say that she is mostly shy and polite. The ones who talk about her say that she is a great beauty or she will be in a few years anyway and she seems to have a gentle heart. I've heard a story of the royal family's journey to Winterfell last year. A Northman told me that the Princess was genuinely affected by Brandon Stark's fall and that she spent a day in the Sept praying for his recovery."

"So you would advise me to accept the proposal?"

"I would not advise you against it." He replied. "After all, engagements can be broken off if needed. But the real person you should be asking that question is your son. He might be a boy but it is still his life."

"You're right I'm going to talk to him. Thank you brother."

Trystane

His father never came to his room. If he needed to talk to him he summoned him to the balcony over the Water Gardens where he spent most of his days. Trystane never resented him, he knew the Prince of Dorne's health was never the greatest much like his sister Princess Elia and his crippled legs were a constant source of pain. He was glad however that all the Martell family's apartments were on the same floor so that there was always a possibility for his father to come if need be.

Apparently, it was one of those days. He heard the knock on the door and went to open only to find the least expected visitor. He motioned for his father to come inside and sat on the richly decorated orange sofa at his demand.

"Trystane I have something to tell you. You need to listen carefully alright. You know how alliances work don't you?" Trystane nodded and his father continued. "You're only fourteen namedays old but I believe you know weddings are often part of alliances, to strengthen it, to insure the other parts loyalty. That is what happened when your aunt Elia was wed to Prince Rhaegar. I received a marriage proposal for you this morning from King's Landing. Tyrion Lannister, the Hand of the King wants you to marry the Princess Myrcella. Now, she would come here as soon as possible and you would not have to marry her until she flowered so you would have time to get to know her and become friends. I hear she is a sweet girl. Would that be alright if we accepted?"

Trystane tried to look serious but he ended up with a silly face half frightened and half confused. He did not understand why suddenly his Father wanted to accept anything from the Lannisters. He would have to ask his aunt Ellaria about it later, she would know, she knew everything and was the smartest woman in Dorne. For now, he just wanted to please his father, as usual.

"Yes Father, I will do my duty for House Martell."

Doran smiled and made him lower his head so that he could kiss his forehead. And with that he was gone, probably to send a raven to King's Landing without delay.

Prince Trystane was a curious boy, although he did not like to be called that, he was almost a man grown now. He wanted to find out more about his intended. In most noble households, the Maester knew more about other Houses than anybody else, though maybe his uncle Oberyn with all his travelling was capable of giving answers also. Trystane decided to go see Maester Caleotte first.

He arrived in his office and found him preparing an herbal tea for himself, it was past the time his father received his medicine so he would most likely not disturb the old man in anything important.

"Your Highness did you need anything?"

"I believe you've heard the news, I'm to marry Princess Myrcella Baratheon."

"Yes, I just sent a raven to the capital with Prince Doran's response. Are you pleased, my prince?"

"I cannot know yet, I've never met her. I was actually hoping that you could give me some precisions about her."

"The royal family sent every major House a portrait for her tenth nameday. Your father never wanted to see anything coming from them but would you care to take a look?"

The old man took a scroll from the shelves, the paper was high quality, almost pure white and the drawing executed with exquisite colors only the richer Houses could afford it. Trystane looked at the girl in the painting, she was very young but no one could deny the beauty of her long blond locks and her piercing green eyes. Although she seemed pleasing to the eye, if the artist could be trusted, it was the interior, her personnality that interested the young prince.

He told Caleotte that he wished to know more about her but unfortunately, the old man had never met her. He explained that in the other Houses, girls were not equal to boys, they could not inherite lands or title unless all their male relatives were deceased. Therefore he had heard echos of the two Princes but not the Princess. He told him what he knew of the family anyway. Robert Baratheon died a few moons ago and had been a drunk and absent King leaving the realm in his Hands' care. Queen Cersei was regent now and appeared manipulative as well as only caring for her children. King Joffrey was a concern, many described him as mad and cruel while his little brother was sweet and shy. Trystane sincerely hoped that the Princess would be more like her younger brother than her older one. He voiced his concern aloud which gave the Maester the opportunity for a little lecture.

"My Prince, you are fairly lucky, many Lords never meet their Lady before their wedding day. It will be years before you are wed to Myrcella, you will have plenty of time to get to know her and she will be able to discover our customs. A word of advice: love is often irrelevant to people of your birth, you might never experience it with her but care for her from the very beginning. It is the only way you will have a happy marriage. She probably is not used to being listened to with their northern ways so it will be your job to make her feel worthy. She will be a Princess of Dorne someday, she should know what it implies."

"Thank you Maester, I shall follow your advice."

He bowed before leaving the office in a new quest to find his uncle.

Oberyn

After his discussion with his older brother Oberyn returned to his usual occupation. For now, he was lazily laying naked in bed with his paramour Ellaria and a messenger who had arrived from the desert the same morning bearing news from the red mountains. Something to do with the crops, Oberyn did not care. The man made a fine lover and was currently proceeding to explore every remote area of Ellaria's neck with his lips.

It is in this position that his nephew found him. The boy waited patiently with a smirk for him to notice his arrival. He groaned in frustration, first his brother and now his nephew, his family was clearly plotting against his rest. No wonder he always left the Kingdom. He passionately kissed Ellaria and got up to put on his breeches. His nephew was dornish but still a child and still superior to him in rank, a little decency was in order. He led the way to a solar where they both sat in the cushions.

"You want informations about her." It was not a question, more a statement. He had figured his brother followed his advice to talk to his son but did not give him much insight into who was his betrothed.

"I already asked Maester Caleotte, he showed me her portrait and told me of the royal family but he had nothing about her."

"I don't have much either. All I can tell you is that she is most likely a very quiet and gentle girl."

He told his nephew of the story in Winterfell and assured him that he believed they would be great partners. The only thing that frightened him was her mother, he feared what that woman had told her daughter. She might have taught her to loathe the Martells and if she was to write often it could turn into a problem. He did not voice his concern though.

Their conversation stretched to other subjects. Oberyn liked to talk with his nephew, he would most likely never be a great warrior but he was a skilled tactician and politician already. He understood trade and diplomacy better than Oberyn ever did. He would make a fine Prince of Dorne someday and with the sand snakes, his daughters, by his side there was nothing to fear for in his future.

He returned to his former ocupation. After two weeks of enjoying the pleasures of life and sparring with his daughters, the Martell household received the news of Myrcella's departure, she would arrive in a little less than a moon by sea as it was the safest and shortest way to travel.

The castle and Water Gardens were more lively than ever. The Princess' suite had been prepared with nature-inspired decorations, her linens were embroided with golden leaves, the wooden chair and bed richly sculpted and even the traditional dornish cushions and pillows had lost their usual oranges for greens and gilded colors. Much like his nephew, Oberyn was curious, he liked to observe as the gardeners trimmed the plants in the Water Gardens to make them perfected for the Grand arrival, the seamstresses could be heard whispering among themselves. He took one to bed one night and she told him all about their concern on what colors would complement the princess' green eyes and golden locks, if she would prefer silk, satin or organza and who would have the honor of making her her first dornish dress. The Prince already felt sorry for Myrcella. She would disembark and be thrown into a world were everybody was way too excited by her presence, he really hoped she was ready.

The next few weeks went by mostly in the same atmosphere. The only one who did not seem to be over the moon with the Princess was his paramour. It took him several days to ask her about it but that night, he finally found the courage.

Ellaria

Ellaria was a proud dornish woman, she loved their customs and respected their values more than anything. She knew it was not their way to accuse a child of their parents' sins but it dis not make her more happy about the Lannister girl's imminent entry into their lives. She might be a bastard but she was the daughter of a highborn dornish lord and his paramour therefore she was respected here and when her father came to work with the Martells when she was a little girl, he took her with him. Elia Martell had been a big sister to her all her life, way before she even noticed Oberyn, and the pain of her death was still raw. There laying in their bed with Oberyn, she remembered when Elia left for the capital.

"I whish those snobby northern pricks would let me be your lady-in-waiting or whatever. Seven hells, I'm a highborn bastard!"

Elia giggled at her side, they were laying in a mountain of cushions in Elia's solar and talking about the journey.

"I hope the dragon prince knows what he's doing. He better please you or I'll come and make sure he's never able to please any woman anymore."

"Ellaria!" Elia reprimanded her for her crude language. Her friend had been raised to be queen, she could never talk this way but Ellaria knew how much it made her laugh.

They were polar opposites. Ellaria was fierce, free and cunning where Elia was quiet, polite and sickly. Yet, they were inseperable.

"You will right often, won't you?" Ellaria asked.

"Oh, I was not aware you knew how to read." Elia giggled which resulted in one of the cushions finding its way to her face, at full speed.

They laughed for the rest of the afternoon.

Little did they know it would be the last time they talked to each other. Elia's health deteriorated in the aftermath of her pregnancies and she could hardly leave the Red Keep in the end. As for the letters, Aerys' madness and paranoia prevented them from talking freely. Ellaria had kept the five letters she received as her most precious belongings.

It had taken most of Oberyn's strength and Doran's authority to prevent her to go to the when the news of Elia's death reached them. How could they? Not only her but little Rhaenys as well. They were monsters and Ellaria had never forgotten her desire for vengeance. Yet, she knew Myrcella was not to blame, she was not even born when it happened.

That is what she told Oberyn when he asked her if she was feeling well considering the Princess was coming any day now. It did not stop her from loathing the Lannister family though.

One afternoon, Oberyn's nephew invited her for tea. Apparently, he had followed the same path of thinking. He wanted answers about why his father suddenly agreed to something a Lannister proposed. Clever boy. He had never met Elia but the wound had marked the whole family greatly. Considering he was to marry the girl at some point, she figured it would be better to teach him not to resent the Princess for something she had never taken part in. After this conversation, she was a little more at peace with the coming events.

Myrcella

Compared to the last journey she had to make, this one was way more pleasant. She discovered she much prefered ships to wheelhouses. The sound of the water and the constant movement of the sea created a soothing atmosphere whereas the King's road to Winterfell had been all dirt and discomfort. There she traveled alone as well and she was thankfull for the absence of her mother and Joffrey, their whining and insults had made travelling unbearable. She missed Tommen though and she would have enjoyed to see more of Westeros. All she could see now was the coast of the Storm's Lands from afar.

A few people had accompanied her. Her septa was to remain with her for as long as she was unmarried and Ser Arys would only stay by her side until qhe was delivered safely in Doran Martell's castle.

The septa used the voyage to teach her more about her new home. The dornishs followed the faith of the Seven although they were way less rigid than their northern counterparts. Thanks to their Rhoynar blood they had slightly different beliefs than in King's Landing. For instance, bastards were respected in Dorne enven though the Seven taught the faithfuls that bastards were mallicious and sinful. They indulged in lust often despite the Mother's urge for decency. And they tolerated atheists even among their highest ranks. Other than that they followed mostly the same rituals. The septa had an expression of disgust when she discribed them but Myrcella thought they looked way more just then the rest of the realm. They valued love above anything else and men and women were equal, it seemed appealing to her.

"I'm sure you'll remember your mother's teachings and remain modest and pure in this savage country." The old woman went on.

At this point, Myrcella was not sure she would keep the septa by her side for very long. The girl was full of will to discover her new home and all the septa had done was tear them down. She pretended to have a headache and returned to her cabin. She proceeded to avoid her teacher as much as possible for the following weeks, prefering instead the company of her knight or the captain who had many funny anecdotes about Dorne.

He apparently did a lot of trade between Planky Town and King's Landing. The Princess was fascinated by this city which consisted of floating boats tied together. The capital of the economy in Dorne, if she was allowed to visit the country, would probably be her first destination.

After three weeks of sailing, they came in view of the Broken Arm of Dorne, their journey was coming to an end. Myrcella looked with attention at the yellow cliffs adorned with palm trees and high succulents. The landscape was more of the same for the following days except for the few green patches every twenty miles or so. Finally, Sunspear was in view. The city was smaller than King's landing but the castle was not less impressive than the Red keep though in a different style. High towers of yellowish sculpted stones dominated the town and high trees created colourful touches of green above tha ramparts. Myrcella could see curtains made of red, orange, yellow or blue shear fabric at the windows. She was both excited and nervous now and all her doubts came rushing back. She wondered if they would like her, if it was a warm welcome that was waiting for her or if she would be given the cold shoulder. She feared Trystane would not find her pretty too which was silly since it was not of importance anyway.

There was no real port in Sunspear, they arrived to a small dock that led directly to the keep. However, it did not mean that there was no place for a welcoming party. The whole household seemed to be out to greet her. First came the servants in their revealing outfits, light dresses for women and only large pants for men. Then the various minor lords who wore more sophisticated but no less daring clothes and finally, under an orange tent, the Martell family. Myrcella recognised Prince Doran with his wheelchair and the young man next to him must have been Trystane. The other man with the house sigil on his robe was probably Prince Oberyn. The women however, she did not know, a grown woman and three girls accompanied the family.

The other details she could not remember as her stress had made her forget it all. What she retained was that they seemed happy and were not cold at all. Much like the weather that she was beginning to feel in her long-sleeved two-layers dress.

Doran

Finally she was here. His brother had been right, the Princess was sweet and polite as well as a little shy. She had disembarked from her boat before nodding politely to every servant and curtsying perfectly to the lords and ladies even to Ellaria and the Sand Snakes who had grinned at the sight. Whether she knew who they were and already practiced the dornish customs or she was unaware he had no idea but he was pleased.

He had later led his guest and the family to a small room where dried fruits, oranges, goat cheeses and honey or lemon cakes waited for them. The conversation was polite and quiet much like the Princess. She told them of her journey and what she had seen of Dorne thus far. Doran looked at his son from time to time. Trystane seemed to be hanging on every word that came from her mouth and his nieces pressed the Princess on with their questions. At this very moment, the prince of Dorne was hopeful for the future.

Thanks for reading, I hope you like it. Please review.

Felon GT: Indeed, at the time she did want the marriage, but this is written from her POV in the present so she might deform the reality out of anger. She now feels that she was sent away and she resent it.