Prologue Part Two: 283 AC, Dorne
End Robert's Rebellion
It was hot in Dorne.
It had been a moons turn since the Battle of the Trident and Daella had been on horse back for all of it. The moment Robert's war hammer had slammed into her brothers chest, she had known everything would change. Lewyn and Ser Jonothor Darry had managed to get to her through the fighting bodies and got her away, the last she caught sight of them, they were being overwhelmed by rebels. She had been on her way to Kings Landing to speak with her father, only she had gotten news a week away from the city that the Lannister's had sacked it and Robert Baratheon had been proclaimed King.
Elia and her children had been slaughtered and Jamie Lannister, the seventeen-year-old Kingsguard who she had taken under her wing in the last two years, had murdered her father. News had also come that Robert Baratheon had been named King and she had been forced to change her plans, as their was a price on every Targaryen's head. Before they had left for the battle, Rhaegar had told her and Arthur that Lyanna Stark, who was party responsible for this foolish war, was hidden in Dorne in a broken-down tower just passed the Princess Pass, on the edge of the Dornish Marshes, which had been named the Tower of Joy, pregnant with Rhaegar's third child.
She had wanted to curse herself. For the last year, she and Arthur had been trying to find the missing Stark girl and she had been in Dorne the whole time. It was an insult to the country and to his own wife. Elia had been devastated after the Tourney of Harrenhal when he had run off and they found of Lyanna was missing, especially given she was newly pregnant with her second child. Aegon Targaryen had been born only a few moons ago and Daella's heart ached when she thought of her niece and nephew, the rumors surrounding their deaths were horrific. She swore if she ever got her hands-on Tywin Lannister, he wouldn't live to tell anyone about it.
She had decided to head to Dorne, to the three Kingsguard still alive and to the new heir of the Iron Throne. Oh, it burned her to know that Rhaegar and Lyanna's child would be heir to the throne instead of Elia's precious son Aegon, who she had almost died to give birth too. She knew just as all Targaryen Loyalists did that their time in Westeros was over for now. Daella had no intention of allowing the rebels to go unpunished, especially with what happened to Elia and her children, all of whom had done nothing wrong, but the realm needed to heel and she needed allies.
Sweat trickled down her back, her armor heavy as she rode hard. It had taken a little longer to reach Dorne, given she had to stay off the main roads, as Lannister soldiers were patrolling the Crownlands. She had little doubt they were looking for her, as she had been declared missing after the Battle of the Trident, just like her brothers body. She choked down a sob as she though of her brother. They may not have been getting along in recent years but he had been her best friend when they were children. It was easy to hate Lyanna Stark, she was a child and didn't realize her actions had consequences, not to mention she knew Rhaegar had a wife. Elia had kept smiling that day, when all the smiles died, but Daella had saw what it cost her.
She looked up, hoping she was coming upon a tower soon and signed with relief as she saw a small tower rising in the distance, a body apparent in the window even from her spot down the road. With a thankful sign, she urged her horse into a trot and headed for the tower, noting the three men emerging to stand guard outside, white cloaks flowing in the wind and felt relief fill her at their familiar shadows.
~!~
Arthur Dayne, the Sword of Morning, felt despondent from his position in the Tower of Joy, where he was keeping watch. Word had come weeks ago about Rhaegar's death, the Sacking of Kings Landing and the disappearance of Princess Daella. Ser Gerald Hightower, the Commander of the Kingsguard, had wanted to leave for Dragonstone, where Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys had been sent but Ser Oswell Whent had changed his mind. They needed to know wither Lyanna had a son or a daughter, because if it was a boy, he would be King of the Seven Kingdom's with Elia's son Aegon now dead.
Everything was so different.
Arthur had been so proud the day he had become one of the Kingsguard and he had become close friends with Rhaegar shortly after. Given the two men were close in age, it didn't surprise him that he was often assigned to guard the Crown Prince and he had done it well. Due to their close ages, he had also spent a lot of time with Princess Daella, a woman so unlike any he had ever met before, and after what had happened during the Tourney of Harrenhal, it hadn't taken much for him to pick a side and it hadn't been Rhaegar's.
He had been in love with Elia all his life and when she had been handed to Rhaegar and Arthur had watched him pledge his love to her, he had hoped they would have a happy marriage, because Elia deserved the best. She would have made a great Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and it had been a great honor for their country when she was chosen to wed the Crown Prince above Tywin Lannister's own daughter. Arthur had realized what a mistake it had been after Princess Rhaenys was born. Arthur had followed the Prince into Elia's room, where Rhaegar had looked down at his daughter with disappointment, before telling Elia the babe would be named Rhaenys and then walked out, leaving Elia, hurt, weak, exhausted and crying with the newborn in her arms.
Daella had always been full of life and though she looked like Queen Rhaella, there was something about her that was very different. She had a love for life and a spirit unlike anything he had ever seen before. Arthur had know Rhaegar was in love with her, all the Kingsguard had, but he hadn't thought it was to the point he would try to gain her as a bride. Four years ago, she had gone away to Dorne and weeks after she returned, while in the Riverland's, she had been injured and declared barren, thus ending all talk of being the Rhaegar's bride, however, it forced Elia to try for another child, though they should have waited. She had gotten pregnant with Aegon fairly quickly but Rhaegar wanted a third child and when Grand Maester had told Rhaegar Elia could not safely birth a third child, he had changed.
His and Daella's friendship had grown after the Tourney of Harrenhal.
They had spent the last year looking for Lyanna and when Rhaegar had sent him to Dorne, in order to protect his third child, he had been pissed. Especially when he had heard that Daella was leaving to fight in the battle again the rebels. Now, he was from Dorne and had nothing against woman being warriors but he was concerned because of how many alliances and friendships had been broken due to the Rebellion. The Riverlands had defected from the South and to the North with the alliance between Catelyn Tully and Eddard Stark, not to mention what the Lannister's had done to Kings Landing, including Jamie breaking his Oath and killing Daella's father, which shattered that friendship, not to mention everything with Robert.
A cry of pain gained his attention and he turned slightly, to see the midwife they had found, Wylla, leaving the upper chambers with a pile of bloodied sheets in her arms. Lyanna had gone into labour early that morning and all three men knew she was having complications as this was the second time Wylla had changed the sheets. "How is she?" Oswell Whent asked from his spot by the fire. Wylla looked at them silently, "I don't know if the babe or the woman will survive Sers, she's loosing a lot of blood," she replied before leaving the room again. Arthur closed his eyes and signed, turning to look outside and froze, eyes widening in disbelief.
Over the rise, a horse came into view and even from a distance, he could see the black armor, decorated with a red ruby dragon, a set of armor that belonged to two people, one who was dead and the other, who had been missing. "Oh," he breathed gaining the attention of his fellow Kingsguard. "What is it?" Gerald asked reaching for his sword. Arthur turned towards them, tears in his eyes, "I… It's… Princess.." he stuttered glancing back outside before looking at them with relief, "It's Princess Daella," he finally managed to choke out, before turning to leave the room.
He could hear both of them laughing with relief as they followed him outside to wait.
Arthur's heart thundered in his chest as he gazed at her, easily noting her armor was covered in blood, her face was dirty and her hair was all over the place, covered in sweat and dirt. She still looked beautiful and easily recognizable to the three men who were guarding the Tower, except for the slump of defeat in her shoulders. Daella had always been proud, even arrogant at times, and she had always walked with confidence, seeing her now made a lump grow in his throat. He had never seen his friend in such a state.
"Your grace," Ser Gerald called as Daella pulled to a stop in front of them, sliding form her horse easily, to stand in front of them. She smiled slightly as their eyes caught but Arthur could see the pain and grief in them. In a matter of weeks, she had lost just about her whole family, with only her, Rhaella, Viserys and the babe left. The Princess looked to the three Kingsguard, "Ser Gerald, Ser Oswell, Ser Arthur," she nodded to each in greeting, exhaustion pulling at her bones, "I take it you received the news."
Her words brought anger and sadness to the three men who had made it their duty to protect the Targaryen family. Ser Gerald nodded, "Aye, we got word of the Sacking right after it happened. News of Rhaegar's death and your disappearance came shortly before," he said gruffly. A tear leaked down Daella's cheek, "This is such a nightmare," she murmured staring off in the direction of Sunspear, where her family was probably waiting for news of her survival. Arthur reached out and grabbed her hand, forcing her to meet his eyes, "This was not your fault Daella. The blame for this war lies firmly with Aerys and Rhaegar," he said at the same time an earth-shattering scream came from the tower.
Daella's eyes blazed like fire at the sound, "Not just theirs," she growled, glaring at the broken-down tower her brother had christened the Tower of Joy. More like the Tower of Death, she snarled to herself, but didn't say it out loud. Ser Gerald and Ser Oswell grimaced in agreement of her words, Lyanna Stark had been part of the whole Rebellion. She hadn't told anyone where she was going, leaving her family furious and causing the death of Lord Rickard Stark and the heir Brandon, which had caused the North to raise their banners in revolt. Arthur crossed his arms over his chest at her words, "That's true too. What are we going to do now? Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys are at Dragonstone, Princess Daella's here and Lady Lyanna is in labor," he asked thoughtfully, mind running a mile per minute.
The Princess of the Seven Kingdom's huffed, "We'll have to go into hiding. How far into labour is Lyanna? I heard word that Ned wasn't far behind me," she said. The three men shared a looked, "Lyanna went into labour early this morning. We found a midwife but Wylla said that she was losing to much blood and she had no idea if woman and babe would survive," Oswell explained as another scream split the air, the urging and encouragement of a midwife echoing out the window.
"Gather up what we need. If Lyanna gives birth before Ned comes into sight we'll need to leave immediately and head towards Starfall, if she doesn't, we'll have to leave the babe behind, or we risk being caught and killed. Lord Dayne will aide us, from there we'll head for Dragonstone, I must speak with my mother," Daella ordered. Gerald and Oswell jumping to do her bidding, well Arthur followed Daella as she entered the tower and headed up the stairs to the room where Lyanna was staying.
They were halfway up when Arthur stopped her, "Are you alright?" he asked seriously, noting the dark circles under her eyes and the dried blood on her armor. Daella signed tiredly, "No. In a span of four weeks, I've lost half my family," she said, voice heavy with exhaustion. Arthur frowned, "I should have been with you," he snapped angrily, glaring at the wall as he thought back to just before the battle, when Rhaegar had ordered him and the others to Dorne. Daella shook her head, "You were right to follow his orders Arthur. I don't like Lyanna, in fact I hate her, but she's carrying the heir to the Iron Throne, with Rhaenys and Aegon dead," she said sadly, thinking of her niece and nephew, who had been so brutally murdered.
She wondered what Oberyn was going through back in Sunspear and she hoped beyond hope that he and their daughters were okay and that he wouldn't hate her. They hadn't seen each other since the Tourney of Harrenhal, only communicating through letters and she hoped he didn't believe that she was dead. Since the Lannister's hadn't found her body, rumors had spread that she had run off after Rhaegar had been killed and died off in the woods somewhere, the animals eating her body and leaving no evidence of her death behind.
Arthur found himself unable to offer her any words of comfort. When word had come about what happed when the Lannister's had sacked Kings Landing, Arthur had been hard pressed not to vomit. Rhaenys had been stabbed half a hundred times and Aegon had his head bashed against his wall, which instantly ended his life. Elia had then been raped and split in half with her rapists sword. Their bodies had been presented to Robert Baratheon, who had stepped over them, spit on their corpses and sent them back to Dorne with no care of the insult he had offered to the Southernmost region of the Seven Kingdoms.
The shrill scream above them grabbed their attention and both their heads snapped up towards the upper landing above their heads, where the screaming of a babe could now be heard. Daella was quick to rush up the stairs, Arthur on her heels with a hand on his sword. It was the moment of truth, was Lyanna's child a son or a daughter?
When they entered the room, Lyanna Stark was deathly pale, the room smelt of blood and death and holding a small bundle of blankets muttering to herself quietly. The midwife they had found from nearby village stood against the wall, watching with wide eyes as the Knight and Targaryen Princess entered the room. Daella knew with one glance around the room and at the woman Rhaegar had started a war over, that Lyanna Stark would die soon and a morbid vicious pleasure filled her at that thought. Everything that had happened, was Lyanna's fault. If she hadn't of run off with a married man, or at least told someone where she was going, the Stark's never would have gone to Kings Landing, they never would have been executed and there never would have been a rebellion!
Daella looked at the midwife, "What is it?" she demanded as she stalked towards the young Stark girl and the babe.
The midwifes eyes were full of understanding as she looked at Daella, "It is a boy, your grace."
Daella stopped at the side of the bed and heard Lyanna muttering, "My sweet Aegon," which filled her with rage and caused her to see red. Lyanna's arms were so weak that when Daella took the child from her, she could do nothing. Daella glared down at her with hard violet eyes, "Aegon Targaryen was the son of my good-sister Elia Martell. This child shall never bare that name," she hissed angrily before looking down at the babe.
Unable to stop herself, her heart and face softened at the innocent child. The babe was handsome, with dark hair from his northern mother and when his eyes opened, he had her brothers purple eyes. She shifted him in her arms and stared at him thoughtfully. This babe would never bare the name Aegon but he would need a good name to live up too, one that go down in history of that she would make sure.
"Jacaerys Targaryen, Second of His Name, Prince of Dragonstone, Future King of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm," she whispered to the small babe. The babe opened his eyes, purple eyes meeting violet and her heart melted at the sight, knowing she had chosen right. She opened her mouth to continue before Ser Oswell burst into the room. Arthur swung around sword drawn before realizing who it was.
"There are horses approaching with Stark banners," he gasped out after he caught his breath from rushing up the stairs.
Daella turned to look a Lyanna and felt no pity for her next words, "All the death, all the war, they were your fault Lyanna. You and my brother can claim your love for each other all you want but it will never change that fact that your actions caused this rebellion and the death of three innocent people," she snapped, referring to Elia and her babes. Lyanna's face reddened as tears leaked down her cheeks as she stared at her son, "I'm taking Jacaerys and I hope the gods will have mercy on your soul Lyanna of House Stark because I never will. I will curse your name until my death," she declared before spinning on her heel and heading towards the door.
Only she paused when she reached the entrance way and turned back to the midwife, "Keep her alive until her brother arrives," she ordered, gaining a nod from Wylla before turning away and leaving the room.
Lyanna cried out and reached for her son as they left but Arthur and Ser Oswell were indifferent to her pain. They thought it was poetic justice. This war had claimed the life of Rhaenys and Aegon Targaryen because of her, Aegon had been ripped screaming form his own mothers arms. Daella taking her son as she was dying, felt like justice had been served for the disrespect of Elia Martell and all the men who had been killed because of her. At that moment Daella exited the room with her son, Lyanna felt regret for her actions as she watched her good sister vanish with her son.
They rushed down the stairs, Arthur handing his white cloak to the Princess to wrap the still bloody King up in, and exited the tower. Ser Gerald was mounted on his horse, her horse waiting along side two others. Dust was starting to kick up over the ridge and she knew they needed to leave as quickly as possible. "We head to Starfall to board a ship to Dragonstone. My mother is there with Viserys. Then we come up with a plan" she ordered as she used her sword belt to fashion a harness to her chest to keep Jacaerys from bouncing around as their horses moved. They then kicked into a gallop right away and headed further into Dorne.
~!~
Only minutes later, Eddard 'Ned' Stark and his six companions Howland Reed, Lord Willam Dustin, Ethan Glover, Martyn Cassel, Theo Wull, and Ser Mark Ryswell came upon the tower. Surprised by how silent it was, Ned looked around expecting an attack that would never come as the tower was deserted of life. He dismounted his horse, shared a suspicious look with his companions and then rushed into the tower and up the stairs, bursting into the towers only room. Lyanna was laid on the bed, blood covered everything and his sister lay sobbing in a pile of her own blood.
"Ned is that you?" she questioned as he entered the room, her own eyes blurry from crying. He rushed to her side, thankful he had found her but terrified as he realized his sister was dying, "I'm here Lyanna" he said taking her bloody hand. She cried at his presence, that she had so craved since she got the news of her father and Brandon's deaths, "I want to be brave," she whispered fearfully. Ned shook his head with tears in his eyes, "You are Lya, you are" he assured her. She shook her head, "I'm sorry Ned, for everything. She was right, this was my fault," she said softly. Ned shook his head in confusion but he knew this would be his last chance for answers, "What happened Lya?" he asked squeezing her hand. Lyanna shook her head crying, "I went willingly with him Ned. I loved him. I didn't mean for all this to happen. She took my son. Daella took my son," she explained in laboured breaths as her body stared to grow cold.
Ned Stark understood everything said and how his sister ended up like she was. "Protect him Ned," she finally whispered as the darkness began closing in around her. "Promise me you will tell no one about him. Promise me Ned," she begged desperately. She didn't want her son to be killed like Rhaenys and Aegon.
Unable to deny her last wish, "I promise. I promise Lyanna," he whispered as his sister took her last breath. He heard a sound from his left and looked to see Howland Reed standing there, the look on his face telling him he had heard everything. Ned also knew he would never say a word.
He stood up and stepped away from his sister's body and turned to the midwife who was standing against the wall. "Where is the child?" he demanded. Her whole body trembled lightly, "Gone, my Lord. Princess Daella took him as her ward and they headed further into Dorne an hour ago," she answered. Ned shook his head, "What's his name?" he asked knowing his sister would have named him before she died. Wylla smiled, "Jacaerys Targaryen, second of his name," she said not seeing the point of telling him Daella had changed it.
Ned nodded and then walked out of the room after ordering her to prepare his sisters body for transport. He dreaded telling his friend Robert what had happened as he knew Robert would lose his temper. After everything that had happened with Princess Elia and her children, his rule was already on shaky ground and they didn't need him throwing a temper tantrum and making things worse. They packed up Lyanna's body and he took Wylla with him back to Kings Landing where Robert would demand answers from her. However, she would always support the Targaryen Family, so he would learn nothing of her new King from her.
She was loyal after all, that why she was chosen to be Lyanna's midwife.
~!~
283 AC
The End of Roberts Rebellion
Letter to Dorne
Oberyn Martell sat in his room, grief for his sister and her children filled him and his anger at Rhaegar burned hotter than the sun. If he was not already dead, Oberyn would have hunted him down and killed him. But he could never be angry at Daella. He could still remember punch she had laid on Rhaegar during the Tourney at Harrenhal and the fight that followed between them after he crowned Lyanna the Queen of Love and Beauty over Elia. King Aerys had laughed himself silly over it before ordering two strikes to his daughter for striking the Crown Prince and one to Rhaegar for humiliating his family in front of the whole Realm. Now a letter had been delivered to him.
Oberyn,
The Rebellion had killed almost my whole family. There are only six of us left, including Maester Aemon. Word reached me of the sacking of Kings Landing and the death of my good-sister and niece and nephew. I was furious with my brother. I denied marriage between us because I am barren, so he looked elsewhere. I have never seen someone look as crushed as Elia did at Harrenhal. I am sorry for all the pain this has brought your family.
I have taken custody of that bitch Lyanna and Rhaegar's son, who she tried to name Aegon before I took him and named him Jacaerys. We have headed to Dragonstone to meet with my Naneth and Viserys. I have no idea what the future holds for us but I hope you will not be angry with me. With all that has happened I cannot return to Dorne. I cannot put you or our Daughters in danger. Over the death of Elia, the Usurper will be watching you for signs of rebellion or sheltering the surviving Targaryen's. I'm pretty sure Robert knows I escaped The Battle of the Trident and I have no doubt assassins will soon be coming after all of us bearing the Targaryen name.
I expect my family will have to go into hiding and I wish your family no ill will. I want you to tell our daughters that I love them and I will always love them. I want you to tell them that even if we are an ocean apart, I will always be with them. I cannot express my grief for the loss of my good sister enough, but I promise that the debts to Dorne will be paid one day.
I love you my sun. I will always love you.
Now and Always yours,
Princess Daella, of House Targaryen, Third of Her Name, Princess of Summerhall and Beloved Mother of the Sand Snakes.
His heart ached reading it. Their daughters had been asking about her since the news had broke that Rhaegar had been killed and the city sacked. No one had known what had happened to her after the Trident and the death of her brother, she had vanished into thin air. Oberyn head feared he would receive news that they had found her dead. To learn she had gone to collect the King of the Seven Kingdoms, one who had was born to take the title from Elia's son and now could because Aegon was dead, made him furious and happy at the same time. There was a Targaryen to take the throne, even if his mother was a Stark.
Ever since the Rebellion had started, Daella had promised when everything was over, that she would come to Dorne and become his wife. However, Westeros was no longer a safe place for Targaryen's. He knew that Doran would welcome her but he didn't want another war. They had already lost so much. Oberyn knew that the wife of his heart wouldn't be returning to Dorne anytime soon and that felt like a knife to his chest. Their daughters had been wanting their mother for the last year. The four of them hadn't seen her since the Tourney of Harrenhal and it had been almost as long since Oberyn had seen her. The last time they were together, he had asked her to run away with him, to leave Westeros behind but she had turned him down. Their daughters had all been asking for her and Oberyn wasn't sure how to tell them they wouldn't be seeing their mother anytime soon.
A knock at the door drew his attention from the letter, he called for whoever it was to come in, and Obara at nine-years-old, Nymeria at seven and Tyene at five came into the room, all dressed in their training clothes. Obara instantly zeroed in on the letter and her face brightened, "Naneth wrote you?" she asked coming towards him eagerly. Her two sisters brightened slightly as they thought of their mother and looked at their ada with wide hopeful eyes as they too moved closer to him.
Oberyn nodded, "Aye, your naneth wrote to me. Come here girls," he called them to sit with him on the bed. Obara and Nymeria sat next to him while Tyene crawled into his lap, all looking at him expectantly. He chuckled softly before signing as a he ran a hand through his hair, "Girls, your naneth can't come home right now," he began. "Why?" Tyene asked looking curious. "Your naneth is in danger my little snakes, she has to go across the Narrow Sea to be safe and she doesn't know when we will all be together again," he said bluntly not wanting to keep it from them but not sure how to break it to them gently. Obara frowned, "It is because of him?" she demanded and he knew she was talking about one person.
Robert Baratheon, Usurper of the Targaryen Family, was hated in Dorne due to what happened to his sister and her babes. But with Oberyn's words, its seemed her hatred had instantly multiplied. Obara had tears in her eyes, "Is it because of him she's leaving us?" she asked again angrily. Oberyn closed his eyes but with a sign nodded his head telling her the truth. "I'll kill him," she howled curling in on herself as grief like nothing she had ever known before rushed through her. Nymeria wrapped her arms around her sister and cried as well, mourning for the loss of their mother. Tyene looked at her ada, "Naneth? When is naneth coming back ada?" she asked innocently. Her question made Oberyn's eyes water and Obara wailed because she wanted her mother. She remembered the last time she saw her.
(Flashback-Tourney at Harrenhal)
It was raining and they couldn't go play outside. It was a warm rain but it was heavy and ada didn't want them getting sick. Obara had been sat at the tent opening watching because it never rained in Dorne for it was to hot and she was curious. Her sister Nymeria was beside her and their ada was sat at the table watching them with a cup of wine in his hand as Tyene and Sarella were playing in front of him. They were waiting for someone, ada had said it was a surprise someone who wanted to see them. They were leaving the next day, after that horrible tournament when Uncle Rhaegar had made Aunt Elia cry and Obara couldn't help but wonder if it was her aunt Elia and uncle Rhaegar or even better if it was her naneth coming to say goodbye.
Obara had only seen her naneth four times since that first time and she missed her fiercely. She did sent letters all the time but it wasn't the same as seeing her in person. She knew her ada missed her as well. She could still remember that agony that hung around him when he found out she wouldn't be able to bare children and Obara was sad that she and her sisters wouldn't get any other siblings. She remembered crying when her ada told her that Daella said even if she and her sisters weren't her blood, they were still her daughters and she would always love them as such.
They had come to the Tourney at Harrenhal filled with excitement and Obara even got to see her ada fight when someone had insulted Nym and their ada called him out about insulting his daughter. She was still in awe of her father and wanted to be able to fight just like him when she was older.
When Obara heard laughter from outside their tent, she looked up to see a dark-haired woman dancing in the rain, in a pretty yellow dress. She knew that laughter though, it was her naneth's. Nymeria, Tyene and Sarella had heard her too and the moment they set eyes on her, they ran into the rain laughing to join her. Daella caught Sarella in her arms and spun her around in the rain both laughing before putting her down to hug her other daughters and Obara finally stood up and joined them.
Her mother hugged her and spun her around before lifting her hands up and beginning to dance in the rain. The four Sand Snakes followed after her for no reason other than it was their naneth and they wanted to make her happy.
Finally, after her dress was completely soaked, Obara stopped and looked up at her naneth, "Naneth, why are dancing in the rain?" she asked curiously. Daella laughed joyfully and crouched down in front of her, "Because when you dance in the rain it can help ease any heavy burdens you have," she explained. Obara frowned trying to figure out her naneth's logic. Eventually she shook her head, "Why dance in the rain when you can fight?" she asked confused. Daella giggled making Nymeria and Sarella giggle, "Beautiful girl, some people say when you stand in the rain it washes away all your troubles. Other say that rainwater is a blessing from the gods and the gods bless you if you dance in it. For some people, they just like to dance in the rain," she explained. Obara nodded before noticing her ada standing in tent entrance watching them with a smile.
Her naneth's smile faltered slightly before brightening as she walked over to him, both dressed in Martell yellow. They met in a hug, her arms around his shoulders and his around her waist, her head against his shoulder and his chin on her head. Something about the way they hugged made her uncomfortable and she had to turn away. As she turned away to her siblings to dance in the rain again, she didn't see the pale blonde hair of her good uncle as he watched Oberyn Martell hold his little sister close, before tangling his hands in her hair and planting a kiss on her lips. Rhaegar Targaryen waited for his sister to pull away, only she never did. She let him pull her closer and kissed him back.
She never knew that seeing that kiss was her brothers driving force to be with Lyanna Stark. It made him hate the Martell family and he could not bring himself to look at his own wife. Instead taking comfort in the younger girl, who reminded him much of Daella.
(Flashback Ending)
That was the last time they saw their naneth. When her next letter arrived, it had been written with heavy heart about a war starting. Her ada had been sad and then angry when he learned the King had sent her to fight. Obara knew her mother was a good warrior; she had been trained by the Kingsguard after all. She had even seen her naneth make her ada yield and her ada was the best fighter in Dorne. Obara knew that if anything happened to her naneth, her ada would be inconsolable. She knew things would never be the same again.
That night the four Sand Snakes shared a bed with the ada, their hearts filled with grief over losing their naneth and a heavy weight of wondering what would happen in the future settled on their shoulders. Even their naneth's words of love, did nothing to stop them from feeling like they had lost their naneth forever.