Arthur 36

293AC

The harbor of Sunspear looked somewhat different from how I last remembered it when we drew into port. Not only had the city grown significantly. Far too much for a few months, but the Desert around it was in bloom as well, desert flowers and cacti sprouted through what at last visit had been mostly dry clay and sand.

The reason for the city's rampant growth became clearer as we approached though, the new town was clearly slapdash, a collection of mostly shacks. Things clicked into place when I remembered that the storm had been driving Northeastern against the trade winds when it hit us. No doubt it had caused flooding in the normally dry lands of the desert kingdom.

Still, our coming was apparently a cause of some celebration, as we came into the dock, the maiden fleet battered and injured but still sailing. A crowd was forming on the peers, even as we arrived, and on the shore I could see my bride to be sat atop a horse alongside her sister, making her way down to the dock. 'Arianne…' I smiled.

"So that's your future wife ey?" Asha said, from where she was standing beside me at the prow.

I turned to her for just a moment before sighing. "Please don't mess about with this, Asha. She almost certainly thought I was dead."

"I know, I know… I'm just teasing. I'll go below decks where I can't interrupt your reunion."

"Don't do that, that'd be suspicious and we have nothing to hide. Just don't get up in her face or act sultry or some nonsense." I smiled as the gang-planks thudded to the ground. I hopped over that way as the men made way, and smiled down at the approaching princess. "This is too happy a time for that."

I started to walk down the ramp, my big stupid fancy cape flapping behind me. I had put a bit of effort into my look for the day and gotten all my fancy cap back out of the wardrobe. I wanted to make sure I looked every bit the conquering prince.

Then as soon as my feet touched the ground I realized that my legs were wobbling, owing to being on a boat for the past two months and getting accustomed to accounting for the rocking of the waves.

Fortunately for my dignity however, Arianne put her horse between me and the crowd as she leaped off straight into a tackling hug, leaving her cousin the reigns "Arthur!" She said, pinning me to the ground, for she was still bigger than me, albeit less so than Asha or God Help me Brienne. "I thought you were dead."

Before I could say anything she planted a kiss on my forehead, and I suddenly found myself a bit tongue-tied. She stood up off of me and dusted off her clothes, helping me up as I as well tried to get up onto my feet. I imagine my face was a fine shade of pink at the time. "Uh…"

I barely had a chance to breathe before she dragged me back into her arms again. "I was so worried. What happened? We heard you were chasing Euron Greyjoy and then the storm hit, anditrainedfordaysandIthoughtyouweredeadand-eep"

Regaining some clarity in my head for a moment, I wrapped my arms around the young woman's waist, returning her embrace and making her squeak. I gently ran my right hand down her hair, glad that I had made sure to ground myself, or ocean myself rather, before landing. "Calm down princess, I'm here now. It's alright. Everything is fine."

Arianne for her part sniffed for a moment before nodding. We held each other like that for a while before our current location seemed to snap in her head and she pushed me back from her wide-eyed, glancing back towards the crowd, the sides of which were still able to see past her cousin's horse. Not to mention half the crew of the Sword, and the said cousin herself, who seemed to be barely stifling a giggle into her hand. An adorable red blush spread across her tawny skin, and I smiled as she turned back to face me.

She smiled back for just a moment before her eyes turned towards the bottom of my face. "What happened to your-"

"It's a long story, but not here." I placed a finger to my lips, and after a second she nodded.

"Care to join me at the palace, my Prince?"

"Yes." I said, "I think I'd like that."

Arianne helped me up onto the horse behind her, thankfully of a sturdy enough breed that it could carry three relatively small people, though I will not deny that it was a comfortable position to be sat behind her. The crowd petered off as we went, apparently more interested in the fleet than me, or perhaps simply unaware of who I was, and we made our way through the gates of the shadow city.

"So," the Sand Snake asked as we rode. Tyene I remembered, the blond one. "Who was the woman on your ship?"

I felt Arianne shift a little uncomfortably at that, but I answered readily enough. "Asha Greyjoy, she was the one who brought me into the hunt against her uncle." I gave Arianne's belly a squeeze. "Before you jump to any conclusions or nonsense, I have not broken my promise to you, Arianne. You are my only princess."

I felt Arianne calm a bit at that, though I doubted her sister was convinced as if I remembered she was the guileful poisoner of the group, but if she had something to say she was wise enough not too.

"I'll explain everything once we can get into private."

That seemed to appease the young woman for now, and we rode into Castle Sunspear, though the courtyard was far more empty than it had been last time, though the statue of Nymeria that was my gift sat prominently in the square.

"Is your father not here?" I asked as we dismounted, Tyene handing the horse off to a servant.

"No, he's out at Hellholt trying to make- Oh!"

The princess covered her mouth, looking quite guilty. "You would not know, but your father and the king are at war in Essos."

I stared at Arianne for a moment as that little piece of trivia made its way through the gears of my mind.

"What!?!"