Disclaimer: I do not own Elder Scrolls or A Song of Ice and Fire. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 25
Dorne 297 AC
The footsteps of three people echoed through one of the corridors of Sunspear Castle. This corridor led directly to the personal solar of Prince Doran Martell. The three people in the group were: Prince Oberyn, who had been sent by his brother to fetch Jon, as he wanted to speak with him to see if the young bastard could be useful in preventing relations with the throne from cooling even further, and thus avoid problems for the time being. Additionally, he had also been sent to find out how Jon's meeting with his maternal relatives had gone. The second was Aero, who had received orders from Prince Doran to go with his brother and support him in case any incident requiring the drawing of swords arose. Finally, the last was Jon himself, who walked with some caution, as he did not know why he had been brought.
Although the mind of the bastard of Winterfell was full of doubts, he did not express them, as he knew that the person who could best answer his questions was Prince Doran, not Oberyn. So, thinking about what strategy to use to learn as much as possible about the plans and the hidden motive behind this tournament, he stayed silent.
"Well, we've arrived." said Aero upon reaching a double oak door.
"Alright." replied Jon, while looking at the door.
"Let's go in, let's not keep my brother waiting too long." said Oberyn, approaching the door and opening it, allowing everyone to enter.
As they entered, a shadow watched from the end of the corridor, a shadow that seemed unnoticed by anyone, but that Jon could feel, showing it as a woman.
Inside the room, Doran was seated in his wheelchair but remained behind his desk. The desk was made of fine wood, polished and adorned with intricate carvings. On it rested several rolled-up scrolls, account books, and some sealed letters, all carefully organized and classified. This was because Doran, when at the castle, spent hours immersed in his work, reviewing his finances, his levies, and the territories of his vassals.
Letting out a sigh, the Prince of Dorne looked up at the ceiling of his room, designed with elegance and sobriety, combining traditional Dornish elements with touches of discreet luxury. The walls were adorned with detailed maps of Dorne, Myrish tapestries, and others from different regions, along with paintings depicting the daily life of Dornish princes of old. Large windows allowed natural light to enter, illuminating the space and offering impressive views of both the interior of the castle and the city that stretched beyond.
Doran's mind was focused on the fact that Ashara's son had eclipsed all possible suitors for Arianne. But not only that; the public declaration of his identity had put them in a delicate situation. Fortunately, he had devised a plan to mitigate those damages, and the solution did not seem too difficult. He just had to convince the young man to send a clarifying letter, but there was something more. He hoped that Ulrik Dayne would send a letter to Eddard Stark, which would serve as a counterbalance to his plan. If the Daynes sent the letter first, what Jon sent from Sunspear would not seem like coercion from Doran. That is why he allowed Ashara's son to meet with his family without any problems.
When he finished his musings, he heard the door open, and through the threshold entered his brother, his loyal captain of the guard, and the person who could have gotten them into serious trouble.
"It is good to see that my brother found you, Ser." said Doran as a greeting, using a cold voice, but kind enough not to seem rude. Although the boy was a bastard, he was also a knight, something that could be a lie. Doran needed to know everything he could about him to get him to write that letter and avoid problems with the throne for now.
"Thank you, my prince." Jon replied, bowing accordingly.
"Well then, sit down." Doran shown, watching as Jon and Oberyn sat in the chairs in front of his desk. For his part, Aero walked to his side and stayed there, standing guard.
"So, my prince, why have you summoned me?" Jon asked calmly. But before Doran or anyone could respond, the young man continued. "I hope it is not to accuse me of some murder."
Jon's words provoked immediate reactions. Doran slightly frowned, while Aero showed no emotion, although his fixed gaze on Jon made it clear that he was not happy with those words. However, the one who reacted the most was Oberyn.
"Are you accusing my brother of something in his own castle?" Oberyn asked, raising his hand to his belt, where he usually carried a dagger.
When Doran saw the implicit threat in his brother's gesture towards Jon, he expected the young man to feel intimidated, but he was surprised to see that he was not.
'It is to be expected, he stayed calm when several guards pointed spears at him. But I am surprised that he does not react at all when Oberyn is threatening him.' Doran thought.
"It seems you have not understood, Prince Oberyn." Jon replied, looking at the prince. "At no time did I accuse Prince Doran of anything, I only mentioned something that happened during the joust."
Jon's words were so cold that everyone, from Doran to Oberyn, felt a chill run down their spines.
'This boy is not normal, not normal at all.' Doran thought as he felt sweat accumulate on his forehead and hands. 'The confidence he has in himself is unheard of, but not only that; the way he speaks shows that he is not afraid of how Oberyn would react.'
Doran diverted his gaze from Jon and began to see his brother. To his surprise, Oberyn was motionless, almost like a statue, but he looked at him in a strange way, as if he were thinking about something.
"For now, I will believe you..." Oberyn said while removing his hand from his dagger. "But remember that you are in my brother's palace. If you dare to offend him or say something out of place, your head will end up on a pike and your body will be thrown into the desert."
And, to Doran's surprise, the young bastard showed no signs of feeling worried or intimidated, something that deeply puzzled the prince. However, he knew he had to convince him to speak with the king if necessary.
"Alright, I will try not to do anything that will make my head end up on a pike."
"Good. That is enough for now but remember that I will be watching you." Oberyn said, returning to his usual posture.
After that, Doran coughed falsely to get Jon's attention. When he noticed, the prince decided to start his interrogation.
"I suppose you are wondering why I have summoned you, making you abruptly interrupt your family visit with your maternal relatives, right?"
"A little, but I think I am getting an idea."
"I see, then that will make things easier for me." said Doran, leaning over his desk and bringing both hands together in front of his chin. "I need you to tell me everything you have been doing since you disappeared, especially why you have come to Dorne at this time and, above all, why you have revealed yourself just now."
Doran's request did not sound unreasonable at all, as it could be seen as a simple request for information. However, the Prince of Dorne knew he had to take everything the young man said with a grain of salt, as there could be parts of the story that were lies.
"Oh, so that's it..." said Jon, bringing a hand to his chin. After thinking for a few seconds, he continued. "Well, it seems we might be able to do some trade with this."
Jon's response made everyone look at him, especially Oberyn, who almost stood up from his chair. But, to his surprise, Doran raised his hand and stopped him.
'This boy is smart, smart enough to realize he can use this to ask for something in return.'
"Umm... I see it's a good proposal... So, yes, I accept."
Doran's response made Oberyn look at him in astonishment, as it was more than obvious that he did not expect his brother to accept so easily.
"Brother—"
"Calm down, Oberyn." Doran quickly replied, interrupting him. "The boy is prudent, something I don't usually see in young people his age."
"Alright, for now, we'll do it your way." said Oberyn, sitting back down as before.
"Well then, Ser. Could you start telling me your story?" Doran asked, using a kind and helpful tone, as if trying to seem like a good person.
"I could, but I think we could do something else first... How about we... stop beating around the bush and get straight to what involves us here today?"
Jon's question left Doran frozen and confused, as he did not expect something like that. However, he did not let the surprise dominate him and tried to decipher the strategy Ashara's son was using. A second later, he understood what Jon was doing. So, with a smile, he spoke.
"Well, it seems interesting. How about I start?"
"Of course, no problem."
"Very well then, Ser. Do you know that you have been considered dead for years?"
"Yes, I know."
"And do you know that your father sent a message to the king, with which our great monarch sent ravens to all the noble houses of Westeros, offering considerable rewards for information about your whereabouts?" Doran asked, trying to see if Jon knew about this. To the prince's surprise, Jon showed slight astonishment on his face. Seeing this, Doran adopted a kinder expression. "It seems you didn't know, did you?"
"That's right, I didn't know." Jon replied sincerely.
"I see... Well, as I was saying, the king sent letters to all the houses, including the houses of Dorne."
"I suppose they responded saying I wasn't here, right?"
"That's right."
"I see, so that's why you summoned me." said Jon, causing both Doran and Oberyn to look at him.
"Really?" Oberyn asked, drawing Jon's attention.
Hearing Oberyn's question, Jon turned his face and looked at him before responding.
"Yes, you want me to send a letter to King's Landing saying I haven't been in Dorne until now, right?"
Hearing from Jon's mouth what they wanted the young man to do, the two princes looked at each other. Then, Doran looked back at Jon and spoke.
"I'm surprised you were able to deduce that with so few words from me." commented Doran, visibly surprised.
"The truth is it wasn't very complicated. I started thinking about it when you mentioned if I knew I had been considered dead. That made me realize that they haven't found out that I've contacted my family."
Jon's response surprised both Oberyn and Doran, as they had not predicted that. But, moreover, Jon's words made Doran realize two things: first, that his spies in the capital had not sent him information about Ashara's son, and second, that Ulrik had not mentioned anything about this either.
'This is very strange. Why didn't my spies send me information about something so relevant? Why didn't Ulrik know either?' Doran thought, slightly frowning. Something was happening, as his spies were completely loyal to him and always sent him any fragment of information related to the Baratheons, Starks, Tullys, Arryns, Targaryens, and, of course, the Lannisters. But it seemed that something had happened to prevent that information from reaching him. 'It seems someone is preventing the information from reaching me... but who could it be? Most likely, it's Varys. There's no one else in King's Landing with the resources and skill to prevent information from moving. But why would the eunuch do this? What is he plotting?'
Doran's thoughts kept him focused for a while, after which he came back to himself and looked at Jon.
"I see... thank you for your honesty. The truth is, we fear that the king might interpret your presence in Dorne as a sign that we have kept you here and, when we sent our negative response, we lied to him."
"No problem." Jon replied with a smile, which made the prince feel that Jon was trustworthy.
The door to the private solar of the Prince of Dorne opened, allowing Jon to leave the room. The bastard of Winterfell had finished his talk with Prince Doran. If he had to summarize it, he would say it had been quite informative.
'Prince Doran is cautious, I fear, but if we look at it from a broader perspective, it's something positive, as it compensates for his brother's recklessness.' Jon thought, recalling how the prince had behaved during their conversation. When Doran finished assuring him that his father knew he was still alive and that he hadn't been in Dorne all this time, Jon began to talk about other topics with the princes. It was then that he learned that Prince Oberyn had originally requested Jon to be his squire, but he had disappeared just when the proposal had been sent. That left him thoughtful, although, in the end, it was something from the past and something that didn't happen, so there was no need to dwell on it. Then, the conversation continued with other topics, and Jon learned several things, although he couldn't get Doran to reveal the reason behind the creation of the tournament.
'Maybe I can learn something during tonight's celebration.' Jon thought as he walked towards the castle exit, heading to his ship. The young maid was guiding him, waiting outside the room where he had been conversing with the two princes.
As he followed the maid, Jon noticed that she began to sway her hips as if trying to catch his attention. Noticing this, Jon smiled amusedly. 'I had heard that Dornish people were promiscuous, but I hadn't received any proposals until now.'
Smiling at the maid's attempt to seduce him, Jon didn't realize they were entering a part of the palace that wasn't the exit.
"We've arrived." said the maid, stopping abruptly.
Hearing her, Jon stopped, surprised to see they were in front of a very large room. However, before he could say anything, the maid spoke up.
"Forgive me for bringing you here without telling you the truth, Ser, but Princess Arianne has requested your presence."
When Jon heard this, he felt that something strange was happening. The way they had brought him showed that he was about to be involved in a conversation of intrigue similar to the one he had with Prince Doran. However, before he could say anything, the maid entered the room, and Jon followed her.
Upon entering, Jon was surprised. The room was spacious but unlike Doran's solar; this place was not intended for work but for rest and recreation. It had little furniture compared to the prince's room but featured several shelves full of books. There were a few small tables, some with incense burners emitting delicate threads of smoke, filling the air with a soft scent of apple, cinnamon, and clove. The rest of the decor consisted of three long dark wood seats adorned with beautiful high and low relief carvings. On those pieces of furniture rested two women.
Both women wore fine and loose silks that exposed various parts of their bodies, allowing Jon to admire them. Although he didn't know one of them, the other was unmistakable: Princess Arianne.
The sight of the princess, dressed in loose silks and sitting so sensually, made Jon uneasy. But before he could say anything, he heard the sound of the door closing behind him, followed by the noise of a chain being put in place.
Hearing that, Jon wasted no time and looked back. His eyes widened when he saw the maid, who for the first time since he met her, showed her face, removing the cloth that covered her head. To Jon's surprise, he had seen this girl before.
'She is the girl who sat with the princess during the tournament.' Jon thought, surprised, as he had not noticed her presence until now. Something puzzled him, but seeing her in more detail, he realized she had a silk cloak on, which gave off a strong scent of incense.
"Ahhh... I hate wearing so many clothes like these." said the maid, while putting on an innocent look, which made Jon raise an eyebrow, as he could tell it was fake. However, his other eyebrow shot up when he saw the girl let her cloak fall, revealing underneath an outfit similar to that of the princess and the other woman. "Unfortunately, if I didn't wear it, everyone would have recognized me."
After those words, the young woman walked towards where the princess and the other woman were sitting. Jon's eyes followed her as she moved her hips in a way that almost hypnotized him, causing him a strange sensation.
'This is strange... I know I'm not a puritan, but I'm not a man who sleeps with just any woman. However, there's something about this situation that makes my most basic instincts feel somewhat disoriented.' Jon thought, worried, as if there was something he had trained for a long time with Edzard, it was his self-control. Closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths, Jon used his self-control to calm his primary impulses. After several breaths, he managed to calm down and, opening his eyes, looked at the three women in front of him.
Jon's gaze was no longer one of confusion, but a cold look, tinged with a touch of curiosity. He felt the need to understand why the Princess of Dorne had brought him to this place so subtly. So, eager to discover the princess's intentions, Jon began to walk slowly towards the seat in front of the three women. When he arrived, he sat down and looked them in the eyes, avoiding letting his gaze wander to any other part.
"So, princess... To what do I owe the honor of your summons?"
Princess Arianne's eyes roamed over Jon's body, who was wearing a simple sleeveless gray tunic, black pants, and boots of the same color. The young bastard's clothing fit his body, and the princess had to admit that, although the boy couldn't be more than fourteen years old, his body seemed to indicate otherwise. She had never seen any child with a build like his. However, as much as she liked what she saw, she knew she had to focus on other matters. So, diverting her gaze, she looked at her cousin Tyene, who had been in charge of bringing him to her.
"Dear cousin, did you make sure no one followed you?" Arianne asked.
"Yes, Ari, I made sure no one followed me." Tyene replied, with an amused smile on her face.
"Good." said the Princess of Dorne, before looking at her other cousin. "Nym, could you bring us some wine, please? This conversation will be somewhat long."
"Of course, Ari." Nymeria stood up, and as she did so, she cast a glance at Eddard Stark's bastard son. Then, she walked past him, winking and letting out an amused giggle.
"So, Ser… How does it feel to have won the tournament and defeated all of your opponents?" Arianne asked, using a somewhat sensual tone, intending to seduce the young knight.
"Well, I feel great… But honestly, I'm a little worried about you, princess." Jon replied, a smile on his face.
"Really?" Arianne asked, smiling as she mentally praised herself, convinced that her seduction had worked. The plan she had devised to win Jon over was simple: use her feminine charms to captivate the young man. Although she was very confident in her own body, she did not want to waste the opportunity to gain an ally outside of Dorne. Therefore, she decided to bring along two of her three most attractive cousins, since Obara was not that attractive to such charms. Sadly, Sarella had refused to help her, saying that she saw no point in taking part in it. So, she was left with the help of Nymeria and Tyene.
"Of course, Princess. I am worried that you feel bad for not being crowned queen of love and beauty." Jon replied, with a somewhat mocking smile, trying to irritate Arianne.
'T-t-t-t-this bastard… he's… he's amazing!' Arianne thought, excited to see how Jon responded. 'Anyone else wouldn't have dared to say something like that to me, but he, he doesn't seem to fear the consequences of his words… Such indifference to danger is… exciting…'
"Heh, heh, heh..." Tyene let out a soft giggle, looking at her cousin with amusement. It seemed that Arianne had been left bewildered and was starting to feel attracted to the boy, thanks to Jon's bold statement.
The laughter of the young blonde bastard continued until her half-sister arrived with silver cups and a bottle of Dornish red wine. After placing the cups on the table, Nymeria began to fill them. When the cups were brimming with blood-red wine, Oberyn's daughter started distributing them among those presents.
Jon kept his eyes fixed on his cup, which was overflowing with wine. His senses were alert, analyzing the color of the liquid as much as possible, since, thanks to the incense in the place, he couldn't perceive its aroma to detect if it was poisoned.
"It's not poisoned, if that's what worries you." said Tyene, catching Jon's attention, who looked at her.
Jon stopped seeing the wine and looked at the young blonde, who kept an innocent smile on her face. That pure and innocent smile made Jon frown slightly. Now that he had her closer and focused his senses on her, he could perceive a subtle smell of some plants on her hands... plants that he knew could be used to make poisons.
"You know, I'm sure you could fool many with your smile, but your hands are lethal weapons, aren't they?" said Jon, with a slight smile as he watched the girl's expression change.
Tyene's smile faded, while her eyes opened slightly.
"I don't know what you mean, Ser. I am a very pious maiden." Tyene replied, regaining her smile to disguise the surprise she felt at discovering that Jon had seen through her facade.
Jon simply shrugged, unconcerned, not caring how the girl perceived herself. Then he looked at the princess, who was watching him as if he were a piece of meat. Sighing, Jon decided to put an end to all this, as he wanted to go take a bath and then talk with his family before leaving Dorne.
"I think we should leave the conversation about your dangerousness for another time, my lady." said Jon, looking at Tyene and then at Nymeria. "Before we continue talking, I would like to know who you are."
"If you ask nicely, maybe we'll tell you." Tyene replied with a smile.
"And if you make it interesting, you might win a prize at the end." Nymeria added, with another smile.
Seeing the smiles on the faces of both women, Jon at once sensed what kind of prize they were referring to. Although he now had his primary impulses well controlled, he was still a young man of fourteen, so the mention of the possibility of sleeping with two beautiful women generated a certain excitement in him. However, he knew that, as much excitement as he might feel being in the presence of these two girls, he had to keep a cool head. So, taking a deep breath, he asked for the names of both women again.
"Could I have the honor of knowing the names of such beautiful ladies?" Jon asked, using some cheap gallantry but without taking his eyes off them.
Although the phrase was nothing extraordinary, it was the fact that Jon kept his gaze fixed on the faces of the two girls that made both respond with charming smiles.
"My name is Tyene Sand."
"My name is Nymeria Sand."
They both said at the same time, and then continued simultaneously:
"And we are the daughters of Prince Oberyn Nymeros Martell."
The moment Jon heard their names, he knew he was facing two of the infamous Sand Snakes.
'Of course, that's why they were with the princess.' Jon thought, recalling that his uncle had mentioned something about Prince Oberyn's bastard daughters. His relative's words had warned him that Oberyn's daughters, especially the older ones, were dangerous in many ways. Two of them were not only skilled with weapons but also used their feminine charms as weapons. Additionally, one of them was very skilled with poisons.
Realizing he was in a room with three dangerous women who would have no qualms about using their bodies to manipulate him, Jon decided to get straight to the point. So, letting out a sigh, he looked at the three of them and spoke.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Jon said with a fake smile, which, after a few seconds, was replaced by a serious and stony expression. "Now that I know who everyone present is, I would like to know... Why have you brought me here?"
Jon's question made the three young women look at him, each with their own thoughts. Oberyn's two bastard daughters thought it was amazing how Jon kept his gaze fixed on their faces and not on the few silks that covered their bodies. Arianne, for her part, was amazed and somewhat excited, because Jon's serious face caused her great excitement. In fact, seeing him so serious made her remember something she had imagined years ago, when her uncle Oberyn had taken her and her cousins to the old castle, where he taught Tyene how to milk venom from a snake. The memory was of her being taken by a tall man with dark eyes in the same place where she was sitting that day. However, that scene she had imagined came back to her mind, but with a difference: now she imagined a young man with purple eyes and brown hair. The images became more and more vivid, causing Arianne to begin to get excited just by that image. Luckily for her, her favorite cousin saw what was happening to her and, by placing a hand on her shoulder, brought her back to her senses.
When the crown princess regained her composure, she looked at her cousins and saw the broad smiles on their faces. She remembered that, before getting lost in her thoughts, she had received a clear reminder that Jon had shown more interest in another girl than in her. Despite being distracted, she hadn't heard Jon's question, but her cousin Nymeria had approached her ear and whispered the question to her.
"It's something very simple, really. But before getting to that, I would like to know something. That girl you crowned, what is she to you? Your lover? Your wife?"
Arianne's question made the seriousness on Jon's face disappear for a second, as for the first time in a long while, he didn't know what to answer.
The silence that followed the question made Arianne smile, satisfied, as she felt she had achieved something by making Jon unable to respond.
After almost a minute of silence, Jon finally answered.
"If you mean Dany, she is just a friend."
"A friend you crowned over the Princess of Dorne or your aunt? That shows that your friendship is very deep and close." commented Nymeria, whose words insinuated something more, as if suggesting that Jon and Daenerys were lovers or at least friends who shared a bed from time to time.
The way the Red Viper's daughter spoke about his relationship with Daenerys made Jon look at her with slight annoyance. However, although he wanted to refute her insinuations, he knew it was best not to talk about Daenerys. If he did too much, the princess might become more interested in her, which could result in an investigation by the Martells. If that happened, they could discover his true identity... and if that happened, the king's assassins would soon appear, along with problems for his family. It was clear that such a revelation could generate a great deal of misunderstandings.
When the girls realized that Jon would not talk about anything related to the girl he had crowned, the princess decided to address the reason she had brought him.
"Well, you asked why you were brought here, right?" Arianne asked, deciding to start her conversation.
"Yes. If it's not too much trouble for you, princess." Jon replied.
Hearing Jon's response, Arianne looked away, took her wine cup, and after taking a good sip, let out a sigh and looked back at Jon.
"What do you know about the laws of succession in Dorne, Ser Jon?" Arianne asked.
The princess's question took Jon by surprise, but after a second, he answered her.
"The truth is, I don't know much, princess."
"I see. To summarize, in Dorne we use the Rhoynar inheritance law, which states that the firstborn, regardless of gender, is the indisputable heir."
"I understand, that's why you are your father's heir."
"That's right. If we stick to what the law says, yes, I am his heir. However, I fear that, although I am the heir, my ascension could be challenged when my father dies or abdicates."
Arianne's words made Jon understand the situation. Apparently, the political climate in Dorne was as hot as the desert and its women.
"I understand... Could I know who will challenge your inheritance?" Jon asked, curious to know who the other contender might be.
"My younger brother, Quentyn." Arianne replied.
Jon's eyes widened slightly upon hearing that, as he did not expect such a response. What he had imagined was that some noble house would be the one to challenge the princess's ascension. However, despite the gravity of the situation, Jon couldn't help but smile internally.
'According to the Seven and many people, bastards are the ones who usually envy the titles of our legitimate siblings, but it seems that some legitimate children also envy and desire the family titles.' Jon thought, smiling ironically at what was surely the greatest hypocrisy often preached by the Faith of the Seven, which painted illegitimate children as envious and evil, when legitimate children could be just as ambitious.
After smiling, Jon decided to ask the princess why she thought that.
Arianne's response was to tell how, when she was Jon's age, she discovered a letter addressed to her younger brother. In that letter, her father, Prince Doran, told Quentyn to learn everything he could in Yronwood, for one day he would rule over Dorne. This surprised Jon a bit, but when the princess continued her story, she explained how her father had changed his mind, starting to treat her as the heir, involving her in almost all important events and matters concerning the administration of Dorne.
"I don't understand, princess. If your father is giving you your place as heir, why do you think your brother will challenge your ascension as ruler of Dorne?" Jon asked, confused. According to what Arianne had told him, it seemed that Prince Doran had decided to respect the laws of his people.
"It's not so much my brother who worries me, but the people around him." Arianne replied, looking Jon straight in the eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"My cousin is not the brightest or the most handsome man, but he is surrounded by people whose families do not strictly follow Dornish customs." explained Nymeria, catching Jon's attention.
"How so?" Jon asked, still confused, as he had just been told that the Dornish followed the Rhoynar succession laws.
"In some cases, the Stony Dornish tend to follow the Andal inheritance laws instead of the Rhoynar ones." Tyene replied, crossing her legs.
"Stony Dornish?" Jon asked curiously, as he didn't know there were different types of Dornish; to him, they all seemed the same.
"Heh, heh, heh... It seems you really don't know much about Dorne." Arianne said, letting out a small laugh at seeing Jon's confused face at her cousin's words.
"I left Winterfell when I was six years old. Obviously, I wouldn't know some things, and the place where I was... well, it wasn't the best place to learn about the cultures that make up Westeros."
Those words caused surprise in the three girls, who looked at him astonished, as they implied that Jon had been in a very isolated or disconnected place.
"Wow, it seems you were in a very remote place." commented Tyene, thinking that her sister Sarella would be more than interested in knowing where he had been, as there were not many truly isolated places left in the world. After all, no matter how remote a village in Westeros was, it could always receive information about what was happening in the rest of the continent.
"You have no idea." Jon replied with a smile upon hearing Oberyn's daughter's comment.
"Wow, would you tell us where it was?" Arianne asked, lowering her voice a bit, as if trying to seduce him into telling them everything.
"It depends... Would you tell me why the tournament had so many people, not only from Dorne but also from some houses of the Dornish Marches?"
Jon's question made Arianne realize that her father had not told Jon about the secondary goal of the tournament, showing that he did not see him as a potential consort. So, knowing this, she could tempt him to enter her service with a possible proposal to become her consort.
"I know you were talking to my father. Didn't he tell you why so many houses were invited?" Arianne asked, trying to confirm that Jon did not know the secondary intentions of the tournament.
"The truth is, he didn't."
"I see... I suppose if you tell us where you were, I can tell you why so many vassals and guests from outside came."
Hearing Arianne's words, Jon thought about it for a bit, but in the end, he decided to tell them part of the truth, as he knew they would do the same. So, he began to narrate his official story, which consisted of saying that he had had an accident, from which he was saved by a man and lost his memory due to that accident. Although he began to tell his story with a serious demeanor, he couldn't help but smile when he saw how the three women looked at him in astonishment upon hearing that he had lost his memory and that was why he hadn't returned to Winterfell earlier.
When he finished telling his "story." Princess Arianne began to relate the "truth" about the tournament, explaining that the large number of guests was due to her father being somewhat distant from his vassals in recent years. That was why he had organized the tournament, to know where the loyalties of the houses of Dorne lay.
After finishing her story, Jon partly understood what was happening, as he understood why it had been explicitly forbidden to kill another participant: doing so could worsen relations between the houses of Dorne, causing disunity and possible chaos.
After that exchange of words, the princess finally made the request of what she wanted Jon to do for her.
"Let me understand, you want me to become your sworn shield?" Jon asked, moving the wine cup he had drunk from a few moments ago, trying to understand the princess's request.
"That's right. I want you to become my sworn shield." Arianne responded with a smile, as she leaned slightly towards Jon, giving him a glimpse of her generous chest. However, that wasn't all, as she made that gesture, her cousins winked at Jon.
Jon's visible response to this was to simply roll his eyes, something that surprised the princess and her cousins. Not only were the three young women confused, but Jon's reaction made Arianne remember how King Robert's younger brother had laughed at her attempts to seduce him years ago when he traveled to Sunspear. This made her fear that Jon preferred the company of other men.
Although the attempt to seduce him seemed to have been unsuccessful due to Jon's lack of interest, the reality was different. Despite his control, Jon was still a young man, and as such, he was subject to his hormonal impulses. Being in front of three beautiful women dressed in loose silks made it difficult for him to keep his concentration on their faces and not on their bodies.
"So, what do you say? Will you become my sworn shield?" Arianne asked, as she stood up from her chair and walked towards Jon. As she walked, the princess of Dorne moved her hips suggestively and gave him a seductive look. When she reached him, she sat down next to him and, giving him a hug, began to talk to him, getting closer to his ear with each word.
"If you become my sworn shield, you will have a place in the Sunspear court, three basic meals a day and… possibly a special meal every few nights…"
When she mentioned the latter, she did so in such a sensual tone of voice that Jon felt a shiver run through him. However, Edzard's training to still be calm in any situation allowed him to control himself. This training included "torture" sessions using illusion magic to put him in situations like the present one, albeit more… spicy.
"M-my lady, I am very flattered that you think I am skilled enough to protect you, princess." Jon said, gently moving away from the Princess of Dorne. "However, I'm afraid I cannot accept your offer."
Jon's words caused both Arianne, and the two Sand Snakes present to look at him in astonishment and confusion. They couldn't believe he was rejecting such a tempting offer... the offer to be a princess's sworn shield, something almost no wandering knight could dream of.
"Why do you reject such a good offer, Ser?" asked Tyene, the first to come out of the state of shock.
"I have my reasons, but if I had to say something concrete, it's that I am on a personal mission, one that will not allow me to settle anywhere until I complete it."
Jon's response made the three women understand, at least in part, the reason for his rejection. They knew that many knights would kill for an offer like the one Jon had just rejected, not only in Dorne but throughout Westeros. However, although they understood his response, they did not like it at all, as they hoped to count on his support for their plans.
"I see, it's a shame." said Arianne, visibly disappointed. She knew that Jon would probably stay in Dorne for a while, and during that time, she would seek to convince him to join her.
"Yes... but I have a question... Why do you want to recruit me as your sworn shield?" Jon asked with "confusion." beginning to understand why she wanted him as her sworn shield.
"You may not have noticed, but with your performance in the recent tournament, you have caught the attention of all of Dorne. Not only for winning but also for the skills you displayed. Your name is on everyone's lips, even those who would prefer Quentyn to ascend to the throne of Dorne instead of me." Nymeria responded, using a more serious tone for the first time in the conversation.
Hearing the Sand Snake, Jon finished piecing together the puzzle of what the princess wanted and expressed his discovery.
"I see, so that's why." Jon said, finally understanding what was happening. "You want me to join you so that all of Dorne sees that a more than capable warrior supports you, right?"
"Yes." Arianne said, confirming Jon's words. "Your mere presence in my service would send a message to all those who do not accept my future rule, not only because of your skills but also because of the power you could come to have if we make the right decisions to change what you are."
When Jon heard those words, his eyes narrowed, understanding what the princess was insinuating.
"That wouldn't be possible, I'm a bastard."
"Yes, but a few letters could change that." Arianne pointed out with a smile. "If we could get your father to agree to legitimize you, he could easily convince King Robert."
"And what motivation would my father have to legitimize me? In case you haven't noticed, if he did, I would become second in line to inherit Winterfell and the North, something the Tully and Arryn houses would not take well, due to their connection to House Stark through the heirs of both houses."
"Maybe, but... what if he received a proposal that would remove you from the line of succession to Winterfell and the North?"
"What are you thinking?" Jon asked, knowing that there were only a few reasons for a male child to be removed from the line of succession, and he only knew two of those reasons. One of them was that the young man joined the Night's Watch, and the other, that he joined the Kingsguard.
"If you become the consort of Dorne, you and your children would be out of the line of inheritance of Winterfell."
Arianne's response left Jon in shock, as it was the craziest thing he had been proposed so far.
"Excuse me, princess, but... are you saying that...?"
"Yes, Ser. This is my other offer. Join me, and I will do everything possible to make you, my consort." Arianne said with a victorious smile, knowing that this proposal was more than undeniable, especially for a bastard. However, she did not understand Jon's mind, so when he gave her his response, she and her cousins were left petrified.
"It's a tempting offer, but I'm afraid I will decline it, princess." Jon said, who only needed a few seconds to understand the true purpose behind Arianne's plan with the legitimization. She planned to use him to join House Stark by marriage, which in turn would make her an indirect relative of the Tullys and Arryns. If she had a child with him, this child would be the nephew of the future Lord of Winterfell, allowing her to enter the alliance that overthrew the Targaryens.
Jon's refusal was met with surprise and annoyance by the princess, who did not know, or rather, could not understand why Jon had not fallen at her feet like the others. After all, she had offered him the same thing she had offered everyone else... well, almost everything, since she had not yet offered him direct sexual relations, although she had offered him something she had not offered anyone else... to be her consort.
'This has never happened to me before. Many fall at my feet with just promises of gold, titles, or glory, but he doesn't. Not only that, but he is the first person I know who doesn't look at my body and focuses on looking me in the eyes.' Arianne thought, who for the first time in her life felt something slipping through her fingers. But before that feeling could take hold of her, she shook her head. No one had ever rejected her in this way, and the son of a Stark would not be the first. So, thinking quickly, she prepared to use some strategies that would be and sound more than unpleasant. But, fortunately for her, the nephew of the woman some in Dorne considered responsible for Princess Elia's death spoke up and made her a counteroffer.
"I cannot accept any of your offers, but I could offer you another alternative."
"What?" asked Arianne and her cousins in unison.
The Sand Snakes, who had been in total shock at seeing their cousin's offers brutally rejected, felt a spark of hope upon hearing Jon's words, with the possibility that the young man could help keep their cousin on the throne that was her birthright.
"I cannot promise you my loyalty, but I can promise you my help to destroy that possible coalition that threatens you." Jon said firmly.
Jon's words made the three girls look at him in confusion, as they did not understand how Jon could stop an uprising on his own. But before they could say a word, he spoke again.
"You may wonder, how will I do it? But there is something you should know: rebellions only last as long as there is unity in the rebel side. If that unity breaks, everything ends, and to end everything quickly, cut off the head of that snake."
Jon's words sent a chill through the girls, who, although they had thought of using assassins to eliminate the lords who might support an uprising in favor of Quentyn, planned to use them only as a last resort.
"I-it's a crime to kill someone outside of wars." Tyene said, using her sweetest tone to try to prevent her cousin's potential ally from causing problems in Dorne.
"Who mentioned anything about killing someone?" Jon asked, hearing Tyene's words.
Jon's question caused the women to look at him in bewilderment, as they knew he had implied killing the lords, or perhaps even Quentyn himself.
"You mentioned killing a few seconds ago." Nymeria pointed out, confused.
"I didn't, I just used a metaphor. And just so you know, I know ways to make those lords not rise, to ensure your brother reaches the throne." Jon said, looking intently at the women.
When the three young women heard that, they felt three things. First, relief, knowing that no lords would have to be killed, at least not yet. Second, fear, as they realized that Jon was more dangerous than they had expected, as the way he mentioned cutting off the possible rebellion was so cold that they imagined that the Wall was that cold. Finally, the third emotion was excitement, as, for some reason they couldn't understand, the way Jon stood firm against their advances and the way he spoke caused their bodies to tingle.
"T-then... what do you plan to do?" Arianne asked, stuttering slightly due to the confusion she felt.
"You will know by the end of the day, right after the evening feast." Jon replied, letting out a sigh as he stood up. He knew he had lost some time and wanted to go to the «StarWolf» to take a cold shower and prepare what he would need for the feast. "So, if you don't need me for anything else, I bid you farewell. Look forward to what will happen at the ceremony."
After those words, Jon prepared to leave, but before he could take a few steps, he was stopped when someone took his hand. Feeling himself being held back, Jon turned his head and saw that it was Princess Arianne who had stopped him.
"Well, I will gladly await that surprise, Ser. But I'm afraid I can't let you go to prepare without first giving you an advance payment for your services... ~Take it both as payment and motivation~"
With those words, Jon watched as the princess released his hand and lifted it to the silk straps of her clothing, undoing a few bronze clasps. The flowing, loose silks that made up Arianne's dress cascaded from her shoulders to the floor, revealing that she was wearing nothing underneath. Jon's eyes rested steadily on the princess's body for the first time, seeing her curves and her large breasts, whose dark nipples were hard like small obsidian stones.
The look on Jon's face made Arianne smile in amusement, for it was the first time she had seen him give in to her. As she approached the young knight, she motioned for her cousins to do the same as her. Seeing her cousin's signal, the two Sand Snakes stood up and did the same as Arianne.
The sound of falling silks made Jon look away from Arianne for a second and look at the other two women. Seeing them naked, his body heated up and his blood began to rush, pooling in a specific part of his anatomy.
"Wow… looks like someone is excited~." Arianne said with a smile as she approached Jon and wrapped her arms around the son of Ashara's neck. Bringing her body closer to Jon's, she whispered in a sensual voice in his ear, while her cousins approached and also pressed their bodies against the young bastard. "Relax… we won't bite you too much…~"
Jon was in a state of total confusion, not knowing what to do, but after hearing those words, he decided to accept the offer. Sensing that the princess was trying to dominate him, he decided to show her that he was not tamed. So, to the total surprise and amazement of the three young women, Jon moved his hands and caught one of Tyene's and Nymeria's buttocks with each of them, while he brought his mouth close to Arianne's ear.
"You are wrong, princess." Jon said as he squeezed the two Sand Snakes' buttocks, eliciting a moan from each of them. He then released Nymeria's buttock and brought that hand to Arianne's right breast, kneading it gently. As he stimulated the princess's nipple, she let out a moan. "I'll be the one who won't bite you too much…"
Author's Note:
To those who have made it this far, thank you for reading. To be honest, my English writing skills are not strong, and I'm relying on Google Translate and the dictionaries that come with Office 2019.
And here is chapter 25….
Now, we see that the tournament has ended and that Jon has met with Doran and Arianne, both of whom have asked Jon for something… each using different methods, but in the end, I hope I have captured well what they want… to use Jon for their plans… Now… this is Jon's penultimate chapter in Dorne… for now… in the next chapter this arc will end, and we will start a new one.
I apologize for any spelling errors. Please don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter, or if there's something that needs improvement, or if you have any questions about the story. Any constructive advice is welcome. With nothing more to say, see you in the next chapter.