personal6

Chapter 7

A.N. 

TMI Fairy - it seems that Wendish Town belongs to Darry's, which is west of Riverrun. It is probably because after the rebellion their lands have changed a lot.

spiderfan - Oldstones is in ruins, not even walls are left here, it would be better to build a new castle altogether.

Zoom99 - Nobody said that they can be trusted, but they are a great house and it would bring what our mc needs.

The talks

Edmure POV

After prince Oberyn left, the first thing I did what check on Patrek to see if he is okay. I found him in the brothel with a woman in the bed. He looked at me, surprised when I ordered the woman to leave.

"What are you doing?" Patrek asked, confused.

"Change of the plan," I replied to him. "I want you to gather all the men. I am leaving alone to Water Gardens."

"What? It's way too dangerous to go by yourself." He said to me.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen to me," I reassured him. "If someone wants to cause trouble, I will remind them why I am called the Redfish."

"I will be waiting a day for you." He didn't look reassured at all. "If I hear nothing of you, we will storm Water Garden."

"You won't have to do so, but prepare horses. We might need to run for our lives," I order him and left to meet with Prince Doran.

…

Once I arrived at Water Garden, it was already dark. I was met with prince Oberyn and his squire Daemon. Both didn't look at me favorably. I could see distrust and a hint of hatred in their eyes. I understood Oberyn's look, but I don't remember much about Daemon from the books to understand him.

"My brother is waiting for you." Prince Oberyn tolls me.

He stopped me as I was going inside, pointing at my sword and telling me to disarm myself first. After thinking for a few moments, I decided to do as he said and give my sword to him. He passed it to his squire.

"I would like for you to remember what happened to the last owner of this sword," I say to Daemon. "I still haven't eaten dinner today."

He didn't look scared, but I could see him flinch at my creepy smile. Together with Oberyn, we entered the Water Garden. Awaiting us was prince Doran and his guard Areo Hotah. Nobody else was inside.

"You came, ser Edmure." Prince Doran says to me.

"Prince Doran, I hope you know why I have come here," I ask for his confirmation.

"You wanted to ask for my daughter's hand." He tells me. "But it seems it's not the only reason."

"No, it isn't. I want for our families to form an alliance," I reply to him.

"And why would we do that?" He asks before Oberyn could say something. From his look, I don't think it was anything good.

"I know what you want," I answer.

"And what that would be?" He asks again, prying at me.

"Vengeance and power," I answer him. "I can give you vengeance."

"And what you want in return?" He asked in a calm voice. It felt like he was leading this conversation.

"For you do let go your power search," I answer him.

"Is that what you want, boy, power for yourself?" Prince Oberyn asks.

"To me, power is just an illusion that we hide behind, thinking it could protect us from swords and arrows," I tell him. "What I seek isn't power, but a better future, where my lands don't burn, where I don't need to sacrifice few to save many."

"I see. That why you are concerned with my plans with the last dragon." Prince Doran says.

"Prince Viserys was more of his father than of his brother," I tell him. "I won't let you bring another Mad King to the Iron Throne."

"You think of yourself too much, calling yourself the Redfish. Do you think we are afraid of you?" Prince Oberyn asks me.

"Blue," I respond to him.

"What?" He asks, confused.

"I like the color blue," I tell him with a calm voice. "The color of sky and seas, this color to me means freedom, that why I like it."

"What does it have to do with anything?" He asks with a confused voice.

"Red is the color of blood, of sunset. To me, it means the end, finality," I explain to him. "That what you will bring for your ambitions, for your vengeance and power-seeking."

"Viserys is still young. He can be taught." Prince Doran tells me.

"Do you even know where he is?" I ask. "From what I know, after the death of ser Willem Darry, he has gone missing."

"He will be found." Prince Oberyn reveals that indeed they don't know where he is.

"Even if you find him, it would be far too late," I tell him. "He will hold a grudge against all of the Houses for his suffering. He will do everything to destroy us. I can't let him do it."

"What are you going to do? Tell your King?" Prince Oberyn says with a sneer.

"It would be only my word, nothing I can prove," I reply to him. "You can't have both vengeance and power. That isn't how the world works."

"In this game, we can only win. Anything else isn't an option for us." Prince Doran says. "There isn't a middle ground. You go all out or don't even start to the game."

"This isn't a game. It is a war," I reply to him. "And in the war, there are no winners."

"It doesn't?" Prince Doran asks.

"It is. This war of ours will not have any winners. It will bring only destruction and hatred to all of us." I answer him. "Even if you win, what then? How many will have to lose their families?"

"So what if it brings destruction? Nobody cared for Elia and her children," Prince Oberyn says, while prince Doran motions for Oberyn to calm down. "You telling us that you give us vengeance for my niece's hand."

"Yes, for an alliance, I am not your enemy, and Lannisters aren't my friends," I answer him.

"Your words are convincing. I don't know how you figured out my plan. You probably won't tell me." He tells me. "I listened to your words. Let me think about it. We continue our conversation another day."

"Very well, I will be waiting for your decision," I reply to him and leave him with his brother and silent guard.

Oberyn POV

"Are you going to accept his offer, brother?" I ask my brother once the brat left.

"His offer has merit." He answered me.

"How could you even think about an alliance with him? He just another dog of Robert's." I ask with anger rising inside.

"Is he? He was a boy of nine name days when the war ended." He answered me with a calm voice. "Don't make unnecessary enemies. He has nothing to do with Elia's death."

"He might not, but his father has sold his daughters to the dogs responsible," I tell him.

"And he made a good choice. We can use Tully's former alliances." He explains to me. "It is a good marriage proposal."

"You can't be serious. You are considering selling Arianne to that trout." I couldn't believe him.

"Some might say he is a shark, don't underestimate him. He figured our plan that shows he isn't a fool," Doran tells me. "And what I planned to do with Prince Viserys wasn't that much different, and we know he won't let it happen. He is someone I don't want to make an enemy of."

"You afraid of him?" I asked, not understanding my brother anymore.

"In a way, yes." He confesses. "But I hold more respect to him. We're similar in a way. Both of us want what is best for our people."

"I can't believe you considering this," I tell, with more and more anger rising inside me. "I listened when you told me to wait, but now you're telling me that my waiting was pointless."

"Calm yourself and think." He raises his voice at me. "You get your chance at the Lannisters, I promise you that, but I am Prince of the Dorne, I must think what it is best for my people."

"Fine, do as you wish," I tell him before leaving.

My anger burning inside me, I knew that I am impulsive and my feelings are clouting me. Edmure is innocent for the crimes of Lannisters, but I couldn't just let my anger and hatred go.

Edmure POV

When I come back, it was already early morning. Patrek and others were waiting for me. Seeing that I was fine, they relaxed. I bid them have some rest. Once everyone left for their rooms, it was only me and Patrek who went.

"So, how did it go?" He asked me.

"It was better than expected," I answered him. "I will get another meeting with Prince Doran soon enough."

"Good, it seems I can have some fun in the meanwhile." He says.

"All you think is how to get more fun," I tell him jokingly.

"Fun is the most important thing in this world. You should try it sometimes." He replies with a laugh.

"Yes, yes, go have some fun while you can," I tell him. "I wouldn't want to leave you in here all alone after I leave."

"Well, then see you in the morning." And he's gone.

…

The next day an envoy came to me, telling me that my companions and I are invited to stay at Old Palace in Sunspear. We decided to accept this offer. So there we are at the seat of House Martell. We were welcomed by both princes and their children.

At the dining hall, I was seated next to Arianne. It seemed that Prince Doran has made a decision. Princess Arianne was taking curious glances at me for few moments at a time. Probably knowing why I was here, she was studying me.

"You know, if you want to ask something of me, you should do it," I tell her. She wasn't embarrassed in the slightest for being caught looking at me.

"Father said, I will have to marry you." She says, not betraying any emotion.

"You don't seem too happy about it," I reply.

"I don't know what to feel. I heard you are a fierce warrior, but you don't look like one." She tells me.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you," I say to her, and she just giggles. "Your smile is beautiful. You should always wear it."

"Wouldn't it be too tiresome?" She asks.

"It might be, but soon you realize that we must do a lot of tiresome things to achieve what we want," I explain to her. "A smile is a powerful weapon. It can disturb your enemies and reassure your friends."

"I keep that in mind." She replies to me with a smile.

I have spent the rest of dinner talking with her.

…

After having a meal with Martells, I was invited to Doran's solar for further discussion. I was greeted by the silent guard at the door, who took a good look at me and then let me through the door. Inside I met with Prince Doran and his brother Oberyn.

Prince Oberyn looked unsatisfied but kept a calm look. He looked at me with eyes full of hidden anger. It looked like a viper was waiting to strike me at any moment.

"Take a seat, ser Edmure," Prince Doran tells me.

"It seems you have come to a decision," I say after taking a seat in front of him.

"Yes, I have. I want to discuss the terms of our alliance." He tells me.

"Very well, but first I have a gift for you, to celebrate our new friendship," I say and take out a parchment and give it to him.

"What is it?" He asks after taking a look at it.

"Is the glassmaking method," I answer him.

"If it works, it would be quite a valuable gift." He says to me, surprised.

"Only the best for family, as the saying goes," I reply to him. "And it just happens that there is one component that only was found in the North."

"I see. You get to sell us the resources we will need," Prince Doran says to me. "It is fine with me. We both will get some profit."

"I will stay in Dorne for some time. We can discuss it more," I tell him.

And so, another part of the plan has been accomplished.