5 The reforms of Aegon V

NOTE: Some of you told me you cant read the chaps cause of some webnovel update shit. I also publish in Archive of Our Own and Fanfiction.net Same story title and same user name.

***

House Toland was invited to the Tower of the Sun, residence of House Martell. They are family and are treated as such.

While Steffon and his wife aren't particularly close with their Martell cousins, the same can't be said for Princess Maya and Lord Willem.

Maya is Obella's favorite aunt and they are very close.

As for Lord Willem, he is on very good terms with Princess Dorna; they are both avid scholars and can spend hours talking about one subject or another.

After having a welcome banquet with the guests, the Martell family gathers in a room with many sofas with velvet cushions embroidered with the Martell emblem.

Lord Steffon walks over to a cushion bearing the Martell emblem and sits on it, smirking. Trystanne and Arron glare at him but the others ignore him, concentrating on their own conversations.

Princess Dorna is discussing with her daughter, aunt and uncle the new reforms that King Aegon V is trying to implement.

"-reduce working hours and implement better safety measures in dangerous jobs such as mining."

"Protecting the smallfolk and improving their living conditions is a noble thing, but the king is ignoring the complaints of the nobility."

"Yes. Will is right, if Cousin Egg isn't careful he'll have a riot at his hands."

"Sister, you shouldn't refer to the king in such an improper way."

"Shut up Arri. If cousin Egg doesn't have a problem with me calling him Egg to his face he won't have a problem with me referring to him that way when he's not present."

Arron winces and shakes his head. He mutters something about stubborn women under his breath. Trystanne pats him on the back sympathetically, he knows very well what it is to deal with an impulsive and headstrong woman. His wife took those traits from her favorite aunt after all.

Arron looks at Trystanne and both men nod.

`Someone who understands my suffering. A true brother in arms.` they both think.

"Back to the topic of discussion." Dorna interrupts them, her daughter looking at them with eyes sparkling with amusement before turning her attention back to her mother.

"Our cousins' dynasty will face many problems if the king continues to ignore the wishes of his subjects."

"Ob is right but I still think he means well." Trystanne ads.

"Bah the smallfolk. Who cares about them? As long as they keep working our land and don't forget their place-"

"What? Care to continue nephew." Arron interrupts him with his eyes shining dangerously.

Steffon gazes into the bright lilac eyes, as if a purple fire burns inside, and gulps.

"Our interests are not those of the smallfolk. If the king's reforms continue and they forget their place they might try to rebel against our authority." Joanne intervenes in aid of her husband. He nods in agreement and looking at his wife, the resentment in his eyes is momentarily replaced with fondness.

Maya was going to say something but Dorna raised her hand.

Everyone recognizes the authority of The Princess of Dorne in this room, even the most reticent (cough Steffon cough).

The ruling Princess sighs and takes a sip of wine.

`There is no better wine than Red Dornish. Golden Arbor? Bah, that shit is soft and too sweet for the fine palate`

"Joanne has a valid point. If Aegon is not careful he will cause a revolt not only among the nobility but also among the smallfolk."

Joanne smiles victoriously at Maya and Arron and Steffon looks at his uncle with a nasty smile.

"But we must not forget the value that the smallfolk has for all of us." Willam interrupts before his wife and good brother slaughter his son and his wife. "They work our fields, they prepare our meals, they clean our castles..."

"Their worth must not be forgotten." Obella nods.

"This still leaves us where we started." Trystanne gets up from his chair and walks over to a table with several bowls of fruit. He grabs an apple and goes back to his seat. "What do we do with the king's reforms? Do we enforce them or do we ignore them?"

"Most of the nobility are ignoring them."

"But we are not the majority of the nobility, uncle. We are House Martell, Aegon is the grandson of a Dornish princess and our grandmother, mother in some cases and great-grandmother in others." Dorna smiles at her daughter. "Is a Targaryen princess"

"House Martell is House Targaryen's cousin. We are family and we can't forget that." Arthur intervenes for the first time.

"Also don't forget that Trystanne is first cousin with Egg. The king's mother is Dyanna Dayne, Trys's aunt."

"So what do we do mother?"

They all look expectantly at the princess of Dorne.

"If we enforce Aegon's reforms we risk provoking a revolt between the nobility and the peasantry. Being close relatives to the Targaryen dynasty, not enforcing the reforms is not an option. The eyes of the realms are on Dorne and If we oppose the king's will, it could sour the relations between our houses." The Princess of Dorne smiles coldly. "Egg put us in a difficult situation."

"And...???"

Dorna's eyes sparkle and her smile is downright terrifying.

Everyone except Obella and Maya gulp in fear.

ʻI chose to marry this woman. I love her. Yes. I definitely love her. I'm not afraid. No. I love her.` The normally composed Arthur Uller tries to convince himself.

"If the eyes of the realms are on Dorne then we will make them look away."

"They should already know that looking directly at the sun is dangerous"

Mother and daughter smile at each other.

"The Snake Princess and the Fire Princess. What a duo you two make." Maya smirks at them.

"And you are the one to speak sister. Or should I say Rogue Princess."

***

Unaware of the game of thrones being played in another room a couple of doors away, Doran is having a great time with his uncle and cousins.

Michael and Lewyn are replicating big battles with Theodan and Doran as spectators.

The two babies are sitting together watching the older boys fight with wooden swords. Lewyn is kneeling on the ground and Michael is standing with his sword at his cousin's neck.

"Give up Ser Duncan!"

"Never you cowardly prince!"

Lewyn `kicks` Michael's legs and he falls to the ground. He lunges at his cousin and the two children roll on the ground.

The prince is on top and grabs Michael by the collar of his doublet and pretends to punch him in the face. For every fake punch Michael overreacts.

Theodan laughs and claps, Doran imitates the older baby.

"Give up, Prince Aerion!"

"Never peasant!"

Lewyn `hits` him a couple of times and demands surrender again.

"Yes! I give up! Stop! Stop hitting me!"

"Yes! Victory!" Lewyn gets up from the ground and jumps into the air. He slams his fist into the sky and smiles victoriously.

"Victory for the true knight!"

"I seem to recall that Ser Duncan was wounded during the battle and he was barely able to stand."

The children look where the voice is coming from.

A man with golden-silver hair and lilac eyes is leaning against the doorknob with a big smile on his face. The man has long hair tied in a ponytail and a well-groomed beard.

He wears a white silk shirt under an orange sleeveless jerkin with intricate patterns spun with gold thread. His pants are cotton and his boots are leather.

`He looks like a rich corsair`

He is very similar to Arron, almost identical if it weren't for small details like the nose and the shape of the eyebrows, and of course the different style (Arron prefers short hair and being clean shaven).

"Uncle Jace!" The two older boys run to the man. He reaches down and catches them both in his arms.

He picks them up and spins them around, all three laughing happily.

`So he is Jacaerys Martell, the youngest son of my great great grandfather Maron.`