Disclaimer: I do not own anything from A Song of Ice and Fire or Game of Thrones. Everything here belongs to George R.R Martin.
Chapter XXXXII - Dorne and Red Wedding
Water Gardens
Like every week, Prince Oberyn of House Martell will always visit his brother Doran Martell. They did that ever since Robert's Rebellion was over, when Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon had died. For the past few weeks, Oberyn had tried to persuade Doran to fight in the war and raise banners for their nephew King Daeron, but Doran refused, claiming that now is not the time. Oberyn knew at the end of the day he had to listen to Doran, not because Doran was his liege lord, but because Oberyn knew his brother is much more cleverer then him.
Currently, one of Oberyn's informants in Essos had told him of something, he still has friends with the Second Sons, so Oberyn said, "Now is our chance Doran! Our nephew and niece has 8,000 men with them. 8,000 men and Ser Barristan Selmy are enough to make a difference."
"It's not the time Oberyn." Doran said, but Oberyn could see the proud glimmer in Doran's eyes. Oberyn smirked at that, Elia would be proud of her children. "It will come one day, but it is not the time now."
"What is it?" Oberyn's eyes narrowed. Doran took out a letter from his sleeves and Oberyn's eyes widened and snatched the letter, the crest bears the current Royal- no, the false royal family sigil, with half stag, half lion. The coats of arms of House Baratheon and House Lannister.
"Tywin Lannister has invited me to the wedding of Joffrey and Lady Margaery Tyrell. Mace Tyrell's only daughter." Doran said calmly.
"Mace Tyrell is a fool." Oberyn scoffed. "He wed the prize golden flower of the Reach to a bastard, born from incest and wedlock, one who has no claim to the Iron Throne. Even though we agreed the betrothal between Trystane and that girl Myrcella, we could kill her-"
"Careful Oberyn, in Dorne, we do not discriminate bastards, nor do we hurt little girls." Doran said.
"The Lannisters didn't care when they killed Rhaenys, they would've killed Daenerys too. Though I suppose we can send her to the Silent Sisters. And only Dornish bastards, those with the last name Sand." Oberyn interrupted. "Outside of Dorne, bastards are treated differently. Even royal bastards, I heard how Cersei Lannister tried to have all of the Usurper's bastards killed."
"Aye." Doran confirmed. "But Joffrey is innocent in this."
Oberyn scoffed and said, "I heard rumours of the boy."
"Rumours or not, we have to be careful. The Lannisters now have the Tyrells by their side." Doran said.
"I know what this means Doran." Oberyn said. "When Daeron comes back, he will not have the Reach. The Tyrells fought for the Targaryens at the last wall, did they not?"
"They did." Doran said. "But Mace Tyrell is ambitious."
"Wedding Margaery Tyrell to Daeron will be better. At least Daeron would have a much better claim. The Lannisters have no friends. The Starks, Tullys, Arryns, Baratheons, Greyjoys and us in Dorne have no love for the Lannisters." Oberyn said. "So about the wedding, you will go? Or Arianne? Quentyn?"
"No, brother. You will go." Doran said. "You and Ellaria along with a group of Dornish people."
"And I'll kill Tywin Lannister-"
"No." Doran said firmly. "Do nothing there, don't fight with anyone, especially not with Clegane. You will be my eyes and ears at court, Oberyn. Make friends with other lords, the ones in the Reach and Crownsland, make sure when the time comes..."
"They will be on our side." Oberyn smirked.
oOoOo
The Twins
It was at night at the Twins when the Hound pulled the wagon into the Twins. Their original plan was to wait outside the Twins, and meet Robb, and their mother there. However, over the time, they saw Karstark men marching away from the North. Based on what they heard, Robb had executed Rickard Karstark over treason, and the Karstarks will abandon the Starks for that. Not only that, but Rickard Karstark has offered his daughter Alys to any man of high or low birth, to those who brings the Kingslayer in. Alyssa remembers seeing Alys Karstark at Winterfell, and how she danced with Robb that night.
Alyssa noticed that her father seemed grim at the thought of Rickard Karstark dying. Rickard Karstark was Ned Stark's best friend along with Greatjon Umber, Jeor Mormont, and many other Northern Lords. Their father served his father and their grandfather served his grandfather. Ned saw the Stark soldiers drinking wine and he smiled at that. He imagined what it would be like when during the wedding feast, they open the doors and surprise Robb, Catelyn. Oh, how Ned missed his wife and son.
The Hound pulled the wagon into the Twins. Ned, Alyssa and Arya hid in the wagon, under the blanket. The Hound was wearing a hood to hide his scar. A Frey soldier who was carrying a torch stopped seeing them and said, "Where are you going?"
"Got salt pork for the feast." The Hound said.
"The feast is over." The Frey soldier said. What? Ned thought. A wedding feast wouldn't go that fast, or perhaps it would, Ned thought. He remembered how he wed Catelyn during the Rebellion, and how there was no feast at all, because they were at war.
"Doesn't sound like it's over." The Hound said noticing cheers inside the Twins.
"If I tell you it's over, it's over." The Frey soldier spat. "Turn this cart around and get out of here." The Hound refused to move and muttered something, which caused the Frey spat, "Are you deaf? Turn this cart around?"
The Hound snarled but suddenly Arya and Alyssa got off the cart and rushed into the Twins.
"Girls!" Ned hissed and quickly rushed after them, he spotted them and smiled, they were going back home, but his smile faltered hearing Alyssa gasp. Ned knew why, the Frey soldiers were going to a cage, with a familiar bark. It was Grey Wind, Robb's direwolf. Ned immediately went to ask what they're doing, but he stopped hearing the Rains of Castemeres.
"Girls! We have to get out now." Ned said panicking.
"But Robb and mother-" Alyssa began but Arya screamt in fury as the Frey soldiers started to shoot a crossbow into Grey Wind.
"Catelyn!" Ned yelled realizing what will happen inside. With a fury, he moved to the Twins, but the Hound kept a firm hold onto him and said, "We're leaving."
"My wife and son-" Ned began but the Hound stabbed his leg, the same recovering leg which he earnt a wound from the Kingslayer. Ned yelled and the Hound knocked him over.
"Father-" Alyssa and Arya began but the Hound also knocked them aside. Sandor Clegane hauled Alyssa, Arya and Ned Stark onto his cart. He knew what was going on, he knew it couldn't be stopped. The Stark soldiers are all drunk, it was a wedding slaughter. Tywin Lannister cannot beat Robb Stark on battlefield, so he will beat them in a wedding. He quickly grabbed the horses' leash, and rode out of the Twins, checking that the Stark's condition was alright. He would have to go somewhere else to get gold, somewhere at the Eyrie.