GOT : Chapter 4

Jennelyn I

She didn't know what to think of Yronwood. On one hand, it was one of the most beautiful keeps in Dorne, well on this side of Dorne. It wasn't as much a keep as a city in itself actually.

Yronwood had beautiful ramparts all around the city, visible from leagues away.

Inside the these ramparts, a city, vibrant with life as traders preparing to cross the Boneway prepared for the cross, while others poured into Dorne, trying to reach The Tor, or ships heading towards Estermont, Tarth or even the Free Cities.

A few more steps into the city and another layer of ramparts stood before them, less impressive than the first, but daunting nonetheless. It was beyond these walls that the Bloodroyal resided.

It was a simple keep, but large and spacious. Six to seven towers towered over the large courtyard, with stables located beyond the inner courtyard. Flanking these towers were large walls, three stories high, with one of them containing an indoor garden, with small pools mimicking the ones at the Water Gardens.

Not as impressive as the ones outside Sunspear, of course, but the imitation was good, with trees providing shade as the scorching dornish sun set in during the afternoon.

It is there that she and Jeyne decided to spend the afternoon, as men and women came and went from the keep. Yet, although she flaunted with a few, she could not see the famous ward of house Yronwood, the one they called the frog: Prince Quentyn Martell.

Suddenly, she heard laughs in the distance, seeing three men coming down a corridor.

All were comely. One was tall, with sandy hair and blue eyes, as he was a good half-foot over the two others. The two others were similar in height, with one having long, brown hair, and a lazy eye. The other had short, dark, hair, and brown eyes. If his hair were any other colour, she could have sworn they were twins.

Seeing the sigil of House Yronwood on one of the two men, Jennelyn stepped up to them.

"Forgive me, good sers." She stepped in front of them with her usual sly smile. "I have spent he day here, yet I have not seen or heard about Prince Quentyn. Is he ill?"

The three of them exchanged confused looks, before the smallest one answered with a small chuckle.

"He's doing fine, I believe. The prince fell about a month ago, and is still recovering."

"Is he in his rooms then, sers…I haven't caught your names?"

"My name is Cletus Yronwood, but please call me Cletus." The one with long hair answered.

"A pleasure, Cletus." She nodded as she saw Jeyne come up to her in the corner of her eye.

Her twin was always close to her. Delilah however, was nowhere to be seen. Her younger sister was always running about. She'll come back eventually.

"By my side is Ser Gerris Drinkwater." Cletus said, pointing at the blonde man, who smiled. "And here is…"

He didn't have the time to finish this sentence, as something moved inside the third boy's pouch. She raised an eyebrow, as the boy just smiled, holding the greenish figure out of the pouch.

Suddenly, both her and Jeyne's eyes widened as out of the pouch came a green frog, with red eyes. The boy stroked the frog's back for a moment, before placing it on his shoulders and smiling at the both of them.

A small smile, that she knew from somewhere. It was the same smile the Red Viper would give his paramour, or his daughters. Things suddenly made sense.

"Lady Jeyne, Lady Jennelyn." The boy bowed. "My name is Quentyn Martell, and here is my companion: Achilles."

"Prince Quentyn…" Jennelyn tried to compose herself slightly. "You aren't what I was expecting…"

"You're not the first one to say that." The boy chuckled, as he continued to stroke the frog's back. "I've changed."

Jennelyn nodded as she barely had any time to compose herself. Arianne had told her that her brother was short, yes, but also fat and ugly. Not thin…and quite comely after all. Sure, he wasn't as handsome as the other two, but not at all the vision that his sister described either.

"My ladies, I fear that we have a sparring session to attend." The prince continued. "But we could get acquainted later. There are activities you may quite enjoy once night falls on Yronwood."

Jennelyn shared a look with her twin and smirked in return. She had a mission after all, and this was the opportunity to fulfil it.

"With pleasure, prince Quentyn." Jennelyn answered. "Good luck with your spar."

"I'll see you tonight then. Good afternoon."

...

"Alright, Cletus you have to take four cards."

"I'm not going to lie; this is not what I expected when you said we could do something fun tonight." Jennelyn chuckled.

"Wait, Lady Jeyne put down a take two, and then you placed down a take two without taking any cards, why?" the young Yronwood asked.

"Because." Prince Quentyn rolled his eyes. "If I put one down, it adds it to the count. Now if you have another take two, you can put it down and Lady Jen will take six."

Cletus sighed and took his cards, as the game continued.

"Where did you say this game is from?" the young Drinkwater lordling asked.

"Braavos." Prince Quentyn replied. "Although the deck I purchased isn't. I purchased blank cards and filled them myself."

"You filled over a hundred cards?" Cletus chuckled. "When did you have the time?"

"Well, when you went whoring or flirting with the girls in the courtyard, I stayed in my rooms and filled them."

Cletus' face suddenly reddened.

"I didn't go whoring, I was just looking around local shops and talking with some lovely people…"

"Sometimes I wonder why they say dornishmen have no shame in this…" Quentyn shook his head as Gerris chuckled behind his deck, making Cletus redden even further "Uno."

"Oh gods, he's going to win again." Jennelyn laughed. "Does anyone have something to change it from a sun to a star?"

"I got one!" Gerris smiled triumphantly as he placed the card down atop the playing deck. A simple looking card, with a six written in large, and the Dayne sigil on both the top right and bottom left corners.

The Drinkwater boy smirked from ear to ear, as prince Quentyn just sighed.

And placed his card on the deck. Take four. No sigils matter.

Gerris' face fell as he slapped the cards on the floor.

"Right." He let out, completely done with what had happened. "I've lost enough games for the night. I bid you lords and ladies good night, as I have a small get-together with a lovely girl tonight. I'll hope you'll excuse me."

"Try to last more than five minutes this time." The prince said under his breath, as the attendance chuckled.

Gerris just rolled his eyes and left the room in a hurry.

"Right." Cletus clapped his hands and stood up. "It is quite late and I should be on my way as well. It has been a splendid evening, but I do feel like I should go."

"Let me accompany you if you will, Cletus." Jeyne smiled. "Our chambers are close, I believe."

The heir to Yronwood nodded with a small smile, and they both left the room, leaving her and the prince alone in the young Martell's chambers.

A perfect way to put her plan in motion.

However, it seemed that the young prince had barely registered her presence and began clearing the cards from the floor, singing a small tune she'd never heard of.

"Glory, glory halleluiah. Glory, glory halleluiah. Glory, glory halleluiah. His truth is marching on."

The singing wasn't perfect, but it was still pleasant to listen to. It was…melancholic, in a way.

"He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat. He is swifting the hearts of men before his judgment seat. Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer, oh be jubilant my feet, his truth is marching…Oh."

The prince stopped as he registered her presence.

"You're still here." The prince looked confused. "I expected you to go with your sister."

"Oh no, I thought you'd like the company."

"Well, if you're worried that your sister will take the room, be sure that although Lord Yronwood may not hold any grudges towards House Folwer, it isn't the case of his son. He's still mad about Nymeria's War."

Jennelyn chuckled.

"So, my sister will spend the night alone, then?"

"Most likely."

"Well, that is unfortunate for her." She smiled.

Come on, she pushed herself forwards. He's quite comely, there are worse options. She looked at the frog on the desk, who looked at her as if amused by the situation.

What? She seemed to want to ask him. Is there anything else I can do?

Quickly pulling herself together, she lunged to cup his cheeks and kissed him square on the lips. A clumsy kiss, but one all the same, as she pushed him onto the bed.

Good. Now for the tricky part.

She broke the kiss, and made way to undo her top, but to her surprise, he stopped her and smirked.

"Alright. Enough with the games." He stared at her; eyes cold as ice. "Who sent you? My cousin or my sister?"

Jennelyn froze and quickly took a step back, sitting atop the bed, as the prince slowly jerked himself forwards.

"Come now, Jennelyn." The prince sighed. "I see that you are not interested in me. Nor in men in general."

"I leave men to my sister." She acknowledged, confused. "How did you know about Nym?"

"She isn't exactly discreet about it."

"Of course…" Jennelyn sighed. Although she was discreet in her interactions, her lover was much more vocal about them…and others.

"Did she send you, then?"

"No." Jennelyn shook her head, as the prince gave her a cup of water. "Arianne did."

"Why?"

"She wanted to get the measure of you." She replied. "Wanted to know about your ambitions, your dreams about Dorne."

"Wait." Quentyn laughed. "You mean that she sent you to discover that? She told you to seduce me? And you were ready to fuck me to get that information?"

"Well, she said you'd be shy around girls and I'd have no trouble seducing you without bedding you, but if it was necessary..." She answered truthfully. There was no point denying it now. "When I saw you were not the person she described to me, I decided to take matters a step further and…

"Alright." Quentyn ran his hand along his face, before taking both her hands in between his. "First of all, if my sister wants to hear about my health and catch up, she can very well come visit me, I doubt father will mind. Secondly, and most importantly."

Quentyn looked at her with a stern look.

"You do not need to go to such lengths for her. Not now, and not ever." He insisted on the last word, letting her hands go. "Go to sleep, Jen."

"And what should I tell your sister?"

"The truth." He shrugged. "If she wants to see me, she can come herself and ask me. I've got nothing to hide. However, I will not have her send her friends as whores before me."

These last words stung.

"I'm sure the princess meant…"

"What would you call it, then?"

Jennelyn tried to defend her friend, but in truth she couldn't say anything, the prince's word rang true.

"As I said. Go to sleep, Jen, you need the rest."

"Thank you, prince Quentyn."

Without a word, she left the prince's chambers and headed for hers, before halting before the doors. Hearing noises behind the doors, she chuckled and turned around towards the prince's rooms.

Knocking on the door, the prince answered, opening the door in his bedclothes, looking surprised to see her.

"It seems past grudges have been forgotten." She smiled. "Would you have a spare bed by any chance?"

Quentyn rolled his eyes.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Cletus…one night of peace…just one…" he sighed deeply, motioning for her to come in. "Take the bed."

"And you?" she looked surprised as the prince took a bedsheet and a pillow off of the bed and threw it on the floor, narrowly avoiding the tree frog who had lodged itself on the desk besides where the pillow had landed.

"Well, we're not sharing the bed, and I'm not letting you sleep on the floor."

"And you?"

"I have a blanket. I'll be fine."

The prince grumbled as he took the bedsheet and placed it on the ground, shifting uncomfortably as he placed a pillow on one of the walls.

Shrugging, she took her clothes off, as she noticed the prince was trying hard not to stare.

"What?" she chuckled. "I sleep without clothes. Good night, prince Quentyn."

Shifting his gaze towards the wall, the prince moved uncomfortably in his makeshift sleeping spot. Muttering under his breath as he closed his eyes, he let out:

"For fuck's sake. Why me?"

The frog croaked in response.

"Not a word, Achilles!" the prince cried out before pulling the pillow over his face.

Chuckling, Jennelyn laid on the soft bed, pulled the sheets and closed her eyes with a smile on her face. This night wasn't completely wasted after all.

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