Two weeks. A fortnight.
That's how long it had taken Teddy to feel his magic return to him. They were a week past that now, yet all Elia could feel was the slightest tinge of magic around them. It was different, being in Dorne after being surrounded by the magic of Potter Hall for so long, and yet she could feel something in the air. Not nearly as potent as it had been in England, but it was there.
Doran had yet to return from Sunspear, handing all administrative matters to cousin Manfrey until they were ready to come to a decision – something she was loath to do without knowing just where Harry was.
He'll be fine, she reminded herself, absentmindedly stroking her wedding band as the door behind her opened.
Light footsteps made their way across the marble floor, Elia sitting as a shadow loomed over her, watching with a small smile as Maia splashed about the pool, shrieking in laughter as Rhaenys lifted her above her head.
"Are you planning to take a seat?" she asked, eyes tracking her daughters. They had commandeered this small section of the Water Gardens, the once private rooms of Daenerys Martell and the attached pools, a privacy ward set in place courtesy of Teddy. He was the only one of them with full access to his magic, Aegon and Rhaenys still requiring more time to recover what control they had over their abilities. Even if she did not have such easy access to her magic, she was relieved to know that Teddy still held that advantage.
"You look well," Larra stated, sitting in the open chair next to Elia.
"Far better than when we last spoke," Elia replied wryly, glancing at her friend. No longer were they the young maidens fluttering about court, eager to leave a mark as Myriah once had. Larra had aged handsomely, her hair still a thick brown that tumbled across her shoulder, brown eyes as sharp as ever as she grimaced in acknowledgement.
"We didn't know what came next," Larra said quietly, eyes far off as she recalled events unknown. "Doran had been frantic when the raven came, and Oberyn very nearly rushed off to King's Landing on his own."
"A fool's errand," Elia replied, a fond note in her voice. "But Oberyn has ever been a fool when it comes to those he loves."
"He was the best of us," Larra said. "Even now, he rushes to protect all of Dorne where Doran physically cannot."
"Don't," Elia said sharply, stopping her before she could continue. "You've no fault in all this, Larra."
"I knew," Larra retorted. "We all knew just how mad he was, the danger we were leaving you in."
"And as your princess, I ordered you home," Elia reminded her.
Larra's lips tightened slightly, eyes dark with sorrow and old wounds. "I could have ignored the order."
"And die needlessly?" Elia retorted.
"You could have died," Larra reminded her.
"Thank the Seven that I did not," she said.
Elia reached across the small table, gripping Larra's hand tightly as her dark eyes bore into her friend's orbs.
"Jynessa was far too young to lose her mother, Larra. I do not regret sending you home then, nor would I have done differently had we faced the rebellion years later."
"Of course not," Larra scoffed, a slight twist to her lips. "Never let it be said that a Princess of Dorne would let one of her people be held hostage in her place."
She smiled at the old jest, seeing the faintest spark in Larra's brown eyes.
"I hear you have a son now," Elia said lightly, leaning back in her seat after giving her hand a final squeeze.
"Perros," she told her, a small smile on her face as her gaze tracked Elia's children. "He's two and ten, squiring with Ryon Allyrion. I imagine your son will squire with Oberyn. He's not taken another squire."
In hopes of one day teaching Aegon, she knew, feeling a pang at what her brother had put himself through.
"No," Elia murmured, glancing at Larra. "Not until I know what we face."
There was a flash of something unfamiliar in Larra's eyes; gaze drifting around them as she casually leaned closer to Elia.
"Speak freely," Elia murmured. "We've no need to fear little birds for now."
Larra raised a brow in surprise, her lips quirked in thought as the sounds of her children playing filled the air. They had been tense the past weeks, uneasy at the thought of their missing father, and it gladdened her to see them so relaxed.
"Doran will not return for a few more days," Larra said. "A raven came from Wyl a sennight past, bringing word of a small skirmish along the border of the Boneway."
Her brows furrowed, recalling the Stormland Houses that lay closest to the Boneway. "I did not think Lord Dondarrion so brave," she said.
"He's not," Larra replied dryly. "The current lord is Beric Dondarrion, five and twenty and as yet untested in command. Lord Stannis has a rotating set of men guarding his borders. Men from as far north as Haystack Hall guard the Marches alongside the Marcher lords."
"Both sides?" Elia asked in surprise. "The Tyrells bent the knee."
"He's not forgiven them for the siege," Larra told her, sneering lightly at the thought of Mace Tyrell's band of knights. "Nor is he fool enough to turn his back on Tarly, even if their wives are cousins."
"Tarly is loyal to his liege," Elia responded, remembering the dour man from her early travels.
"He was," Larra agreed. "But the Reach won't forgive the Lannisters for their treason, and the Usurper has wed his cause to them. They hold his heir hostage."
Elia grimaced in sympathy, imagining any of her children being held hostage. At least they had me, she thought darkly, remembering Aerys's insistence on keeping them at King's Landing.
"Lord Tyrell will have war in his lands if he seeks closer ties to the throne," Larra said. "And war if he joins a restoration."
"The rest?" Elia questioned, ignoring the possibility. There would be no restoration without danger, but placing her family in danger for the sake of that accursed throne was not something she was eager to do.
"The North has nearly closed The Neck," Larra told her, causing her to raise her brows in surprise. She'd not expected that of the Starks, especially not when Lord Eddard had fostered with Robert Baratheon. "They send men when necessary to help their king, but Lord Eddard has tired of war."
There was a slight hesitance in Larra's tone, her brown eyes darkened in remembered rage as her gaze drifted to where Aegon was cheerfully shoving Teddy headfirst into Rhaenys, the two falling into the pool as their younger siblings laughed uproariously.
"Do you remember, when we made our way to King's Landing for the wedding," Larra said, eyes troubled. "There was that old guard tower in the Pass we stayed in."
"One last joyous night in Dorne," Elia smiled, recalling the insistence of her companions for a rest stop, several bottles of Dornish Red being produced as they built a bonfire. "We had to stop in Vulture's Roost to clean off the remnants of the sand."
Larra hesitated, mouth tugged downward in a frown before she said, "Doran sent men to man the Pass, using the tower as a base. It was deserted when they found it, for the most part. They had left in a hurry and managed to take most of their belongings with them but for a kerchief stitched with a winter rose."
She felt a flash of cold anger, her hands tightening the slightest bit before she forced herself to unclench them.
"He brought her to Dorne," she said softly, voice even and measured.
"For a time," Larra muttered darkly, shifting so she could easily grip Elia's hand.
"I don't know why, but I did not expect that level of callousness from him," Elia said, shaking her head at her own idiocy.
She was walking into the throne room, Aegon held in her arms as Rhaenys stood close to her, lightly gripping onto her gown as her cat fluttered about her legs.
The courtiers were whispering lowly amongst themselves, voices pitched low so as not to garner the king's attention.
Elia glanced at the throne, seeing Aerys sitting forward, eyes gleaming as he stared cruelly at her. Rhaella was off to the side, stood just behind Uncle Lewyn as her face remained stoic, a short glance at Elia telling her all she needed to know.
"Your Grace," she said, sinking into a curtsy once she reached the front. Aegon remained in her arms, even as Rhaenys curtsied lightly to her grandfather, her exuberant girl for once quiet.
The tension could be cut with a sword, the rest of the hall holding their breaths as Aerys left them bowing before him for a full minute before he impatiently bid them to stand.
"Is that the boy?"
Her arms tightened the slightest bit, unwilling to allow Aegon to part from her before she nodded, face stoic in the wake of the King's open madness.
"It is," she said demurely. "We've named him Aegon."
"Aegon," he muttered, gesturing for her to come forward. The five Kingsguard left to him stood arrayed in front of the throne, Ser Gerold falling into place as they entered, and Elia made her way forward to the foot of the throne to present Aegon to his grandfather.
Aerys stood, hand catching on the spikes of the swords as he descended a few steps, peering closely at Aegon as his purple eyes catalogued each bit of him.
"Looks like a proper Targaryen this one," he said, snorting as he turned his gaze to Rhaenys once more. "No other sister for him?"
Elia resisted the urge to scowl, face placid as she remained quiet. Uncle Lewyn was the only one she trusted to do anything for her on account of their shared blood, but she had seen the aftermath of Aerys's attentions too many times to think the rest of the Kingsguard would do anything to help her, heir to the throne in her arms or no.
"Pity," Aerys said mockingly, waving her back. "Is that not why I chose you?"
It was tempting; the urge to remind the king of his own lack of siblings beyond Rhaella, but Elia bit her tongue and resisted, listening as the king derided her worth as his gooddaughter.
"…and now," he spat, leaning forward once more with gleaming purple eyes. "Tell me, gooddaughter, where is my son?"
Her lips tightened, seeing the cruel light in Aerys's eyes as he joyed in her embarrassment. The courtiers tittered, seeing the king's enjoyment and basking in this momentary relief from the burnings.
"No," he laughed. "Not with you. Not when you can't give him what he needs. No, no. Rhaegar has gone off with that wolf girl, hasn't he? Cavorting with those traitors and plotting is he? Or does he fancy himself Aegon come again?"
"I'm sure he'll return as soon as he hears from you, Your Grace," she said coolly, dark orbs locked onto his.
Aerys smiled cruelly, nails scraping against the throne. "Yes, perhaps he will. Perhaps they've managed to find themselves a hostage. Jonothor," he barked.
The knight stepped forward to face his king, bowing before he murmured, "Your Grace."
"Escort my gooddaughter and grandchildren to their apartments," Aerys said, eyes locked on hers. "I'll not have these treasonous lords scheming to murder more of this House."
She woke in a rush, breathing sharply as she forced those memories away. Aerys Targaryen was long dead and unable to harm her anymore, nor her children. Yet Larra's words had pulled forth the memories of those dark days far more than sharing her memories with her family had, her sleep the last two nights plagued with things best left forgotten.
She found her children bent over a large parchment at the dining table, their chairs tucked close together, Aegon's shining head between the dark hairs of his older siblings.
"Where is Maia?" she asked, seeing them jolt at her presence.
Elia raised a brow, seeing three sheepish looks aimed her way even as they shifted to block the parchment from her view.
"Sleeping," Teddy answered.
"Hmm. I suppose that gives the three of you enough time to get up to your usual trouble," she drawled, hearing their immediate protests.
"No?" she asked, moving forward even as they shuffled closer together. "I suppose you can't possibly be plotting something with a map of Dorne in front of you."
"Just getting a lay of the land," Aegon said quickly.
Of course you are, she thought, moving forward to see what they were up to.
It was Dorne and it's Marches, little pinpoints along the border with the Reach and the Stormlands as well as the general location of the castles.
"Blackhaven is not so far south," she told them, "And Wyl is a little further from Yronwood in reality."
The map was fairly well done, but for some small differences in distance, and Elia noted odd markings near Ghost Hill.
"What's this?"
They shared a long look, communicating through the slightest shifts in Teddy's features.
"Auriga and Iacomus," Aegon answered.
Auriga and Iacomus, she thought, sighing as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please tell me you've not been telling them to fly."
"Not openly," Rhaenys replied. "Only at night, and when there are clouds."
"And how did you manage to draw this map?" she asked, sighing once more as she saw their faces. The bond, she knew.
"We can't keep hiding forever Mum," Rhaenys said softly, eyes hard as she gazed around them. "The Water Gardens are nice and all, but we've been cooped up in these rooms for nearly a month."
"I don't plan to hide forever," Elia told them. "Only until we know what we are dealing with."
"Well, they'll not let us take a kip in Dorne before deciding to do something about it," Teddy added, leaning back against the table as he lightly kicked Aegon. "He looks like an Egg, bald as he is, but I'm sure he misses having hair."
Aegon rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as Rhaenys hid her smile.
"And you've been doing what, exactly?"
"Just looking at things," Aegon said, ducking to avoid Teddy hand, a scowl on his face. "We know which Great House is in charge of the lands closest to us, but no idea of anything beyond their lords. No children or numbers or anything."
"Tomorrow," she told him, glancing once more at the hand-drawn map. "I'll speak to Doran once he returns. For now, go and wash up. Maia should be waking sometime soon."
Aegon shoved Teddy off his seat, laughing as he sprinted to the door.
It happened too quickly for her to stop it, but Elia wouldn't forget the flash of a blade as Aegon nearly stumbled into a surprised Doran, nor could she ignore the dangling form of Areo as Teddy reacted without thinking.
"Teddy," Rhaenys hissed, eyes wide as she stared at the Norvoshi held upside down by the ankle. "Teddy, let him go."
"He nearly had his blade to Egg's neck," Teddy retorted, wand in hand as he flicked his gaze to the stunned form of Aegon. "Alright, Egg?"
"Egg's fine," Rhaenys snapped, Aegon nodding his agreement as he scrambled backward. "Put the bloody man down."
"Edward," Elia said, his shoulders tightening the slightest bit. "Teddy, sweetling. Put him down."
"I'm not afraid to put you back up there if you try that again," Teddy scowled, waving his wand and gently – thank the Mother for small mercies – placing Areo on his feet.
"Elia." Doran's voice had a strangled quality to it, and had the situation not been so dire Elia might have laughed at seeing her unflappable brother so rattled.
"You'll need wine, brother," she told him, gesturing for him to come closer as she took Aegon's vacant seat.
Areo was visibly nervous, his grip tight on the shaft of his axe as he stared at the glowering Teddy.
"Maia should be waking soon," she said lightly, seeing Rhaenys tug on Teddy's arm. He refused to move, frowning as he glanced between Areo and her, and Elia sent him a warning look. "Edward."
Teddy pursed his lips, glancing at her before he allowed Rhaenys to drag him to their rooms.
The door closed behind them, leaving Elia alone with her brother and his guard, the two men incapable of starting the necessary conversation.
"I did tell you things were not as they seem," she said lightly, seeing the slight spark of fear in his eyes. "He's not dangerous."
"Not dangerous," Doran said disbelievingly. "Elia, he held Areo with nothing but a stick!"
"A wand," she corrected, sipping at her wine as she thought on how to break the news to him. "When I said I found myself in another land, I meant it quite literally."
"I expected somewhere in Essos," he retorted. "Perhaps unknown lands west of here. Not somewhere with people that are practically shadowbinders."
"They aren't shadowbinders," she told him. "Mages, better known as wizards. Yes," she said, seeing Doran open his mouth to interrupt. "I'm aware of how that sounds. Teddy is a wizard, as is my husband. No, I've not lost my wits, brother. I spent over a decade with these people. I'm very aware of what they are capable of."
"Capable of throwing people around," Areo muttered, far too rattled to keep his thoughts quiet.
"Teddy is not usually so short tempered," she said quietly. "He's…a touch protective over his siblings."
"A touch?" Doran drawled, managing to get a hold of himself.
She smiled at the expression on his face, knowing there was much he did not yet know.
What will you do, brother, when you meet Auriga and Iacomus?
"When do I meet this elusive husband of yours?" he asked, downing his glass of wine.
"Soon, I should hope," she said, praying that her words were true.
"Oberyn returns in a sennight," Doran told her. "Will he make it before then?"
"I'm not sure," she murmured. It could have been weeks between the time she left and now, and Harry either planning to make the journey or stranded in England.
"You've told me nothing of him, beyond…this," he said, gesturing around them as if it explained all the magic.
"His name is Harry, though he also goes by Herakles, the Lord Potter-Black in his lands," she told him, ignoring the raised brow at Harry's title. "And truly, brother; this, as you call magic, can be a wondrous thing."
"How so?" he asked dryly.
"I daresay it can help alleviate the pain you insist on hiding," Elia said, a shrewd look on her face as she glanced at his covered legs. She'd not seen Doran without a thin blanket of some sort to cover what she had later realized was a painful swelling of his legs.
"Alleviate how?" he asked, disbelief in his voice as he watched her rise from her seat.
"Come, Doran. I've the need to go through my belongings," she said, taking hold of his wheelchair to push him to the small sitting area connected to her rooms, Areo's hulking figure looming over them as he followed after her.
"What belongings?"
"Did you think I returned empty-handed and unprepared?" she chided.
