Chapter 9: A Star Pines, a Sun Plots
Summary:
Ashara tries to process how she feels about the last few hours, and Elia forms a plan.
Notes:
It's Friday! That means we release a new chapter, and this one is a very special chapter. It's actually the first chapter that PraetorXyn has ever written for a fanfic, and in fact the first piece of creative writing he's written since high school. We all love it and hope that you'll enjoy reading it just as much as we did.
Chapter Text
Ashara II
Market at Harrenhal, Path to Castle, Elia's Chamber
Ashara walked at a steady pace through the market at Harrenhal, lost in her thoughts as the royal family approached the castle where Lord Whent had arranged quarters for them. In the last few hours, she'd experienced more excitement than she was used to in a matter of months, and she was still in the process of sorting her feelings on most of those events. She'd run into her erstwhile rival in beauty, Cersei Lannister. The two of them had thrown barbs at one another while walking through the market as if Cersei had never left. This had proven to be their undoing, each of them so frustrated with the other they could no longer bear looking at one another, and so they'd continued walking without looking where they were going, when disaster struck… or at least would've struck had it not been averted.
Even now, her heart began racing when she thought of Ned. His body had been firm and strong, his scent intoxicating to her, and his eyes mesmerizing. Ashara had never believed in love at first sight, considering it a fancy only fit for vapid girls with their heads stuck in songs and stories, but now she wasn't so confident in her conviction. Love was perhaps not the right word, but in their first meeting, Ned had definitely left a very strong — and very favorable — impression upon her. The thought that he might have left a similar impression upon her rival had made Ashara's blood boil, and she hadn't been able to hold herself back from staking her claim to Cersei immediately after Ned had left. In hindsight she regretted stating it in the form of a contest to her rival; she knew Cersei likely wasn't even interested in Ned — she was far too haughty to be interested in anyone but Rhaegar, in Ashara's opinion — but she'd be compelled to try and get his interest if only to triumph over Ashara. Well, if it had to be a contest, it was a contest Ashara was determined to win.
The potential embarrassment of publicly falling into the dirt hadn't been the only consequence of her encounter, though. Oberyn had made it clear he'd witnessed the whole thing, and he'd practically broken his neck to tease Ashara about it and no doubt tell Elia all about it when his bait led her to prompt him. Ashara had arrived just in time to cut him off with a sharp elbow to the ribs, but with Oberyn she knew it was only a matter of time until he revealed everything. Elia was like a sister to Ashara, and it was a combination of embarrassment at her own behavior and wanting to keep something so new and warm close to her chest for a while that made her anxious about Elia finding out.
Ashara's triumphant daydreaming accompanied by butterflies had been interrupted by sheer terror when Rhaenys had gone missing. Ashara loved Rhaenys as if she were her own daughter — anyone with a heart would instantly fall in love with the Little Sun who brightened the lives of everyone who knew her — and when Elia had told her Rhaenys was missing, Ashara had immediately feared the worst. A little girl — a princess no less — lost in a market at the largest tournament Westeros had ever known had the potential for disaster in any number of ways, and Ashara felt guilty she'd been reflecting upon her encounter with Ned rather than watching Rhaenys.
She'd cursed her dress and heels as she trailed behind the others; in breeches and flat shoes — or even bare feet — she'd have run circles around them all, just as she had when they were children in the water gardens. Still, she'd done her best to calm herself and think clearly, and ultimately come up with the plan to spread into an arc while searching for Rhaenys. Fortunately, their fears had turned out to be for naught, as Rhaenys had been safely resting upon Ned's arm when they'd found her. If Ashara had believed Ned gallant when he'd caught her, that had been nothing to how she felt when she'd watched him interact with Rhaenys. If she'd been acting like a fool in love for the past few hours, seeing Ned be more of a father to Rhaenys than Rhaegar ever had — and how bitter it made Ashara that Rhaenys seemed happier then than she'd been in some time — had put her over the moon, and caused the butterflies in her stomach to go into overdrive.
Unable to help herself, she'd pictured Ned sitting in a plush chair before the hearth in a great castle — Winterfell, perhaps, or at least her mental image of it — holding a beautiful boy, a miniature version of Ned with some of her beauty, but with the Stark face and Ned's grey eyes. She'f felt her heart melt at the sight, and had forced herself out of her thoughts before she started seeing daughters with her own eyes. She'd exhaled sharply, digging her nails slightly into her palms to try and calm herself down. She'd told herself her daydreams could wait: Rhaenys had been more important in that moment.
Rhaenys had seemed instantly taken with Ned, and he with her. Moreover, Rhaenys' kitten Balerion — who normally wouldn't let anyone but Rhaenys and Elia even get near him — had seemed to yearn for Ned's touch and had pressed into him. Moreover, if Ashara recalled correctly, hadn't Elia said Balerion ran off and Rhaenys chased him, this being the impetus for the whole incident? It was said that animals were excellent judges of character, but was it possible Balerion had sensed Ned somehow, and his running off was a deliberate act to seek out Ned? While it sounded mad, Ashara supposed it would make her daydreaming even worse, as having the affection of the grumpiest kitten in the realm was only another point in Ned's favor.
When Ashara looked up, they'd reached the castle, and Ashara blinked a few times to get her bearings. She supposed it wasn't healthy to be stuck in one's head so much — gods knew how those stuffy old maesters didn't go mad, or mayhaps they did? — and she accompanied Elia's family into the castle, letting the guards lead them down the hallways to Elia's chamber. Elia sat in her chair before the hearth, cradling Rhaenys against her chest. Balerion was nuzzled into Rhaenys's chest as Rhaenys pet him, and it warmed Ashara's heart to see Rhaenys so happy.
She was pulled from her musing when Elia spoke, "Rhaenys, why don't you go play with tío Oby for a while? Mamí needs to talk to Ara." Oberyn wore an amused smirk as he knelt down, "Are you hungry, solecito? You've had a trying afternoon; let's go get you something to eat." Balerion hissed at Oberyn, then jumped off Rhaenys's lap and stalked out of the room as she squealed and ran to Oberyn, the two of them leaving the room together.
Ashara found herself nervous. What was so important that Elia needed to talk to her about it alone? Did Elia blame Ashara for not watching Rhaenys well enough? Had she heard about Ashara's publicly falling, from Oberyn — despite Ashara's efforts to prevent him telling her — or otherwise? She looked at Elia as she took the adjacent chair, sinking into its comfort as she spoke, "Is something wrong, my princess?" It was a few moments before Elia spoke, "I think Lord Stark will make a very fine husband for some lucky lady someday, wouldn't you agree?"
Ashara's heart raced, a mixture of panic and puzzlement running through her. How much did Elia know? Yet if Elia had no indicator of Ashara's feelings, why would she open with that question? It took every ounce of control Ashara had learned in King's Landing to keep from blushing as she responded neutrally, "He seems like a good man." Ashara's thoughts turned somewhat sour then.
Elia was right, but would Lord Stark not be pursuing matches for Ned that best benefited the North? It turned her stomach to think of another woman marrying Ned, but what could she do? An alliance with Starfall wasn't all that beneficial to the North. She returned her attention to Elia, listening intently. A tiny spark of hope blossomed in Ashara's heart. If Elia was broaching the subject, mayhaps she had some ideas for Ashara to win Ned's heart, and mayhaps Ashara winning Ned's heart might lead to Ned pressing his father for a betrothal. It was a slim chance, but a chance nonetheless. Having a princess of the royal family as a friend had its advantages.
Elia II
Market at Harrenhal, Path to Castle, Elia's Chamber
Elia walked slowly down the market path as they headed toward the castle wherein — although it was expected and he couldn't possibly do otherwise — Lord Whent had graciously accommodated the royal family. She held her daughter's hand tightly, her heart still not having completely calmed itself from the fright that gripped her immediate family — blood and otherwise. She had no intention of letting Rhaenys run off alone again anytime soon; while her precious daughter was no worse for wear — and in fact all of them had seemed to benefit from the incident — that hadn't lessened the fear or guilt Elia felt. She'd tried to be the best mother she could, but she'd lost her solecito — for however brief a time — and she felt she may never forgive herself for that.
Elia's life had changed drastically since her marriage to Rhaegar Targaryen. While she was the envy of every unattached noblewoman in the Seven Kingdoms — and many of the attached ones, she was sure — that did nothing to make her marriage a happy one. Elia had done her duty, just as her mother had wanted. She'd married Rhaegar without complaint, despite her private reservations about him and his supposed perfection. She'd risked her life — just as thousands of other women throughout history had — bringing a beautiful daughter into the world for him, and yet his matter-of-fact reaction had broken and disgusted her more than she'd ever thought possible.
Elia had ensured she never conceived another child with him, despite the risk that put her in. Privately, Elia doubted her husband would pull his nose out of his books long enough to notice; he hadn't exactly been in a hurry to do his duty as it was, his visits to her bedchamber as infrequent as they were hurried and unsatisfying. It was his treatment of Rhaenys that made Elia grow to hate her marriage, and later her husband. Rhaenys asking Elia if her kepa didn't like her had ignited an all-consuming mixture of sorrow and rage within her, and though she'd put on a brave face and a bright smile for her daughter — and had done her best to reassure Rhaenys that Rhaegar was simply busy — Elia didn't know what to do.
When thinking back to the events of the past few hours, Elia's confusion grew even more, and she'd call her emotional state tempestuous were she inclined to be charitable. She recalled the fear and relief alike, and how something deep within her told her that her daughter would be safe with her recent northern acquaintance. It filled Elia with shame, regret, and hope alike to see how happy Rhaenys had been with Lord Eddard. Was she so terrible a mother that a stranger could make Rhaenys happier in minutes than Elia had seen her in months? What would her and her daughter's lives have been like if her mother had betrothed her to Lord Eddard Stark rather than Prince Rhaegar Targaryen? The thought made Elia bitter, and it took all her strength and training to suppress the tears that threatened to fall at the contrast.
Despite Elia's thoughts, the ink was dry. She had married Rhaegar Targaryen and given him a daughter, and Eddard Stark was an eligible lord - but not for her. He'd proven to her what a wonderful father he'd be someday in mere minutes with Rhaenys, and Rhaenys seemed very attached to him: she'd talked about Eddard constantly since they'd departed his company. Elia owed Lord Eddard a debt for protecting her daughter in a crowd of strangers, as well as for giving her more happiness. As a princess of both Dorne and the royal family, she felt the least she could do to repay that debt was to ensure Lord Eddard's happiness in turn.
When she'd taken Lady Ashara Dayne on as her handmaiden, Lady Adara had privately requested Elia look after her daughter's interests while at court, and to keep her eyes and ears open in the hope she might find Ashara a suitable match. She'd given Elia full authority to arrange a match on behalf of Ashara and House Dayne, though little had come of their arrangement thus far. In all the years Elia had known her, she could confidently say she hadn't found a better match for Lady Ashara Dayne than Lord Eddard Stark. By the same token, Ashara was by far the best woman Elia knew. Ashara was the most beautiful woman in the realm, and she was kind, honest, as well as fiercely loyal to and protective of those who managed to work their way into her heart; any man would be lucky to have her. Elia wanted Lord Eddard to be happy in return for his treatment of her daughter, and she couldn't think of anything better she could do for him than arranging a match with Lady Ashara.
Elia had a course of action in mind, but she wasn't cruel, and she wouldn't force either of them into anything they didn't want. She needed to talk to Ashara alone, to try and get a measure of how Ashara would feel about the match without letting Ashara know what Elia was planning, as if Ashara proved amenable to the match, her knowing that Elia sought it might give her false hope should Elia's plan fail. Life had taught Elia that plans almost never worked out completely as intended, so she felt it was better to keep her plans close to her chest until she was ready to put them into action.
The family entered the castle at last, and finally Elia's chamber. Elia took her chosen seat by the hearth, and pulled Rhaenys into her lap, holding her close with a warm smile as she watched Rhaenys play with her kitten. The fact that said kitten had run to Lord Eddard Stark like a moth drawn to a flame only made Elia's conviction that she'd made the right choice for Ashara's husband stronger. "Rhaenys, why don't you go play with tío Oby for a while? Mamí needs to talk to Ara." Oberyn wore an amused smirk as he knelt down, "Are you hungry, solecito? You've had a trying afternoon; let's go get you something to eat." Balerion hissed at Oberyn, then jumped off Rhaenys's lap and stalked out of the room as she squealed and ran to Oberyn, the two of them leaving the room together.
Elia waited until Ashara took a seat across from her. Though Ashara's face gave nothing away, Elia thought she detected a hint of nervousness. What cause did Ashara have to be nervous? Did she think Elia blamed her for Rhaenys's escapade? Silly woman! "Is something wrong, my princess?" Ashara asked. Elia pondered her response, thinking on the best way to begin the discussion she'd planned. "I think Lord Stark will make a very fine husband for some lucky lady someday, wouldn't you agree?" she asked. Elia watched Ashara's face intently for tells; it was difficult to perceive Ashara's subtle reaction, but Elia was skilled in the game and had been Ashara's friend for years. That Ashara had to actively suppress her reaction was telling in and of itself. "He seems like a good man," Ashara responded neutrally, but Elia wasn't fooled.
"He does, and 'sweet'," Elia couldn't suppress a smirk, "Balerion seemingly seeking him out and reveling in his touch corroborates that assumption, if I'm any judge of such things. Likewise, his treatment of Rhaenys proves he'll be a wonderful father someday," Elia said. She continued to observe Ashara intently, waiting for her friend and handmaiden to respond. "I agree with your assessment, but why ask me about N—Lord Stark?" Ashara said. Elia had noticed Ashara's slip… that sound didn't match Eddard, so did Ashara perhaps know a nickname he went by? Did Elia detect hints of both desperation and hope in that question? Both questions were interesting, and only raised other questions.
"He seems to be the man of the hour, does he not? He protected and cared for our solecito, and I owe him a debt of gratitude for that. This is the largest tournament in the history of Westeros, so I can't help pondering on his marriage prospects, and I'm sure Lord and Lady Stark feel the same way," she finished. Ashara shifted, though she tried to hide it. "It's as you say, but I don't see what that has to do with me," Ashara responded, again unable to suppress her reaction completely. "You're my closest friend, and I consider you a sister — blood relation or not — so I merely thought you might have some insight to help me find a match for Lord Stark," Elia answered.
Ashara squirmed a little, obviously trying to compose herself, and Elia gave her the time to do so, patiently awaiting her friend's response. Finally, Ashara responded, "Lord Stark is of the North, and whatever qualities he has, most ladies would likely be unable to adapt to a marriage with him, whether the cause for the inability would be the climate, customs, or even the faith of the North. Because of this, considering a match for Lord Stark will require careful consideration, and I'd wager the list of prospects will be a short one. Can you give me time to think on it, my princess?" Elia nodded her assent. "Thank you for helping me in this matter, my friend. You must be hungry; feel free to go get something to eat. I'll be right behind you, I just need to rest a bit."
Ashara looked at her seriously, seemingly trying to decide if she was going to argue with Elia on the subject of her health and whether Ashara would leave her alone. Thankfully, Ashara seemingly thought better of it, standing and bowing, "Thank you, my princess," she said before turning to leave, her head turning as a beautiful purple eye shone at Elia over her left shoulder before she faced forward again and exited the chamber, finally leaving Elia alone with her thoughts. Elia had been somewhat less robust than Oberyn ever since they'd been children together, but her condition had worsened dramatically since she'd moved to King's Landing upon her marriage to Rhaegar. Yet her absence from King's Landing and the journey to Harrenhal had her feeling better, despite the rigors of travel and chasing after her solecito. This bore thinking about, as the coincidences struck Elia as suspicious.
However, that wasn't important for now. Elia had wanted to get a read on her handmaiden to assess her feelings about Lord Eddard, and she'd gotten even more than she'd bargained for. Ashara clearly hadsomesort of feelings about Lord Eddard, else she wouldn't have displayed the reactions she had. Even if Ashara was too stubborn to outright tell Elia her feelings, Elia had what she needed; while she wasn't positive, she was now confident that Lady Ashara Dayne would be happy with a match to Lord Eddard Stark, and based on everything she knew about Lord Eddard, he was a kind and dutiful man who'd marry whomever his father told him to, and would treat Ashara like a queen if she could arrange the match.
Elia had work to do, and she knew just where and with whom to begin.