[Dorne]

Much had happened in Dorne since Ellaria, Arianne and the three eldest Sand Snakes began hatching their plot to crown Aelinor Queen.

Ellaria spent much of her time by the side of Oberyn, who had shown significant improvement, but was still unconscious.

The Sand Snakes had continued with what they did best; training.

Meanwhile, Arianne, had wrote to some of her closest confidantes, asking if they were willing to aid her.

It took a bit of convincing, but they had agreed.

She had even met a man, Gerold "Darkstar" Dayne, a member of the High Hermitage cadet branch of the notable House Dayne. A remarkable swordsman and not bad on the eyes either, with his chin length silver hair that had a midnight black streak, aquiline nose, high cheekbones, strong jaw and purple eyes.

Although he was good looking, Arianne was hesitant to trust him completely.

The plan was to wait at the abandoned holdfast of Shandystone. There Arianne and her accomplices; Andrey Dalt (heir to his brother Deziel, a Knight of Lemonwood), Garin (an orphan of the Greenblood), and Sylva Santagar (heir of House Santagar), would await the arrival of Ser Arys Oakheart and Myrcella.

Arys was to smuggle Myrcella out of Sunspear, under the guise of illness, leaving behind her look-a-like, Rosamund Lannister, as well as a stand in for himself.

From there, Arianne planned to head out to the Greenblood and travel with an orphan poleboat westward on that river and the Vaith, then continue by land. The final destination would be Hellholt, the seat of Ellaria Sand's father Harmen Uller, where Arianne intended to declare Aelinor as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms a.

She knew it was a big risk to declare Aelinor Queen without her in their grasp, unlike Myrcella, but to Arianne, it was a calculated risk they would have to take.

Besides, Cersei's well known love for her children would not allow her daughter to be harmed.

There had already been outcries for her to sit the throne, during Joffrey's reign, once the rumours of her siblings became public knowledge.

Tommen was no Joffrey, so they've been told. Thank the Gods for it.

He wouldn't try to have his sister killed, especially not over the Throne.

Arianne simply saw this as righting a wrong that been made twice over. First, with Joffrey, and now with Tommen.

Arianne became increasing worried as Georld who dismissed her plan as unrealistic and alluded to killing Myrcella as revenge against the Lannisters.

This was nevr part of the plan, and still wasn't.

Only, everything quickly went downhill as their group arrived at the Greenblood.

Her father's captain of guards, Areo Hotah, and a dozen guardsmen emerged from the poleboat.

Arianne and Darkstar wish to yield, but Arys charged the guards and was killed by Areo's longaxe.

While Arianne fell, in desperation and nausea, Gerold Dayne took the opportunity to seriously injure Myrcella, causing a horrific injury to her left ear, then managed to escape Areo's men.

While she was being arrested, Areo told her that someone betrayed her plan, though not who.

Myrcella's disfigurement certainly threw a wrench into Arianne's plans. On top of being arrested, of course.

Arianne held no ill will towards the young girl. She had done nothing wrong, and made her youngest brother, Trystane, very happy. 

When they arrived back in Sunspear, Arianne learned her father had imprisoned Ellaria as well as all of her uncle's children, except his fourth born, Sarella, who was not in Dorne.

Arianne herself was isolated in the Spear Tower, under the guard of Ricasso and Ser Manfrey Martell, a knight of House Martell and cousin to her father.

The pleasantly-appointed cell had history books, maps, and a cyvasse table, which Arianne did not utilize.

She realized that either Drey, Garin, or Spotted Sylva must have betrayed her, and that Arys died in a suicidal charge, which he undertook to wipe out his shame about his relationship with her.

Arianne was forbidden contact with the outside world and attended to by servants who would not speak to her. Her attempt to send a message to Lord Uller was intercepted by her father, after which Arianne began a hunger strike.

After several weejs, she was brought before her father.

It was then she learned Myrcella had been saved by Maestar Caleotte, but she had lost her ear and had a horrible scar.

She knew she needed her father's help to convince Myrcella to lie about the nature of her attack.

Especially after she learned it was Jaime Lannister himself who was headed to Dorne, to bring them the skull of The Mountain.

But, she doubted that was all.

After he saw what had happened to her, regardless of how it happened, he would want to bring her back to King's Landing.

She figured now might as well have been the time to inform her father that she had read a letter meant for her brother Quentyn.

"According to Dornish law, I am your heir," she told him. "But you've nevr treated me as such."

"I know what you think of me. That I am weak and ineffective. But that could not be further from the truth. We Martells are vipers. It has been my plan to lay in the tall grass and wait for the right moment. Aggression without purpose is stupidity. If I called our banners now, countless of them may die."

"Yes, but it would be a show of force. Something the people have been waiting for."

"You think I was unaffected by the death of my sister and her children?"

"You certain are very good at making it seem that way."

"I am not. When I learned what had happened to them, I swore a vow to myself. A vow to avenge them. Bless your uncle. The Gods know I love my brother. He may be a better warrior, but he is a terrible politician. I have allowed myself to be viewed as feeble, because those are the kinds of people who fly under the radar. We work behind the scenes, influencing events."

"What do you think I was trying to do by crowning Aelinor? Not only is she the eldest child of King Robert, she is reportedly his only child."

"Yes, something elsewhere outside of Dorne, people take very seriously." He sighed. "You know, there was a reason I only offered you old Lords."

"I figured you were simply preparing to disinherit me and install Quentyn as your heir."

"That wasn't it at all. I'll admit, it had crossed my mind, but it is because I knew you would reject them all. And, because you were actually betrothed to another."

"Who?"

"Viserys Targaryen."

"Rhaegar's brother? You would willingly allow our families to be joined in marriage after what happen to my aunt and cousins?"

"If we helped Viserys regain the throne, you would be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms-"

"What about Dorne?"

"With you as Queen, your brother would rule after me. It was our chance to rewrite history and take what mattered to Tywin Lannister; his family power."

"What happened?"

"I planned to tell you, but then he was killed in Vaes Dothrak, making the betrothal null and void."

"Is this why you sent Quentyn to Mereen?"

"Yes. I intend for him to marry Viserys' sister, who now reigns as the city's Queen. Of course, you will be Princess of Dorne after me."

"Do you know how much resentment this could have saved me if you had told me your plan? Instead you had me believe I was going to be cast aside and replaced."

"I know, Arianne. I see now what a great ruler you will be."

"There's something else, isn't there?"

"I've received word Cersei has sent another envoy-"

"Another? How many does she need? This is beginning to feel like an ambush."

"I assure you. It is not."

"Do you know who this envoy is?

"Yes, Ser Balon Swann."

"Isn't he a Kingsguard? Why send him?"

"Perhaps she fears her brother's fate upon his arrival."

"Our family may despise the Lannisters, but we are not stupid enough to kill one of their members, unless we had a plan in place. We know Cersei would immediately go to war over the death or her brother-lover- whatever they are."

"I'm glad you know this." Doran told his daughter. "Upon his arrival, we will hold a feast. I expect you to ensure your cousins remain under control."

"They will be fine." She noticed the stern expression her father's face. "Fine, I will let them know not to cause any trouble."

"Good."

"Is that all?"

"Almost. I'm sure you know that Jaime Lannister should have arrived, but my men have purposefully delayed him. Given the incident with Myrcella, I figured it best, to give us more time to explain."

"Explain what? Gerold went rogue and tried to kill Myrcella, when that was nevr part of the plan."

"And what was this 'plan' of yours? You thought you could take Myrcella and have her convince her sister to take the Throne over her brother?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous."

"Is that perhaps because it was. If you had come to me, with this 'plan', perhaps I could have helped you fine tune it. Princess Aelinor is one of the few who has expressed interest in providing justice for our family. I choose to err on the side of caution. You must look at how things will be affected in the long run. If you only think short term, you expose yourself to treachery and failure, with no backup plan."

"I suppose you're right," Arianne sighed. "Assuming you meant to replace me as heir, perhaps incited a desire to see a powerful female ruler. Who would more powerful than the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, one related to us by blood. Not only that, but someone who holds the interests of the people, all of it's people."

"I understand the appeal, but you have nevr met the Princess. What if she were to refuse?"

"From what I'm told, she knows the truth of her sibling's parentage, but has not said anything. She is loyal, but she also worries for the pressure of the crown falling on her brother. Plus, there were instances where she acknowledged her ability over her brothers. Why would she turn it down?"

"For the same reason she has not said anything about Tommen and Myrcella. She knows what could happened to them as well as her mother and uncle if the rumours were confirmed. The rest of Westeros is not as accepting as us here in Dorne. With the High Sparrow and Faith Militant growing in power, I doubt she has much time to entertain your plot of seizing the crown from her brother, even if she wanted to."

Arianne nodded. "Maybe if we talked more, we could have made an amazing team."

"We still can. You are my heir, Arianne. Nothing is going to change that. Not me, not your brothers. Nothing."

Arianne smiled. This was the first meaningful conversation she could remember having with her dad in a long time.

He wasn't trying to replace her. He had bigger aspirations for her. Aspirations that unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, were not realized.

Perhaps it was for the better.

But, she still could not let go of the dream of a world where two of the most powerful Kingdoms were run by women.

The greatest, yet horrifically overlooked, power the world has seen.