Dragonstone 298 AC.
Arianne Martell
The Princess of Dorne watched the legendary castle come into view, after four days of travel, the two ships, The Fury, The Lance, finally sighted the former seat of House Targaryen, Dragonstone.
The journey had been much shorter than the trip from Dorne to King's Landing.
Arianne spent most of the time watching her betrothed train with her uncle Oberyn, she noticed how Steffon now moved much faster and managed to dodge her uncle's attacks, even managing to attack himself. But he was still unable to defeat her uncle, although that did not stop him from continuing to try.
Her cousins, like her, spent the trip watching her father and his older sister Obara train with Prince Steffon. Princess Myrcella enjoyed their company as well as that of the Sands sisters, apparently the younger princes never spent much time with girls of other children of his age. While the plump boy Tommen spent most of his time following his older brother who began teaching him how to use the sword, practicing with wooden swords. The boy spent his time practicing or playing with his lion cub. The red-robed woman Lady Melisandre only spent her time observing them, not speaking much.
Upon sighting the legendary castle, the Baratheon princes and the members of House Martell disembarked and climbed into the boats, while their soldiers rowed to the shore.
When they reached the shore, they found a welcome party waiting for them, Arianne saw a rather pretty woman with honey blonde hair and blue eyes, about 30 years old, a boy about Steffon's age, who, like him, black hair and blue eyes, although he was thinner and his hair was shorter and a girl about Myrcella's age with black hair and blue eyes. They were all surrounded by soldiers of House Baratheon, although some had the emblem of the Hightower's green fire tower.
"Aunt Alysanne." Steffon said with a warm smile, approaching the woman and giving her a big hug. "It's very nice to see you again." The woman rushed to return the hug.
"And to you dear nephew." The woman responded, giving her a kiss on each cheek while she caressed her face in a maternal way. "You've grown a lot." Steffon smiled at her.
"Edric, it's been a long time." Steffon said looking at the thin young man with blue eyes.
"It's true cousin." He responded smiling and both young Baratheons hugged each other.
"Cousin Shireen." Steffon said looking at the black-haired girl who blushed. "You have grown a lot since the last time I saw you. You were just a little girl, now you are a very pretty lady." Steffon leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek, which made the girl blush even more.
"Aunt Alysanne, allow me to introduce you to Prince Oberyn Martell and his niece and my betrothed, Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne." Steffon said.
"Prince Oberyn, welcome to Dragonstone." Lady Alysanne said, raising her hand which her uncle Oberyn kissed.
"It is my pleasure, Lady Alysanne." her uncle responded with a smile. "This is my niece, Princess Arianne." She bowed with her head which was returned to him. "My paramour Ellaria Sand and my daughters, Obara, Nymeria and Tyene."
"Lady Ellaria, it is my pleasure." Lady Alysanne said kindly, which surprised Arianne, and that she was aware of the way bastards were viewed in the Reach, especially in Oldtown, not to mention the ancient enmity between the Reach and Dorne.
"Tommen and Myrcella, how nice to see you two again." Stannis Baratheon's wife said, smiling at the two blonde children. "And Lady Melisandre." She said the name with some caution.
"Lady Alysanne." She answered him with a friendly and calm tone.
"Uncle Stannis gave me this letter for you, aunt." Steffon said, interrupting the exchange between the two women. "I suppose he wrote it to explain his absence." He gave her the letter. "He also gave me this letter for you, dear cousins." He gave the other letter to Edric.
Arianne noticed that the Hightower woman had a sad expression on her face, but then she looked at Steffon nodding and smiling. "Thank you, Steffon." She looked at the letter for a moment and then tucked it into the sleeve of her dress. "Come with me, I'll take you to your rooms."
Everyone decided to follow her, while soldiers Martell and Baratheon were escorted by a Hightower knights.
After they were assigned to her respective rooms, Steffon asked to speak with her privately. So, the two left the castle and headed to the beach, far from the sight or ears of any curious person or a 'little bird'. Arianne laughed at the paranoia of her future husband, who reminded her of her father.
"So, what's the big secret you've been keeping from me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. But he didn't seem to know how to respond. "Did you sleep with the Maiden of Highgarden and put a child and her belly?" she said, trying to joke so that the nervousness would leave him. He laughed so, it worked.
"No, is not that." He said with a small smile. "I think it's best if I show you." He opened the book he carried with him: The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, and began to read the part that talked about the lineage of House Baratheon.
Arianne watched her betrothed read the physical attributes of the former Lords of Storm's End, they all had one trait in common, 'blue eyes and black hair'. She soon noticed how Steffon stopped carefully at one of the names: Gowen Baratheon who married Tya Lannister and had three daughters and a son, all of whom had black hair and blue eyes.
Steffon looked at her as if she was trying to tell him something, she looked at her future husband in confusion, but then realization dawned on her face as Steffon continued reading the names of the last members of House Baratheon.
"Steffon Baratheon, black hair, Robert Baratheon, black hair, Joffrey Baratheon... golden hair, Steffon Baratheon, black hair." He finished reading about her and then looked into her eyes as if she was trying to tell him something.
Realization hit Arianne. "Joffrey..." she began. "Myrcella and Tommen."
"They are not my father's children." He said completely seriously, she was left speechless. "They are bastards born from an incestuous relationship between my mother and her twin brother, the Kingslayer."
She didn't bother to question how that was possible, given that Steffon and his brother Joffrey were twins. Arianne was quite aware that these things happened, having known women who gave birth to two babies from different fathers. Arianne was speechless, so Steffon continued talking.
"A few days before I left for Castely Rock, to become my grandfather's ward, I saw him and my mother fucking while my father was hunting in royal woods. I used to explore the secret passages of the Red Keep." Arianne was still speechless so the young prince Baratheon continued. "When we were all together at Castely Rock, I heard my mother calling Joffrey 'our son' while she was talking to the Kingslayer."
Arianne was finally able to speak. "Is that why... he threatened to kill you?"
"Not quite." He answered even more seriously. "Neither he nor my mother knew I was listening to them. After that, I heard my uncle walk around the room and reveal to my mother a secret regarding my uncle Tyrion. While he was talking, I pressed myself against the outside door from the room to hear them better, but then I sneezed and they heard me, I ran, but he cornered me in the hallway and threatened to kill me if I told anyone what I heard."
"Only for that." Arianne said incredulously, not being able to believe that the origin of the animosity between her betrothed and Jaime Lannister was something so petty.
"If you knew what it was, you would have a different thought." He said, with a half-smile as if he was remembering something. "A few simple words, can do more damage than the cut of the sharpest sword and have much worse repercussions. Although in the case of my uncles it was more a lie that the Kingslayer told his brother the imp, but for some reason he decided to entrusted her to my mother that particular afternoon. Besides, if he knew that I heard him kissing my mother or saying her other things, that a brother shouldn't tell his sister, I'm sure he would have killed me in my sleep."
Arianne didn't say anything, she was still trying to process everything Steffon had just told her. So, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "That means you are your father's only true son." Steffon nodded with his half smile still on his face. 'He has a beautiful smile' Arianne thought. "You are the true heir to the Iron Throne."
"I am." He said, nodding again. She looked into his eyes for a long moment before speaking again.
"So, why haven't you told..." she began but then the resolution entered her mind. "My father and my uncle know." He nodded again, his smile widening. "And the book, that's what you showed them while they were talking on the walls outside of Sunspear."
"Yes."
"That's why they accepted your proposal." Arianne looked down, "The real reason my father agreed to give you my hand in marriage."
"When we were in Dorne, I told you that my gift would not be enough to form an alliance between our families." He hastened to say. "So, I showed him the evidence which reveals the betrayal committed by House Lannister and offered him what my grandfather's butchers took from him 15 years ago, his blood on the Iron Throne and the chance of destruction of Tywin Lannister's legacy." Once again Arianne was left speechless, so her betrothed continued speaking. "My mother stole my birthright, making the entire Kingdom believe that spoiled, stupid and vicious Joffrey is the heir and her brothers helped her." Steffon's tone hardened. "The Kingslayer fathering that bastard and my uncle Tyrion keeping the secret, even though my mother has made his life miserable since he was born and Joffrey treats him with the same contempt she does. And my mother did that only because I physically resemble my father, whom she hates, not caring that I am nothing like my father."
"That... is a lot to process." Arianne finally said and proceeded to sit on one of the rocks on the beach.
Steffon laughed. "I promised I would tell you the whole truth, I never said it would be easy or that you would like it." He sat on one of the rocks next to her.
Arianne sat for a long time not knowing exactly what to say. The young Prince Baratheon just stared at her and waited for her to process everything he had just told her, for which Arianne was grateful.
Finally, Arianne decided to speak "So, if you know all that, why didn't you tell your father or your uncles or Jon Arryn?" she said without looking at him.
"Because if he had done that, my father would not only have executed my mother and the Kingslayer for his betrayal, he would also have killed a little girl with golden curls along with a plump blonde boy whom I love very much."
Arianne didn't say anything since she knew that Steffon spoke right. She remembered what her uncle had told her, shortly after the Rebellion, how the Usurper had laughed when he saw the corpses of her aunt Elia's children; 'I don't see babies, only dragon spawn.' He had said to Ned Stark. She didn't even want to imagine what the Whoremonger King would do to Myrcella and Tommen if they knew they weren't his.
"And Joffrey?" she asked still not looking at him.
"Joffrey is a cunt." He replied with a sigh. "I'm sure that even before I went to Dorne you had already heard disturbing stories about him."
She didn't deny it. Her father still had friends in King's Landing who occasionally passed him information, especially about the members of the Royal Family.
"Everything you told me about being the Lord of Storm's End and that you just wanted to be a Lord Paramount..." She started to say.
"It was true." He hastened to say. "I am a prince of House Baratheon; my place is in King's Landing or Storm's End. But I am also the only true son of Robert Baratheon, I even believe that I was born first." He said this with a semi-sarcastic tone and Arianne finally looked at him. "I wouldn't be surprised if my mother ordered that old creep of Pycelle and the rest of the midwives that Joffrey was born first, just because I didn't look like a Lannister." Arianne became thoughtful so Steffon continued. "If Joffrey really was my father's son and had been born first, then I would be more than happy to just be Lord of Storm's End. But that's not the case, Joffrey is nothing more than a cruel bastard of Lannister blood, product of the Kingslayer's seed. I am the true heir to the Iron Throne and I intend to claim what belongs to me. Something you can relate to considering what you told me during our trip to King's Landing."
Arianne didn't say anything, since she knew exactly what Steffon was talking about. She had confessed to him how she believed that her father would supplant her with her brother Quentyn as heir to Dorne and that she had sworn that she would do anything to prevent that from happening.
After reflecting on everything her betrothed had told her, the princess of Dorne stood up to look him in the face. "So, once again I'm just a piece on the board that my father and uncle want to move as they please." she said with exasperation.
"He wants what every father of noble or royal blood wants for his daughter, that you be Queen." Prince Baratheon, who was still sitting, was quick to correct her, although Arianne didn't see much difference in it. "Although his motivations are driven by his hatred of my mother's family, he also hopes to regain what he lost with the death of your aunt and cousins. The Martell blood on the Iron Throne and as for being a piece on the board: That's something that applies to all of us. Each of us are living pieces that move according to our ambitions as we play the Game of Thrones."
Arianne laughed, once again surprised by the sharp intellect of her future husband. "You really have the intellect of the Lannisters."
He smiled. "It's one of the few good things of being related to them. Besides, if you grew up in a city as corrupt as King's Landing and half your family betrayed you, you can't afford to be stupid or ignorant."
Arianne then remembered something she was told in King's Landing and she couldn't help but confront him about it. "If you're so smart, then how come you couldn't convince Fat Rose to give you the hand of her precious Golden Rose in marriage."
To Arianne's surprise, Steffon started laughing out loud. "Who told you that Arianne? Was my mother? Or maybe the Kingslayer?"
"It's true?" she asked, feeling upset.
"Answer me first and then I'll do it."
"Your mother cornered me in the Royal Gardens while I was walking with Tyene and started making subtle comments about how I was your second choice." Arianne saw the young prince's face harden. "And how you went to Dorne to beg for my hand after the Tyrells rejected you. And before you ask, yes, your uncle Jaime was with her."
Steffon let out a humorless laugh. "Of course, I knew they would tell you. That's why I told my grandfather while they were listening."
Arianne was confused. "What do you mean?"
Steffon let out a sigh. "A month before I went to Dorne, I went to Highgarden, to a meeting with Lord Tyrell and Lord Manderly, regarding the trade I helped my uncle build between the Reach and the Stormlands and White Harbor. My uncle Renly had sent me while he was at the Royal Court. During our negotiations I subtly proposed to him the possibility of a marriage between me and his daughter Margaery." Steffon stopped to see his reaction, but Arianne didn't say anything, deciding to let him finish the story. Steffon smiled. "He said, he was flattered by my proposal, but he told me that he had other plans for his precious daughter. Which I assume involve my brother Joffrey." Arianne snorted, feeling sorry for the poor girl who had the misfortune of marrying Joffrey. "So, I accepted his decision and left saying goodbye politely. When I returned to King's Landing, I had already ordered the best carpenters in the city to build me two boxes, one for a man at least two meters tall and very robust and another box for a normal-sized man, so I just had to remove them and put them on my ship. The only thing left for me to do was to ask my father to allow Ser Barristan to accompany me to Lannisport."
He stood up from the rock he was sitting on and stood in front of her looking into her eyes. "If I wanted to marry the Golden Rose of Highgarden, I would have shown the Tyrells this book and told them the same thing I told you, your father, and your uncle. Once Mace Tyrell and the Queen of Thorns had known that I was Robert Baratheon's true heir, they wouldn't have minded if I and Margaery Tyrell were married right then and there. But I decided not to show or reveal anything to them. Let my mother and the rest of the kingdoms believe what they want, it doesn't matter. It's better this way. What matters is that I chose you."
Arianne looked him in the eyes with a neutral expression "Why?" She couldn't help but ask, considering the goals of her betrothed, the Tyrells were better allies than the Martell's, militarily speaking, with the most fertile and populated land of the Seven Kingdoms.
"Because we both want the same thing." he answered him, with a determined tone. "Revenge against House Lannister, you and your family for what my grandfather's animals did to your aunt and her children. And me, for trying to steal what belongs to me by right. Also, because I know that my mother's family will destroy the Kingdom as we know it, she and my grandfather have an insatiable hunger for power along with my brother's stupidity and madness, it will make it worse. But the most important thing is because unlike the Tyrells whose only loyalty they really know is their own ambition; your family has a code of honor that now, it is strengthened by our common interests, which is why I know that our alliance will work and will be best for the Kingdom."
Arianne lifted the left corner of her lip in a small smile. "I told you that being Queen wasn't something that interested me."
Steffon smiled as he noticed her playful tone. "I think your exact words were: 'Me, married to Viserys, that's not a prospect that appeals to me.' " Arianne laughed. "So, I figured what you didn't want, was to have to marry him. So being my Queen would be a nice prospect for you."
Arianne lifted the right corner of her lip, giving her a full smile. "You assume too much don't you think?"
The young prince Baratheon laughed "I have that defect." He brought her face close to his and took her hands. "So, Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell. Would you be my Queen?"
Arianne wrapped her arms around his neck. "No more secrets."
"No more secrets, from now on I will tell you everything you want to know." Steffon said wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Very well, then I accept your proposal my King."
"Thank you, my Queen." He said with a big smile, and then approached her lips and gave her a passionate kiss that she was quick to respond.
Dragonstone 298 AC.
Alysanne Hightower
The Lady of Dragonstone would have said that she was surprised to see her beloved nephew Steffon in the company of the Martell family, but thanks to the letter she received from her husband a couple of days earlier, notifying her of their upcoming guests, this was not the case.
After her nephew and her future wife's family were accommodated in the castle, Alysanne ordered the cooks to prepare a lamb for dinner, she was grateful for the shipment of food they received from Oldtown a week ago. Despite the efforts of the island's shepherds, they still could not produce enough food to feed everyone in the castle without the help of food from the ships.
She ordered her son Edric and her daughter Shireen to bath and get ready for dinner. It didn't take long for Alysanne to notice how her nephew took Princess Arianne to the beach to talk. She also saw that Steffon had a book with him. She was surprised to see that Prince Tommen had a lion cub with him.
When it was time for dinner, Prince Oberyn and his paramour Ellaria were surprised when she invited Oberyn's daughters to dine with them. They probably believed that she would treat them less because of her bastard status. Dinner was quite pleasant; Shireen hounded her cousin with questions about his upcoming wedding. While Edric spoke to Prince Oberyn regarding his skill with the spear and at the same time blushed when one of the prince's daughters named Nymeria offered to practice with him while smiling at him with a mischievous smile, Alysanne was worried of that. Myrcella and Tommen remained quieted. Apparently, they were still tired from their trip.
Alysanne also noticed how her nephew and Princess Arianne smiled and flirted with each other, giving each other kisses on the cheek or whispering in each other's ears. She smiled at that, remembering the serious and sad ten-year-old boy who had arrived on the island of Dragonstone four years ago.
The Lady of Dragonstone was walking through the halls of the castle looking for her husband, until finally finding him in his council room, looking at the map of Westeros on the carved stone table, with small wooden ships on it.
'He is probably thinking about how to kill the pirates that have appeared near Oldtown.' Alysanne had heard that some of them were deserters from the Iron Islands who had decided to start a new life away from those horrible islands after of their failed Rebellion.
'I wonder if he is in contact with my father and brothers.'
"You need something." He said looking at her, taking her out of her thoughts.
"Yes, I would like us to talk about Steffon."
He looked at her surprised. "Has the boy given you problems?"
Alysanne surprised him with the way her husband said 'boy'. "Of course not." she said quickly. "And that boy is your nephew, have you forgotten?"
She heard Stannis grind his teeth. Many times, she wondered humorously how his teeth had not fallen out yet. "What's wrong with him then?"
"I went to see him in his room, to see how he was, I found him reading." She said that last bit with a smile, but Stannis looked at her confused. "After telling him to go to sleep, I tucked him in and kissed him on the forehead, he hugged me like no one had ever done that for him."
"You're not wrong about that, wife." Her husband said with a serious face, which for some reason reminded him of the blue-eyed boy he had seen a few moments ago. "He told me that the Queen has never been very affectionate towards him."
"But… he is her son." she said disconcerted.
"Yes, but he looks too much like his father for the Queen's liking." Alysanne did not question what her husband meant by that, remembering how Robert had almost soiled his wedding bed with one of her maids on her wedding day, luckily Jon Arryn stopped him before he could enter the room. He didn't care that the Queen was present. He embarrassed her in front of all her their guests.
"And what about your brother?"
"My brother enjoys making children, but after they are born, they become a nuisance to him." That was another thing she couldn't refute, being aware of the two black-haired, blue-eyed girls who had been sent to Storm's End because of her Baratheon blood. "His legitimate children are not much different to him. Although I must admit that he likes Steffon's rapid advancement with weapons."
"So, the poor boy doesn't have a father figure, much less a mother figure." she said, which made her husband look at her more confused than before. So, she decided to get him out of her confusion. "Tell me my love, why do you think Steffon preferred to come with you, then go to Storm's End with Renly?"
"He told Robert that he wanted to see the legendary Dragonstone Castle." he answered simply.
She laughed "You're very smart about some things husband, but very blind about others." Alysanne saw her husband's face turn red and upset, which amused her. "He came here, because he wanted to spend time with you, because he sees in you the father that he doesn't have in Robert."
Stannis became thoughtful, apparently that was the last thing on his mind. 'Of course, he thinks like that, people always preferred Robert over him. Even Renly'.
"I've never been the fatherliest person." her husband said quietly.
"Edric and Shireen disagree with that statement. I'm know that you're better than your brother." she assured him. "Just as I can affirm that you are a much better husband than him."
"Your words honor me, dear wife." Stannis said with a small smile. Alysanne smiled, feeling proud for having been able to soften the iron personality of her husband, years ago. "But I don't know exactly how to do that."
Alysanne sighed. "Talk to him from time to time, try to give him advice." Stannis became thoughtful. "Just because Robert doesn't appreciate your advice, doesn't mean that his son is the same as him. In fact, I think he's a very intelligent child. If that weren't the case, Tywin Lannister wouldn't want him as desperately as his heir. " Stannis frowned, obviously feeling uncomfortable at the prospect of Steffon becoming another Tywin Lannister.
"Alright I will do it." Stannis said, making Alysanne smile.
"There's something else I wanted to talk to you about." She looked into his eyes. "What is your opinion regarding the foreign woman who came with him? The one called Lady Melisandre."
"She is his tutor," Stannis replied simply, but since she was expecting something more, he continued. "She is teaching him Valyrian language, and about her knowledge of the Free Cities and other cultures."
"That's all?"
"I don't know where you're going with this?"
"She is a foreigner." she said with determination. "Encouraging a foreign religion. And there's something about it that makes me uneasy."
"She has knowledge about magic." Stannis said. "Especially with that related to fire." She became restless, something that Stannis noticed and rushed to calm her down. "But we have nothing to worry about, she has assured me that she will not try to convert anyone to her religion. Nor that she has any bad intentions towards our family either."
Alysanne was surprised at how quickly her husband dismissed her concerns about the red woman. But then she remembered that he had stopped believing in gods a long time ago. 'I stopped believing in gods the day I saw my parents' ship; the Windproud break across the bay. Any god monstrous enough to drown my mother and father would never have my worship, I swore.' He had told her shortly after her wedding. "And you believe her?" He asked, her husband was not someone whose trust he blindly gave.
"I know very well when someone lies to me." Stannis said with determination.
"And where did you get this great ability my love." She said smiling and raising an eyebrow.
"You get it after spending so much time in that viper nest of King's Landing." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Alysanne said nothing, remembering her family history and thinking that her husband was right. "Don't take too long, my love." She said, approaching and placing a kiss on her lips and then giving her a loving smile. "My bed feels very cold without you." And she went to her room.
From that day on, her nephew became her husband's squire, serving him as his cupbearer at meetings and even advising him from time to time on how to relate to his vassals. Even during a meeting with the lords of Narrow Sea, the boy suggested to his uncle a trade with the Free Cities of Essos. Those deals helped increase the wealth of the Lord of Dragonstone and his vassals, as did the deals between the Stormlands, The Reach, and White Harbor that the young prince had discussed with his younger uncle Renly during his short time in King's Landing before coming to Dragonstone. At the age of eleven, the young prince helped Stannis, designing new ships after he discovered a treasure, in Dragonstone that helped him build them.
For his twelfth name day, his two uncles had given him two great gifts. Stannis gave him his own ship, which it was one that the young prince had help him design, he named The Fury. Renly gave him a large chest of gold from the profits of the trades between the three Kingdoms and promised to continue giving him a small amount each month as a product of his profits.
The young prince had surprised everyone by using the gold to finance his own company of soldiers, even bringing a mercenary knight from Essos to train them. According to what Alysanne had heard, the prince's soldiers numbered about five hundred men.
Her son Edric and Steffon had become inseparable during her nephew's time at Dragonstone, playing together, practicing with the sword, bow and the spear, the young prince had even gotten her son to take his lessons more seriously, something she and Stannis had not been able to achieve. His daughter had also become very attached to her cousin, as they both shared a love for book reading.
Even after the young prince left Dragonstone, he made sure to stay in touch with her and her cousins, sending letters, as well as gifts for their name days. The lady of Dragonstone was taken out of her thoughts by her nephew.
"Aunt Alysanne."
"Forgive me, dear." she said smiling. "Did you say something?"
"Yeah." He smiled back. "I wanted to tell you that Arianne and I are tired and we're going to go to our rooms."
"Very good." she said smiling. He got up from her seat, gave her a kiss on the cheek and disappeared from the room with her betrothed. Alysanne watched as one of Prince Oberyn's daughters, the one with blonde hair, also got up from her seat, to follow Steffon and Arianne.
Shortly after, Edric also asked permission to get up from the table along with Shireen, Prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella. Alysanne once again noticed that a girl named Nymeria followed her son, which worried her again.
Realizing that only she and Prince Oberyn and his lover remained at the table she decided to be more hospitable to them. "Prince Oberyn, would you and Lady Ellaria like to join me with a glass of Dornish wine in the council chamber?"
"Of course, my lady." said the prince of Dorne smiling. "Although I would like to know why that wine was not served at dinner."
She laughed. "I didn't want the young people to get drunk during dinner." The three laughed and headed to the council room.
"Ah the famous stone carved with the map of Westeros." said Prince Oberyn touching the stone table. "Where Aegon the Conqueror planned the conquest of the Seven Kingdoms."
"Everyone admires her the first time they see it." she commented, pouring three glasses of wine.
"Of course they do." Prince Oberyn said, sitting down and receiving the glass of wine. "After all this is a legendary castle." He and his paramour took a sip of wine. "Although I guess it can get a little tedious sometimes."
"Do you prefer the capital's viper's nest court?" she asked him, arching an eyebrow. She certainly didn't, always preferring the tranquility that the island of Dragonstone gave her and her children, I had enough court intrigue in my home, she thought. Remembering her childhood in Oldtown.
"Of course not." said the Dornish prince. "That city smells like shit and you can't even walk through the Red Keep without someone watching you at all times." He smiled. "Although part of the capital's court has already been cleaned."
"Yes, I've heard about that." she said taking a sip of wine. "The two most corrupt people in the capital were put to death."
"And all thanks to the Prince of Storms." Ellaria said. "Your husband Lord Stannis seemed quite pleased with his nephew's actions."
Alysanne smiled at her. "My husband was responsible for instilling in him the importance of justice and duty when he was his ward."
"Yes, Lord Stannis, the most upright man in the Seven Kingdoms." Prince Oberyn said, trying to sound mocking. "It's hard to imagine him married to a woman as beautiful and friendly as you."
Alysanne raised an eyebrow, she noticed that Ellaria smiled at the prince's words. Is he trying to flirt with me or provoke me? She decided to play along, to her own way.
"Tell me Prince Oberyn, have you ever been to Oldtown?"
"I studied at the..." he started to say, but she didn't let him finish.
"Yes, in the Citadel for a couple of years." Alysanne said finishing her words for him. "I'm quite aware of that. I suppose that's where you managed to consolidate your title of the Red Viper of Dorne."
"I didn't know you knew me so well, my lady." Oberyn told him amused.
"I know many things." she said with a smile. "But I guess you don't know much about the customs of Oldtown. Or about how parents educate or rather expect of their daughters." She took a big sip of wine. "Most of the nobles of Oldtown, especially the Hightowers, teach their daughters to pray a lot and be the perfect ladies and obedient wives." She took another sip of wine. "Even if our future husbands are old enough to be our fathers or are unpleasant to look at and behave like pigs. In my case, I consider that I was very lucky, my husband is only five years older than me, he is pleasant to look at and he knows how to behave with a woman." She carried the cup proud of it.
Prince Oberyn returned the gesture. "And he is a good father. Prince Steffon said that he considers him more of a father than the King." She noticed that the prince wanted to say something else but he didn't say it.
Alysanne smiled at that. "My brother-in-law the King has many attributes, fatherhood unfortunately is not one of them."
Prince Oberyn laughed. "Yes of course, getting drunk and fucking with prostitutes and maids every day must be difficult."
"Many men have those particular qualities, my brothers for example." This made Prince Oberyn and Ellaria look at her curiously. "They both fathered children with maids at the age of fifteen."
"Where are they now?" Prince Oberyn asked curiously, taking a sip of wine.
"The maids are in this castle, as are my nieces." His words surprised the prince and his lover. "I understand the meaning of the family, Prince Oberyn, the true meaning, not the nonsense that the septas teach. No child is responsible for the sins of their parents. That is something that I made my husband understand too, that is why at least two of King Robert's bastard daughters live comfortably in Storm's End under my husband orders."
Ellaria smiled at her words. "You are an intelligent woman, Lady Alysanne."
"Thank you, Lady Ellaria."
'I wonder where Lynesse is now?' Alysanne thought, remembering how her sister married the Lord of Bear Island, but later they fled to Essos, when her husband sold her to poachers as slaves. 'The last thing my brothers told me is that she left her husband and became the concubine of the merchant Tregar Ormollen.'
"It's a shame that not everyone thinks like you, my lady." said Prince Oberyn taking her out of her thoughts and apparently remembering something that made him laugh. "Though Dorne we are quite open about it both in our marriages and in our pleasures and we are not ashamed of it."
"Let's drink to that then." She returned to pour wine for both of them. "For the pleasures of life then." The three raised their glasses and toasted.
"Do you think that's why your nephew, Prince Steffon, chose my niece as his wife?" said the prince with a mischievous smile.
"Don't know." She said arching her eyebrow. "Was it for that? Although I wonder: How did my nephew the prince convince your brother, the ruling prince of Dorne, to let him marry his daughter and heir, being him the son of Robert Baratheon and grandson of Tywin Lannister. What was that what he offered you?"
Prince Oberyn put on a big smile. "Your husband asked me the same question." Prince Oberyn rose from his seat as did his lover. "And I will tell you the same thing I told him: 'Ask your nephew.'" He took her hand and kissed it. "Good night my lady." And with that said Prince Oberyn and his paramour left the room.
Well, that was interesting she thought. Tomorrow she would have a talk with her nephew regarding her alliance with the Martell, there was something else there. She finished her last drink of wine and she went to her room to reread the letter from her husband and to think about what she would ask the cooks to prepare for dinner tomorrow, it was Steffon's name day after all.
Dragonstone 298 AC.
Oberyn Martell
Prince Oberyn Martell was now on the beach of Dragonstone training with the young prince Baratheon. He used his spear, while the young prince used his two-handed sword.
Last night after finishing his interesting conversation with the Lady of Dragonstone, he and Ellaria went to their chambers, taking one of the maids with them to enjoy the night.
In the morning Oberyn saw his daughter Nymeria leaving Edric Baratheon's room, apparently the Sand Snake took the young deer's virginity. Oberyn and Ellaria laughed at that.
Today was the young prince's name day and the gift he asked Oberyn was to train with him until they were both exhausted.
Oberyn had to admit that the Prince of Storms had greatly improved his skill with the sword, his daily practice with Ser Barristan, Loras Tyrell and the friendly confrontations he had with multiple men at once had paid off for him. Steffon now managed to keep his attacks at bay, even managing to return them or dodge them quite nimbly. He has been following my advices. Oberyn thought with amusement, but even he had to admit that he had never seen a young man train as much as Steffon Baratheon did.
The height that the young prince had as well as his well-built physique was something that he had apparently developed due to seeing him working on his martial skill since he was four years old.
They both walked away to take a breath, seeing the sweat running down their foreheads, and then attacked each other again.
The Red Viper of Dorne jumped, turning her body, which took Prince Baratheon by surprise. Oberyn attacked him and although Steffon managed to block his initial attack, the Dornish prince managed to overcome him and make him lower his sword and then hit him in the face with his spear, knocking him to the ground.
If the spear had been sharp, it would have gouged out his eye. Oberyn thought and helped him to his feet.
"I think that's enough for today." Oberyn said agitatedly, after helping him to his feet. "My niece will be upset if I put another bruise on your pretty face."
Steffon laughed "You're right, I don't want to have marks on my face for my wedding day." They both laughed and the prince took a drink of water. Another thing he discovered about him is that he rarely drank wine, apparently, he only drank it at dinner and after his amorous activities according to his daughter Tyene. The fact that his father is a drunken pig made him quite reluctant to drink I suppose.
Oberyn looked at the young prince in front of him and decided to ask him a question to which he already suspected the answer "Why do you push yourself so hard during your training?" Steffon looked at him agitated "Are you preparing for some war or to face someone during the Tournament on your wedding day perhaps?" Oberyn looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
Steffon smiled "You already know the answer to that."
"Why did he threaten to kill you?" Oberyn asked curiously, but Steffon didn't say anything. "I doubt it was because you caught him with your mother, if so, he would have cut your throat while you were sleeping."
"You're not wrong about that." Steffon sighed and began to tell the story.
Prince Steffon was walking through the halls of Castely Rock, they had already been on the Rock for a week. Soon his mother, his uncle Jaime, and his brothers Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen would leave and he would remain here to be his grandfather's ward and heir. He felt a little sad about that since he would miss Myrcella and little Tommen, although not Joffrey, his twin brother was becoming more and more unpleasant as they grew up. He wouldn't miss his mother either, 'she doesn't love me' he thought holding back a tear.
As he passed by his mother's room, he heard some moans so he approached the door.
"Jaime, stop, Jaime, not now." It was his mother's voice; it had a pleading tone. "I said stop it!"
"Why?" It was his uncle's Jaime voice it's sounded upset. "There is nobody here."
"It doesn't matter." said his mother. "Someone could come. Besides, I didn't call you here for that."
'They are...' Steffon thought, remembering what he had seen them do in King's Landing.
"Then for what?" his uncle asked, exasperation. "Because I thought you called me here to make another child." he said laughing.
Steffon heard his mother slap him, but his uncle just laughed again.
"Our son Joffrey is more than enough." His mother said and Steffon froze, Joffrey was... "Although I admit that Myrcella and Tommen were pleasant surprises." Steffon was about to scream but he put his hands over his mouth to keep quiet. Myrcella and Tommen too? "I want to talk about Steffon," she said, which surprised him.
His uncle laughed. "Since when do you care about the child. You hate him"
Steffon heard his mother slap him again. "He is my son." Steffon was surprised to hear that, she had never referred to him as her son, she only called him by his name. "Even if he has the wrong father." Once again Steffon felt his heart beat very strongly, and he had to make a great effort not to say anything. "Steffon has been spending too much time with Tyrion."
"And?" His uncle said confused. "He spends time with Tyrion reading and they ride occasionally. I don't see anything wrong with that."
"How long until I take him to a brothel or make him drink as much as him?" Her mother sounded upset, but his uncle just laughed at her words. "Or worse that he marries a whore like Tyrion did."
"Don't say that." Now his uncle sounded upset.
"Why not?" his mother laughed. "It's the truth, he married a whore and shamed our family."
"Tysha wasn't a whore."
"That was her name?" Her mother asked with a mocking tone. "It sounds like the name of a whore."
"SHE WASN'T A WHORE!" His uncle roared, and I hear him walking around the room. "That was just a lie that Father made me tell him." His uncle sounded sad. "She was just a peasant girl we crossed paths with by chance. She really loved Tyrion, I could see it in her eyes, when Father found out that Tyrion married her..." her uncle's voice I was hoarse. "I thought Father would just annul the marriage. I never thought he would turn her in to her guards and force Tyrion to watch as she was raped."
Once again Steffon was left speechless, barely processing what he had just heard, his mother said something laughing but he didn't pay attention, he couldn't understand 'how grandfather could have done something so horrible to uncle Tyrion?'
Suddenly Steffon sneezed and then the door of the room opened. Both his mother and his uncle looked at him surprised.
"Steffon." his mother said, forcing a smile. "What were you doing out there?"
"Who is Tysha?" was the first thing he thought to ask.
Her mother sighed and then had a smile of relief on her face. "She's nobody..." her mother started to say with a smile, but when she saw the look of panic on his uncle's face and then he tried to grab him but Steffon ran away, with his uncle chasing him.
Steffon heard his mother scream his uncle's name as he ran, his uncle finally caught up with him and pushed him against the wall.
"If you tell anyone what you just heard, I will kill you. " The Kingslayer warned to his six-year-old nephew who was looking at him terrified, "Do you understand, boy? "
"Y... Yes," the boy responded, trembling, while his uncle grabbed him by his shirt with his right hand, while holding a dagger with his left hand surrounding the boy's neck.
After looking at him for a few seconds and being sure that the boy was not lying, he let him go and left.
"Years later, shortly before I had to return to King's Landing, my uncle Tyrion told me the story of his first wife, whom he married when he was thirteen years old." Prince Steffon continued. "He still thinks she was just a whore, who was paid by his brother to sleep with him and lose his virginity. My uncle Jaime put a dagger to my throat and threatened to kill me because he knows, that my uncle Tyrion would hate him forever if he knew the truth that the only woman who ever loved him was raped by an entire barracks of guards. And because he probably fears he would do something worse." The Prince of Storms finished his story by drinking another drink of water.
Oberyn was once again speechless. "Your grandfather really is the worst kind of person." he said finally.
"My mother's hateful and contemptuous personality toward everyone, she learned it by watching him and trying to emulate him. My uncle Tyrion became a promiscuous alcoholic because of what he did to him when he was only thirteen years old. My great-aunt, Genna, once told me that the best part of him died with my grandmother Johanna Lannister." Prince Baratheon responded, agreeing with him. "Tell me Oberyn. If your own father had done something like that to you, what would you have done?"
"I would have killed Him." Oberyn answered without hesitation, still disgusted by the story he had just heard. "Why didn't you tell your uncle?" 'If the imp is as smart as he says. He could destroy the Lannister family from within.' Oberyn thought with a smile.
"Twice I asked him if he knew anything about my mother and the Kingslayer that he hadn't told me. And twice he lied to my face." the young prince answered, annoyed. "Why should I tell him the truth when he's been lying to me the whole time?" The prince stood up from where he was sitting. "Why I should tell him the truth when he continues to keep my mother's lies even though she despised him since he was born." Oberyn snorted, remembering his first visit to Castely Rock when he was a teenager, the Baratheon prince continued. "And my brother Joffrey treats him the same and yet he continues to support him as the true heir to the Throne."
"But if you told him..." Oberyn began. "I'm sure he would..." Steffon gave him a mischievous smile, Oberyn looked at him confused until he finally understood what the prince meant. "You want me to tell him."
"Who better to do it than the man who hates the Lannister family the most?'" the young prince said with a smile still on his face. "You will tell him that in exchange for revealing the whole truth to the realm about his brothers when the time comes, he will be forgiven for his betrayal for hiding it for so many years."
"What do you have planned exactly?" Oberyn asked with interest.
"After my wedding I will speak to my father and Jon Arryn about giving you a place on the Small Council, as a sign of Dorne's acceptance into the Royal Fold." Prince Baratheon began. "I'm sure the two of them will accept my suggestion, after all I was the one who helped them put an end to the corruption in the capital and I already warned Jon Arryn, my uncle Stannis and Ser Barristan Selmy about a possible betrayal on the part of My mother, Pycelle and Varys. So, I'm sure they'll welcome you into their little circle. Once my uncle Tyrion finds out the truth about what my grandfather and the Kingslayer did to him, he'll turn against his siblings immediately." Oberyn became thoughtful as he tried to reason about the plan, after a moment he looked at Steffon who continued. "Ser Asher Forrester is in command of the City Watch with a force of two thousand four hundred men who are loyal only to me now, while I am on this island they are following my orders to discreetly eliminate my mother's spies and assassins in the city, as well as those who collaborate with Varys and had collaborated with Littlefinger and Janos Slynt. Many of those collaborators are murders and thieves, people whose deaths will not be noticed or miss in the capital, perhaps even making things better in the city. With the Small Council made up of an Arryn, two Baratheons, a Martell and a Lannister who hates his family, securing our position will be very easy."
"What if something unexpected happened to your father? You yourself told us that your mother despises him and that the Kingslayer would do anything she asked to him."
The Prince of Storms still had a smile on his face. "In the worst-case scenario that something happens to my father, you will have the book that I show you and your brother when I arrive in Dorne, I will give it to you when you go to the capital, so that you can show it to the members of the Small Council, if my father dies, his Council and the rest of the Kingdom will know the truth. My mother and the Kingslayer only have two hundred Lannister soldiers in the capital, with the Arryn soldiers, Baratheon, Martell and the City Watch, it will be very easy to take out their men and arrest them along with Joffrey."
"You really thoughtful about everything don't you?" Oberyn asked, impressed.
"A good plan takes a lot of time to be carried out correctly. I started planning it when I was six years old." The young prince took another drink of water. "But the most important thing is to make sure you know everyone involved very well."
"And what about your grandfather?" Prince Oberyn asked curiously, knowing that the Old Lion was the real threat of House Lannister.
"If my uncle Tyrion agrees to join us, we will have not only the testimony of a member of the Lannister Family, but also the book as proof, as well as what I already mentioned about the physical characteristics of my bastard brothers regardless of their mother. My grandfather will have no way of denying the truth, and if he decides to declare war, he will be alone without allies, the North, the Vale and the Riverlands will never join him and he will not have anything to offer the Tyrells to obtain their support, Joffrey will be imprisoned in King's Landing and Myrcella and Tommen will be under my protection."
It is a good plan. Oberyn thought. But I'll have to talk to Doran about this first. Oberyn came up with an idea that he would discuss with his brother when he saw him at the wedding of his niece and the prince.
Hearing the prince mention his brothers, Oberyn thought of something he had forgotten to ask the young prince when they were in Dorne. "What about Tommen and Myrcella?" The young Baratheon's face became serious. "Do you understand that if you manage to unmask your mother and the Kingslayer, the lives of those two children you love so much will also change?"
"When I am King, I will legitimize them, I will be the highest authority in Westeros, and I will make sure that no one questions that decision." The boy answered simply, although Oberyn suspected that he had something else planned, but he did not press him about it.
Oberyn remained thoughtful as the prince looked at him expectantly. "Well, I don't know about you but I'm going to take a bath, I'm sweaty, plus you gave me enough to think about." He said after several moments of silence, standing up from where he was sitting. "Besides, I'm hungry." The young prince just laughed and stood there while Oberyn left.
Back at the castle Oberyn took a bath accompanied by Ellaria, then the two of them had lunch alone, their daughters apparently were scattered exploring the castle. After finishing eating, he sent for them and waited for them along with Ellaria, on one of the stone stairs outside the castle, away from any curious ears.
The paranoia of Doran and the Prince of Storms is rubbing off on me. Oberyn thought laughing.
When his daughters arrived, he explained that they would stay with Arianne in Storm's End after the wedding, while he and Ellaria went to King's Landing.
"Why should we stay in the Baratheon castle?" her daughter Obara asked with exasperation. "Arianne will be more than safe there, the capital on the other hand is a nest of treacherous vipers, you will need us there."
Oberyn laughed "I am the most dangerous of all the vipers Obara, don't forget that." He said looking at his eldest daughter. "Besides, I won't be alone, Ellaria will be with me." Then he kisses his lover. "I will have two hundred soldiers from Dorne with me and let's not forget that the Commander of the City Watch works for the Prince of Storms."
"You have a plan, don't you?" Nymeria asked with a mischievous smile, crossing her arms. "Put a crown on the Prince of Storms' head and another on Arianne's head, perhaps?"
Oberyn raised an eyebrow at her daughter, impressed at her daughter's audacity to say such a thing, even though they couldn't be heard.
"We may not be able to hear what you and Uncle Doran talked about father, but we're not stupid." Tyene said smiling and putting a lock of blonde hair behind her ear, Oberyn now noticed that her daughter had longer hair. "We still have eyes and they are as observant as a falcon. The fact that you three always look for a private place to talk and that Uncle Doran would accept the proposal of a Baratheon prince so quickly is also quite suspicious and I assure you that Arianne also had his suspicions."
"Did she...?" Oberyn began to ask.
"Arianne didn't tell me anything." Tyene clarified. "But I watched her and Steffon while they were talking." Oberyn, Nymeria and Ellaria snorted and smiled as they heard Tyene call Prince Baratheon by her name, she ignored them and continued speaking. "And curiously while they were talking, he showed Arianne a book which she began to read and it left her quite surprised. Similar to when you and our dear uncle spoke with him in Dorne and he showed you the same book I presume."
Oberyn said nothing and looked at his three daughters intently, then smiled. "I'm glad to see that my dear girls are still as alert as ever." They smiled at her words, but then Oberyn gave them a stern look. "I will only tell you that what I and your uncle are doing is for the best interests of Dorne and House Martell, and to finally have justice for Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon. Their murderers might be dead, but the minds behind it are not, yet."
"And the Prince of Storms?" Obara asked, raising an eyebrow.
"He is our ally, our friend and soon our family." Tyene smiled at his words. "But there are things that even him doesn't need to know." His daughters looked at him with curiosity. "Things I'll discuss with your Uncle Doran when I see him at Arianne's wedding." His daughters said nothing, so Oberyn continued. "The only thing I require of you for now is your obedience, the three of you will remain in Storm's End with Arianne, after she gets married, do you understand?"
"Yes father." all three answered at the same time.
"Good." He told them smiling. "You will help her with everything she needs and when the time comes, we will all be together in King's Landing." The three Sand Snakes nodded and then began to leave but their father spoke to them. "One last thing, any suspicions you have, keep them to yourself for now, remember that there are curious ears everywhere and we never know who may be listening." His daughters nodded and then left.
After her daughters left, Ellaria took his hands and looked him in the eyes. "Oberyn, what you and Doran are planning..." Ellaria started to say, but Oberyn didn't let her finish.
"Trust me, my love. I know what we are doing." Oberyn said and then kissed her. "I will be careful and patient, I promise."
Ellaria laughed. "You've never had those two qualities." She began to caress his chest with her hand. "You've always been impulsive and reckless."
Oberyn laughed and pulled her towards him by grabbing her waist to kiss her. "It's true, but this time it's the future of Dorne that's at stake, I can't bring myself to be reckless." he told her after separating from her, so Ellaria gave him a small smile, letting him understand that she trusted his words from her.
Oberyn and Ellaria continued walking around the outskirts of Dragonstone Castle. After a while they saw Lady Alysanne and Maester Cressen standing on the wall observing something. The two joined them and saw Prince Steffon and his cousin Edric sparring between them, both used two-handed swords, the boy Tommen was also there watching the fight with a smile on his face while feeding his lion cub a piece of meat.
The Lady of Dragonstone and the old Maester had a smile on their faces as they watched the two young Baratheons fight.
They look like a proud mother and grandfather. Oberyn thought wistfully.
"Your son is very skilled for his age, my lady." Oberyn said, watching how Edric Baratheon managed to keep the Prince of Storms' attacks at bay.
"Yes, it is." Alysanne told him proudly. "He has the fighting spirit of the Baratheon."
"And their vigor in the bedroom according to my daughter Nymeria." Lady Alysanne looked at him with annoyance on her face but he and Ellaria laughed.
"I just hope I don't have any unexpected surprises in a couple of months." she told him sternly.
"We Dornish are passionate people, not careless." Oberyn said smiling at him.
"Good." she simply answered.
"How old is your son Lady Alysanne?" Ellaria asked him after observing how the heir of Dragonstone was able to return the attacks on her cousin.
"Thirteen years old, but he'll be fourteen in four months."
"It's rare to see boys so skilled at such a young age." Ellaria said watching the fight.
"Steffon has always had a natural talent with the sword and has always shared with Edric his practice methods. Even sending him ravens with advice on how to best train his swordsmanship." Lady Alysanne said with a smile that Ellaria returned.
"That is something good." said a voice with a musical tone. The four of them turned around to see Lady Melisandre walking towards them. "Their martial and leadership skills will be of great importance in the Great War to come."
"My lady." Oberyn said flirtatiously looking her up and down, still impressed with the woman's beauty. Oberyn noticed that Lady Alysanne also greeted the red woman but she did so with some caution while the old Maester seemed scared.
Red's woman approached them and began to observe with a smile the two Baratheon cousins while they trained, she even looked at the boy Tommen with curiosity.
"Before I came here, I had two visions in the flames." The woman in red began to say, while she looked at the children who were on the beach. "In the first I saw war break out in all the Kingdoms after the mad lion executed the honorable wolf. Then the Young Wolf faced the Golden Lion and his father, while the Serious Stag and the Jovial Stag fought each other and the Kraken invaded the lands of the wolves and after getting bored of that he began to invade the lands of the Roses. Everything was fire, blood, destruction, betrayal and madness." Oberyn noted the sadness in his voice and saw that Ellaria, the old Maester, and Lady Baratheon were looking intently at the red woman. "Finally, when the Long Night came, there was no way to stop it, there were not enough men to fight it, not even with the help of the fire beasts flying in the sky." Oberyn almost smiled remembering the vision the red woman showed him and her brother in Dorne. "But then I had another vision, a baby with black hair and blue eyes, who grew up to join the wolves, lions, roses, stags, falcons, fishes and the red sun against The Great Other and The Long Night. The boy with blue eyes and black hair He was accompanied by another boy with similar features and a blonde boy with green eyes, the three joined the Young Wolf and his brother The White Wolf. All together accompanied by the winged beasts that spit fire they managed to finish off The Great Other and put an end to the Long Night."
The four were stunned by the red woman's words, Oberyn noticed that Maester Cressen was trembling.
"That is an extraordinary story, Lady Melisandre." Lady Alysanne said somewhat cautiously.
The woman in red raised her eyebrows at the lady of Dragonstone. "It's not a story Lady Alysanne, it's what awaits us." The red woman said as if she were the most obvious thing in the world. "Although first there will be another war to fight. But that war will end quickly and with few deaths in comparison."
"War against whom?" Ellaria asked curiously.
Red's woman didn't respond, she just smiled.
"We don't believe in such witchcraft here!" the old maester said gruffly.
The woman in red looked at the old maester and walked towards him, making him more nervous.
"You're scared of me?" She said touching the old man's face. "Do you want to stop me?" but the old maester could not speak, it was as if he were paralyzed. "I am not your enemy. I have no intention of hurting any of your loved ones." The maester still didn't say anything. "Steffon, Edric, Stannis and Renly, they are all safe. But each of them will have to fight when the Great War comes.". Oberyn noted that the woman named only four of the Baratheon men, not mentioning the Whoremonger King.
She continued to watch the two young Baratheons fight, until Steffon managed to disarm his cousin Edric. the red woman smiled "Impressive, isn't it?" She said looking at the four of them. "How the birth of a single person can alter the course of history in an unimaginable way." and with that said the red woman left.
"That woman gives me chills." said Lady Alysanne. Oberyn found it strange that she didn't comment further. Did the red woman show a vision in the flames to her too? Oberyn wondered.
"I think she is a very interesting woman." Oberyn said with a big smile on his face.
Author Note:
Hello, I apologize for the long wait, but my computer broke and it took me four weeks to fix it. But then I was too busy with my work to update.
In the next chapter we say goodbye to Dragonstone, we go to Storm's End where preparations for Steffon and Arianne's wedding begin and we will look a little at the situation in King's Landing now that Lysa Arryn's betrayal is exposed; Littlefinger and Janos Slynt are dead. The Starks will appear in that chapter.
I hope to read your reviews, to know what you think of the story so far.
And my actor options for the new characters are:
Asa Butterfield for Edric Baratheon
Louise Lombard for Alysanne Hightower