The Dragon Queen

I Qoren

Sunspear – 111 AC

I looked at my father is surprise.

"I'm getting married? This year? To the Targeryan princess?" I repeated slowly, trying to understand what he was trying to tell me. "How did you achieve that?"

"I did nothing, it was all work of the king... though, it seems that it was pioneered mostly by the queen," my father admitted. "She came with her daughter to Dorne with the Master of Laws, Lord Lyonel Strong, to make and sign an agreement in part of the crown."

"An agreement?" I asked him, frowning. "We are getting married, what kind of agreement other than the betrothal contract and bride prize?"

"It seems that because of the queen's... fertility issues," my father frowned as he chose his words carefully. "It has been decided that Princess Rhaenyra's first born son will claim the Iron Throne, Martell blood will rule the 7 Kingdoms." My eyes widened at the realization of what my father was saying, Dorne will finally join the the realm completely. "Your second child, or eldest one if she ends up being female, will rule Dorne as Princess."

"We will keep our titles as princes and princesses?" I asked him surprised.

"A way to sweeten the deal," my father smirked sardonically. "The queen even told me that her cousin in the Vale has named her and her line as her heirs to the Eyrie."

"So, Martell blood with rule Corwnlands, Dorne, and the Vale... shit! No wonder you accepted the contract," I muttered, blood pumping at the wonderful future my children will have. "The Vale accepts females as rulers right?"

"They do," my father smirked. "The Lady of the Vale demanded that the first born daughter of your line becomes her heir."

"Good," I smirked, viciously. That will show all those stuffy lords how it's really done. "Is there something else I need to know?"

"Your firstborn son will marry a Velaryon queen, that was written in the contract," my father warned me. I shrugged, knowing that if Princess Rhaenyra didn't marry her cousin Leanor this was the next best thing. Dorne might not scuffle with the other kingdoms' game of thrones, but we keep an eye on things. "There are some tax and trade benefits to us, in exchange of constant winter relief efforts to the North and the Wall. Fruit and vegetables mostly." That's not that bad, especially since Dorne has mostly good cultives thanks to our weather. The taxes and trade benefits will balance things out, depending of what the befenits are they might even be to our advantage. "Other than that, nothing for you to worry about. Though, Princess Rhaenyra did present a business trade with the North for textiles, spicies, and sand."

"Sand?" I turned to my father confused. "Why would the North need sand?"

"For glass, of course," he replied. "In return for that we will get northern steel, the strongest steel in the 7 Kingdoms that is not Valyrian, and the finest wood in the realm for ships."

"That's a good deal," I hummed. "As long as we make sure the merchants do not take advantage of the North by upselling the sand. That will make us enemies of them and we do not want to become enemies of half the realm."

"That we do not," my father chuckled. "Princess Rhaenyra made sure to point that out. She used flowery words, but the threat was there. She seems to think high of them." My father informed me seriously. "The dornish court seems to think high of her as well." I was surprised by his words, a Targeryan well thought by my people? That is rare, especially with how proudful they are. "Ever since she came here she has wore our clothes, ate our food, and asked to learn our culture. It is because of her that in the contract it is specified that our religion will be accepted and honoured, just like the North's is. We will continue to follow the teachings of Mother Rhoyne without being pressured to follow the Seven. You will be able to teach it to your children and it will be up to them to what religion they chose to follow. All but your oldest son, he will need to follow the Fourteen Flames of Old Valyra." Well, now that's a relief. I am starting to like this future wife of mine. "She has also decided to start learning how to wield a spear."

"She has?" I was stunned. Who was this princess that keeps on surprising me over and over again? "The queen allowed it?"

"She did," my father answered. "The queen's words were: "It is her future husband's culture and practices. There's no shame in learning them, if anything it is encouraged that a wife learns so she can assimilate better." Those two make quite the pair."

"However, you don't seem to think highly of the king," I pointed out, noticing his frown.

"He already has an excellent heir in his daughter, but decided to name his brother as his heir and continue to risk his wife's life for a male heir from his blood," my father scoffed in disgust. "He is now marryin his four and ten namedays daughter in hopes of breeding her and getting a crown prince."

"He is still the king," I reminded my father. "And my future wife's father."

"Which is why I had not said anything to anyone until now," my father replied. "Son, you will need to protect her. The court in the Red Keep is filled with vipers and you've seen how little care the king has in regards to his wife and daughter. You will need to be there and support her, defend the birthright of your children with all you've got. Understood?"

"Understood, father," I nodded in determination.

I will not fail. This will put us above everyone in the 7 Kingdoms, it will make Dorne great again. I cannot fail.

"Now, let's go and meet your future wife," he smiled, standing up. I followed him to the training yard and almost drooled at the sight in front of me. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen was dancing around the Sunspear guards, wielding the spear with a dexterity I was not expecting from a beginner. Her silver hair shinned under the sun of Dorne, her violet eyes were intense as they focused on her enemy, and her body... Mother Rhoyne! Her body wrapped around the carmesi dornish gown left little to imagine. "She tried to use the sword," my father informed me with a chuckle, noticing me gaping. "But we found out early on that the speed and flexibility of a spear is perfect for her style."

"Her style?" I asked, but I could not take my eyes off the woman I was going to marry.

"She knows she will never be as strong as a man, that her hits will not shake the enemy and that she won't be able to meet the swing from her opponent without trembling under the force. So, she waits underneath the grass like a viper, waiting for the other to move or for an opening, before taking it with speed and striking down her opponent." I stared at my father's answer dumbfounded. "Now you see why she has been taken in so warmly by our people. She might be a dragon, but she was born to be a Martell. The passion of the dornispeople runs deep in her blood, with the blazing fire of a dragon that matches Dorne's sun."