The Last Sand Snake of Dorne (Game of Thrones Fanfic)

Chapter 6: A Killer and Three Gifts

The room was adorned with pelts of different skins: an orange and yellow striped hide of a tiger, the soft brown back of a hare, yellow spotted, green awash with golden flakes, rich dark purple slashed with whorls of silver and black; all hung from rafters in the low ceiling except for a window that looked over the rooftops of Evenstar. Gwyen crossed through soft Myrish carpets laced with silver and gold then sat down on the featherbed, her legs feeling like lead. 

After the ride up to the hall, Lord Daecel introduced her to Evenstar's occupants for the time being: there was Maester Lucas, who seemed to be only three and forty and still had hair on his head though the maester's chain was presentably complete; Mareon, Jaienna, Kayrah were three young but experienced stewardesses that greeted her with smiles and soft words of welcome. Ser Dalarys was the Master-of-Arms, and had twelve or so greenboys that looked well-pressed to Gwyen as they muttered greetings. And there was Lady Aurienne, of House Morrigen, with the sigil of a black crow upon a green field. She was Lord Daecel's betrothed, a tall girl with mischevious grey-green eyes that seemed to pierce Gwyen's own as she inclined her to food and drink. With her porcelain skin, she had long brown hair that she pinned up like a Summer Islander, her fingers long and elegant and seemed to be only of perfection. At least Gwyen was spared the worries that the lord would give her unwanted attention. He had a lady far more beautiful than she. 

As a flute and a lute and a seasoned singing voice sang 'The Bear and the Maiden Fair', they dined on suckling pig basked in honey citrus, lemon and lime, with bowls of richly laced chickpea soup and raisin bread fresh from the oven, platters of cooked grain they called 'rice' that was coated in butter and saffron. Next came peaches swimming in milk so thick that it cloyed the tongue, almonds roasted to perfection side by side bowls of little black mushrooms, too sweet even for the nose. All of these washed down by Arbor Gold, the best drink Gwyen had since she was on Sweet Lady. She was seated at the lord's left hand, as Lady Aurienne was at his right, while Lord Merrys and the others had customary places at the side of the table. By every bite, Lord Daecel entertained her with news from the east and west, the north and the south. Lady Remariah of Highgarden was to have twins, while at King's Landing, King Vagarys Targaryen and his three daughters, Caserys, Nymysa and Queyya still kept an iron peace with the dragons their great-great grandmother, Daenerys, had left them.

"The biggest is still Drogon," Lord Daecel told her, a twinkle in his eye. "Though Princess Caserys is his rider, he still thinks that she is his human, and not the other way around. Who nows? Maybe later dragons could talk too!" Gwyen listened attentively for she was always interested at the talk of the dragons. The only one she saw was the green one, Rhaegal, with Princess Nymysa when she came visiting Dorne. The dragon had stood as tall as the Spear Tower that one of his liquid gold eyes could peek into the window to see what was inside. The second Princess had white-blonde hair, almost silver, and dark eyes that only glowed purple if you looked close enough. All three of the Targaryen princesses looked like Queen Daenerys, as the old grandmaesters say, and Gwyen had been but a child to know how they looked like. 

After that were the more normal things: a new iron fleet had arrived at the Iron Isles, Lady Clarey Stark was to be married to a Tully, rich Veswell Lannister was turning up with more caravans of wheat and grains, fruits and vegetables that was now a steady flow from Casterly Rock to its surrounding kingdoms. It was a rich trade true, but the last was what she dreaded as the lord himself saw her to her quarters. 

"My lady, of Martell we all grieve," he told her quietly. "By now, you passing here is all in secret. Best not send any raven to anywhere. We will take care of you, for House Tarth is in league with Martell for a long time now. Goodnight." Then he had told her to lock her doors twice and check that the windows were locked when she went to sleep. Three tall beeswax candles lightened the whole length of the room, and Gwyen approached the chest that was placed at the foot of the bed, one of the much shorter candles in her hand for her to see by.