Ashara
Dorne had allied with Aegon Targaryen, an alliance sealed the old fashioned way, with a betrothal. Ashara's sister Allyria was betrothed to the boy claiming to be Elia's son, and once the war was won would marry him. Ashara still harboured her doubts over whether or not this Aegon was actually Elia's Aegon, but she spoke not a word of her doubts to Doran or Oberyn, both of whom seemed quite content to believe whatever words the boy and his hand Jon Connington had spoken to Oberyn at Storm's End. The fact that the man who was the boy's hand was in fact Jon Connington did lend some sort of credence to his claim of legitimacy, still Ashara did have some nagging doubts about whether or not the boy was who he said he was.
She was also deeply surprised that Doran had not tried to push Arianne on the boy, in an attempt to create the same match for Aegon as had happened for Elia and Rhaegar, but perhaps the memories of the events that had brought the rebellion to fruition had dissuaded him from pursuing such a move. Oberyn had told her late one day after another one of their meetings had ended, that Doran had considered the notion, but had apparently remembered Arianne's anger when she had first thought that she was being overlooked for her birthright, and with Quentyn having died in Meeren at the hands of one of Daenaerys Targaryen's dragons, it seemed Doran wished for his daughter to inherit after him. And so Allyria was the price for Dorne's allegiance, something that deeply nagged on Ashara- she hated the fact that her sister seemed to be being sold off like cattle at a market- but Allyria herself did not seem to mind. She had been betrothed to Lord Beric Dondarrion since she was ten years old, waiting for her flowering before she married the marcher lord, when the war had broken out and Beric Dondarrion had turned into some sort of zombie like creature, bent on meting out a harsh brand of justice, or so Edric had told them. Allem's son had returned to Starfall one day, three years after he had shipped out to Stonehaven and had returned a shaken and scarred young man.
It seemed that Arthur shared her concerns; she still remembered the conversation she had had with her brother a few days ago:
"This plan of Doran's is very, very risky. It smells more of Oberyn than of Doran." Arthur had said.
Ashara had laughed then. "Oh Arthur, Oberyn's plans have always been designed by Doran, the old feud with the Yronwoods was instigated by Doran so as to make sure they didn't do anything to play on old Aerys paranoia. No Doran has been putting this plan into action for years now, ever since Elia and Rhaenys' deaths."
Arthur grimaced, as he so often did whenever Elia and Rhaenys were mentioned. "Still, I like it not that it seems that Allyria is being used as a bargaining chip for our alliance with Aegon"
"You do not believe that this boy is whom he claims to be?"Ashara had asked surprised.
"No, I remember the stories of what had happened to the baby Aegon during the sack. The fact that Varys was involved makes it even harder for me to believe that this boy is who he says he is. No doubt some sort of trickery is involved here. Something to play on Jon Connington's love of Rhaegar, and Dorna and Oberyn's desperation to have justice for Elia and the children." Arthur had said.
"Is that why you haven't left us for Storm's End then Arthur your own doubts and insecurities? Will you leave us the minute Daenaerys Targaryen lands with her three dragons and Unsullied?" Ashara had asked, failing to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
Arthur had sighed then and his voice seemed to be strained when he replied. "No Ashara, that is not why have not left. I made a promise to you, I promised to protect you and Jeyne from whomever would do you harm, and I intend to stick to that promise. I forsook my vows to the Iron Throne the minute Rhaegar ordered me to stay at that damned tower."
Ashara stared at her brother and she hated the way her voice shook when she asked. "Do you truly mean that Arthur? Do you truly mean to stay even if Aegon takes King's Landing and Doran informs him that you still live? Even if Daenaerys lands? I remember you made a promise to Elia as well when we were young, that you would stand beside her always, you left her though."
She must be shaking for soon she is wrapped in Arthur's embrace and hears him whisper into her hair. "I was a fool for doing that, I am punished every day for breaking my promise to Elia, I am punished with the knowledge that I was not there to protect her when Aerys went mad, that I could not go and take her away back home when Rhaegar lost his wits. Please don't push me away Ashara please, I don't think I could survive if you did."
"I never could push you away Art, your my brother, I'll always love you." She'd replied then taking her head from his chest and brushing away the tears that were falling from her brother's eyes.
"What will happen to the betrothal between Trystane and Myrcella Baratheon though? Now that we have declared for Aegon?" She had asked then.
Arthur still held her in his arms. "I believe that that will go ahead, even if the girl is the product of relations between her uncle and mother, there are those who would see her on the throne. Should Aegon fail, and then Doran will still have someone with a claim to the throne to seat on it."
"So the girl is merely another pawn then?" Ashara asked her voice laced with disgust.
Arthur looked down at her then and there was a sad smile on his face when he replied. "We all are Ashara, we all are."
Since that conversation many things had happened. They had learnt that all of the Stormlords that were not with Stannis had declared for Aegon and for Jon Connington the man who had been named Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. They learnt of the red dragon that Aegon had, and how it grew bigger every day, and how if Doran was to be believed it soon would be big enough for Aegon to ride into battle and take King's Landing. They learnt of how Randyll Tarly and the 20,000 men he had taken with him from King's Landing had bent the knee to Aegon, of how Mace Tyrell had fumed and fumed at his bannerman's betrayal and still refused to take his daughter and leave the city. They learnt of the increasing conflict between the Faith and the Tyrells, of the stirrings going on in Oldtown, that traditional seat of power for logic, of the Ironborn being beaten back from the Oldtown by Hightower men and sellswords from Lys and the Stepstones. There was little to no news from the north, neither of Jon's movements or actions since he had taken Riverrun, nor of whether Stannis Baratheon lived or not.
Willas Tyrell, the heir to Highgarden had left a week past to return to his home, promising that once the war was over he would speak with Sansa and with Jon about arranging a betrothal between the two of them. Ashara saw how Sansa seemed so smitten with the boy, and she remembered how smitten she had been with Ned in her youth, though she doubted whether or not the affection that Willas Tyrell seemed to exhibit toward the young Stark girl was real or if it was just an act, put on for their benefit, when really all he and the Tyrells wanted was Sansa's claim to Winterfell, for it did seem as if the Tyrells would turn their cloak again and join Aegon. It seemed that whilst Arthur shared her views, Oberyn did not laughing when she brought up her concerns to him and stating that "Willas may be the grandson of the Queen of Thorns and he may be cunning and smart, but he is not the scheming type, not like his father or grandmother, if he says he's interested in the Stark girl, the he is interested in her."
A moon after Willas Tyrell departed for Highgarden Jeyne breathed her last. Her daughter had been ill for so long now that it seemed as if death was inevitable, that her little girl had passed should have come as no surprise to Ashara, but it was. Jeyne in her short life had come so very close to leaving with the Stranger and yet had somehow found the strength to keep living and fighting her frail health, that Ashara- foolishly she supposed now- had thought that her little girl could not die, would not die. Of course that just made it so much harder for her when her little girl did die. As she laid her daughter to rest in the crypts in Starfall she felt the tears flow freely down her cheeks, as Septon Morrien spoke of her daughter and prayed that she find peace and happiness with the Seven, Ashara cried and cried, her heart felt as if was breaking into tiny pieces, Arthur stood strong and solid beside her holding her hand throughout the whole ceremony. When it ended, and condolences had been offered he led her back up into the main castle and her room.
The next day she, Arthur and Sansa boarded the Pride of Dawn and set sail for the Stony Shore, her heart was heavy, her eyes red, but she wished to be with Jon, the son of her heart, and never let him go.