6 6
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111 AC
Dorne - Sunspear
Daeron Nymeros Martell
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Gaelithox dives from the sky just as we have done a hundred times over the top of Sunspear. Since I bonded with him we have ridden every day without fail and our bond gets stronger with every ride. He used to grumble when I climbed up his back but now he purrs like a kitten, he is still a dick to anyone else though.
I had to almost drown this guy three times before he learned the peeking order and since then no big problems. He even leaves Tyraxes and Shrykos alone and has been on a diet of whatever we can find to feed him. Everything from a whale to a huge pile of chickens, he eats it all with zero problems.
Tyraxes the big brown sheep-eating fool almost cried out when Gaelithox ate his sheep though. I thought we would see a fight until Gaelithox flew off to the beach to sleep off his meal leaving a hungry Tyraxes in his dust.
""Lets land!"" I shout and get a trill in response, the trill sending vibrations through my body and chattering my teeth.
Gaelithox closes in on the ground and flaps his wings hard kicking up a storm of sand in the process. I shake my head at his antics as he starts trying to shake the sand off his head and even looks back with his glowing green eyes.
""I will give you a bath later."" A rumble of approval that takes me off balance and I tumble off the dragon landing on my feet in the sand with a frown.
Cheeky little shit.
----
I walk into my father's solar after being summoned and see my mom pacing around with a thoughtful look.
"Is there a problem?" I wanted to test Shimmer some more and the effects it has on people when I use water bending to heal.
The sudden summons ruined my plans and I am eager to return and uncover all the uses for my shimmer-tainted blood.
"Read these." Two letters tossed onto the desk causes me to raise my brow but I grab the one with the Targaryen sigil on it.
I snort reading the invitation to a tourney for the king's 'son' who is not even confirmed to be a boy. This event is finally happening and I feel my guts twist in worry as I don't know if I am ready, this is a key point to manipulate the future.
"This is not for another few months?" I ask tossing it back onto the table and picking up the one from House Velaryon.
"It is in two months which is a month after the start of the new year and we plan to go. It is a great opportunity to come to an agreement on if a marriage between you and Rhaenyra is possible. If it is not then we will start to look elsewhere, maybe someone with Valyrian blood from the kingdom of the three daughters." Yes because we wouldn't want to dilute my 'bloodline' and lose the ability to claim a dragon, now would we?
They obviously don't know that the king won't get a son from Aemma, not a living one at least. Daemon will run his mouth and get kicked out and Rhaenyra will become heir to the Iron throne making her hand immensely more valuable. It will also make the deal to unify that much more streamlined as the first of our kids would take the Iron throne and the name Targaryen. The second kid would take Sunspear and keep the name they were born with, Martell.
Then House Martell will still be prince and princess and share blood with the main Targaryen line. Becoming part of the seven kingdoms would be as easy as a snap at that point and no one would bat an eye. They might grumble in secret but no one would raise concerns about it unless the Hightower line is still birthed and grasping for the throne.
This is one of the reasons I am experimenting with healing and Shimmer, if I can save Aemma I might stop the High Towers from even starting. Forget the Dance I would end it before it could even be thought about. But I don't see it going so easily and it will take a lot of positioning and manipulating to even be near the queen during birth.
Unless I show them my healing beforehand and get access to the birthing.
I will keep that on the back burner for now but I will keep it in mind if it's needed, Viserys does love Aemma but he loves his 'son' more. I need things to go perfectly or I can just stay back and let it all fall apart and capitalize by just marrying Rhaenyra and killing Aegon the second if he ever tries to go for the throne.
I shake my head and read the letter from Lord Velaryon.
"He is worried about the Kingdom of the three 'whores' and wants to see how we feel about it. We are directly across from them and they are building up tension in the Stepstones which is our backyard. He likely wants to involve us based on our proximity or at least wants to try to, but we need more than that." My father nods in approval.
"Exactly, he wants it for free when I want more than that." I raise my brows and my mom sighs and slumps into a chair.
"What do you want from the Velaryons?" He puts his head on his fist held up by his elbow on the desk.
"There fleet, I want to take the Stepstones for Dorne and his fleet will be the thing making that possible. We will allow his ships to go and come free of charge and also a cut of the 'toll' we will charge." I snort and look over at my thoughtful mom.
"Why do you look like that?" I ask my mom and she narrows her eyes staring at the floor in thought.
"He wants the deal to be forged using blood, he wants to secure a husband and a bride out of the Sea snake's children." I see, she is not ready for any of her kids to head out and is hesitant to agree to this even though it's a 'good' match for them.
It might even be better than they think, my suspicion of my brother resembling Oberyn was a bit off. He enjoys men that much is true, but he does not enjoy the finer sex and if nothing is different with Laenor he is the same. If only a gay marriage could unite our houses, the lack of children ruins the idea though so they need babies.
"I see, have you told my siblings they are on the negotiating table?" He shakes his head and I hum and tap my chin. "They won't like it if they are 'sold' without their opinion." I shake my head in disapproval.
"I know, it's only in my mind for now and I wanted my heir's opinion." I look at my mom and she gives me a pleading look.
"I think they should meet each other before you try to have them engaged." Trying to think if I know anything about the 'real' them I realize I only know of their existence and nothing about them. "How old are they anyway before we get going on this idea?" My mom huffs in annoyance but I tune her out for now.
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111 AC
Kingslanding
Aemma Arryn
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"What's got you in such a good mood?" I ask my husband as he arranges a piece of his model of Valyria.
"I received a response from Sunspear, they will be here for the birth of our son and the tournament. I invited them as royal guests so they will be enjoying the events with us allowing more time to get acquainted." I watch him place a piece down and look back with a wide smile.
"Who exactly is it that you are trying to acquaint?" I know the answer, he fancies pulling Dorne into the fold with marriage and no bloodshed.
A nice idea but I feel nervous about it, the Dornish used to hate Targaryens until Saera married the Lord of Sunspear. Would a Martell even make a good husband for my daughter, would she even like it in Sunspear?
"You know who, she can't remain unmarried forever and it is a very important match to prevent conflicts. I will not let it go through if she looks like she would suffer or if the boy looks to be a horrible person or cruel. I would not send our daughter to suffer in the deserts Aemma." I nod and smile as that is the best I will get.
"I know, they have three dragons and the potential for war is high and it will only get worse the more kids they have. Rhaenyra would remain a princess as well so it's not a drop-in station, I just want to make sure she will be happy. If she can bring in Dorne for her 'brother' she will be helping her house more than any princess has ever done before." I just hope everything will be fine, I don't want her to suffer even if it means we have to go to war.
I need to talk to her about it, she only knows a bit about it but I am sure she has made conclusions on her own. With the Martells confirming they are coming she will know what is really going on, I should help her prepare herself. If she goes into it with a negative attitude she will never be able to get good results no matter the outcome.
"I still can't believe things have turned out this way, one day I can hardly remember my 'aunt' who ran off. Then one day I learn she is with the Martells and considered dead to the family even though she is alive. Now her three kids ride dragons and are both a threat and an opportunity to bring unprecedented peace of war to Westeros. This will only end with the full unity of Westeros or a war between dragons." His eyes turn sad as he looks back at his model of Valyria.
I need to send for Rhaenyra to my room, I need her to understand what is really at stake but more than that I need her to understand I won't judge her based on her choice. She can marry a Dornish prince and unite the dragons or she can avoid the engagement and we will deal with the aftermath.
Placing my hand on my belly I rub my 'son' and pray everything will turn out fine for the sake of my children.
