Phillip: Problem is every house except Florent joined the Tyrells, so you won't find many loyalists now.
Alder: We're about 10-15 chapters off the end, yes.
ymgrf/Cadet: Floris Baratheon is Margaery's child with Renly, and Samwell (Flowers/Waters/Sand) is Alla's child by Cletus Yronwood.
dabra: Again, the issue you run with the Tyrells is that they're still powerful, their network of alliances covers half the Reach, and their hold is very strong even in defeat. The only ones right now that could contest that militarily are the Hightowers and Oldtown lies in ruins, they're not going to be able to do much. Though now, they also know that they're at the mercy of the Targs, so they're actively looking for "way outs". But handing over KL without damage could go a long way already.
Arianne
"You need to tell him, Arianne."
The Dornish princess looked into her childhood friend's sky-blue eyes.
They both had changed from their days in the Water Gardens, in every way. His brown beard had grown, his equally brown hair was now flowing to his shoulders. His eyes were tired, his build thinner, and he walked with a cane, just like her father had.
She, for her part, wore a thick coat, given to her by an understanding Northern lady, hiding the growing bulge in her belly.
She tried to avoid his gaze, instead trying to look through the inexistant cuts in the walls of the Stoney Sept's largest inn.
"You've been wearing thick coats ever since we left Riverrun." Daemon looked at her with a sad gaze. "And Jon hasn't said a word?"
Arianne shook her head. Jon had been more focused on preparing the upcoming travel to Tumbleton with Lords Tully and Arryn rather than pay attention to her, and she hadn't pushed herself onto him, either.
"How long did you think you could hide it?" Daemon asked, expectantly.
"I didn't!" Arianne finally snapped. "I…I didn't want to trouble him in these times, especially when…when…"
"When we're about to meet our countrymen, in open battle?" Daemon asked.
Arianne bowed her head.
"If anything, I doubt there will be any battle." Daemon sighed.
"And that's supposed to reassure me how, exactly?" Arianne lashed out. "The dragons will fight, and Jon's will tear them to shreds, and our countrymen, my brother and uncle amongst them, will burn to a crisp! Is that a death you wish on them?"
Daemon looked at her with sad eyes.
"No. Come on, Arianne, you know I didn't mean that. Jon would never."
Arianne gazed into his eyes. How dare he know what Jon would do better than me?
"I know he wouldn't!" she stared at him, unflinching. "But he's a threat! These Targaryens, they won't stop until Jon is grovelling at their feet or buried deep beneath the ground!"
"They would never, either," Daemon countered, not even answering her tone. "Jon, Edmure and Harry, they're all more useful to them alive. There will be no battle."
"No battle?" Arianne scoffed. "Jon will never bend, neither will Edmure. And the dragons will never accept that. They will want to rule over all Seven Kingdoms. Do you know what this means?"
"I know," Daemon replied simply. "But they will not accept to rule over ashes, either."
"They would." Arianne laughed. "I saw what the Lannisters and Tyrells did to the Riverlands. I saw the destruction they inflicted upon these people. They would be Kings of the ashes, do not be mistaken. Do you remember their words?"
"Fire and Blood, I am no child."
"Fire and Blood, indeed." Arianne nodded at him. "And that's what they'll rule over, once this is all done."
"They'll bend." Daemon sighed. "They all know of the Others, and Quentyn might just know too."
That sent a jolt through her. Daemon did tell her that Quentyn had sent shipments of dragonglass to the Watch before its use was even discovered. How did he know this? Dragonglass was only available on Dragonstone, which meant it was not Dornish surplus.
"They'll bend, but not at any cost," Arianne argued. "Edmure and Jon know that the war against the Others will be costly, and it will be at a great cost to them. They would never choose to bend the knee. Not when they have so much to lose and so little to gain."
"In the end, Jon will take the decision that saves the most lives, whatever it may be," Daemon continued, solemnly. "His lords would hate him for it, but he would do it all the same. Because he knows that if he doesn't, it is the whole of Westeros which will pay for it."
Arianne wanted to answer back, but held her tongue. Daemon was right. Jon would take the decision that would save the most Northern lives. He did so at Riverrun before, and he would again if given the chance.
"Let us hope you are right, then." Arianne glanced at him. "I do not wish to lose my brother, or my uncle."
Daemon stared at her; eyes empty of emotion.
"I'm sorry, Daemon, I didn't know about the Watch."
"Your father ordered it," Daemon coldly replied. "It seems that your brother, for all his faults, had no part in this, and neither had your uncle."
"What do you plan on doing…after?" Arianne asked.
"I doubt your brother would let me come back to Dorne…" Daemon's mind wandered. "Lord Edmure wants good men for his guard. After a few years of leal service, mayhaps, I shall have a keep to call my own, close to the people I love…"
Arianne chuckled at that.
"You've thought about it, haven't you?" Daemon smiled for the first time since she had entered the room.
Arianne looked at him, placing a hand on her belly.
"I…yes, I have. With the child growing inside me, I've only had time to think about…our future." Arianne's hand wandered back down. "I must admit that I would not be opposed to living…so far from Dorne."
"And you would need a household guard, yes?" Daemon mischievously asked.
Arianne punched him lightly in the shoulder, making him wince in pain.
"Apologies, Daemon, I forgot…" Arianne suddenly realized her mistake and leaned in to help him recover.
"It's quite alright, Ari, I am fine…" Daemon held a hand up, refusing her help. "But you need to talk to Jon, and soon. When he learns that you are carrying a child, his child, I do not know what his reaction will be."
"Do you think he will take it badly?" Arianne asked, worried.
Daemon scoffed.
"He loves you, as far as I can tell. More than any of the others I saw in Dorne. I am more worried about the sadness he will feel when he realizes you did not tell him right away."
"He would have left me in Riverrun!" Arianne protested.
"With good reason!" Daemon countered. "You are, what, five-and-ten weeks along, mayhaps twenty? And you tell me that you could convince him that you hadn't noticed? It would take a big mummery from you to do so."
"I did not wish for him to leave south without me." Arianne shook his head. "If he is to achieve peace with the dragons, he will need my help. My kin are fighting on the other side, and it is not Joss, Tyene or Sylva that will help resolve this without bloodshed!"
Daemon sighed, frustrated.
"You are a stubborn woman, Arianne."
"You know me, Daemon," Arianne acquiesced. "But I have grown too. I am stubborn, but with good reason to be."
Arianne smiled. She could make her bed in the Riverlands, if given the chance to do so. Hornvale, Silverhill, Deep Den…all sounded like rich, fertile lands. If Edmure did indeed offer them to Jon, then she would gladly accept them. Although Dorne now seemed so far away…
Daemon suddenly rose up from his seat, leaning on his cane.
"Do you hear that?" he asked.
Arianne leaned closer, and, indeed, several sounds were coming from the hallway.
"I do. What is that commotion?" she turned to Daemon with an eye raised.
"Let us find out." Daemon nudged her to open the door to the outside, which was guarded by two fully armored Northmen.
The two didn't react when they exited the door, nor did they oppose Arianne and Daemon when they walked down the corridor, towards the noise.
It was in the hall, on the ground floor, that the commotion was wildest. Two groups were clearly staring each other down, with swords almost drawn.
She and Daemon hurried down the staircase, eager to get a better look.
At the same time, the front door burst open, revealing Jon and Edmure, accompanied by several of their own household guard.
Finally, having arrived at the bottom of the staircase, Arianne could now see the two groups clearly. One was mostly composed of Valemen, with Harry the Heir in front, his mouth and cheek bleeding, whilst the other was composed, to Arianne's surprise, of Dornishmen, with Ser Joss Hood in front, his hand solidly on his sword, ready to draw it.
"What is going on here?" Lord Edmure's voice boomed through the packed inn's walls.
Everyone stood at attention. Edmure Tully's tall, imposing figure allowed him to dominate the hall in a way Jon struggled to. As such, it was always Edmure Tully who started and ended councils, but also was the main arbiter of disputes.
"This man hit me!" Harrold Arryn angrily shoved his arm off of an accompanying lordling, pointing his finger straight at Ser Joss. "I demand that his hand be brought to me. A lordling may not strike a Lord Paramount."
"The only hands you'll receive from me, you will be able to feel on your face once more," Ser Joss calmly replied, his hands not leaving the pommel of his sword, "you tried to rape one of the ladies I was sworn to protect."
"Lies!" Harrold Arryn took a step forward. "You Dornish scum, dishonourable liars as usual. That wench threw herself at me and tried to take away my coin, only running off when I decided to punish her crime."
Arianne didn't flinch at the insult, instead choosing to remain next to Daemon, far removed from this little debate. Instead, she bided her time, waiting to see where this was going.
Edmure Tully did not have her patience.
"Which maiden are we talking about, Lord Arryn?" he asked expectantly.
"The blonde one!" Harrold Arryn replied without a hint of hesitation, pointing straight at her.
To Arianne's shock, she recognized Tyene, her dress half-ripped, her blue eyes teary, with Sylva tending to her wrist, which looked in a bad state.
Edmure stepped forward, his pace confident, towards the Dornish party, with Jon following closely behind him, though he still hadn't uttered a word.
He then motioned for Tyene to come forward, whilst Joss relaxed the hold on his pommel, though kept his hand close to his weapon.
"My lady," Edmure asked Tyene, "what happened?"
"Lord Arryn lured me into his rooms for he told me that a Dornishwoman had taken ill," Tyene said, between two sobs, which Arianne clearly knew were there to add their little effect for Lord Edmure. "Having helped some of my fellow Dornish with herbal potions before, I naturally accepted. However, once I reached his rooms, they were empty, and he had closed the door, barring any escape."
Arianne took a step forward, but Daemon prevented her from slitting the Lord Paramount of the Vale's throat right then and there.
"He then ripped off my dress and tried to force himself onto me." Tyene looked at Lord Edmure with pleading eyes. "I resisted, and drew a dagger, cutting his cheek, but he overpowered me, and wrestled the dagger away. However, in the struggle, I escaped and Ser Joss was lucky enough to come at the right moment."
"And you, Ser Joss, what do you have to say?" Lord Edmure turned to the Dornish knight, who had completely relaxed his hold on his sword.
"My lady came running to me, visibly panicked, so I asked her what was happening. She told me that Lord Arryn had tried to force himself onto her."
There were jeers from the Valemen.
"Lord Arryn then came down, angrily, from his room," Ser Joss calmly continued, "and asked me to 'hand back his whore', which I, of course, answered with punching him in the jaw. Lord Arryn then reached for his sword, and I mine, and here we are."
"These are liars!" Lord Arryn stepped up to Lord Edmure, "I did not hide my intentions to this lady, nor did she reject my advances. Every act was consensual, until she drew her dagger and sought to rob me. I, of course, answered by disarming her and trying to drag her to the jails, but was stopped by this brute, who took the side of this vile woman and drew steel. I had no choice but to defend myself."
Lord Edmure only nodded, and then turned to Tyene and Ser Joss.
"Were there any witnesses to this?" he asked.
Both shook their heads.
"Then, there is not much I can do."
"Wait!" Arianne cried out, pushing herself forwards through the mass of curious people huddled around the scene.
"Princess Arianne." Lord Edmure bowed. "Did you see anything?"
"No, Lord Tully," she said with confidence, "but I know one thing, that Lord Arryn is a liar."
"What say you?" Harrold Arryn turned to her with a snarl. "You were not there. You are trying to protect your fellow Dornishmen from facing justice!"
"But, by your own admission, my cousin tried to take your coin." Arianne smiled. "What use would she have for coin, when, bastard as she may be, she is richer than you?"
Lord Arryn's expression changed from angry to shocked in an instant, but he kept his composure.
"Be that as it may, that is what she wanted." Lord Arryn frowned at her.
"Princess Arianne is right, Lord Tully," Jon finally made his voice heard. "The Red Viper's daughter has no use for coin, she has no use for favors, and is under both mine and your protection. What would she gain from trying to rob the Lord of the Eyrie, in the middle of his host, with only a dozen men capable of protecting her?"
Lord Edmure considered Jon's words for a moment, and nodded.
"You cannot be considering this!" Harrold Arryn gestured towards Jon, whose demeanor was still as calm as ever. "He's only defending her because that snake has been coiling herself around him for the past few moons!"
"No need for jealousy here, Lord Arryn," Arianne countered.
"Enough!" Lord Edmure interrupted the argument. "Lord Regent Stark has only been truthful and honorable, I do not see reason to distrust him. As you are within my lands and my walls, my judgement is this: Lord Arryn, you are guilty of attempting to despoil Lady Tyene Sand."
"What?" Harrold Arryn angrily reached for his sword, imitated by the few Dornishmen present. Jon himself slowly moved his hand towards his own weapon.
"Please, Arryn, it would be my pleasure to gut you," Ser Joss answered back with a smirk.
"There will be no fighting in my halls, sheath your steel, you fools!" Lord Edmure's voice had completely taken over the walls of the inn, slowly reminding everyone where they stood.
"I demand a trial by battle!" Harrold Arryn stood proud once more.
"There will be no trial by battle." Lord Edmure shook his head. "Lady Tyene and her party were under my protection, and as such, it would have fallen to me to announce a champion. I shall not have any fights between allies at the eve of our greatest test yet."
Edmure Tully turned to Lord Arryn.
"In a true trial, I could have had your sword hand cut off. But I am not a fool, there is little I can do except chastise you on your behavior. These men and women are under my protection, and I swore an oath in that sense. Make sure I do not have to break it again. Are we clear, Lord Arryn?"
"Very, Lord Tully." Harrold nodded, almost growling.
He then turned to the Dornish, and Tyene in particular.
"As for you, I cannot do less than order you to stay away from the Valemen, and only make camp with Northerners or Riverlanders. You have my apologies, but little else."
Ser Joss nodded, and left with the rest of the Dornishmen.
Harrold Arryn, for his part, turned to Jon and Edmure, looked them both in the eyes, but said nothing. That is, until Edmure turned around and left. Then, his eyes still fixed upon Jon's, he whispered: "You and your Dornish whore will pay for this."
Harrold Arryn made way to leave, but Jon grabbed his arm.
"Call her whore again, and I'll have you publicly flogged, Lord of the Eyrie or not."
Arryn gave him a wicked smile.
"Try me, Snow."
"I made you, Hardyng. I can unmake you just as easily."
Harrold just laughed.
"We'll find out, then."
Jon looked confused as Harrold Arryn walked off with his men, but relaxed once she had stepped up to him, Daemon right behind her.
"Jon," she put her hands behind her back, "can we talk?"
"Of course." Jon nodded gently.
Arianne turned around and smiled.
"Daemon, please leave us."
Daemon bowed and left them be, with Jon helping Arianne up the staircase, down the halls, and back to her rooms.
Arianne almost collapsed on her bed, with Jon pushing himself close to her.
"You shouldn't have called him out like that," Jon said softly while grabbing a lock of her hair.
"Tyene was innocent, what did you expect me to do?" Arianne questioned.
"We need him. Arryn has the last fresh host we have. New lord or not, he is still valuable to us," Jon replied.
"And let Tyene be punished?" Arianne's head immediately turned to face him.
"No." Jon shook his head. "If neither said anything, then Edmure could not have judged, it would have been his word against hers. Nothing would have happened."
"Hah." Arianne scoffed. "A bastard and the son of a minor lordling against the word of a Lord Paramount, as upstart as he is? This is not Dorne, there would have been no justice."
"You do not know Lord Edmure very well, then," Jon argued
"I do not, and this is exactly why I spoke up," Arianne replied. "You say that I overstepped, but you told him that you would have him flogged. This is not exactly the actions of someone who wishes to keep an ally close."
"I did not like the way he spoke of you, but you are right." Jon released her hair, sighing. "I overstepped too, but he also insulted a Princess of Dorne. Any justice that I dealt him would've been deserved."
"It would've pained me to see my cousin branded a liar." Arianne sighed.
"I can respect that sentiment," Jon continued, his grey eyes once more piercing hers, "but I still wished you did it differently."
"Jon, I…" Arianne sighed, "I need to tell you something."
"About Tyene? Did you lie during your accusation?" Jon's face curved into one of anguish.
"No…" Arianne sighed. "I didn't lie…at least…I hope I did not. And it had nothing to do with Tyene."
"Seven hells, Ari, you had me scared for a moment." Jon breathed a sigh of relief. "What mischief have you been up to?"
"I am with child, Jon. Your child."
The words came out of Arianne's mouth so easily, she almost herself jumped in surprise.
Jon said nothing, instead looking at her, dumbfounded.
To prove her point, Arianne stood up and undressed herself, taking off the thick wools that covered her, until she was only clad in her beautiful Dornish dress, which only covered her breasts and part of her shoulders, revealing her bulging belly.
Jon stood up as well, moving a shaky hand over it, then raised his grey eyes at her and mumbled.
"Is…is it true?"
"I have laid with no other man than you in half a year, Jon." Arianne looked at him with sad eyes. "It's yours."
Jon opened and closed his mouth, words not coming out.
Instead, Arianne took his hands and brought him back on the bed.
"I…I'm sorry, Jon. It's not what we wanted." Arianne shook her head. "In Dorne, we do not frown on bastards. I will make sure that our child will live a beautiful life in the Water Gardens, and does not lack of anything. I will…"
"No," Jon said, grabbing her hands and putting his on her belly. "I won't have my child be a bastard."
"Then, we can ask for a legitimization. My brother could petition the King and…"
Arianne was silenced by a deep and languid kiss.
She answered it, closing her eyes as she revelled in it, forgetting the issue at hand for a few brief moments.
"I'll wed you, Arianne," Jon said simply. "I'll wed you, and our child will have both a father and a mother that love him very much. Unless…"
Jon's expression changed dramatically.
"Unless you do not wish…"
Arianne gasped, and grabbed his lips again, pushing him on the bed so that he could not run away.
"You fool." Arianne shook her head once she broke the kiss. "I love you. I love you till my dying breath. Of course, I'll wed you. Before the Old Gods, or the New, I don't care."
She sighed, looking over him, into his grey eyes.
"And you, would you leave the North? Your home?"
"For you? Any day," Jon replied softly, putting his arms around her back. "I love you more than the North. I'll talk to Lord Edmure. He will give us rich and fertile lands. It may not be Dorne, but it will be enough to start a new House and a family. The question would be: do you wish to stay so far away from Dorne?"
Arianne sighed for a moment, and whispered right above his lips.
"For you? I'll go anywhere as long as you are there to keep me warm."
Their lips then crashed into each other once more.