122

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118 AC

Sunspear

Saera Nymeros Martell

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I can't help but smile watching the small two-name-day-old child play with some handmade toys her Father sent her. The letter intended for my Husband came with these new toys that I am almost certain Daeron made himself for the baby girl he can't spend time with as much as he would like.

"Saera, don't eat wood." I speak up seeing her try to stick the head of a wooden dragon into her mouth.

She ignores me and does it anyway, forcing me to lean forward and pull it out of her mouth before a splinter or something can get in her gums.

The older Saera gets, the more like her namesake she becomes.

Like me... which should not make me as proud as it does but I can't help but enjoy the warmth in my heart as I watch her act like a spoiled little princess despite being a 'Stone'.

"Ahhh!" She voices her displeasure at me but I ignore her small fuss in favor of slicking back her hair.

Mostly silver, with a few locks of red bleeding through.

It's pretty.

"Do you want me to put her to bed?" I hear Narhia ask from behind me and I turn with a smile on my face.

Narhia recently redyed her hair back to a light blue, the same color it was when my Son picked her up from the streets in Essos.

"She is fine, I want to spend a bit more time watching her before I go and pester my Husband to see what that letter was about." Narhia nods and returns her full attention back toward the floor where Saera is once more trying to eat something she should not be eating.

I chuckle watching Narhia move to sit on the ground and adjust the toys so Saera has a harder time getting her small meaty hands upon them. Despite only being ten and three name days herself, Narhia is filling the role of a 'Mother' for Saera splendidly. When Daeron dropped off his baseborn with the young Essosi girl, I thought he was being foolish.

She has proved me wrong, and I am glad.

They both deserve someone to be a constant anchor in their lives.

* Click *

I turn and see my Husband enter the room and he nods once in my direction once he notices my gaze upon him.

"Good news?" I ask aloud which alerts Narhia to the new addition to the room and she quickly stands and greets my Husband as she was taught before returning to playing with Saera.

"Not bad news, but not good news." I sigh and feel a headache coming on as I remember the last news we received from my eldest child.

"More Lords have died?" I ask softly as my Husband sits beside me and kisses the side of my head.

"No... and Lord Manderly is still hanging in there, Daeron thinks he might have been wrong about him being potentially assassinated." I raise a brow at that and my Husband shrugs. "Lord Manderly is a big man..." I hum and nod at that, it could have been just a coincidence that his poor health struck and he became bedridden the same week two other Lords died.

Lords and Ladies are bedridden or even die all the time, Daeron just thought it was strange three Lords with fleets all happened to have something happen within a few days of each other.

The fact two of those Lords happened to be Lord Greyjoy and the Sea Snake... it was suspicious.

Those two would personally sail at the flagship of their fleets if they were called upon for war.

With Volantis making moves to 'reclaim' the disputed lands and the Three Daughters... it would be foolish to not overthink such unnatural timings.

"So what did he say?" I ask while shifting my gaze back down to Saera who is silently looking at her own feet while moving her toes.

My question earns me a thoughtful hum, I reach out and take my Husband's left hand and hold it while shifting my gaze back to his face to try and peer into his hidden thoughts.

I hate when he does this, he chews on his words too much before he speaks them, even when it's just me.

I am glad our children have no problems speaking their minds, at least when I am around.

"He didn't say much, he just wanted to make sure we are ready for any potential... threats." He grips my hand back with a slight smile. "He also asked yet again for me to send word as soon as possible once I get a response from the Summer Island Prince." I am not sure how that will go, but I am hopeful.

Daeron is trying to gain support from many of the Summer Islands Princes and Princesses, to help gain more Naval strength in the Summer Sea. It's something he will likely struggle with and most likely will fail to achieve anything meaningful as the Summer Islands only work as one unified force when it concerns their own lands. At least that is how it has been in all of the known history that I have learned about, they kicked off the slavers and also dealt with some harsh pirates.

Other than that they usually just stick to their own islands, some traders here and there are about the extent I hear of their people.

Well... other than the whores.

My Son brokered multiple deals between pillow houses in Lys and the Summer Princes and Princesses.

He might be hoping that the new income would encourage those Princes and Princesses to bring in their fleets to help combat the Volantis fleet which should soon transport a slave army westward.

"Hmm..." I hum while leaning my head on my husband's shoulder.

I am unsure of my son's motives, he is all over the place with his various plans and I am growing accustomed to only paying attention to those that directly affect my family.

War is likely coming, that is my main concern.

But from what I can see so far, no one on our side seems overly concerned which is a good sign.

It reminds me of the last conflict that got kicked up in the Stepstones, which led to a good portion of Essos getting conquered.

Will this conflict follow the same path?