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Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Marriage Proposal Rejected
...
Joanna Lannister POV

Several days later

I sat in the gardens perched atop Casterly Rock, the cool breeze stirring the leaves around us. The view from here was breathtaking, with the glittering sea stretching far beyond Lannisport, but the tension in the air kept me grounded.

My husband, Tywin, was in the midst of discussing marriage prospects with my dear friend, Nymeria, Princess of Dorne.

I had been the one to arrange this meeting. When I mentioned it to Tywin, he had been less than pleased, and even now, as the talks proceeded, his displeasure was evident. His jaw was tight, and his words held a certain sharpness.

"So you are proposing a match between one of my children and one of yours?" Tywin's voice was stern, his eyes narrowed slightly as he regarded Nymeria.

He did not like the idea, and he made no attempt to hide it.

Nymeria, as always, remained unfazed. She leaned back slightly in her chair, the picture of calm as she responded, "Yes. I propose either pairing your son Jaime with my daughter Elia or your daughter Cersei with my son Oberyn." Her tone was light, almost carefree, despite the gravity of the proposal. The steely gaze of my husband did little to rattle her.

Sensing the growing tension, I interjected with a smile. "Let's discuss the dowry, shall we?" I suggested. The topic of dowries often lightened the mood, as Tywin always considered the advantages to our house with great care.

"For Elia's dowry, Dorne is willing to offer one hundred thousand golden dragons, a hundred Dornish horses, and, with this marriage pact, the promise of an alliance," Nymeria said, laying out an impressive offer.

It was clear she held her daughter's future dear and was willing to provide for her happiness. "Now, I would be interested to hear what you propose for Cersei."

I was momentarily taken aback by the offer, as it was significantly more than what my father had given for my own marriage to Tywin.

My dowry had been a mere thousand golden dragons, but our marriage had been for love, and Tywin had cared little for the wealth that accompanied me. He could have married someone far richer, but he had chosen me, and that thought brought a small smile to my lips.

But Tywin was not moved by Nymeria's generosity. His voice was cold and final as he responded, "I reject your dowry for Elia and Jaime. And as for my daughter, I will not marry her to a fourth son."

His tone left no room for negotiation, and I knew that he had been set on rejecting the Martells the moment he heard of their proposal. I had only managed to convince him to hear them out, as outright refusing a princess of Dorne would have been a grave insult.

"This marriage talk is over. I will not entertain it further," Tywin declared, rising from his seat with a finality that signaled the end of the discussion. His gaze hardened as he looked down at Nymeria, a silent challenge in his eyes. He wanted to make sure she understood that his decision was absolute.

Nymeria, to her credit, remained composed. She simply shrugged, as though the rejection meant little to her. "Well, it seems that my daughter and son will remain without betrothals, at least for now," she said lightly, her calm demeanor never faltering.

Tywin gave her a curt nod before turning his gaze to me. "I'll leave you to your conversation, my love," he said, his voice softening ever so slightly for me. He trusted me to handle this as diplomatically as possible.

"Alright my love," I replied sincerely, wanting to catch up with my old friend.

With that, Tywin left the garden, his presence still looming even as he disappeared from view. As soon as he was gone, Nymeria chuckled softly, shaking her head.