Areo II

Sunspear. 290 A.C.

"It looks like this will be a long summer" the prince said as he watched the city from his balcony in the Tower of the Sun. Hotah noticed concern in his voice, but he didn't say anything.

What he was saying about the summer was true. Normally, the seasons used to last about two or three years. However, this summer has lasted more than two years already, and the heat was only increasing, which meant that this summer would be much longer than usual. At least another two or three years, Hotah predicted. The heat caused the city's smell to become more unpleasant than normal, and the disgusting smell filled Hotah's nostrils every time he breathed. No doubt the prince, sitting there in his padded chair, also felt the smell.

The whole castle was in complete silence, expecting what might happen in the next few hours. For a long time, the only sound he could hear came from the gentle sea breeze and the distant hustle and bustle of the city. However, that silence was interrupted every few minutes by a cry of pain that seemed to penetrate to the bottom of his soul. The little princess is suffering, the captain thought. He wished he could do something to help her, so that he could mitigate her pain, but in that battle his martial knowledge was completely useless. Every time he heard a scream, the prince grabbed the chair as if he could feel his daughter's pain. He's afraid she might be suffering the same as his sister when she gave birth, or even worse.

The young princess had become pregnant shortly after her wedding day. Probably the same day, according to Master Caleotte, as Lord Stannis had left the city to return the fleet to King's Landing a few days after the wedding. Prince Stannis, Hotah remembered, for the young man had ceased to be lord the same day he married Princess Arianne, although some people still treated him as Lord because of his position in the Small Council. When news of his wife's pregnancy came to him, Stannis Baratheon had returned to Sunspear and had remained there ever since, even though he remained Master of Ships to King Robert. The young prince had endeavored to continue his duties as Lord Admiral of the Royal Fleet, and a large part of the royal fleet was now in Dorne, spread between the ports of Sunspear and Planky Town. Both ports had been significantly expanded in size in the recent months to accommodate all ships and their crews.

Suddenly, the sound of the door of the prince's quarters came to him as it opened. Oberyn. He recognized his strides, long and firm. He came alone, for he could not hear any more footsteps. Areo let him through without further concern.

"Captain. Brother" Prince Oberyn greeted them. Today he did not have his characteristic smile on his face.

"Any news?" asked Doran Martell hoarsely and worried without turning his gaze away from the city.

"Nothing new for now. Caleotte and Cressen are still locked up with her. Lady Marya, Ser Davos's wife is also with them, and Stannis has not moved from the door since yesterday. I'm still surprised he has been able to keep his eyes open."

"I haven't been able to sleep either" confessed the prince. "I must confess you that I have always panicked with childbirth."

"It's not like you to be afraid, brother."

"Mother lost two babies before she had you and Elia, and Elia was almost on the verge of death the two times she gave birth. Let me be afraid for once." Doran Martell dropped a sigh and turned towards them. "Do you have brothers, captain, back in Norvos?"

"Yes, two brothers and three sisters. I was the youngest." The youngest and the least desired. It didn't take them many years before they sold him to bearded priests.

"A strong woman, your mother, if she could give birth to six children."

An awkward silence passed between the three of them until Oberyn resumed the conversation.

"Is the plan still standing, brother?

"Mmm. Everything would have been a lot easier if you could have killed Robert in the Iron Islands. I still can't understand how you couldn't do it."

"I told you, I wasn't even close. We were ordered to take Great Wyk while he stormed Pyke's walls. And when it was all over Stannis insisted on coming back as soon as possible. If I had at least been able to attend the Lannisport tournament, I might have had a chance."

"It doesn't matter. What's done, is done, we can't change the past. Robert is still alive, and his progeny continues to increase every passing year. Cersei Lannister is pregnant again and the chances of Stannis gaining the throne will move further and further away."

"Then..."

"New opportunities will arise as long as my daughter lives after this night. If not, we will always have the other option."

"Ser Willem is dead. And a Targaryen restoration doesn't seem possible right now. You've seen what happened to Balon Greyjoy when he dared to rebel."

"Robert has been able to unite the Seven Kingdoms, but I doubt his son will be so lucky. We'll have our revenge sooner or later."

Prince Doran continued to talk to his brother about the plans and conspiracies they were planning before Hotah's watchful eye. They didn't care if the captain listened to their plans, as they knew the captain would never tell what they had talked about. His lips were sealed.

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon when the door opened again, and Hotah heard the sound of the footsteps approaching again, though this time they were lighter and faster. Maester Caleotte. The maester was around five feet tall and was completely bald. Hotah was unaware of his age but he had been serving Prince Doran longer than he did. He had even served the prince's mother. Despite his age and wide belly, the master retained his agility, unlike Master Cressen, who needed a walking stick. Cressen had come from Dragonstone last year, shortly after Princess Arianne's wedding. Although, the masters served a specific castle, this was the third one where Cressen served, or so Areo had heard. The old master, who had a thick gray beard and was almost seventy years old, had been serving the Baratheons of Storm's End for decades, but when Stannis Baratheon was appointed lord of Dragonstone, the master had accompanied him there to continue serving him. When again, Stannis was forced to change settlement, the old master followed him to Sunspear. At first Caleotte had complained about the presence of two masters serving in the same castle, but Stannis had intervened on Cressen's behalf, so in the end Prince Doran agreed to have Cressen serve in Sunspear. Hotah distrusted him, for the old man was loyal only to the Baratheons, and not to Prince Doran or his house. Still, so far, he had given no trouble and had served diligently.

"My lords" began the plump little man. He seemed exhausted. Hotah knew why he had come, as did the two princes. No screaming had been heard in several minutes. Those present looked at him with a mixture of expectation and fear, totally pending from the next words that came out of the master's mouth. "I am pleased to inform you that Princess Arianne has given birth to a daughter. Both the mother and daughter are in good health" he said with a smile on his face.

Prince Doran breathed relieved, rose and hugged his brother. Areo also let out a sigh of relief. Looks like there's going to be a new little princess in the palace now.

"It looks like you're going to be a grandfather sooner than you expected, brother" laughed Prince Oberyn as he hugged his brother.

"Can I come up to see my daughter and granddaughter, maester?" asked Doran Martell.

"Of course. Lord Stannis is with them right now, as are Maester Cressen and Lady Marya Seaworth, who are cleaning the room" Caleotte said. "I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

Prince Doran followed Maester Caleotte to the rooms where his daughter was, while Hotah marched after them always vigilant. Prince Oberyn had decided to go find his daughters and visit the little princess later, when everything was calmer.

The prince was beginning to struggle to climb the tower's stairs, Hotah noticed. He still refused to use a walking stick, so as not to look weak before his enemies, but it was only a matter of time before he had to start using it. Every once in a while, they had to stop so that the prince could rest, and the night had already fallen when they finally arrived at the princess's rooms. The door was open, and a plump, brown-haired woman was pulling out the sheets full of sweat and blood. Hotah felt a hint of fear when he saw them, but the master had told them that the little princess was in perfect health, so his fears quickly disappeared. When she saw them, she left what she was doing and bowed to them a little clumsy.

"Captain. Prince Doran" she said with a shy smile. "Your daughter and granddaughter are inside. Everything has gone perfectly, although the birth lasted longer than expected, but with these things you never know. When I gave birth to Matthos it took me almost two days."

Marya Seaworth was a low-birth woman who had become a lady of a castle in Cape Wrath when her husband was knighted at the end of the war. Despite becoming a lady, anyone could well mistake her for any nurse or maid in the castle because of the look she had. He had never seen her wear dresses like the rest of the ladies of the court, neither jewels nor ornaments. She reminded Hotah of his mother, the one he had left in Norvos for an eternity and from whom he could not even remember her face. Although the two maesters were probably more than enough to assist in his wife's birth, Stannis Baratheon had asked Lady Marya to come from Cape Wrath to help too. The woman had given birth to Ser Davos's six children without much complications so the young lord surely believed that her experience would help given the background that the women of house Martell had had during the birth of their children.

"Thank you for your work" replied the prince with a faint smile. "Can we pass?"

"Yes, yes. Of course, milord. I mean, my prince" she answered with another reverence. "If you'll excuse me." The plump woman turned and walked down the long aisle with the blankets soaked with sweat and blood.

When they entered, the only people still in the room not counting the newborn were Maester Cressen, Princess Arianne and Stannis Baratheon. The princess was lying on the bed. She was dripping sweat on her forehead and she was so tired that she struggled to keep her eyes open. Sitting next to her was her husband holding the newborn in his arms. The baby had a slight charcoal-black hair bush and had her mother's olive skin. Her eyes were closed, and the poor thing kept squealing and crying in her father's arms.

"Father" Arianne said to Prince Doran in a faint voice, though with a smile on her lips. "Meet your granddaughter, Shireen."

Her father approached her and gave her a kiss on her sweat-soaked forehead gently. "She looks so much like you when you were born. It's your vivid image."

"Didn't she stop squealing and crying either?" said Stannis as he tried to make the little girl calm down.

"She never stopped" laughed the prince. "At night, she was the nightmare of the whole castle. I still remember suggesting Caleotte to give her milk of the poppy so she could fall asleep at night."

"Don't embarrass me like this, father, now that I'm weak and helpless." The princess let out a giggle and looked at Hotah with her eyes ajar. "Captain, it looks like you're going to have a new little princess to protect now. I'm going to get jealous."

Yes, the captain thought as he looked at the little baby and swore to himself that no one would ever hurt Little Princess Shireen as long as he lived.

So, many of you wanted a bit more before the timeskip, so I honored your requests. I still haven't decided if I'll write another one or not.

Regardless, thank's for the reviews, favs and follows. I honestly wasn't expecting that many from only 4 chapters, so many, many thanks.

See you in next chapter.