Chapter 10: Dorne, Sunspear

  —

  The m mist g to the ship as it cut through the water, the distant silhouette of Vontis fading into a faint smudge on the horizon.

  I leaned on the deck’s railing, the cool o breeze slipping through my hair, carrying the st traces of Vontis with it. It had a strange way of pulling my mind back, if only for a moment, makihink about the power I’d gathered there and the alliances I’d secured.

  I watched the city shrink, its temples and towers dissolving into the haze. No part of me felt nostalgic. I’d done what I o, and that pce was behind me now.

  Viserion flew around me, s the sea, catg a fish with her cws. She was growing. She grew faster when I let her out. Tyrion Lannister’s theory about the caged dragons might be true, after all…

  Footsteps clicked against the deck, breaking my thoughts. I didn’t o turn around to know who it was. Kinvara’s presence was almost a tangible heat radiating before she even reached my side.

  “Missing Vontis already?” she teased, her voice as light as the breeze.

  A ugh escaped me. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? It’s the home to your church, after all,” I said, gng down at her. “I wasly expeg you to tag along.”

  “Oh my king, why will I not tag along? Any other Priestess do the church's work. But this matter only e to fruit through me…” she leaned against me, her hand trailing up to rest on my shoulder, fingers pressing just enough to remind me she wasn’t fragile. “I’m hurt. Are you already pushing me away?” Her eyes glinted with mischief. “Or are you just so eager to meet your little fiancée?”

  “Heh. I’m gd you’re ing along,” I replied, my gaze drifting back to the open water. “I’m going to need your powers, Kinvara. And as for my fiancée… well, we’ll see.”

  “Oh please,” she said, giggling as she pushed herself against my body.

  Princess Arianne Martell wasn’t a character I was familiar with. She was a character that oed in the A Song of Id Fire Books, not in the Game of ThroV show.

  But my nerd of a friend ba my old life had once mentioned her in passing, describing Arianne Martell with no small amount of enthusiasm. Apparently, she was… an eager girl, someone who found her way around men even before she’d e of age.

  Well, what did I expect from a Dornish woman? Absolute whores.

  My mind drifted briefly. I wasn’t walking into Dorne expeg a delicate flower. Still, the e… Whether it could be rekindled? I didn't think so. I didn't want to, anyway. Her reputation aside, she had a personality problem. She was a brat.

  The name “Viserys Targaryen” will soon be far rger than Dorne. So why must I tie myself down to a Dornish prihen? The marriage of The Viserys Targaryen be used as a iating tool iure. So, I was leaning towards not letting the e relight. But we'll see.

  Kinvara shifted, her body pressing closer, eyes holding that teasing gleam. “Aren’t you worried?” I said, smirking. “The mearing. What will they think, seeing a priestess behaving like this?”

  “Mhm… Let them think whatever they want. Uheir stares scare you?” Her voice was low, and her hand trailed down my chest as though dario make a move.

  A scoff left my lips as I lifted my hand, letting it fall with a swift spank across her curvy ass. She gasped, arg toward me, her smirk deepening as my hand lingered, squeezing her firmly.

  “Let’s take this to my chambers,” I murmured, grabbing her hand and leading her below deck. She ughed softly, her fingers g with mine as I pulled her through the narrow corridor, pushing open the door to the dim room.

  I let her go, watg as she staggered a step, her lips curved in a challenging smirk. Without a word, I shoved her bato the bed, her robes falling in disarray around her as she hit the mattress.

  “Ah!” she gasped, looking shocked, and then giggled. “Oh, the dragon’s aggressive today,” she said, and my eyes traced her form. The cloth slipped from her shoulder, baring just enough to stir that heat.

  She looked up, the shadows of the room casting her eyes in a dark gleam, her smile daring me.

  I didn’t need a sed invitation as I yanked her clothes apart and started ravaging her into a moaning mess.

  ****

  The desert seemed endless, a vast sea of duhat had carried us for days. The sun was a half-buried on the horizon, painting the sands in shades of gold and red. Ahead, Sunspear finally took shape, its towers breaking the sky like the jagged teeth of some a beast. From this dista felt unreal—half mirage, half-truth.

  I kept my face ed, a piece of cloth hiding everything but my eyes, while the wig scratched against my scalp. Beside me, Kinvara rode in silence, her form cloaked from head to toe, her presence subdued. her she nor I wao catch attention. We were shadows in the desert, trailing behind Prince Oberyn and Elria Sand, while the Sed Sons followed in disciplined silence.

  Oberyn cast a gnce back, catg my gaze with a smirk. “Quite the sight, isn’t it?” His voice was tinged with pride. I could uand why. “That is Sunspear, my home. She’s protected on three sides by the sea and on the fourth by the Shadow City. To those who don’t belong, she’s a byrinth, a trap. But to the Dornishmen, she’s as open as the sky.”

  I watched the city grow closer, the walls high as if to touch the sky. “A meticulous work of art,” I replied, and it was a genuine pliment. It was an Arabian masterpiece of a city from the Middle Ages. “Your home’s a painting, Prince.”

  Oberyn’s smirk deepe my words. pliments did charming work on ahat’s one way of putting it. But as beautiful as Dorne is, the Dornishmerong. We’re survivors. And our enemies always make the mistake of fetting that.”

  He liked to talk about his people, and I was gd to humor him sihose same men were going to fight for me sooraveled the rest of the path in small talk.

  As roached, the outer city—Sunspear’s shadow—unfolded around us. Narrow streets wound like veins, packed with people who stopped to watch us pass. They whispered to each other, some even calling out Oberyn’s hey adored the man.

  Eyes lingered on our procession, a curious gaze that only greer as they noticed the armed men marg in our wake. But there was no fear, not with Oberyn at the head.

  The Dornish held him in their gaze as one would watch the desert sun—daring it to burn them but urning away. If not for his adventurous nature, Prince Oberyn would have ruled Dorne far better than his brother.

  We reached the gates soon after that as Oberyn spoke. “That imposing structure is the Threefold Gate,” he said, nudging his toward the structure that had doors stacked like shields guarding the heart of Sunspear. “The Old Pas beyond. you see?”

  “I ,” I he royal castle’s spires reached up like defiant fists, ed by the Spear Tower and the great domed Tower of the Sun. The weight of Dorne’s legacy pressed down on us as we rode forward.

  [Image Here]

  Spoiler

  [colpse]A guard stepped out from the gate, bowing low as he addressed Oberyn. “Wele back, Prince Oberyn,” he greeted, the respe his voice clear, though his eyes flicked briefly over the rest of us, lingering on the Sed Sons. “Shall I arrange quarters for… your pany?”

  Oberyn chuckled, dismissing the formality with a wave. “Yes, make sure they’re shown to proper quarters. They’re the men of this important friend I’ve brought alone, and I don’t want my meing lost in the alleys. Wouldn’t want them spooking the locals, now would we?”

  Daario Naharis took that as his cue, guiding his horse to my side with a chuckle. His gaze, as usual, bordered on insolence. “My lord,” he murmured, bowing his head with that exaggerated flourish of his. “You know where to find me should you need me.”

  I gave him a brief nod, and he pulled back, blending into the parade as the guards guided the Sed Sons to the pce they’d be staying. In the meantime, some uards moved to escort us toward the Old Pabsp;

  “Beautiful pce,” Kinvara brought her horse closer and said.

  “First time ing here?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “No. I’ve visited Dorne before… a long time ago.” She said and smiled at me, making me raise an eyebrow.

  We stayed close, silent, as we ehe pace grounds, leaving the sounds of the city behind. Within the walls, Sunspear’s age and legacy seemed to seep from every stone, like a sileion that it would endure long after we were gone.

  “Wele,” Oberyn turo me and said. “To the Old Castle.”

  The air was thick with the st of inse, mingling with the faint trace of flowers from hidden gardens. The halls swallowed sound, our steps muffled as if the pace itself held its breath. And then we reached the chamber, where Doran Martell sat waiting—a man carved by the years, his body fio a wheelchair, yet his gaze as sharp and watchful as a hawk.

  Beside him stood a giant of a man, dark-skinned. Areo Hotah noticed my gaze and stared back. He was as tall as the Hound but rger. Quite imposing to look at.

  Oberyn dismounted with fluid grace, spreading his arms wide, his grin full of boyish mischief that belied his age. “Brother,” he called, his voice warm.

  “Oberyn, you’re back from your vacation,” Doran Martell smiled at his younger brother, his gaze flickering to Elria who nodded in respect. “I thought you’d remain there for a bit longer.”

  “I nning to. But after hearing the situation ieros, the ooo many people calling themselves ‘kings,’ I couldn’t remain still,” Oberyn said and then grinned. “Brother, I bring you a gift. One so precious I didn’t dare trust the o a raven.”

  Doran’s gaze moved from Oberyn to us, his expression unreadable. His eyes lingered on Kinvara, and I saw the flicker of unease in his face. She slowly took off the robe that hid her face, and Doran’s eyes widened. He tried to hide his rea but didn’t quite succeed.

  “A Red Priestess,” he murmured, his tone carefully ral, though the distaste wasn’t lost ohe Dornishmen worshiped the Seven Gods, after all.

  Kinvara only smiled, ining her head with a serenity that bordered on mockery. “The Lord of Light’s blessings upon you, Prince Doran,” she said softly, her voice smooth as silk but carrying an edge that made Doran’s fiwit the armrest of his chair.

  I smirked at that exge. I was starting to like her antics. Much of her priest talk was just jabbing at people, it was funny. Thankfully, my face was hidden, so the smirk went unnoticed.

  Doran ined his head in aowledgment, his eyes wary. But then his gaze turo me, curiosity mingling with suspi as he looked into my eyes. “I assume it’s him who’s the gift?” He said, dismissing the idea that Kinvara could be the said gift.

  “Yes, it is him,” Oberyn said, turning to me. I slowly took off the cloth that ed my face. I let it fall, watg Doran stare at me carefully. He didn’t reize me yet. Then I reached for the edge of the wig. With a siion, I pulled it free, letting my silver hair fall loose, the stark color catg the torchlight.

  Gasps rippled through the guards, a whisper nition passing through the air. Prince Doran’s eyes trembled.

  I took a step forward, meeting Doran’s gaze directly, a faint smile pying on my lips. “Prince Doran,” I greeted, bowing my head slightly.

  “He’s Viserys Targaryen, the blood of the queror,” Kinvara stepped forward to introduce me. I liked that. The words lost their weight if I was the oo introduce myself all the time. “He’s e here not as a stranger but as an old friend.”

  The silehat followed was absolute, the weight of my words settling like stone. Doran’s expression tightened, his gaze cutting through me like a bde. His eyes held mine, and for a moment, I could see the flict there, the way his mind turned over the implications. And then, with a small, resigned nod, he accepted the truth of what stood before him.

  Something big was going to hit Westeros—even the cripple Prince could tell.

  **

  **

  **

  Author Note: Ayy, bonus chapter!

  e find fellow fans on Discord and more chapters on Patreon!

  Patreon: Patreon.aster4thWall

  Discord: https://disc/dQeu27jBvf