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GOT : Chapter 70
🕑 Added 2024-04-09 15:29:07 +0000 UTC( Arianne POV )
"Erm…usually, yes." Willas seemed to hesitate while he leaned on his cane.
"But in this case, things have changed drastically. And a reason why we would like you to attend this reunion is because we have gotten news from your own family, and these matters concern both you and I and my family would like to have your opinion on it."
...
Arianne raised an eyebrow, intrigued. What could her house possibly have anything to do with matters of the Reach, and what was so urgent for them not to wait for lady Margaery?
It seemed as though she would soon get her answer. Walking side-by-side with Willas, she entered a room where the entire Tyrell family was present, bar Margaery: Olenna, Mace, Alerie, and Garlan were all waiting.
"Ah, there you are, both of you." The Queen of Thorns piqued. "I had thought that princess Arianne's beauty had charmed you yet again and that we would have waited a while longer!"
"Mother, please…" Lord Tyrell grumbled.
"I agree with father, let us quickly discuss what needs to be discussed." Willas countered, helping Arianne into her seat while his brother brought them a cup of wine. "Princess Arianne needs to be informed of the recent developments."
"What developments?" Arianne asked.
"Well, your uncle and your father have been negotiating with the Iron Throne for some time now," Willas spoke up first. "You may remember the betrothal between your brother Trystane and the princess Myrcella?"
"I have been aware." Arianne nodded in response. The betrothal had come as a surprise to her, but she could see the reasoning behind it.
"Your father and the Iron Throne have agreed to give your uncle, prince Oberyn, a place on the small council in the capital." The Queen of Thorns took the floor. "We know that prince Oberyn has accepted this proposal and he is due to arrive in the capital shortly."
Arianne sat there, completely stunned. How could her father do this? Myrcella? She could understand. A hostage to ensure the Throne wouldn't get any ideas, but this? This was delusional! They couldn't just make peace with the monsters who killed aunt Elia!
However, an inner voice soon brought her back to reason. After all, no one was trying to get vengeance more than her uncle Oberyn. And he would never have accepted such a position if there wasn't something to be gained…but what?
She would have to dwell later, but for now, her attention shifted back to the meeting, where she didn't show any emotion other than a slight frown.
"Are Dorne and the Reach are to be at war, then?"
After all, the Reach had withdrawn from the war, but it did not mean that they were neutral, they certainly hadn't bent the knee to the Lannisters, or any other faction up to that point.
"The Iron Throne made the same overtures to us." Ser Garlan…or rather Lord Garlan, since he had been given Brightwater Keep, commented. "We initially refused them, because of our alliance with Renly Baratheon, and the fact that Marge was still pregnant with his child."
Arianne could see where they were going with this.
"But now that she has given birth to a daughter, you wish to give these talks a chance." Arianne finished Garlan's sentence.
Lord Tyrell made to talk but the Queen of Thorns interrupted him as if the man was going to spurt out a big mistake.
"Exactly, dear." The old woman smiled, unnerving Arianne. "Unfortunately, a daughter's claim to the Iron Throne is weaker than a man's…and an alliance with both Dorne, the Westerlands and the Crownlands, to which we may bring the Reach and the Stormlands, would usher in an age of peace and prosperity…"
Under Tyrell rule.
Arianne left that part unsaid. It was clear the game they were playing, but why tell her all of this? After all, she hardly had a choice in all of these decisions. She could try to plead to Willas or try to warn her uncle, but something told her that neither would be effective.
No.
If she was to play kingmaker in this affair, she would have to be discreet and slowly turn Willas to her side. The man was resisting for now, but he would break eventually, or so she hoped. Then…well she would go from there, but controlling the heir to the Reach would bring her immense benefits, especially since she saw who really ran the household in Highgarden.
She didn't even bother listening to the rest of the Queen of Thorn's tirade, instead feigning to listen while developing a plan of her own.
"However." Lord Tyrell coughed, looking at his mother with some contempt. "We understand that your family has grievances. And that some members of this said family had decided to settle it ... themselves."
Arianne grinned.
Oh, how she jubilated once she had heard the news. Quentyn gave that monster Lorch what he deserved and more. She remembered grinning all night long as she thought about the hundreds of stabs the monster had gotten and how he had suffered.
Admittedly, her brother had also completely won Dorne to his side, but this was a price that she would have gladly paid at that point to see Rhaenys' butcher suffer.
"Indeed." Was her only answer as she took a quick sip of Arbor Red.
"Do you think these will cause…divisions…in your family?" Willas asked.
Arianne thought for a brief moment but shook her head.
"My brother may have some influence in Dorne, but in the end, he does not make the decisions." She sighed. "Quentyn will follow whatever our father tells him to do, and if my uncle has agreed to take a spot on the Small Council, then it is likely that the issues with my brother's actions have been resolved."
"Hmm ... " the Queen of Thorns observed her. "You may be right, but even if Lorch was but a minor bannerman, he was still one of Lord Tywin's bannermen. And it was a grave insult to his pride."
"If I remember, the rumours say that my brother only killed him, and paid a ransom for him from bandits in the Riverlands." She shook her head. "If my uncle or my father had this choice, they also would have taken it.
I myself would have crucified the bastard in the middle of the sands of Hellholt, opened a wound, and let the vultures feast on him whilst he was alive."
The audience went silent while Arianne slowly finished her drink.
"I pray that you are right." Willas put a hand on hers. "But my grandmother is also right. Lord Tywin is a powerful man, and there is a chance that he has not forgotten this slight."
"As it stands, it still was one of the conditions Prince Doran sent us for his support of our claim ... " the Queen of Thorns looked pensive. "Bah! Do not fear, princess, nothing will befall your family whilst they travel to that rat-infested place, we will make sure of it! After all, our families will soon be one and the same, no?"
Lady Alerie nodded and smiled at that, while Willas only nodded slightly.
"If I may ask, what is to come to Floris?" Arianne raised a question. "Surely you do not take me for a fool that you will not ask for a betrothal between lady Margaery and the king? And as you say, the Lannisters will not take a rival claimant very well…"
"Since Floris is Renly's, she will inherit what Renly has been rightfully given by his brother Robert ... Storm's End." Willas replied. "She will become the lady of Storm's End once she becomes of age."
And no doubt that her regency will be assured by a Tyrell cousin of some sort, and she betrothed to either a Tyrell or a close house of the Reach: Hightower, Redwyne, Ambrose, Fossoway, Beesbury, Meadows, Norridge, Blackbar, Serry…house Tyrell's roots run deep through the Reach, after all.
"Oh, and I almost forgot." Willas reached into his doublet. "Congratulations, Arianne."
She eyed him with a confused look as he handed her a letter.
"You've got a niece too." he smiled slyly.
She looked at the letter. It had been opened, to be sure, but it also bore the seal of House Fowler. And Arianne knew of only one…well, two…people of her family that were at Skyreach at the moment.
It was like a huge burden was taken off of her shoulders, but she had no time to even read it, as the plump head of House Tyrell quickly rose from his seat, drink in hand.
"Well, princess Arianne." Lord Tyrell toasted his cup. "I am glad that your house will soon join the fold. With the might of the southern kingdoms, the northern rebels will soon be annihilated and we shall usher in a new age of peace and prosperity. A toast to peace!"
To peace, to peace… Arianne thought deeply about these words.
Everything sounded fake again. From these promises to the reunion that she was brought in for. They knew the answers she was going to give before she even stepped into the room. Why invite her? For her to watch this show? To send her a message? To what end?
And Willas' comment towards Quentyn's child? What did it mean? Surely there was something there too, he could have just announced it while they were walking, but in public ... why?
Gods, she had so many more questions now. So many new things she would have to think about and twist in her mind until she finally had a solution. Luckily, as Quentyn had said, she was a viper, and vipers were at home in the gardens.
She had an asset, one placed deep inside the Tyrell family. Willas Tyrell. She would break the gentle flower, and bend him to her will.
It would take some time, and prove to be quite a challenge, but she would do everything that was needed to finally know what was going on, and most of all, make sure that the Tyrells did not betray their southern allies, lest they remember the fate that befell many of their ancestors…
