Upon setting foot in Blackhaven's courtyard, two squires in tunics bearing the Dondarrion sigil – a forked purple lightning bolt on a black field, speckled with four-pointed stars – hurried to Ashara's meagre host of five men and seven tired horses and informed them Lord Dondarrion desired them in his solar.
Ashara was relieved. Being presented in the Great Hall in front of all of Lord Beric's men coated from head to toe in dirt and dust was not exactly a good way to be introduced to a future good-brother. One of the squires took their horses to the stables whilst the other led Ashara and the five men to Lord Beric's solar. As they headed to Blackhaven's Great Keep, Ashara glanced around her. The black basalt walls were almost as high as Winterfell's and she remembered the deep, dry moat surrounding Blackhaven. Blackhaven is more of a fortress, she thought as the solar door came into view. Then again, Blackhaven is in the northern Red Mountains near the Dornish border.
The door swung open and Ashara entered, peeling off her black riding gloves as her men followed her in. Sitting on a black chair near a vacant fireplace was a handsome man in black with red-golden hair. He smiled at Ashara. "You must be Lady Stark, my prospective good-sister."
"Lord Dondarrion." Ashara acknowledged him with a nod. "It is good to finally meet you in person."
"I agree Lady Stark. I have heard many great things about you – more from my lady betrothed than your late lord brother. All Lady Allyria could speak of is how much she loves you and how clever and beautiful you are." He eyed her. "I see my lady betrothed spoke true."
"How can you judge I am clever just by sight?"
Lord Beric shrugged gracefully. "You ventured down here from the safety of Winterfell on your own with only five of your lord husband's household guards! I find that clever in a woman."
"Thank you Lord Dondarrion."
"I doubt you are journeying all the way to Starfall to see the Lady Allyria Lady Stark." His lips curved into a sardonic smile. "Am I permitted to know?"
"A potential alliance and a Dayne is needed in Starfall. Allyria wrote to me and she requests my aid. She is no child anymore but she is under the belief that she is inexperienced in the field of politics. I highly doubt our late brother gave her any helpful advice regarding politics and alliance making."
"You do not hold your late brother in high regard my lady."
Ashara shrugged. Lord Dayne was dead; no point dwelling in the past. When he was alive, he cared more for himself than his family. It seemed he'd forgotten all what their father and mother taught them. "How is Edric, my lord?" she said, changing the topic.
"In excellent health Lady Stark. Wine?" Lord Beric offered her a cup of Arbor gold which Ashara accepted gratefully. "He is a little shy but of a good nature. He once won a prize riding rings. Edric enjoys riding."
Ashara smiled. "He must meet my Arya one day. She too loves her horses. He's a good squire to you?"
"One of the finest I ever had. Studious in his books, hardworking and already loved by many of my household. Edric will always be welcome here even after he is knighted and returns to Starfall to rule as its lord. Edric will be delighted to see you again, Lady Stark. He's still pleased over the last name day gift you sent him – a miniature Dawn was it not?"
Ashara nodded. "You have a good memory Lord Dondarrion."
"Please, as we are to be family, call me Beric."
"Very well. You must call me Ashara then. You will be relieved to hear that I will only stay at Blackhaven for a few days. I will not press upon your hospitality any longer than necessary."
Beric waved his hand dismissively. "You may stay as long as you like. I have no intention of asking you to leave. Am I to believe you are travelling to Starfall with the same five men?"
"Yes."
"I see." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps it is time for me to claim my bride after all. Yes, I think I will. My lady, I'll accompany you to Starfall. While you have your own business to attend to, I will wed the Lady Allyria. She is a lady of eighteen is she not?"
Ashara nodded. "She is no longer a little girl."
"Far from it Lady Stark. She is a beautiful, grown woman. Lady Allyria will be an excellent Lady of Blackhaven." The door opened and a boy of twelve with pale blonde hair and dark blue eyes that appeared almost purple entered. He smiled once he saw Ashara. "Lord Dondarrion, my lady aunt," he said, walking towards them. "You called for me?"
Ashara beamed at her nephew. "You have grown!" she exclaimed, standing up and scrutinising him quickly. "I remember when you were a little babe swaddled in blankets! How do you find Blackhaven?"
"A pleasant place to be fostered," answered Edric promptly. "Lord Dondarrion is a kind guardian and I am honoured to squire for him. Preparing the horses is a task I enjoy very much."
Ashara laughed. "I hear you love riding horses too."
Edric nodded enthusiastically. "Lord Dondarrion gave me a small palfrey for my twelfth name day. I named him Lightning in honour of House Dondarrion. Do you want to meet him later, lady aunt? He is very well-behaved." Beric could not resist a jolly laugh. "You should speak to Willas Tyrell," he told his squire. "He is a breeder of fine horses."
"I hope, Lord Dondarrion," said Edric longingly.
"We will accompany your lady aunt to Starfall," Beric continued. "Go and tell the cooks to prepare supper for us – the three of us will dine alone tonight – and have the servants prepare our bags for the journey to Starfall. We will leave in a few days but it will not hurt to have our bags packed early."
"Yes my lord." Edric dipped his head, turned to Ashara and dipped his head again. "My lady." He left, his purple cloak sewn with the white sword and falling star of House Dayne swirling around him.
"I should send my sons here," jested Ashara, nodding at a disappearing Edric with approval. "All the southron maidens will swoon over him once he is of age to enter the jousting lists. You know what they are like with their songs." She was seconds away from rolling her eyes. After hosting Robert, Catelyn, their children and the courtiers at Winterfell, she was heartily tired of hearing the young ladies of the south mention this or that song involving a chivalrous knight or a prince of honour rescuing some poor damsel.
Beric shook his head. "Edric is not cut out to be a jousting champion."
"Surely you underestimate your teaching ability Lord Beric!"
"Lady Stark, you might have misunderstood me. Edric is learning swordplay,
but he does not have the…character of a jousting champion. When he grows up, he will be too gentle and too chivalrous to win a joust. Every time he knocks one of his opponents to the ground, he would always ask them if they are alright. A very thoughtful boy, but weak for tourneys."
Ashara nodded politely. She had many more questions but decided it would be better to ask them at a later time. "I'm a tad bit peckish," she said hastily, "and so are my men. Perhaps…some bread and ale?"
Ashara almost fell to the hot courtyard ground as a figure hugged her as soon as she dismounted from her horse. Ashara laughed. "What a pleasant surprise," she said, patting Allyria on the back.
Allyria Dayne pulled back and beamed, revealing her pearly white teeth. Her violet eyes met Ashara's. "I am so happy you arrived," she said in a rush. "If you weren't here by tomorrow, I wouldn't know what to do!" She took a deep breath. "I don't want to frighten you in any way or anything, but um…Princes Doran and Oberyn have already arrived."
"They have?" Ashara could not disguise her surprise.
Allyria nodded apologetically. "They arrived a couple of hours ago. I gave them bread and salt and showed them the guest chambers." She glanced and froze. "By the Seven…what is Lord Dondarrion doing here?" She groaned. "He's here for me is he not? He wants his bride."
"Being married is not exactly a bad thing Allyria. Lord Dondarrion is kind and I wager you'll have a happy marriage."
"I know…"
"I'll go and prepare myself for the Dornish princes. You go and entertain your betrothed. Oh, and Edric's with him. He probably wants to see Dawn again." She kissed her sister on the cheek before heading into the castle to her chambers. She hoped she would not see any of the princes on her way.
"You must be Lady Stark."
Ashara silently cursed. Trust the Red Viper to slither up to her like that. With a forced smile on her face, she turned around and nodded at Oberyn of Dorne. Tall with a lined face, thin eyebrows, the black eyes of a sly viper and a sharp nose, he was a man no one forgets. Ashara saw him once at the Tourney at Harrenhal; she had never forgotten the sparks of rage flying from his eyes or his strong and slim fingers itching to reach for his spear the moment Prince Rhaegar Targaryen rode past his wife Elia Martell, to drop the crown of blue winter roses in her lap. Just days before at the great feast, Prince Oberyn played the part of a charming guest; he even danced with Ashara and complimented her beauty.
"Prince Oberyn," said Ashara cautiously.
The Martell prince grinned like a cat. He looked the same as he did seventeen years ago with his still lustrous black hair receding from his brow into a widow's peak. The only difference was the few silver streaks in his hair.
"Lady Stark," Oberyn repeated, grasping her wrist and kissing her hand. "Once I knew you by a different name."
"When you met me my lord, I was a maiden of seventeen."
"Indeed." He released her. "And now you are Lady Stark of Winterfell and the mother of what? Seven pups?" He chuckled. "You and Lord Stark have been quite busy have you not?"
Ashara ignored the comment. "Should you not be resting in your chambers, my lord? You must be exhausted from your journey from Sunspear."
"Actually my lady, we came from the Water Gardens. My brother has a liking for the Water Gardens. Watching children play apparently calms his mind. All he does all day is think." Oberyn chuckled a little. He suddenly seemed to sober up. He met Ashara's eye. "My utmost condolences on your brother's death," he said sombrely. "It was an accident in a joust…my sincere apologies."
"Accidents happen in jousts."
"Indeed."
A thought jiggled in Ashara's mind. Your brother abhorred jousting and such sports, said a voice in her head. Had you ever seen him participate in any jousting match you witnessed? Ashara shrugged the voice away. Whatever the late Lord Dayne did was none of her concern. Brother by blood, he certainly was not a man worth remembering and crying over.
"Is something amiss, Lady Stark?" inquired Oberyn, watching her beadily.
"No," said Ashara calmly. "Nothing at all. I was reminiscing my girlhood here. I was often chased around by my brothers, both now sadly deceased. All I have left of the late Lord Dayne is my sweet nephew Edric. I'm certain you will meet him if you intend to stay for a day or two."
"Ah, Lord Edric Dayne. The future husband of my cousin Matysse." His smile widened. "I cannot wait to meet him."
Ashara smiled uneasily.
"Ah, Lady Stark." Prince Doran Martell of Dorne wheeled himself towards her on his special wheel chair, a blanket wrapped over his knees. Behind him was the broad-shouldered and white haired Norvoshi captain of the guards carrying his long axe in hand. Areo Hotah. Prince Doran smiled pleasantly at Ashara. "You've met my brother Oberyn I see."
Ashara dipped her head. "Prince Doran."
"The late Lord Dayne's death was not intentional," Prince Doran said calmly. "I can understand why a grieving sister as yourself would think my rash and rather hot-headed brother was responsible, but I can assure you that your late brother's death was unfortunate. My condolences."
"My lord, I never blamed Prince Oberyn for my brother's death. It was a joust and accidents occur all the time."
Doran nodded. "Now that we have met, shall we discuss Lord Dayne and Lady Matysse Martell's betrothal contract?"
Not knowing what else to do, Ashara led the Martells to the Starfall solar. The last time she set foot in the solar was when she found her father dead, his head resting on the stack of papers as if he was sleeping on a pillow. As she entered, it looked exactly the same as she remembered. If her brother had used it for any of his meetings, he at least had the decency to ask the servants to clean it once in a while. Ashara gestured for the Martell brothers to sit down.
Ashara herself sat down and pulled a piece of parchment, a quill and a pot of ink towards her. "It is generous of you to offer your cousin as the future bride of my nephew," she remarked.
Doran spread his hands. "I want peace. Lady Stark, even if you believe the late Lord Dayne's death is an accident, others may not – especially those who hold a grudge against House Martell."
And what better way to show the world that the Daynes were not in any way angry or disgruntled at the Martells than through matrimony? Very clever, Doran Martell. Very clever indeed. Ashara dipped her head in agreement. "You said Lady Matysse was a year younger than Lord Dayne," she recalled. "It is good they are almost the same age."
Doran nodded. "The Lady Matysse is my cousin Mors's sole daughter by his wife, Lady Kiarra of Tyrosh. Since she was a babe, she had been raised alongside mine own children, mostly with Trystane as they are of similar age. Lady Matysse is now ten and you will find her a clever and charming girl. If you so wish, we can introduce you to her in the Water Gardens."
Ashara frowned. "I thought Prince Quentyn is Lord Yronwood's ward?"
"You have a good memory, Lady Stark." Doran smiled. "In the schoolroom it is mostly Trystane and Matysse. If Lord Dayne is not Lord Beric Dondarrion's ward, I would be more than honoured to foster him."
"I hoped Lord Dayne would see his betrothed before their marriage…"
"That can be done, Lady Stark. Any terms you wish to lay down?"
"Starfall needs more men to defend the castle and its lands against possible invading or raiding Reachmen. There is peace now, but how long? With the oaf Mace Tyrell as High Marshal of the Reach, he will potentially send his Reachmen to secure himself more territory. It is high unlikely, but with so little Daynes left and Edric just a boy, Starfall needs stronger defences."
"No Swords of the Morning either," Oberyn mumbled.
"Oberyn," Doran chastised softly. He nodded at Ashara. "Very well my lady. I will have two hundred and fifty men sent here once the betrothal is signed. Once Lord Dayne and Lady Matysse wed, you will have another two hundred and fifty men here to defend your castle. Will that be sufficient?"
"Quite. There will be a dowry?"
"Of course. Will a thousand dragons suffice?"
Ashara nodded. She was not a greedy woman. Besides, her future good-niece was a Martell; not exactly of a poorer junior line but not a princess either. Daynes had wedded Martells before – only not recently. "Is there anything you wish to put in the stipulations?" she asked.
"Perhaps one of their children will be a ward at Sunspear?" suggested Oberyn helpfully. "It is an honour to be the Prince of Dorne's ward."
Ashara nodded again. A wardship was expected. "Maybe one of your own sons
or daughters can come here as a ward too?" proposed Doran. "I admit, I am quite curious to meet a child of a Stark and a Dayne. He or she would be of Dorne and the North. Hot-blooded and cold." He could not help but smile. "You were sent to the North as wife – why not a Stark for one of my sons?"
"What?" said Ashara and Oberyn in unison. Oberyn gave his smiling brother a strange look. "You must be mad," said Oberyn carefully.
"Mad?" chuckled the Prince of Dorne. "No. I do not think I am mad. Lady Stark, do you not have three daughters?"
"My…my eldest is betrothed," Ashara said reluctantly, "and my youngest is a little girl of five. However, I cannot authorise betrothals for any of my children without consulting my husband. Before I left Winterfell, I made him promise not to marry off our children. It will not be fair if I affiance our children to lords or lordlings without his knowledge."
"Talk to Lord Stark about it," recommended Doran. "It seems you still have a daughter or two left that you can wed off. Why not to a Martell? Starks they may be, they also have Dornish roots."
"I doubt Lord Stark would like the match," warned Oberyn, his dark black eyes flashing. "One of his pups married to a Martell…"
"I think it is an excellent match." Doran's dark eyes met his. "There are plenty of benefits in a Stark-Martell alliance. If you so desire, I will discuss some with you at a later time."
"Perhaps that will be good, Brother."
Ashara had no interest to be an unwilling witness in an upcoming brotherly argument. "I will write to my lord husband," she said swiftly. "I cannot guarantee there will be a betrothal between one of my daughters and one of your sons. My husband may not find the betrothal favourable in his eyes."
Doran nodded. "Very well."
"Nothing will please me more than an alliance between our Houses."
Doran's lips curved into a sardonic smile. "Indeed." His calm and almost placid nature unnerved her. At the aftermath of Robert's rebellion, about all of Dorne cried out for vengeance for the deaths of Prince Lewyn Martell, Princess Elia of Dorne and her little children Rhaenys and Aegon. Ashara had been bitter. She'd lacked a thirst for revenge for the death of her brother Arthur yet was ready for peace. She remembered the flurry of letters exchanged between Jon Arryn and Prince Doran after Oberyn openly declared for revenge. Even now Doran had not demanded Ser Gregor Clegane's head.
"It was quite considerate of Lord Dondarrion to escort his squire and yourself to Starfall," observed Doran.
"Lord Dondarrion is betrothed to Allyria," explained Ashara.
"Ah, your lady sister. Will there be a tourney at Blackhaven to celebrate their grand wedding?" said Oberyn almost sarcastically.
"I suspect Lord Dondarrion plans to wed Allyria at Starfall tomorrow or the next day," replied Ashara. "It will not be long before Lord Dondarrion leaves with another Lord Dayne's other Dayne aunt."
"What of yourself Lady Stark?" said Doran, pressing his hands together.
I will not leave until all is sorted and Starfall in safe hands. "Winterfell can do without me for a few more weeks," said Ashara lightly.
Okay, this is mostly for Clotilde Grace's benefit, but I might as well explain it anyway. Clotilde Grace, you asked about the POVs and why some have Roman Numerals and others don't. I'm happy you asked. Basically, I'm still writing and plotting future chapters and every time I start a fresh POV (Eg. maybe Robb), I don't know if it'll be a one-off or not. If I decide to write another Robb chapter, both the Robb chapters uploaded will have Roman Numerals attached. As for avoiding conflicts, I'm trying not to avoid another one. I unfortunately have a liking for creating family trees and every time (so far) I think of a conflict, I'd think 'ooh make another political match!' or something. However, I am planning something that wouldn't resort right away in another political marriage. Unfortunately it would appear slightly later as I hadn't anticipated writing so many character development chapters in the initial plotting.
As for the inheritance rules question, I'm following male-preference primogeniture for the trueborn children (except in Dorne of course). If Jon is ever legitimised, he'll either be behind all the other Starks and their descendants or not in the Winterfell succession at all.
