22

Summary:

Elia reunites with Oberyn.

Notes:

Apologies for the late update again. It was a bit hard to picture how Oberyn would react out of his comfort zone. Plus I've been trying to clean up my references for this as they were mixed with other AUs I had thought to write.

So the slightly crack (not really crack but more loose with characterization and humor, I guess) AU story has a chapter up now. Basically Rhaegar, Lyanna, Rhaella, Aerys, Brandon, Rickard and Lyarra are resurrected in the Godswood during Winterfell's feast to welcome Robert. Mainly characters are just a bit more likely to favor humor and swear.

Edits: I changed a bit in chapter 12 (Jon II) to tweak the conversation between Jon and Baelor. Previously Baelor essentially said he was more like Oberyn and promiscuous but that didn't fit the characterization I wanted for him and now he is in a relationship with a commoner but they haven't married.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

"Oh, please tell me more." Aegon leaned forward over the table towards his niece expectantly. Over the last few days they'd listen as the time travelers regaled them with tales of the future. Her son took enjoyment from every mention of him, except one. Learning he was forced to kill Daenerys had sobered him slightly, the act as well as Elia and Rhaenys nagging him about how dangerous the maneuver was had nearly ended his excitement. It hadn't lasted long though as the slightest mention of his future unfortunately set him off after a day of dampened egotistical curiosity.

While Aegon was busy prying details from his nieces, Elia was tapping holes into the floor with her feet nervously. Oberyn could arrive any minute, Aemon, Mark, and Ethan had rode out yesterday to discreetly invite her brother. 

Learning the future really made her understand how much her brothers loved her, not that she ever doubted they hadn't. Oberyn's seventeen year grudge had warmed her heart just as much as it filled her with guilt. Learning it was his doom had broken her into sobs and ended the previous day's recount of the future. Her lie had spelled his death. How was she supposed to look him in the eyes after that?

Doran's own plans for revenge and power had resulted in the death of a son and a strained relationship with his daughter. Though just how much his plans would change with the knowledge of her survival, she still questioned. How much of what he had attempted was for her or himself, she didn't know. In the end a chill took his light before he got to see his plots through or even see a grandchild. At least she was able to reunite with him and prevent Arianne from marrying this imposter.

The imposter. This boy was worrying, well not precisely, he was Varys' pawn, or rather king, after all even the king is secondary in power to the player in Cyvasse. All the whispers, all the death, all for this boy. A Blackfyre if there still was one. He'd have the Golden Company and maybe some traitorous houses but he shouldn't be too problematic unless he acquires one of Daenerys' dragons once again.

"You and Baelor sometimes go hunting fire wyrms on Nymerion." Haella's nonchalant tone wouldn't have caught Elia's attention but good gods her words certainly did.

"There is no way I would let either of them do such!" Rhaenys' reply was swift and just barely faster than Elia's near simultaneous response.

"Aegon, I prohibit you from doing so, no matter how old you are!" She didn't care if she was going to be that type of mother but hunting fire wyrms was too far. They injured Balerion the Dread when he was at his largest, at least according to a six year old Rhaenys who had read this in a book and feared her Balerion all the way in King's Landing might have wyrms growing inside it like Aerea Targaryen.

Rightfully Aegon held his hands up in surrender or he was simply pleading innocent so he could commit the deed later in life.

Lucky for him, Haella swooped in to support him. "He actually has a fair reason to do so and he wasn't doing it for fun and they've never been so much as hurt, though I think one time Baelor threw his cloak in the Narrow Sea to avoid Muña being mad at them after it was a little singed. Is it still snitching if they haven't actually done the act yet?"

Rhaenys gasped, "If that boy is here in this time, he's not… he's not... Gah! Mother, I need punishment ideas." Of course a girl who never required more than a chastening wouldn't be able to imagine a proper punishment quickly. 

"No! Don't punish Bae!" The panicked and uncharacteristic response from Haella surprised everyone in the room. "You can't, it would absolutely destroy him to know he'd disappointed or angered you. It is basically his only goal in life to keep you happy with him. While Lya and Sauna might be obsessive about being close with Father, Baelor is the same with Muña. He'd probably wilt if he had to go a moon without a hug from you, total sweet-tooth. I'd bet he's been crying himself to sleep these past moons." An exaggeration, Elia was sure.

To Elia's great amusement, her daughter completely melted at that information, cooing and all. The idea that her son had been out hunting fire wyrms with his uncle was completely forgotten. "Aww. Then his punishment will be a nagging while I'm giving him the most constricting, fretful, warm, mothering hug he's ever received so he'll never risk wanting to leave again." Nevermind. Her daughter was actually slightly terrifying with her dopey, kind, loving expression and idea of justice.

Elia shivered. "So if they weren't doing it for fun why were they hunting then? And why is Aegon corrupting his sweet nephew?"

"Well…to my knowledge Aegon takes Baelor because Baelor is a better spotter than his sons. Baelor is lazy so he is super efficient, he conveys the message the quickest in danger. Normally he talks super slow but I guess he's fast then. Anyway, fire wyrm hunting requires a spotter to watch directions that the rider and dragon can't see because they can come up out of nowhere and you don't want to be caught by a wyrm of equal size or larger than your dragon, or multiple. It's about catching one of sufficient size to breath a good flame, larger the better, then fly away, kill it and dissect it where it is safe to. Something like that, I only focus on the parts that amazes people, you know, for songs and stuff..." Haella trailed off her ramblings.

"Valyrian steel! That is why they do it! My hypothesis was correct! The glands of dragons and fire wyrms that help produce their fires! You figured it out! You rediscovered how to produce Valryian steel. Aemon's sword is new, that is why I didn't recognize its name!" Rhaenys jumped up and was vibrating with excitement. She went on to mutter about special forges, Dragonstone and finding a trusted smith. 

Both the girls from the future eyed their Muña like she was half mad. Innocently the younger raised a hand as if asking permission to speak before she did so. "Actually you figured it out." The comment got her lifted into a tight embrace that anyone else would have hated, Maenara however reveled in it. The group had quickly learned the girl craved attention no matter how much she got, it was never enough, Elia attributes it as a younger sibling trait. 

Aegon ignored his sister spinning his niece around the room and Elia knew he was about to ask for more about himself, he was still half a boy after all. Perhaps he wanted to know what Valyrian steel blade he surely carried.

Instead Elia asked her own question of the elder girl. "Tell me about Aegon's children, we've heard much of Aegon, as well as Rhaenys and Jae's children but not Egg's."

Haella's mischievous smirk told her that she had stories, good ones, ones that might get someone in trouble, ones that draw reactions. "Oh boy, do I have just what you want to hear. So Velara, Mya's daughter, when she was six or something Uncle Egg was going to take her riding on Nymerion but before they got on its back he turned his back for a minute and she went right up to Nym's snout, smacked him and screamed. Taking this as a challenge, Nym roared back, Lara then screamed even louder, Nym did the same, this time with enough force to knock over Lara. Lara, not even phased, went even louder and at such an annoying pitch even Nymerion backed away. Egg tells the tale so often, he is so proud almost every time he gets teary eyed."

Leaning back in his chair with his arms above his head in victory, Aegon whooped. "I knew I had the better kids!"

Scowling, the silver haired singer huffed. "I take offense to that. You should know that your second daughter with Aunt Cella, Jaeanna, is hopelessly infatuated with Father, as in 'wants to have his babes' infatuated."

"Nooo!" Elia, Ash and Arthur couldn't help but break into hysterical laughter at the immediate change in Aegon. No longer was he grinning like a loon but clenched jawed and glowering. "Jae better stay away from her or I'll be king! I bet I can wear the Kingslayer title well, besides what is one more close relative."

Oswell's bellowing laughter broke out. His dark taste in humor was well known. Kinslayer jokes were welcome in his presence. Times like these Elia worried for the influence he and the others had on her children but she didn't have much choice in her company these days. 

Smiling at getting the outburst she desired, Haella continued, "Rhaenyra, the eldest of Myrcella's daughters, shares Egg's humor. The moment she declared she wanted Castamere and to take the surname 'Reign,' as in ruling, he sent a raven to Father, bought her a lion skin cloak, and allegedly they started singing ' Rains of Castamere ' together in Casterly Rock."

And… Aegon was back to being the proud father. "I love that girl!" Before he started humming the song.

"You actually regularly sing the song when in the castle, in Storm's End you sing ' The Fat Stag ' a song of my own creation. According to Father, there is such a big gap between when Obi and Elaena were born due to Egg thinking he was clever and calling Myrcella a mint beca-"

Interrupting, Rhaenys had a hand covering her mouth as she gasped. "Aegon! You couldn't be that stupid."

Unable to hide his confusion, Aegon blinked at his sister. "What? So? I like mint, it tastes great. Even if she's a full blooded Lannister, I bet she tastes good too."

Haella made a mocking gag motion but was soon smirking.

Rhaenys' hand meeting her forehead made an audible sound. "Not that type of mint." It took a moment for it to register what she meant, but Elia gasped first, then Ashara, then the men hissed as they grimaced at the boy's mistake. At Aegon's continued confusion, his sister explained in two words: "Golden dragons. You called her a mint since her kids like the currency are golden dragons."

"Oh…shit." Now it was his turn to cringe. Aegon was smart enough to know that referring to a woman's reproductive ability in such a way was not a good idea, even if it was accidental. It was no wonder he was kept from the girl's bed.

"Wait, where is my grandbabe named after me? Elia with Elaena, Lyanna with Laerra. Where is Aeshara or something?" Ashara complained half heartedly, though Elia knows she's a little hurt. 

Once again the little painter raised her hand to get everyone's attention. "I am! Sorta. Half after Grandpa Mace and half after you. Shara, Nara, they sound alike. Sara is also half named for you but also Aunt Arya. You always call her Shara instead."

Ashara pulled Maenara onto her lap as if the girl were three rather than eleven but once again the little Targaryen was happy to be babied for attention. "I knew there was a reason I liked you so much!"

Moving on with her talk of Aegon's kids, Haella spoke up again. "With Myrcella, Uncle also has a son named after Oberyn. If you can't tell, Aegon is super petty and his wives surprisingly allow it. Not petty or explicit but everyone calls Mya's eldest, Orys Oz for Ser Oswell."

"Ha, fuck off Arthur." Oswell shouldered his sworn brother.

"And has a son with Mya named after Arthur…"

Cursing, Oswell muttered, "Damnit!"

Smugly Arthur shouldered right back grinning widely.

"Also Taelon, who is courting Sara and is named for a dragon's claws, is rather petty name as naming the heir to Casterly Rock for our sigil rather than a lion. Plus it is a bit of an insult towards the imposter Aegon going by 'Young Griff' with Jon Connington." Haella finished with a shrug.

Turning to her brother, Rhaenys had a single brow raised. "I don't believe dragons technically have talons as they are not avian. Talons are claws but claws are not talons." Her lips were curled with mirth as she teased her brother.

"People who aren't you get the idea! They both fly, what does it matter?" Aegon shot back.

"If you want to call Nymerion a bird when he hatches, be my guest but when you come to me with blackened hair just know…" Rhaenys leaned in with a sweet grin. "...that I was right." Ah, sibling rivalry.

It was nice to be distracted from her impending reunion. Seeing her children bicker as they were brought a smile to her face but. At the same time however, she couldn't help but recall her own childhood and all the little moments like this she had with Oberyn. Memories of the two's quiet whispers as her brother jested about her potential suitors, of pranks they pulled on Doran, of Oberyn escorting her to Rhaegar in Doran and their father's place on her wedding day.

The guilt was nearly overwhelming, after fifteen years her brother would know she lived. How would he react? Would he be mad? Surely he'd be annoyed but it was a question of if he could understand her fears, her hesitation, her logic or not. How might he feel when he learnt of his death, fighting for her, while she and her family stayed in safety, waiting and waiting for the opportunity to enter the fray?

Did she not understand his side though, trapped in the Red Keep destined for death as Rhaegar struggled to conjure a way to repair or salvage the realm in a way that didn't result in Aerys burning her, Aegon and Rhaenys. She made the same mistake as her husband and she wasn't confident there was even a perfect solution for either event. If only her children had appeared in her past to warn them and guide them as well.

How long she had been lost in the past she did not know, but the heavy knock at the door startled her, it always did when the bangs came from Theo's fist. When the large muscled Northman entered the room she knew by his face that Oberyn was near.

It was time.

Steeling herself, she rose. They'd meet in the garden, not some councilroom. Someplace that reminded him of the Water Gardens though with more space than the pool. She also feared he might push her into the pool should he get the chance and she'd rather not give him such a victory so easily.

Elia contented herself with listening to her children bicker as they moved to the gardens while William and Theo welcome and bring Oberyn to her location. Instead of the shaded table under the tented canopy of cloth, she chose the bench at the fork of the path within sight of the garden entrance.

She had never forgotten the importance of appearances; she'd be seated with Aegon and Rhaenys on the bench with Arthur and Oswell on their sides, Ashara and the grandchildren to the side. The sight should give Oberyn all the information he'd need to know before he could interrogate her. Hopefully they might distract him a bit as well. The afternoon sun blanketed them in its boiling heat, hopefully it might make them a warm welcome rather than sweaty messes, wouldn't that be a lovely way to reunite with her little brother.

Unfortunately even her children didn't seem to wish to talk as they waited so the only way to distract herself as she stared at the entrance was to glance at the plants. Seconds felt like hours and minutes felt like days. Her palms became damp and it certainly wasn't because of the sun.

An age had past before the ebony door parted and from the shadows of the indoors emerged her brother. He looked so similar to her memories, the only apparent difference was the rare speckled grey hairs that salted his silky black hair.

As his dark eyes scanned his surroundings they found her quick enough. Seeing her for the first time froze Oberyn for the first time in his eventful life. His jaw fell limp, the viper's tongue was twisted.

Jumping off the bench, guilt forgotten, she rushed him and nearly tackled him. Luckily for him despite her being healthier than ever, she was still a very light woman and so she hardly swayed him. His arms constricted around her and she hugged back so tightly she'd probably left bruises. This is what she had longed for, finally she was reunited with her brother after so very long.

His hands came to the side of her face when he eventually pulled away. Those pitch black pools looked over her before one hand left her face to flick her near shoulder length hair away from her neck. "You cut your hair. It looked better before." He had that infuriating smirk as he said the words.

She stomped where his sandaled foot was but only met sandstone. Slippery snake. "Fifteen years and that is the first thing you say to me! Really Obi!"

Oberyn's eyes crinkled with mirth, the slight wrinkles another sign revealing his age. In the end not even he could resist asking the big question: "How?"

The dark tale that was the explanation to his question strained her smile. "My late husband was not so stupid as to go to war without contingencies, even after Aerys failed to fulfill his promiss. It was a matter of luck that those monsters so disfigured our doubles. Those poor children... we never expected that… we just wanted to escape, hiding would be easy, even had our survival been known.'' Her voice wavered as always.

"We?" Sharp eyes left her for the first time to look over her shoulder. "Ah, my niece and nephew! Come!"

Aegon needed little prompting to stride over and show Oberyn's mischievous grin right back at the man. "Uncle Obi!" He was greeted with a one arm hug and tucked under his uncle's arm with Elia under the other.

Unlike her brother, Rhaenys' approach was more cautious. Elia knew it wasn't simply that the girl was less outgoing than her brother and less trusting but Rhaenys' vision of her uncle was shattered years ago. Rhaenys' morals pitted her against many of Oberyn's actions but there was one in particular that bothered Rhaenys above all. But Elia's little Sunfyre was nothing but warm, she'd never be so disrespectful to openly greet someone without kindness. Forgoing an embrace, she gave a courteous nod and a warm polite "Uncle."

The minuscule twitch of Oberyn's body and arm against her was so unnoticeable that Elia almost thought she imagined it but she could sense his observation that her daughter's welcome was political. "Princess," Oberyn's tone spoke of fondness. "Or is it Queen? I see you've grown your own crown and grown to be as beautiful as your mother."

Rhaenys was unimpressed with his jesting obersavation, the locks of white hair stemming from her temples twisted into a crown braid made it rather obvious, she did hide her true feelings well though. "Thank you, it is rather fortunate I have inherited so much from her." The glimmer in her eyes told Elia that there was a secondary meaning that Oberyn would not understand. "And I am simply a deposed princess at the moment."

"'At the moment,'" Oberyn echoed with a cruel curl to his lips that spoke to his excitement and bloodlust for revenge. His black eyes sparkled as he looked between the three of them. "So what is the plan? Spear or Poison?"

"A bit of each would be prudent I believe. Neither is ideal, but realistically it will come down to conflict. As of now it is not the time for such, but soon surely. By the end of the year, we were told?" Rhaenys turned her head towards the time travelers, seeking confirmation.

As much as Elia recognizes the practicality in bringing Oberyn into their planning and catching him up with all the politics, she wanted a few moments of peace, moments where they aren't planning to reclaim the throne. They've missed fifteen years of each other's lives, enough to become an entirely different person. "Obi, you surely remember Ashara."

Ashara glided over, her gentle grace preventing the clicking and clacking common with the type of sandals. "It's good to meet again, Oberyn. It's been very long since Harrenhall. Though I must apologize beforehand as I too have changed my hair." The dyed Valyrian silver-gold would need to return to its natural raven shade for their plans.

"Another pity. Though it is welcome to have one more star left in the night sky, especially one as beautiful as you, Good Sister." Oberyn's flirtatious tone received rolled eyes and a protective brother.

Arthur marched up to them and removed his helm as he wrapped a protective arm around his sister. "All these years haven't loosened my sister enough that you'd meet her standards Oberyn. She'll give you the same answer as when we were children." It appears not even a decade and a half could end a rivalry such as theirs.

"Ah, Arthur! What a welcome sight it is to see you, I had feared your skills must have slipped to lose to Stark and what a shame it was that it hadn't been I who was your opponent. May I ask why you stayed with the wolf girl rather than either of our sisters? Or did the man who dishonored our sisters order you to?" Slipping out from between Aegon and her, Oberyn took a threatening step forward.

Before her brother could do something impulsive and stupid, as he was commonly prone to in their childhood, Elia gasped his wrist. "Do not fault Arthur, Obi. Arthur couldn't have saved me, even he couldn't have fought off the Red Keep alone. Ashara was safe in Starfall and visiting the tower. Lyanna needed them. It took longer, much longer, than I would have liked but Rhaegar ensured we got out safely."

Black eyes narrowed as they turned on her in confusion, anger, and a convoluted mess of other feelings. "You'd defend them? You'd defend her?"

Defiantly, she raised her chin. "Yes, Lyanna was as much my wife as she was Rhaegar and Ashara's. Despite the small number of nights we shared. It wasn't wise but I don't regret it. Lyanna needed to be hidden from Aerys as Varys had informed him she had been the Knight of the Laughing Tree. Rhaegar prevented her kidnapping, he was going to use the event to obtain allies and remove Aerys so Rhaenys and Aegon would finally be safe. I suggested Dorne to hide and Ash mentioned the tower, Ash would be safe in Starfall until her babe was born and she and Lyanna could keep eachother company, we had to stay behind to not tip Aerys off. It all fell apart though as Brandon Stark never received Lya's letter. You know the rest." Elia felt deflated, it was exhausting to speak of such a dark time of her life. 

"Why didn't he return for you after the war began?" There was a stubborn clench to Oberyn's jaw, one that made his jawline all the more sharp and dangerous as if he too had fangs. Though she had seen the slight widening of his eyes at the realization of Rhaegar's primary motivation for crowning Lyanna.

"I was safe on Dragonstone so long as Aerys thought Rhaegar was loyal. Between the loss of…" Even saying Ashara's daughter's name was hard, harder still to say it before her wife.

Fortunately for her, Ashara found the strength to speak it: "The birth and loss of Dyanna, my daughter."

"Yes. Between that, Lyanna too becoming with child, and trying to make sense of the war and where to join, Rhaegar was quite busy and stressed. He wanted to tell the truth but didn't want to risk isolating himself with no allies or splitting forces and causing more death." There was a fair amount of lingering annoyance that Ash, Lya and Rhaegar got to bed each other away from all the madness but their fates killed most of her resentment. She also now understood Rhaegar's stress and breakdown when they reunited in the Red Keep all too well.

Noncommittally humming, Oberyn hesitantly nodded in acceptance. "And just how is Arthur alive? Stark seems rather close minded."

Arthur snorted. "I can't deny that, I doubt Rhaegar didn't attempt to parlay before the Trident, he'd made a promise to do so. Regardless, Gerold, Oz and I were reluctantly forced to exile ourselves. We're supposed to be in Essos or some other flea laden land."

"And these poor saps got stuck with us." Oswell threw an arm in the direction of the Northmen. "Shite luck, they got."

Furrowed brows, William Dustin glowered. "And his company has made this the eighth hell. This cursed land is certainly hot enough to be one." The comment only seemed to entertain Oberyn and Oswell.

"Do they not teach that seeking pleasure from the company of others is a sin so far North?" Oberyn had a teasing grin aimed at the Dustin. "Dorne may be a hell for septons and septas but to others it's a heaven."

"Yes, it does have the advantage of being as far from my wife as possible. No doubt she'll ensure I'm actually dead when she finds out." William shivered, Elia felt a wave of pity for the man. Not only was he separated from his wife so shortly after their marriage but estranged for fifteen, it was a wonder she hadn't remarried.

Having enough of the boys ribbing each other, Elia put an arm out for her brother. "Oberyn, walk with me. I'd like to hear all that you have been up to, not all of which was good I'm sure."

Oberyn fortunately got the point and offered up his elbow so she could let a hand rest upon the crook. Bidding her children a hesitant goodbye, Oberyn let her lead him around the well sized garden. "Travelling lost much of its allure after your death." His somber tone sounded so foriegn from his lips, she'd long forgotten if she'd ever remembered hearing it.

"You'd have made little difference in the war, perhaps you'd have made things worse. I have no doubt you'd have attempted to do something reckless and stupid if you'd believed it would get me away from Aerys. I am just relieved you lived, wars have little care if they spill noble or common blood." She held back the unshed tears for all that went unsaid, Oberyn's death, the ever present shadow, a bright burning sun snuffed too soon.

"I should have been here, in Westeros, for Dorne, for you. Yet I was in Esso and returned too late to be of any aid. You and your children might not have needed to hide had I returned sooner. Though I see you do make a fair glass merchant from what I hear. If your home speaks any of your wealth then it has been very profitable for you." A strained smile spoke of his pride in her even if it was laced with guilt.

Elia hummed in acknowledgement. "The manse was funded courtesy of Baratheon coffers. And the trade is mostly Rhaenys."

A snort escaped her brother. "And how did you accomplish that?"

"Richard Lonmouth stole nearly a million dragons worth of goods from the treasury. This was right before rescuing me, mine you." As much as she saw the benefits of hitting the lesser guarded coffers first, she couldn't help but be a little bitter.

Apparently Oberyn agreed. "I do hope you've made him regret his mistake or do I need to do so for you?"

A smile broke through her restraint thinking of the red handprint. "Oh yes, Richard wore my ire for all to see that day, walked funny too." She does greatly hope Richard's lack of children is due to abstinence or ignorance rather than her kick; she'd feel horrible if that was his reward for saving her.

"Good."

"You've not yet said what you have been doing since the war," She proaded as they stopped before a lemon tree, that reminded her to pack some when they head north as Eddard's eldest daughter is said to like them very much according to Haella.

"We've been plotting our revenge. Our late Hand may have stayed our spears publicly but we've never forgotten what we believed the Lannisters did to you and the babes. Doran sought out the lost Targaryens, and sent me to Braavos to meet with old William Darry. We signed a marriage pact for Viserys and Arianne." She could hear the sheepish apology behind the words even if it wasn't explicit.

Even knowing ahead of time, Elia was still impressed they'd managed to find the two Targaryens when Richard and Gerold could not. Admittedly their spy network had still been in its infancy. "I'm aware of the contract, it won't be valid much longer." She already knew her siblings had long since lost contact with the missing Targaryens, else poor Daenerys would have never been wed to a Dothraki horselord. 

That made black eyes narrow. "How do you know about that?"

"The glass market wasn't my only investment. As a viper, I'd think you'd understand a reliance on the ears of others. Besides as your older sister, it is still my responsibility to keep an eye on you." Though in the end she was responsible for his death.

"Willas Tyrell isn't here for glass, is he?" Perceptive as always.

"I highly doubt Mace Tyrell would desire Dornish glass, I'm afraid you are costing me customers. While Lord Willas' visit may not have been profitable for us we did get an unrelated order from the Starks a moon ago." 

As predicted Oberyn was offended. "You revealed yourself to the roses before us?"

It was only right that she'd end up the one to clean up this mess when it was she who hid in the first place. "We never reveal ourselves to anyone. The Daynes are the only ones who know our survival and all the Starfall household that was knowledgeable is here with us or in Planky Town, excluding Allyria. Our guests are responsible for informing the Tyrells."

Oberyn's gaze moved towards the manse, stopping momentarily on Arthur a distance away from them, shadowing her. "The Lysenes?"

Sighing, Elia corrected him, "No, Targaryens."

It was amusing to see Oberyn confused, the way his thin brows made every twitch more notable, the way the starts of wrinkles around the eyes splintered outwards. "Explain." 

Elia found it difficult to properly find the words to satisfy her little brother in a way he'd not ask a thousand questions. "As unfathomable as it is, the truth is they are my grandchildren from the future. They appeared in the Godwood of Highgarden two moons ago." Before she could continue Oberyn interrupted.

"Whose are they? Aegon's or Rhaenys'." It was a question that didn't show open disbelief. Oberyn likely came to the conclusion the children were the product of a match between Egg and Margaery or Rhaenys and Willas, neither of which were poor matches on the surface.

"Jaehaerys and Margaery Tyrell are the parents."

A curious expression took over Oberyn's face. "You had a third child? I thought you couldn't have another?"

"Correct, I would be at great risk had I carried another child. However, there are other ways to have children. Dyanna would have been just as much my child as it was Ashara's, just as Egg and Rhaenys are too hers. While Jaehaerys may not have come from my loins or nursed at my breast, or even slept in my arms, he will be my son, he is my son." Regardless of whether her little Sunfyre marries Lya's boy again, he'd be Elia's son. Jaehaerys was Rhaegar's son; he was the brother to her children. She'd ensure he at least had the love of one mother and Ash was certain to love him too, though they'd never be able to replace Lyanna.

Oberyn pieced together her words and the earlier mention of Lyanna bearing a child. "Lyanna Stark. Eddard's bastard. You'd call her son your own?" He was angry and annoyed, while she felt the same in regards to his attitude but she recognizes fifteen years of emotion can carve themselves a place in certain memories.

So she held back her bite. "Yes, I may not have had enough time with her to love her as Ash and Rhaegar did but using my husband's words; she was the moon, to my sun, to Ash's stars, and Rhaegar the dragon that danced among us. We are one family and the lies and tragedies of the past will not break us as those of the future will not."

Muscles uncoiling, Oberyn relaxed as only she and Doran could seem to accomplish. It didn't stop him from releasing a frustrated huff of hot air. "The future you say?" He was changing the subject and that was fine with her.

"Most likely. It is not like it is possible to guarantee such a thing but they've provided us with secrets that only we'd know and given us valuable information in regards to reclaiming the throne. As much as I hate to say; my husband's interest in prophecy was not unfounded. The dragon has three heads, and the Long Night comes again." Even in the scorching Dornish sun, Elia shivered. The idea of White Walkers and the dead rising again as thralls in an endless winter was horrifying. It was only made worse that her children were at the center of it, riding dragons through blizzards and protecting the realm as only they could.

Her brother was rightly skeptical. "They have proof of this?"

She couldn't say they had proof of the Others but she could share the secrets that were both amusing and advantageous. No, she'd save that for after. Elia needed to get the weight off her chest, the incessant poison that plagued her dreams, that bleed her heart, that milked her tears. "Oberyn, you die. You die because of me."

Scowling at her, she feared his anger. "I'd gladly die for you." The fire wasn't for her but her guilt, but would that remain true?"

"You died for a lie, Obi! You champion Tyrion Lannister against the Mountain. You'd have won bu- but you… you are said to have had him on the ground immobile… Instead of ending it, you- you tried to get him to confess… he did but… it was only after he… that was the last thing you'd heard bef- You died because of my lie while I was safe here in hiding…'' It took Elia a moment to notice the sting in her knees and the bruising of her bum to realize she collapsed onto the sandstone. She was still looking up pleadingly at her little brother hoping for one sliver of forgiveness though she deserves none.

For the second time in a single day Oberyn had been shocked silent. His jaw was slack and not even moving.Would his self confidence prevent him from accepting what happened, would he deny it? His brow alternated between a furrowed glare and arched in disbelief. "I lost to the Mountain…"

An arm lightly grasped her elbow, and helped her back to her feet. Thanking Arthur, Elia addressed Oberyn again. "Well, you did kill him postmortem. Though a disgraced maester was able to partially resurrect him into a mindless Lannister thrall, I'd say that didn't make much of a difference in his case."

A bitter laugh echoed up Oberyn's through. "This future sounds more and more like one of the seven hells."

"Who says the realm of the living can't also be hell or heaven. But yes, it is bleak. Over half of Westeros' population dies in the Long Night, Dorne struggled, between a lack of furs and wood, many died of the chill, among them: Doran." Elia could go on and on.

Oberyn breathed in a mournful breath.

Perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood before he gave them privacy again, Arthur interrupted. "Hell is an accurate description, my brat of a cousin stole Dawn from Starfall." Arthur's spite died quickly as he realized his mistake in mentioning the man. More accurately, his error was showing he even made a mistake.

This error did not escape the Red Viper's notice. "What did Darkstar do?" Oberyn practically sneered at the self appointed title.

Elia once again sighed. "Before stealing Dawn, Gerold attempted to kill Myrcella Baratheon and left her with a large facial scar and missing half an ear. The girl was under Dornish protection. The girl would later become my good-daughter but that wasn't why Arthur's anger died." Taking a deep breath, she let it out. "Gerold Dayne ambushed and killed Obara and managed to escape Hotah." The legendary sword gave the man just enough of a boost to survive Doran's guard.

She could tell Oberyn was just barely holding back from running back to his horse and hunting down Darkstar, while Gregor Clegane might have been under the protection of Tywin Lannister, the Daynes of High Hermitage would be unlikely to press for much other than some compensation for their loss. "He and this resurrected Mountain better have met their ends."

Arthur answered, "We were told I killed Gerold myself. Sandor Clegane had the pleasure of ending the Mountain; he too died for his vengeance." He gave Elia a slight bow before moving a distance away.

Oberyn's bloodlust was dampened but not quenched. "Tell me something good that happens."

A smile easily bloomed across her face. "If everything remains the same, Robert Baratheon will meet his end by the tusk of a boar, drunk on strongwine given by his squire who Cersei Lannister is cuckolding him with, among others."

The malicious grin returned to her brother's lips. "Oh, do tell me more."

"The 'royal children' are actually the products of the incestuous relationship between Ser Jaime and Cersei."

Grin broadening and eyes nearly twinkling but the weight of the earlier conversation held them back. "I'd love to have seen Tywin's reaction to that. The lion's legacy is bastards rather than kings. Aren't you glad we didn't marry either of those two?"

"Quite glad. It gets better." Now for Elia's favorites. "Did you know there is a secret passage between the Tower of the Hand and a high end brothel? It was likely built by Tywin."

He sent her an incredulous look at that. Even for all his hatred for the man he doubted the man's hypocrisy.

So she sent him a triumphant smile, she was glad the darkness was behind them. "When Tywin's body was found dead in his chambers a whore too was killed on the bed, this woman was one his son Tyrion was said to favor. This was done shortly after your trial and Tyrion's planned execution. Tyrion himself murdered both of them and his father was at the time on the chamber pot. The corpse was said to have filled the Sept of Baelor with its stench." The tale made her really feel pity for the dwarf, perhaps he would be a piece they could take advantage of.

In the end Oberyn couldn't help but breakout in laughter at their adversary's fate. "Who knew the Lannisters could be so entertaining." 

"Each house has its own dramatics, you're the main source of ours." She gave him a fond bump against his shoulder.

"You appear just as capable of surprises."

Shaking her head, Elia could deny that. "I blame my late husband for indoctrinating me into the absolutely mad life of Targaryens. Dragons have infested every single corner of my life. Before this fortnight I thought the maddest thought was that my children may ride dragons one day but due to Targaryen dramatics instead I get visited by my grandchildren from the future. Must my family be so disconnected from the possible that they do the impossible by pure chance?"

Oberyn was obviously the wrong person to complain about such a thing to and he swiftly proved just that. "Dragons do have an infamous flare to them. They do live exciting lives for however long they last, I think that is all we can ask for. The impossible is certainly exciting, is it not?"

"Not particularly when my heart nearly seizes everytime I hear of the dangers my children experience. I swear I'll look more like a Targaryen than Rhaenys in a few years." So far she has been blessed with very few grey hairs, the upcoming wars would not continue such a trend.

Pursing his lips and humming, Oberyn raised an amused brow. "The woes of motherhood. Personally I think you could wear silver well though not so well as gold or red."

"I most certainly cannot. A dark grey perhaps but silver…" She shuddered at the thought. "Silver pairs much better with cooler colors and you know my thoughts on wearing blue, purple, green and everything in between."

"You're amenable to some purples."

True, annoyingly. "Come, you must be thirsty. We have spent enough time bickering, it is nearly time for supper. You must try our lemon water, we add this powder from a cane plant native to the area of Yi-Ti that makes it better than any wine."

Even if Oberyn did agree with that statement, he'd never admit it, her brother had a certain pride in Dornish commodities. "I find it doubtful that it could best Dornish red."

"That does remind me, Aemon mentioned Yi-Ti is to suffer a bout of the grey plague in the coming years. If his half-sister is present in Winterfell, we shall have to send the knowledge of the cure and a warning to mine dragonglass," Elia spoke more to herself than Obi.

"A cure to greyscale?" Oberyn asked as they made their way back to the manse.

"Yes, Jaehaerys' friend found the process at the Citadel in an ancient tome from the Iron Islands when seeking information on the Others." That bit of information came out as Aemon and Rhaenys were ranting about the maester system and the Citadel. Rhaenys actually cried learning of the destruction of all that knowledge due to the stupidity of a single centralized hub of learning.

Interested, Oberyn smiled at her. "I shall send word to my daughter, if it is there she shall find it even if this woman is not in Winterfell."

Elia didn't know why she was surprised. "Of course you would have a daughter posing as a boy to study at the Citadel."

"It shouldn't be necessary," the bitter mumble just barely caught Elia's ears.

"It won't be once we get into power. Though it will be a greater challenge this time considering Oldtown got completely destroyed before changes could be made." A great tragedy that was. A young stolen dragon was still capable of reducing the second largest city in Westeros to ash.

Oberyn's steps faltered. "Was Sarella there?" His inky orbs were pleading but she could offer nothing.

"I don't know. I only know what I've been told by someone else who was told." But isn't that the nature of history, a third of the story is lost or forgotten, another third is fiction, and the rest is just a smidgen of the truth.

Her lack of confirmation had been enough to slow Oberyn, the sudden drop of his broken heart weighing him down. "You heard this from Mons, correct?"

"If you mean Aemon, then yes. He was the primary speaker of the past after Haella embellished too much to add drama." Elia sent thanks to whatever gods which were responsible for Aemon's logic and fact focused mind. Haella, like Oberyn was a child of chaos. 

Oberyn's quietness lasted until the children brought out their supper and everyone sat around the table which notably lacked the space for everyone, only fitting eight. After Arthur, Oswell and the Northmen visited the kitchen to load their plates they slipped out to wherever they decided to eat. Judging by Theo's tilted plate, Ashara must have made dessert which the Wull had stolen an early piece of and failed at hiding. Elia just smiled and shook her head amused as usual.

"Has Mother told you about how great this lemon water is with the YiTish spice?'' Not awaiting an answer Aegon took it upon himself to pour his uncle a cup of the drink. Oberyn did need some cheering up so Elia thought Aegon's topic was a safe approach.

Turning to throw a slightly forced smirk at her, Oberyn accepted the offered cup. "She has, even made the grand claim that it is better than Dornish red. Heresy, I say." 

 Elia leaned forward on the table expectantly. "I shall expect a groveling apology, when I prove you wrong."

"If I am correct, I expect you to return the favor." Not giving her a chance to refute, Oberyn took a good sip. He kept his eyes and brows from expression but as he took a second sip and set the cup down Oberyn played up his hesitancy even as a smile began to dance across his face. "I concede it is very good but...is it better than Dornish red?" Trust Obi to make a show of it. "The real decider is if I can get drunk on this?"

Rolling her eyes, Elia smacked her brother's arm. "No, but I'd consider that a boon. This is much more suitable for children however. Though I do fondly remember Aegon practically bouncing around the manse as a child when we first started adding the spice to lemon water." Elia also remembered his little footfalls echoing through their home for half the night, it was a miracle he hadn't broken anything. 

Rhaenys joined the conversation in a way she could oppose Oberyn's beliefs without being hostile and antagonistic. "I'd liken being inebriated as being under a poison, as an expert on poison would you not agree?"

Oberyn just smiled at that. "A double edged blade, that is where the fun lies. It relaxes and loosens the nerves, one can use that to their advantage or detriment. A poison or a cure, depends on the drinker and when it's drunk." His eyes sparked as he raised the cup back to his face. "I'm told Robert Baratheon treats it as a cure, but found that day it was poison."

"Poison seems to be popular these days. I don't have the same taste for risk as you so I favor lemon water, I don't particularly find myself comfortable with the idea of bypassing inhibitions, my first thoughts are rarely the most wise." Rhaenys raised a challenging brow, asking for a debate.

Thankfully, Maenara hadn't been able to see the challenge as she put an end to it before it could start. "Lemon water is even better if you add juices from other fruits. Besides, wine is gross." The little girl was not even phased by her elder sister's gasp.

Aegon's love of the lemon drink allowed him to ignore the attack on his second favorite drink. "Which fruits?"

"Raspberries and blackberries are my favorites, Alsauna and Robyn prefer strawberries but they like anything with strawberries. Baelor likes it plain. There are more but I've never had them." Maenara was preening under the attention of the whole table.

"I vow to try them all," Aegon declared reverently as between bites of food but still well mannered.

Staring into his glass, Oberyn had a brow raised in some sort of confusion.

Elia gave him a few moments to himself before interrupting whatever puzzle was on his mind. "Something in your cup, Obi?"

He turned on her and tilted his head. "Yes, there is ice."

It took Elia a second to realize why that was an oddity to him, but then remembered ice was rarely shipped to Dorne in summer as it rarely lasted until it's first meal from leaving the boat if it even makes it to the dock still solid. "We may or not be blessed with a great source of ice."

"Do tell. I have no great love of the cold but even I can appreciate a good reprieve from the scalding sun and sands." Her brother gave her his full attention.

 Catching Elia's look, Ashara took up explaining. "Jaehaerys' egg is special, if it is hot near it then it cools the area and if it is cool then it offers heat."

"Rhaenys pushed it in the pool as a girl on a really hot day, it fluctuated between freezing and boiling for hours before Arthur got it out. I think she just pissed it off," Aegon teased his sister.

A quiet chuckle came from Aemon. "Oh, she most definitely did. While Frostfyre is the most playful of the three dragons, its temper is almost as bad as Sundancer's. Fortunately it has a soft spot for Muña and the others for babying it."

"Three dragons?" Oberyn's vicious grin was wide, making his canine teeth resemble fangs.

Haella answered, "Yes, on our side that is." Being equally as dramatic as Oberyn she left it at that.

"Yes, we have four eggs, but Dyanna's will remain unhatched, we figured an unbonded dragon may be more detrimental than beneficial," Rhaenys explained.

"There are to be six, well seven dragons soon. Daenerys will or may hatch three in Essos: black, green, and cream. Aegon's Nymerion has red scales, black protrusions and red flames. Muña's Sundancer is golden, with a red secondary and golden flames. Frostfyre is Father's and is mainly white as snow with blood-red wing membranes and horns and bright white breath." Once again Aemon described the likely colorings perfectly having never seen the eggs himself.

Everyone excluding Oberyn knew there was only one unmentioned. "And the final dragon? You said Daenerys hatched three and you refuse to hatch a fourth, Viserys, then?" Oberyn would never have been able to guess correctly given a year.

"Worse." The amount of sorrow and horror Haella was capable of putting in her voice, much less a single word amazed Elia as much as it made her shudder from those exact feelings. "The wild dragon Cannibal from before the dance survives, well for now..."

Eyes wide, Oberyn's jaw clenched. "Why do you make the imminent death of a two century old dragon eating dragon sound bad?"

Gulping, Aemon's face twitched and his frown resembled Rhaegar's so much it sent pangs in Elia's heart. "Because that dragon destroys over half of Essos. Because killing something living is one thing, but killing something that is dead is much harder, especially an undead dragon."

The thought was enough to pale Oberyn's olive skin a few shades. Her previous knowledge didn't help Elia nor Ashara resist the shivers.

"Indestructible scales, flame resistant, and too large to attack with smaller dragons, unkillable by anything but dragonglass, Valyrian Steel and Weirwood, combining that together makes a near perfect enemy. Without those materials, even replicating Dorne's slaying of Meraxes would be futile. It was a miracle that it was ever killed, else we'd all be dead, or some of us nonexistent." Aemon settled back in his chair looking very much like her memories of Rhaegar, he looked like a man with the world on his very back.

Swallowing his final bite, Oberyn pushed away his plate slowly, the dark cloud that was the future looming over him. "But we win in the end? And which of you two is to rule?" 

 Ashara was the first to cringe and Elia felt a hand come to rest on her thigh, whether seeking comfort or giving it was a mystery.

Rhaenys too flinched but answered. "Neither of us are the primary monarch." Clever wording but evidently it failed to appease Oberyn as it drew narrowed eyes. "Aegon ruled both Casterly Rock and Storm's End, or rather gets the fun job of being the consort of ladies who rule the West and Stormlands. Jaehaerys is the king." There really was no easy way to say that.

"And what about you?"

"I'm the queen or well…one of them. Jae takes multiple wives; these three are Margaery's, then there is Sansa Stark, a wildling princess, and me. Margaery's eldest is the heir and I have no duty to produce children though I do birth three. In short I get all the fun parts of being queen without the requirement to be a broodmare. All in all, I find the idea quite appealing really," Rhaenys ended it with a shrug.

Oberyn scrutinized Rhaenys before switching targets and observing Aegon who made a face and an uncaring grunt. "Okay." Like Rhaenys, Oberyn lifted and dropped his shoulders. "Though the fat flower getting what he wants is very displeasing. No offense," he directed the last words towards the Tyrell-Targaryens.

Bitterly, Haella bit out, "it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying." Though she did sober a moment later. "Grandfather never got to see Mama married to Father and thus never got to meet any of us."

Everyone was silent after that.

Rhaenys vanished into the kitchen to bring out Ashara's sweets. Two of very few things her Sunfyre was prohibited from doing in the manse were playing music and cooking, as she was downright horrible at both. Rhaenys blamed her lack of cooking skills on the variability and lack of precision in the art but somehow she always managed to have both uncooked areas and burnt areas right next to each other, so the girl was mandated to a serving and cleaning role for kitchen duties.

The treats brought a bit of happiness back to them and like nothing had changed Oberyn was the first affected. "So my sweet niece, three queens and a king?"

"Yes. Mother had two wives and a husband simultaneously, and Egg has two wives. Why don't you interrogate them?" Diverting his attention to new targets, Rhaenys clearly took her lessons to heart.

Draping an arm over Aegon and Elia's shoulders, Oberyn eyed them proudly. "You three, the Dornish sand is in your blood, and I couldn't be prouder, corrupting those prudish Westerosi."

Elia rolled her eyes, "You're ridiculous."

Ignoring her voice, Oberyn's grin turned more and more predatory. "So what is the plan?"

"We'll be heading to Winterfell in a moon and arrive ideally a few days after the Baratheon party leaves with or without Eddard Stark." Ashara leaned back in her chair with a warm smile blooming across her beautiful face, the woman was just dying to meet Jaehaerys

"I've never been to the North." There was a twinkle in those black pits that spoke of the Red Viper's thoughts on this upcoming adventure. "I want to come."

Sighing even as her heart warmed that she wouldn't be separated from her brother so soon, Elia shook her head in amusement. "Must I inform you that you will be expected to behave?" After who knows how long of being restricted to Dorne, her brother was due for trouble.

"When do I not behave?" Yes, Oberyn Martell, the very pillar of innocence and decorum.

She raised a brow. "Behave like a mummer of a classic Dornishman in a King's Landing show: always. Behave in a civilized manner; never, not unless it is a ruse to create chaos, which you are notoriously superb at."

"You know me so well, dear sister."

Notes:

This chapter didn't really push the plot much and spent a lot talking about the past or other future (a lot of it was not new), but it seemed like Oberyn and Elia had to get through some stuff in order to bring Oberyn into the game. Probably would have been beneficial to have had this as an Oberyn perspective, but oh well. There shouldn't be another 'reaction to the future' focused chapter for awhile if ever. Was there five hundred words pretty much just about lemonade, maybe. Anyway things should be picking up speed really soon and getting excited as they really get into the game of thrones.

So I think I will probably go back to 4,000-6,000 word chapters even if I do two chapters of the same perspective. Plus it means cuts down on time between updates but for less content each new chapter.

The first half is sort of filler, more accurately worldbuilding, but that stuff helps me explore the characters a bit more as well as the past and alternate future.

Next chapter will be Rhaenys' first chapter, depending on how much I cover it may be split into two where the second half will be from Jon's perspective. But Rhaenys and Jon will finally meet in the next chapter.

Upcoming Chapter POV Order:

Rhaenys I

Jon III (Possibly)

Sansa II

Multi IV

Multi V

Mya I