Chapter Text
Arielle prayed to the Mother for a healthy baby as she was once again sent to the birthing bed. She has already lost Doran, Mors and Olyvar, she does not wish to lose this baby as well.
“The young lad must be eager to meet his mother,” said her brother as the wet-nurse wipes her forehead. The babe was no lad.
Elia was a small little thing and she lived, by the Mother’s mercy. She was delicate and quiet, but when her little fingers gripped and tugged on Arielle’s finger, she knew that her daughter was meant to be her heir. She will be the embodiment of House Martell. She will represent our words. Unbowed, unbent, unbroken can be seen in Elia’s dark eyes.
Elia grows up to be The Princess of Summer, a term coined by the smallfolk who already love Elia. She captured their hearts with a few small words and kind manners.
Arielle smiles at her daughter as she splashes around at The Water Gardens, surrounded by her brother and many other children. Elia helps tiny and feisty little Oberyn to his shaky legs and they run around, chasing the other children.
Everyone is the same here. This was one of the first lessons Arielle teaches her daughter.
“Elia, this is Ashara Dayne of Starfall,” Arielle introduces the two girls.
Ashara, clad in a light purple dress, dips down to a small curtsy before Elia stops her. Elia smiles kindly at her before offering to accompany her around the pool. Ashara Dayne is beautiful with her glossy black hair and violet eyes. She is quiet and doubtful when Elia shows her the children splashing around each other and take a seat beneath a shaded tree. She spots Oberyn tackling an older boy to the ground and lets out a small laugh at the sight of her brother.
“That’s Oberyn on top of the merchant’s son,” said Elia, pointing him out for Ashara. “He is very small but believes he can take anyone, even all of the Kingsguard at once.”
Ashara smiles at the picture. “Your family seems very nice, Princess.”
“Do you miss your family?”
“I miss my brother more. His name is Arthur and father said that he didn’t need to leave home.”
Elia purses her lips together at that statement. She then puts her hand on top of Ashara’s and says, “You are my companion now, Lady Ashara, and I am excited for us to be friends.”
Ashara smiles at her and her violet eyes light up.
The feast held for the Daynes was not the biggest Princess Arielle has hosted, but Ashara treated it as so. She wore the dress Elia gave to her as a gift for her last nameday. It was a white silk dress and she wore her hair up in the most elegant way she could muster it to be. The Lady of Dorne and her mother were very close friends when they were younger and they could not wait to see one another again, but Ashara was more excited for the arrival of her brother. Elia laughs and teases her about Arthur while poking fun at Oberyn all the same.
Elia wears a light, silk red dress as her thick, black hair falls in waves over her shoulders. Ashara thinks the world of her Princess and thinks she is beautiful, more beautiful than herself with her kind heart towards everyone.
Ashara stands beside Elia as she sees her family come closer to the castle. She hasn’t seen her brother in a few short years and he has changed. He is taller now and more handsome than their older brother at six and ten. He is almost old enough to wield Dawn.
Elenei and Arielle share kind words before embracing each other. Arielle than introduces Elia and Oberyn and Ashara is finally face to face with her mother. Elenei was still beautiful, but she has aged greatly and her dark eyes were clearly worn out. Their relationship has always been strained, as Elenei would always take Allor’s side in every argument Ashara would have with her father, as well as Elenei’s many miscarriages and stillborns that would refrain her from spending time with Ashara.
“Mother,” said Ashara, dipping her head a little. “It is good to see you again after such a long time. I hope the journey to Sunspear was swift and with ease.”
Elenei smiled at her. “It was fine, Ashara. It is good to see you as well.” She hugged Ashara and kissed her forehead. “Your father could not be here, he is not feeling well, but he sends his regards and love for you.”
“I will pray for father’s health.”
“As do I,” said Elenei. She then turned back to Arielle who said, “Let’s go inside, my friend. I will show you to your chambers.”
They enter the castle as Allan and Arthur move forward. Allan, once handsome and kind, gives Ashara a quick hug before walking into the castle himself, following Arielle and Elenei with his companion. Once Allan is gone, Ashara and Arthur embrace, holding each other close as Elia and Oberyn stand off to the side, watching them.
Oberyn coughs loudly, without any subtlety whatsoever. Ashara and Arthur let go of each other and smile.
“I have missed your, brother.”
“And I you, sister.”
Arthur kisses her cheek before she leads him towards the Prince and Princess.
“Arthur, this is Prince Oberyn and Princess Elia, the heir to Sunspear and the future ruling Princess of Dorne.”
Arthur gives Oberyn a small curtsy before turning his eyes on Elia, who gives him a small smile and dips her head a little. Ashara sees something change in Arthur, but says nothing as the four of them enter the castle together.
Arthur watches Princess Elia in the corner of his eyes. There is certainly something about her that draws the eye. She is beautiful at five and ten and is more radiant than the sun itself. She is kind, too kind as she shows Arthur around the castle while their siblings run off somewhere.
He has already been in Sunspear for more than a moon’s turn before he finally gets the courage to ask her out for a moonlight walk. His mother and brother left a long time ago and he was due to be back home soon. He wanted his small moment with the Princess before leaving.
The sky was full of stars and the wind was still hot in Dorne as they took a walk under the moon.
“I am sorry that you are leaving tomorrow, Arthur,” said Elia.
“I am sorry to leave Sunspear too, my Princess,” said Arthur.
“How many times have I insisted on you calling me Elia?”
Arthur smiles at her. “Too many times, my Prin – Elia.”
Elia raises her eyebrows. “Your Elia?”
Arthur blushes. “That’s – that’s not what I meant, my Princess, purely a mistake, a simple –“
Elia laughs. “Oh, Arthur, it is fine. But please do call me Elia. I consider you my friend, don’t you?”
“Aye, Elia. I am sorry to be missing your nameday celebration, Elia. I hope that it will be everything you wish for.”
“I hope so too, but I fear that the celebrations might be short lived.”
“How so?”
“My mother has been bringing up name for potential husbands. She seems determined to have me married soon after my nameday.”
Arthur’s heart sinks to the pit of his stomach, thinking about another man becoming Princess Elia Martell’s husband. Sharing kisses and touches and becoming one together.
“But she is letting me choose who I wish to marry, a small consolation it maybe,” said Elia.
Arthur nods along with her words but says nothing. There is nothing he wished to say other than Pick me. Marry me. I will take care of you. I will love you with every ounce of my body until the last of my days. I will treat you like a queen, my princess.
But he said nothing and they walked in silence all the way up to the castle.
Elia tries her best to listen to her mother as she lists off potential suitors for her to marry, but Oberyn sits beside Arielle with a frown and dismisses them all while Ashara sat beside her, something Elia insisted on. She was the only one that was quiet and payed rapid attention to Arielle Martell.
“Rickard Stark has two boys, Brandon and Eddard,” said Arielle. “He might agree to the betrothal with his second son if he is willing to let that boy travel south. He could be a Prince of Dorne.”
Oberyn snorted loudly. “He’s barely a boy, mother. Rickard Stark would rather Elia go north than have one of his pups travel to Dorne. She would not survive a single winter. What about the Lannister boy?”
“Joanna’s son?” asked Arielle. “No.”
“No?” asked Elia, curious.
Arielle turned to face her daughter. “You are the future ruling Princess of Dorne. Tywin Lannister, even if he does accept our offer, would rather have you be Lady Lannister in the Rock than have his son come to Dorne and I will not let that happen. You are worth more than that, Elia. You are a Princess of Dorne, you will be a Princess of Dorne until the end of your days, do you understand?”
Elia gave her a small smile. “Yes, mother.”
“There is always a Tyrell to spare,” said Oberyn.
Arielle Martell sent him out of the room as Elia laughed at the thought.
“You could marry my brother,” said Ashara as they were getting ready for bed. Elia was now brushing Ashara’s hair as she was working on a tangle.
“I don’t think Allan would quite like the idea of you trying to set us up,” said Elia, smiling at Ashara. “Especially since his betrothal with Tarra Blackmont was announced.”
Ashara rolled her eyes. “You know I mean Arthur.”
Elia’s strokes became softer before she slowly set the brush down.
“I know you and Arthur write to each other as often as can be,” said Ashara. “I think the two of you would make a fine match. I would like to see Arthur in Martell colours.”
Elia laughs. “Arthur is a fine man but I doubt he would want to marry me. He is too busy training and helping Allan with his duties.”
Ashara purses her lips together and holds Elia’s hands with hers. “I just… I just wish you were my sister. Is that so terrible?”
Elia smiles at her once more. “Your blood might be of House Dayne, but you are a Martell, just as much as me or Oberyn. I do not need to marry Arthur to be your sister when I already am your sister.” She kisses Ashara’s cheek. “And you can always marry Oberyn if you desire so.”
Ashara snorted just before getting into bed with Elia that night.
Arthur writes letters to the Princess every chance he gets. He tells her of his training, how Dawn feels like it always belonged to him, how helping his brother run their castle keeps him busy while Allan spends time with his new wife. Elia writes back, telling him of her mother’s lessons and their many discussions of potential marriages. His chest shrinks a little every time he reads it. She also writes about Oberyn and his travels and learning that he now has a daughter from Oldtown, and a possible one in Volantis. She writes about Ashara and her many adventures around Sunspear and getting to know the smallfolk.
He tries very hard to write to Princess Arielle to ask her for Elia’s hand in marriage. But no noblewoman would let her daughter marry someone of lesser born.
Word comes from outside Dorne of King Aerys looking for a suitable noblewoman for his son, Prince Rhaegar. The Queen has not yet birthed the King a daughter and he is forced to look elsewhere, including outside of Westeros, though it has led to the death of Steffon and Cassana Baratheon.
Oberyn comes back with another daughter from Volantis when word comes that Aerys is interested in marrying his son with Elia.
“No.” That was the first thing to come out of Oberyn’s mouth.
“Oberyn,” scolded Arielle.
“The Targaryens are all mad, you know this, mother,” said Oberyn, raging. “You send her as a bride for The Mad King and you might as well send her to her grave!”
“Oberyn!” yelled Arielle, standing up. Her face was twisted into a scowl and she looked just as fierce as a dragon and as deadly as Queen Nymeria herself. Oberyn’s dark eyes widened for a moment, but he stood his ground, preparing to fight for the safety of his sister. “If you had bothered to let me continue,” began Arielle, her voice steady and calm, “you would know that I had talked to Elia about this and she agrees with me. You sister is not going to marry Rhaegar Targaryen. Aerys did not take too well with our rejection.” Ariella sighed. “I fear for Rhaella, knowing what her husband could do to her.”
“Who has King Aerys betrothed his son to then?”
“Tywin Lannister has offered the hand of his daughter, but I’ve heard that the King is thinking about Lyanna Stark instead. Nothing is sure, though.”
“The girl has barely seen ten namedays.”
“That does not matter to the King.”
Oberyn nodded, but thankful that his sister was not going to be whisked away to the mad dragons.
“And Elia still turns down all the suitors you put before her?” asked Oberyn.
Arielle nodded solemnly. “Every last one of them.”
“Maybe you are looking at all the wrong places, mother.”
Arielle was confused before Oberyn began to explain everything to her.
Arielle, Elia, Oberyn, and the rest of their company travel north to Lannisport for the tourney in honour of Prince Viserys’s birth, held by Tywin Lannister himself. The trip nearly drains Elia, but she holds her head up as they ride into Lannisport. She will not appear weak in front of the Lannisters and these northern people.
There was a huge difference in appearance between the northerners and Dorne. While many of ladies giggles and whispered with each other, Ashara and many of other Dornish ladies talked aloud and freely with each other. They dressed in plain colours and their food was bland while Elia mourned for spices and lively music from Dorne.
Arthur Dayne rides into Lannisport a few days late as he was held up back at Starfall to oversee some business. He rode on his white steed with Dawn on his back as many of the woman marveled at his blond hair that was cut short and violet eyes and handsome face.
He grew up so much in the years since Elia has last seen him. She had been so busy with her duties around the castle as well as taking over some of her mother’s duties and he was busy help his brother out while he and his wife grieve together after a miscarriage. His shoulders were broader, he was taller and he walked with more confidence and Dawn looked natural on his hip. Elia couldn’t stop glancing at him from across the hall in the dining hall. The music was a little more upbeat as Oberyn and Ashara spun around in circles while Ariella danced with Tywin, though neither one of them looked happy. Though Arielle and Joanna Lannister might have once been friends, there appears to be no warmth between the ruling Princess of Dorne and the Old Lion of the Rock.
“Princess Elia,” said someone behind her. Elia took her eyes off her mother and turned behind her to see Prince Rhaegar standing there. He was tall and handsome as everybody says, especially with his indigo eyes that stood out against his silver hair. “Would you do me the honour of a dance?”
Elia smiled kindly and stood up, giving him her hand. “The honour would me mine, Prince Rhaegar.”
“You may call me Rhaegar, Princess,” he said as he held her gracefully on the dance floor.
“And you must call me Elia, then.”
“Very well, Elia.”
He spun her around once and all eyes were on them. They do make a beautiful pair, the prince and the princess. Rhaegar with his handsome features and Elia with her delicate ones. Elia could see herself marrying the Prince, for not love but for the beauty between them. They would make beautiful babies, but she then catches a glimpse of King Aerys and those thoughts vanish. To marry the Prince was to marry the King and Westeros and leave Dorne forever. No, she would much rather admire the Prince for now and forget about it these thoughts later.
“I will admit, Elia, I do not know much of Dorne or your customs. I have not travelled that far down south.”
“I have not travelled this far up north, and I don’t plan on doing so in the near future, Rhaegar.”
“How so?” asked Rhaegar, a small smile appearing on his lips.
“I do not think I was built for the north or its people. I would much prefer Dorne and its warmth.”
“There is warmth in King’s Landing, Princess.”
“Are you hinting at something, my Prince?”
“Nothing at all, Princess.”
Elia gave him a small smile as the music ends and they have started a new song. Someone taps lightly on Rhaegar’s shoulder and they turn to face Arthur Dayne.
“I hope I do not intrude, but would you mind if I dance with the Princess as well, my Prince?”
“If the Princess wishes to as well.”
“That would be fine,” said Elia as Arthur took her hand for a dance. Rhaegar walked towards Cersei Lannister for a dance, who looked positively pleased at the request.
“It’s good to see you again, Ser Arthur,” said Elia as Arthur held her close.
“Likewise, Princess,” said Arthur.
“I heard about your knight ship. Congratulations.”
“It happened many a nights ago, Princess, and you already sent me your wishes with your letter.” Arthur licked his lips for a moment before asking, “I hope I did not intrude on you and the Prince.”
“You did no such thing, Arthur. It is a pleasure to dance with you.”
“And you… Elia.” Arthur spun her around a few times as everybody looked at them.
While she and Rhaegar looked like a beautiful pair, she and Arthur were absolutely striking. Arthur is light with his blond hair, though darker than the Prince’s, and bright violet eyes, while Elia is night with her golden skin and dark eyes. He held her close and gracefully as she catches her mother looking at them.
She worries that Arielle would rather her dance with the Prince rather than Arthur, but she can feel Arthur’s breath so close to her that all worries about Arielle leave her mind. Today, she is not her mother’s heir that has to worry about what everybody thinks. Today she is just a princess that is dancing with a knight. It was something from a song.
The tourney itself was exciting. The newly knighted Prince Rhaegar unhorsed many Lannisters and several other knights while Arthur took out every one of his opponents with ease. The smallfolk’s cheer were like thunder that echoed off Casterly Rock as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Ser Arthur Dayne met in the last joust.
Elia sat beside Arielle and Ashara throughout the tourney as they watched knight after knight after knight fall to the dirt.
“He is a fine man, Arthur Dayne,” Arielle whispered towards her. “A fine man that clearly holds you in high regards.”
“I suppose so,” said Elia, nonchalantly, trying not to give anything away to Arielle.
Arthur and Rhaegar both lower their visors and soon ride at each other. Within seconds, Prince Rhaegar falls from his saddle while Lannisport erupts into cheers for Ser Arthur and King Aerys claps slowly and grumbles. Ashara cheers for her brother and all the Dornish people stand for the champion.
Arthur Dayne is a fine young man and they have stayed in touch through all those years they didn’t see each other. He is as kind as he is handsome and talented with a lance and Dawn. He would make a fine husband to a young lady one day, maybe even her if he wishes as much as she does. She wouldn’t mind seeing him in Martell colours or having a child with those violet eyes.
Arthur Dayne trots his steed towards her and lays a crown of summer roses on her lap.
“I hope you accept the title of Queen of Love and Beauty, Princess Elia of House Martell,” Arthur says loudly. His voice carries over the whispers and amongst the crowd.
Elia dips her head in a small curtsy. “I do, Ser Arthur Dayne.” She wears the crown as the crowd erupts into loud, thunderous cheers as the summer roses suit the future ruling Princess of Dorne.
Arthur smiles at her as he rides his steed away to tend to him. Ashara leans over to kiss her cheek while Oberyn boosts about the ability of knights from Dorne to all those that can hear. Arielle smiles at Elia knowingly as the crowd quietens down when King Aerys stand up to address them all. He truly looked mad with his beard that started to go past his chest and his long nails that scratched against his chair as he stood up. While Arthur’s violet eyes were kind and Rhaegar’s were light, Aerys were dark and full malice. He surveyed them all before he began to speak.
“My lords and my ladies, this was a fine tournament, was it not?” He spoke loudly as the crowd clapped and whistled. “Congratulations to Ser Arthur Dayne of Starfall for winning the tourney against my son, Rhaegar, and congratulations to Princess Elia Martell as well!” The crowd clapped once again. “We are here to celebrate the birth of my second son, Prince Viserys Targaryen, and I am now proud to announce the betrothal of my son Rhaegar to Rickard Stark’s daughter, Lyanna Stark!”
The crowd cheered once again at the announcement that the Prince will soon marry a highborn lady. Elia looked towards Tywin Lannister, whose face became hard at the announcement, and his daughter, Cersei, who stood up and soon left, possibly in tears. Elia knew that the Lannister’s were hoping for a royal match with the Prince, but, alas, it will be the young she-wolf that will be a princess.
Elia did not care for who will one day rule Westeros. Targaryen, Lannister, Stark, Tyrell, it did not matter much to her. They were all the same to her. She was much happier in Dorne with her family.