4Revised and improved, it is time to deploy!
Chapter 1: The Braavosi Pact
Aboard a Dornish warship disguised as a trading ship, a man opened the hatch leading to the personal quarters of House Martell's Prince Oberyn and his brother's son and the next Prince of Dorne.
They are traveling so far away from home because of vengeance, for the murder of his sister and nephew and niece.
In fact, he had begged Doran to act five years ago and wage war against Tywin Lannister and Robert Baratheon. He wanted to plunge his spear deep into Gregor Clegane's chest and throw Amory Lorch to poisonous vipers, he wanted all of them dead and their bones crushed into dust.
His brother is intent on planning all of this through, each and every detail when he just wanted to murder them all and in front of their sons and daughters.
For that plan of his to begin, Doran sent him and his eldest child to go to Braavos and meet with the caretaker of Aerys last children. There they would solidify a pact between House Martell and Targaryen to take back the Iron Throne and seat Viserys on his father's seat.
This Viserys would marry his niece, Arianne and the girl, Daenerys would marry his nephew who is reading a book on Westerosi history.
"Don't you ever get tired of reading books, you're nearing fourteen you still never had a woman," Roan smirked, his lip giving a mischievous expression. "I remember having at least seven women when I was your age, many fun times." This time Roan turned away from his book, a remark coming out of the boy's mouth.
"You were a father of two by the time you were my age, uncle, and forgive me if I don't seek to be a parent anytime soon... And how do you know I haven't had a woman, uncle?" Oberyn laughed loudly at his nephew's response, indeed, he takes after Doran Martell.
In his youth, his brother was quite the traveler and toured the Free Cities. He always thought his brother was the venturous one in the family, then his brother went to Norvos and met Mellario. Doran fell for her, married her, and not long after that came his nephew and niece, Roan and Arianne.
In his mind he was proud of his brother, not many noble marriages are made from love, they all have an agenda- A long goal or plan.
Doran inspired his own life, he would find one to walk this life with him without the bonds of marriage. Ellaria, the baseborn daughter of Lord Uller found him three years ago, she's different to most women he's slept with, he wants her to stay by his side for a little while longer.
"You came down for a reason, uncle. What is it?" Roan asked him curiously and he cleared his throat, standing straight with his arms crossed.
"We'll be at Braavos within the next hour or so, we'll be taken to the Sealords Palace and you'll rest." His nephew groaned, uninterested in being excluded from all the best events going on in these next few days.
"Why did father want me to come if I'm not going to be apart of the meeting, can't I know anything." That is true, Doran told him to bring Roan into this meeting but he decided not to do so.
Children should know some things but not everything, Roan deserves to live his life without knowing he and Arianne were sold to bring justice to Elia and her children.
Stepping closer to Roan he placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, "You'll know everything when you're ready, Roan, I promise you that." Oberyn turned around and walked back to the top deck, watching the sun over the Narrow Sea with nothing but far off land and more sea to meet his gaze.
The Titan of Braavos welcomed the Dornish ship and Roan ran to the top deck to look in amazement, eyeing one of nine wonders made by men, a book written by one of his favorite adventurers Lomas Lonestrider.
Roan didn't get to take in the sights, his uncle told the captain to quickly take them to the Sealords Palace. The young man grunted in disappointment and wished he could travel around the city, see a puppet show or bring a souvenir back to Arianne and his two brothers.
He heard there was a playwright who does shows, it sounds interesting.
But first, he'll need to slip his uncle and that means leaving the palace through conventional means.
Oberyn saw the look on his nephew, he's known the boy since he was a little tyke walking before he was two name-days old. Sighing heavily, he could only hope the boy knows better and stays wherever he tells him to.
Guards met them after they disembarked and escorted him and a select few of the crew to the palace, Roan looked amazed once they entered through the gates and past a small bridge where below it showed a few men training with rapiers.
The young Prince remembered that his little brother wanted to train as one of these men, and he's only four.
His thoughts were put on hold when they made to where a man was waiting with a fellow Westerosi, both men were different in age as the Sealord looked to be in his thirties and the other looked well into his fifties.
"Prince Oberyn Nymeros Martell, welcome to my city." The Sealord greeted and turned his green eyes unto himself, "And who might this be, a son of yours?" Oberyn wanted to laugh if only because some believed it to be true.
His wild nature is quite renowned within Westeros and abroad, and Roan up until he was eight was also very wild as a child and then he spent two years with Mellario's family in Norvos because he had cut an urchin for throwing sand in his eyes.
"No, this is my serving boy- A squire from a small landed family in Dorne." Oberyn aptly put which earned him a suspicious look from Ser Willem Darry but the old man let it go. "I would ask for a room to rest for him, he's been up practically the whole way since we left home." The Sealord acquiesced to the Red Viper's request, waving for a nearby servant to take Roan to a room.
The son of Doran Martell waited no more than five minutes before leaving the chambers he was given, for the time being. He avoided guards and servants who aimlessly went about their duties around the palace.
Two guards chatting amongst themselves alerted him and he hopped over a ledge, sliding down a level of the palace and softly landing in a bush, well, not softly as he groaned in pain but nothing seemed too severe that he couldn't get back up.
Taking a look at his surroundings, Roan realized he was in some sort of garden with many exotic plants and few he is familiar with. Getting out of the bush, he started to look around the place and was hoping for exits that led to outside the palace.
Roan took a corner and was immediately stopped by the sight of someone looking straight at him.
It was a girl, she looked a few years older than him and had shoulder-length silvery-blond hair. He needed to only look into her violet eyes, recognizing who this might be. Daenerys Targaryen. He thought with surprise and gulped heavily, knowing how much trouble he is in.
Back with Oberyn, the Prince of Dorne was taken to a room and all but the Sealord and Ser Willem were left within.
"So we are all agreed, Princess Arianne Nymeros Martell will wed King Viserys Targaryen when he comes to take back Westeros?" The Sealord told both him and Willem, they nodded to the agreement and each took a turn signing but when the paper came to Oberyn, the Red Viper paused. "Is something the matter, Prince Oberyn?" He was questioned and he hummed, speaking for his brother.
"There is, my brother, the ruling Prince of Dorne has requested that there be a route in case King Viserys dies in these coming years." He leaned in close and looked the Knight and Sealord in the eye, smirking from cheek to cheek while doing so. "Doran asks- No, demands that in the case of Viserys death that his son takes Daenerys Targaryen as his wife, becoming King Consort to the Queen." Willem angrily stepped up from his seat, narrowing his eyes.
"Lords don't make demands of Kings, Oberyn." He chuckled when the man said that, slicking back his hair.
"As I recall, you are not a King and that boy doesn't have his crown just yet. This is the best offer you will get, no other Great House will fight for him unless the terms are met." He might have lost his temper if Willem didn't sign, good thing the old knight sighed heavily and signed the paper.
The deal was truck, Oberyn put forth his hand to shake Willem's. "It is done, when Viserys comes to Westeros, Dorne will rise from the Red Mountains and destroy House Baratheon."
The three men shared a toast, to the future victories of both House Targaryen and Martell.
Outside and walking around the gardens, Roan got to know the Targaryen girl for himself.
She was a timid and cheerful young lady, eyes of innocence and untried by the horrors of the world. Nothing like the stories he heard of from people. When he hears Targaryen, he usually pictures a half-human half-dragon with horns and teeth and wings, not to mention fire-breathing.
Instead, he saw the beauty that his aunt saw in Rhaegar Targaryen, the beautiful silver-hair and eyes cut from amethysts.
Could this be the reason his uncle and father brought him to Braavos? Something to do with the last of House Targaryen and the Iron Throne? He shuddered about an upcoming war, the last one happened and his uncle Lewyn, aunt Elia and two cousins were killed.
He didn't want to lose anymore from his family, least of all one of his brothers or his sister, not even his uncle Oberyn's daughters.
"So you came from Westeros?" She asked him and he nodded, kneeling down but not before catching a glimpse of a beautiful flower. He plucked it and tucked it behind the girl's right ear, she blushed a little and stayed quiet for a moment, "Is Westeros your home?" She asked and he nodded again.
"It's your home, too. I come from Sunspear, it's South as South goes for Westeros, it's Dorne." He told her and explained a bit about his homeland.
Before he knew it, an hour would pass before the two heard bells, he frowned and realized that his uncle knows he's out and about. Roan also noticed Daenerys was a little frightened, he asked why.
"What's the matter, Princess?" She looked up at him and the two heard footsteps approaching, she scurried and hid behind him as the entrance doors opened.
There was a boy, looked like Daenerys and was near or is his age. He had a smug look on his face and noticed him, "You, who are you? Where is my sister?" He didn't like how the other boy was talking to him, his noble blood wanted to hit him. "Do you know who I am?" Yes, he does.
"Viserys Targaryen, I know, now." He muttered and stepped in front of Daenerys when Viserys noticed her and would have approached if not for him, "You look upset, your grace, perhaps you should go rest?" The Dragonlord seemed to take offense to this and blustered and seethed.
"I am the King of Westeros, you're just a peasant who has no idea what he is dealing with." Viserys turned his attention away, "Now, come here, Dany. Do you hear me? Come to your brother?" He thought the King was mad as his father was, more a petulant child who doesn't get what he wants.
Eventually, the Targaryen tried to get his arm to reach for Daenerys, he grabbed it instead and spun the King around and whipped his free hand across Viserys cheek. The King fell to the floor and Roan stood over him, glaring down with irritation.
"I am no peasant. I am Roan of the House Martell, future ruling Prince of Dorne and Lord of Sunspear."
His uncle was disappointed in him when he found them and the would-be King on the ground and Daenerys still hiding behind him. Viserys wanted him whipped and without Oberyn and the Sealord of Braavos, he would have been for doing what he did.
They stayed for another two days, his uncle took him out to see the city while they could and along the way told him that the truth. He didn't want to believe any of it, that his father put his support behind Viserys.
He didn't feel like Viserys was going to be a good King, more a mad man that anything but his uncle told him that it isn't up to them to judge, it's for his father to decide when the time came.
Roan made a decision at that moment, he wouldn't stand by and let a mad man rule the Realm again... He'd make the choice to end Viserys the moment that becomes apparent.
AN: So, this is just a re-beginning. This is an attempt to improve and flesh out the story, this is going to be pretty AU with many events and deaths being avoided. A large string of updates, debuts and revisions are coming this way so be prepared for the awesomeness, I hope. I still want Myrcella and Roan to be a thing, but, I can be persuaded before I get too deep into things.
Now, with all that being said, I hope you guys have a nice day! PS Also check out the profile.
