"Edward Stark is dead…" Caesars said softly, one arm around Elia, the other holding a delicate wine glass and sipping a glass of Green Pavilion red wine.
Just moments before, on the pulpit of the Great Sept of Baelor, Eddward Stark had given a public speech admitting his treason, but unexpectedly, the new King Joffrey sentenced him to death at the last minute. Ilyn Payne beheaded him with Eddward's own Valyrian steel greatsword, "Ice," his head impaled on a spear in the castle wall.
"He was a good man," Prince Oberon sighed beside Caesars, his arms around Ellaria
Sand. In the Battle of Ashburn Keep, Oberon had been utterly defeated by Caesars, who had stopped just as he was about to plunge his sword into Oberon's throat. After whispering a few words in Oberon's ear, Oberon, looking astonished, followed Caesars into Ashburn Keep. Hours later, the two men, who had been at each other's throats, emerged arm in arm, chatting and laughing. Caesars led an army alongside Oberyn's army back to Sunspear, the capital of Dorne. Oberyn warmly welcomed Caesars at the Water Gardens on the beach three leagues west of Sunspear.
Oberyn's dramatic change stemmed from his encounter with his sister Elia Martell at Ashburn Keep, a woman who should have been dead for many years.
Oberyn had been very close to Elia since childhood, the two inseparable. With the fall of King's Landing, he had tried everything to save his sister. Later, upon hearing that a man named Caesar had been knighted by the Lannisters by offering the bodies of his nephew and niece, he plotted to have Prince Viserys of Dorne restore the Targaryen dynasty. From that moment on, his thirst for revenge never waned.
Seeing his once closest sister nestled happily in Caesar's arms, Oberyn felt a mixture of relief and a strange, inexplicable emotion.
He listened as his sister Elia recounted her experiences over the years, which largely corresponded to historical accounts, except for the part about Caesar, which portrayed him as a valiant protector of his lord, a cunning strategist, and someone who had developed feelings for him over time. Now, the Baratheon dynasty was crumbling, the Lannisters controlled the Iron Throne, and Caesar hoped to join forces with Dorne to destroy the Lannisters. Oberyn had heard of the power of the Stepstones, and the suddenly rising Cult of Dragons had also caught his attention. Dorne had also been secretly plotting to overthrow the Baratheon dynasty and destroy the Lannisters; the two quickly reached an agreement.
Just before Eddard Stark's arrest, Renly Baratheon, along with the Knights of Flowers of House Tyrell and others, fled King's Landing south, gathering forces from Storm's End and Highgarden, plotting to seize the Iron Throne. Renly married Margaery Tyrell, the "Rose of Highgarden," in Highgarden and, with the support of the Reach and Stormlands, declared himself king.
Subsequently, Robb Stark, upon learning of his father Eddard's execution, was elected King in the North by his vassals and gained the support of the Riverlands. Although the Northern army was incredibly powerful, the Lannister army was overwhelmingly superior. Robb knew the Riverlands were vulnerable and surrounded, and to change this precarious situation, he attempted to persuade Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands and the self-proclaimed king Renly to encircle Casterly Rock, the Lannister stronghold, from three sides.
The third to declare himself king was Stannis Baratheon, who insisted on being the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. With the Stepstones now in Caesar's hands, the Reece pirate Salador Thorn, with his remaining fleet, defected to Stannis. Meanwhile, under the influence of the priestess Melisandre, Stannis converted to the Eastern religion of R'hllor, the Lord of Light, and dispatched a 2,000-strong fleet from Dragonstone to attack Storm's End.
In Dorne, after several days of negotiations, Prince Doran of House Martell, the highest ruler of Dorne, reached an agreement with Caesar to secretly support the dragonflight army's supplies, promising to raise an army and support Caesar as the "Dragonborn" when the time was right.
A 5,000-strong elite dragonflight army marched into the Reach, ruled by House Tyrell of Highgarden. House Tyrell was vast and wealthy, second only to House Lannister in riches, but capable of mobilizing a greater military force. House Tyrell also possessed a navy whose power rivaled that of the Royal Navy.
The Crimson Mountains are a range that separates Dorne from the Stormlands and the Reach. Prince's Pass and Bone Road are the two main passes through the mountains. One side of the mountains extends northwest into the Reach. The Horned Hill, ruled by House Tarly, lies at the foot of the Crimson Mountains in the northwest.
Caesar's dragon army marched up the mountains from the Dornish sands, passing through Skyreach, where House Fowler, known as the "Guardians of Prince's Pass," guarded the pass. Caesar did not linger there, only briefly resupplying before continuing his march. It was only upon reaching the Tower of Joy that Caesar ordered his army to rest.
The Tower of Joy is a round tower in Dorne where Prince Rhaegar Targaryen hid Lyanna Stark, sparking Robert Baratheon's rebellion. Towards the end of the war, Eddard Stark and six companions fought here against three legendary Kingsguard members of House Targaryen, including the legendary swordsman Arthur Dayne, known as the "Sword of the Dawn."
Of course, what drew Caesars' attention to the "Sword of the Dawn" was not only his own superb swordsmanship and his famous sword "Dawn," but also largely his sister, Ashara Dayne, who possessed undeniable beauty, said to have unforgettable violet eyes. She had been Elia Martell's companion, yet even the Dornish princess paled in comparison to Ashara Dayne.
Sadly, 15 years prior, shortly after Robert's Rebellion, she jumped from the top of a tower called the White Stone Tower on the cliffs of Starfall, and her body has never been found. One account claims that Ashara slept with a Stark and became pregnant, later giving birth to a stillborn daughter, which caused her immense grief. This grief, coupled with the humiliation of being disgraced by the Starks, led her to suicide. Another explanation is that she was overwhelmed by the death of her brother Arthur and chose death as a result. Perhaps both are true, but in any case, Eddard Stark is undeniably involved.