Chapter 41: Chapter 37
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Dorne, Sunspear.
A hot day, just like a thousand others.
Though, Oberyn could argue about how hot it was for him personally. It's been almost thirty years since Obara was conceived, and now his family has been expanded by one more member. Oberyn has eight daughters and no sons, unlike his older brother Doran, who has an heiress daughter and two sons. One of whom, namely Quentin, would become the future husband of Daenerys Targaryen. Sometimes he could not escape the thought that there were fewer men of Martell blood than there should be.
Today he had his first grandchild, and Gods willing, not his last. The little bundle of joy that Obara had given birth to prematurely, but the young mother and child were doing well. Even now around little Leaven, as Obara had decided to call him, all her sisters were chattering happily, except for Sarella, who was now still in Staromest in the guise of a studio in the Meister Tower, Princess Daenerys, who after her first unsuccessful birth had not squandered her maternal instinct and curiosity. Beside them, Elaria, Arianna and a number of her maid of honour were circling the baby, who was studying all her "nannies" with an attentive, even slightly adult gaze. Today there was an obsession with this boy, who looked like his father's son, at least in appearance. He had sparse black hair poking through and had the same scarlet eyes as Damian Blackheart.
Oberyn was now sitting not far from the entire yurba (cluster) of the circle of women that had surrounded the poor boy and was nuzzling him.
- Congratulations, Prince Oberyn, on your new addition to the family. - The voice of the eunuch sounded velvety but disgusting to Oberyn personally. - I see you are pleased that the bond between your eldest daughter and Damian Blackheart has borne such fruit. Children are wonderful.
- True. - Oberyn nodded and sipped his favourite wine from his goblet and stood up. - Children are special in Dorne. They are untouchable, Lord Varys, I think you know that and remember it well.
- Of course, I don't like to see children suffer, especially for the sins of their fathers. And your grandson is but a child conceived on the night of your daughter's passion with the Black Heart. He has no real political value to anyone. Besides, knowing Blackheart as much as possible, I don't think he even knows about this child, and even if he did, it wouldn't make much difference in his life.
- Maybe. Did you have something important to tell me, or were you just wondering how my daughter and her son are doing?
- Alas, we all, and I not least of all, are concerned with matters of state. - apologised the Spider. - King Aegon will be here soon to meet his bride-to-be, Margaery Tyrell. Before that, your brother asked me to bring you to his study. Lord Connington arrived this morning with important news, as did my birds. So we're in for a long conversation and I think a very important one.
- Any matter that is discussed in my brother's study is important. - Oberyn said and walked towards his brother's study, Varys following him.
- Indeed. - The Spider nodded courteously at the prince's back.
A few minutes later they both arrived in the spacious and bright office of Doran Martell, the ruler of Dorne. Besides him and his loyal Captain of the Guard, there were Jon Connington, Orus Maegyr (Talisa's distant relative and commander of the Volantis and Fox forces), Randil Tarly, Olayna Tyrell and Mace Tyrell, and Paxter Redwyn. While under Aegon, Jon Connington became Hand, Oberyn's brother became Master of the Law, Paxter Redwyn became Master of the Ships, and Mace Tyrell became Master of the Coin. There were still vacancies for Grand Maester and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but it was possible that these would be resolved in the near future.
Everyone took their seats. Varys sat closer to Olayna Tyrell, though she was not thrilled with the move, but she did not seem to dislike it. Oberyn sat between his brother and Randyll Tarly.
- Is there new news my lords? - Oleanna murmured.
- It has. - Varys and Gryphus confirmed her suspicions at the same time.
They glanced at each other, and Aegon's Hand was the first to speak:
- The Vale had overthrown Lysa and her little boy Robin Arryn, as it turned out he was Lysa's bastard from a liaison with Littlefinger and now Lysa was executed and the boy was put behind bars out of sight. Littlefinger, who was there on a secret visit, was also captured, he testified after he was "talked to" by Blackheart that he had personally come to the Valley to negotiate. He confessed to many things and a few days after the trial and the fact that he had been skilfully and quickly extracted from him the information Blackheart needed, he was executed. Bronze John Royce became Keeper of the Vale and Lord of the Eagle's Nest. And he recognised Jhaerys Targaryen over him, as did the whole Vale, though some houses were against it, but no one listened to them. Now Blackheart had the forces of the Vale at his disposal as well. - Connington clenched his fists in anger.
- How did he do it so fast? - Mace wondered.
- He has brains, strength and inspiration, unlike some Mace. - Waved off her son the Queen of Spikes. - Lord Hand, tell me better, how soon will the Valley gather its strength and go to war?
- It's hard to say. - John shrugged. - A third of their forces are concentrated at the Blood Gate, another third at Runes Stone, and the rest scattered across the Vale of Arryn. It's not their speed that needs to be considered, but rather Blackheart's plans. The man has a mind of his own. What with his messages about Aegon's "illegitimacy" and the fact that he is the son of some magister from Pentos and one Serra Blackfire.
Oberyn thought again at that moment about one of the first messages he had sent a couple of months ago, after Shireen's death and Blackheart's oath to Jehaerys Targaryen. Then in that message he announced the truth about Jon Snow's origins and the truth about the events of eighteen years ago. More importantly, what he reported concerned Aegon. For Blackheart claimed that Aegon was the son of Illyrio Mopatis and Serra Blackfire, a close relative and possibly sister of Varys Blackfire, both of them the last surviving members of the family. After his sister's death, Varys has been pushing his nephew's fate to the Iron Throne, and even his actions as Master of the Whisperers since the days of Aerys the Mad have been to ensure that one day a descendant of Damon Blackfire will sit on the throne. And the real son of Elia Martell and Rhaegar Targaryen died with his sister and mother.
Oberyn himself had been thinking about Varys' lies, and he had denied the Blackheart's words. Could Elia not tell the difference between her son and a substitute?! But on the other hand Doran seemed to believe, and they did not want to see Lyanna Stark's son on the throne of their distant relatives. Not that they harboured a burning hatred for the boy, for he was not to blame for what had happened. But he is Rhaegar's son, and there's no doubt about it. Oberyn himself had seen the boy several times, and he had lusted for him for some time, but he had not crossed the line. The boy reminded him vaguely of someone, but because of his mother's grey eyes and her curly dark hair that her son had inherited, he couldn't tell who he looked like....
- Damian Blackheart is a very contradictory person. - said Doran. - Oberyn, perhaps you could give him a more detailed characterisation. He even had your daughters in his army for a while, and Obara had a child with him.
All eyes turned to the younger Martell, who answered as if nothing had happened:
- Strong, clever, bold, a man of his word, cruel, resourceful, ambitious, far-sighted, talented in many aspects and in general he is a very versatile person this Blackheart. If he were the legitimate son of the aged Walder, the Riverlands would have been under the Freys' banner under Robert's time, and Damian would have ruled Riverrun in his father's name as his heir. - And he smiled slightly. - He took everything "good" from his father, and apparently looks from his mother. The mixture has become, as he says himself, "murderous".
- And it kills a lot of people. - snorted Olaina. - I've never met him, but I've heard a lot of things. I don't know what to believe.
- All the rumours you've heard are true. - snorted the Red Serpent. - I tell you he's a multifaceted personality.
- And your "birds" didn't try to get him in the Valley? - Paxter Redwyn asked Varys.
- No!" the eunuch shook his perfectly round and smooth head, "I didn't rule out the possibility, but it was impossible, no one could get to him or Jaehaerys. Blackheart is apparently paranoid in a way and only Jaehaerys is better protected than he is. All my birthers and other spies were slaughtered in the first days as soon as Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen's son, Lyanna Stark, took the North. The same happened in the Riverlands, thanks to the network that my young colleague and Blackheart's brother, Rex Blackheart, spread. A very talented young man. So it is very difficult for me to get true information about what is above the Green Eye and even more so the Isthmus. I did get a couple of pieces of news, though. The first, and probably the most dangerous, is the private meeting between Balon Greyjoy and Jaheiris Targaryen at Dragonslayer's Cape. As spies report the main purpose of their meeting is a duel to the death. With the death of one of them, the opposing side loses its leader. If Baelon dies, power will pass to his daughter Asha Greyjoy, who... will become Jaehaerys' wife and the Iron Islands will fall under the dragon's banner. They'd end up with four regions of the Seven Kingdoms under their control, a powerful land army, and a mighty fleet of Ironborn. And that's not all. My friends in the Free Cities report that thanks to Blackheart's religious relatives, Braavos, Mir, Tyrosh, and Lorath have aided Jaehaerys. For example, Gendry Baratheon, who was appointed High Lord of the Stormlands in Myr received the latest batch of mercenaries. A thousand Myrian crossbowmen, two and a half thousand infantrymen from Tyrosh, seven hundred Tholos slingers, a small fleet from Tyrosh again, and separately four thousand mounted and foot soldiers from Braavos and fifty ships and even a dozen war elephants. Only from Lorath has not yet come help, but this poorest of the Big Nine cities will send six hundred infantrymen, which will not play a special role. But in any case, this Blackheart kin is actively sponsoring Jaehaerys and even seems to be able to persuade the Iron Bank to help him, for they promise to pay all the debts of the Throne with interest if their protegee takes it.
- Where do these worshippers of the Lion of Night get all this money and influence?! And what does that mean? Asha Greyjoy, this ironborn could, in theory, become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms? With equally noble and wealthy maidens? It seems that both Blackheart and Jhaerys Targaryen are insane after all....
- They are far more clever than you can imagine, Mace. - the old peppermint has raised her eyes tiredly to the ceiling. - With this marriage, he will bind the Ironborn to the Iron Throne. In the eyes of the Ironborn, the son of Asha and Jaehaerys is their LAWFUL king, and they will not rebel against him and plunder HIS lands. And the fact that he won't carry the Greyjoy surname isn't such a big deal. Besides, if the future, possible," Olayonna corrected herself under Connington's gaze, "prince is raised by Asha Greyjoy, Damian Blackheart, and his father, the Seven Kingdoms will have a strong, cunning, and dangerous king for the neighbours he's already turning his subjects against. Now I wonder if I should have agreed to marry my granddaughter to Aegon instead of Jehaerys....
- Ahem. - Jon coughed.
- My lord, cough into your handkerchief, not your hand. Have you never been taught etiquette, or have you and your mercenaries forgotten all decorum?
Connington blushed red with indignation, but had no time to reply as Doran, smiling despite the pain in his knees, answered Old Rozan's first question:
- There are many followers of the Lion of Night in the world, not in Westeros, but there are many in Essos. In the Free Cities it's mostly the rich and the mercenaries, and further beyond the Dothraki Sea territory it's the I-Tii Empire, Asshai, the Edge of Shadows, the Lang. And who knows where else he is worshipped? If they can negotiate help with the Itians, they might send one of their many armies of about so hundred thousand. There is a VERY strong belief in him there. And what Blackheart and Jaehaerys Targaryen have received is only help from three or four Free Cities so far, or rather a small part of their nobility.
- So this Blackheart is no less dangerous than Jehaerys' entire army! - concluded Olayna Tyrell. - I see.
- Is that army that's with Gendry Baratheon already in the Stormlands? Or still in the Peace? - Tarly asked.
- Still in Meere, but it will move on to the Stormlands very soon. - Varis replied. - The exact destination is unknown. The captains themselves don't seem to know where they are sailing yet. Blackheart Sr. and his brother have already created various distractions and rumours about his progress and plans. When I was still under Joffrey, when he was alive and sitting on the Iron Throne, before he marched north, I had a lot of trouble figuring out where Blackheart and his army were going. Until he landed at the Wall. - Spider chewed his lip. Oberyn realised that Varys was uncomfortable admitting his mistake and losing on his own field, but he did it. - And how many amusing, contradictory and yet possibly true rumours he had spread through his wit was beyond counting. In those days I wanted to resign and leave the Seven Kingdoms. But the intrigues of the Blackheart brothers struck a chord with me, and I might even say it became my personal desire to beat them.
- Two young men outplayed the great Spider, ha ha ha ha, what a pity. Apparently you, Lord Varys, have grown old. - laughed the Queen of Spikes.
- I think the matters of old age and mistakes can be put aside for now. - said the Hand. - Based on what has been said, we need to do a few things. The first is to smash, preferably at sea, the entire armada that Blackheart's men are leading to the Stormlands, and if we fail at sea, then on land as soon as they land. Second, prepare and execute an assault on King's Landing. Our King wants to personally lead this attack. And third, we need to decide what to do about Jaheiris Targaryen. Aegon does not wish to spill his own blood, though he does not like the fact that his brother is trying to take his throne. But the North and the Vale do not want to recognise Aegon as their king, even if Jaheirys dies and they are left without a king, they would rather recognise Stark rule, but not ours. The Riverlands and the Iron Islands are another matter that can be resolved more easily, but the first two regions cannot be ignored.
- I suggest we begin negotiations with their side. - Old Lady Tyrell suggested it. - As I understand it, the boy was raised by Ned Stark and can be influenced through the prism of honour and legality. And promise him either the North or the West. And Blackheart... this man is not stupid enough, I think, and wants not just a legitimate monarch, but a monarch who will favour him and shower him with lands and titles. The question, I think, is the price.
- The idea is quite reasonable. - Oberyn chuckled. - But you forget that he has travelled all the way to the position of Hand, commander of the whole army and lord. And I think he has Grand Lord ambitions.
- For that he needs a favourable marriage. - Mace said. - It's the only way for him to rule any kingdom at all.
- The only other option is Princess Arianna. - grinned Oleanna and looked at the master of the law. - I wonder if you, Prince Doran, are capable of giving up your only daughter for Blackheart in the name of peace.
- Prince Doran! - A hulking guard flew into the ruler of Dorne's office. - A large fleet is heading for our harbour.
- Whose?! - Doran, Oberyn and Tarly asked at the same time.
- They march under the banner of a white lion on a red field, the banner of Blackheart.
- He seems to be quite a swift little chap. - Olayna Tyrell grinned oddly. - We underestimated him.
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