Make a decision?
Princess Arianne feigned contemplation, but in truth, her mind was blank and her heart in turmoil.
She had only intended to step in and share a bowl of soup, yet the other party handed her the entire pot of stew.
Instead of being delighted, she was flustered.
Sunspear and Highgarden had been rivals since ancient times. Centuries of bloodshed had carved deep rifts between the two. The Reach was a "hateful strong neighbor" to Dorne, a fierce tiger lying beside their bed. So long as Dorne remained part of Westeros, and the two families continued to share a border, territorial disputes and conflicts would make a harmonious relationship impossible until the end of days. House Martell could never sit by and watch the already powerful Reach become even more cohesive by entering the center of power. This meant that the moment Aegor politely rejected Arianne's overtures and chose Margaery as his queen, naming House Tyrell as royalty, half of Dorne had already stood with Daenerys.
She had been sent North by her father with the original goal of meeting Prince Aegon and seeing if a match was possible. Negotiating with Daenerys's faction had been intended for her uncle, Prince Oberyn. It was only after Arianne pleaded and acted spoiled that her uncle gave her a chance to prove her political ability, allowing her to appear before the representative of Daenerys's faction without being accompanied by an elder.
Arianne already knew how many troops Dorne could send and how much effort they could exert. Her father and uncle had also clearly instructed her on what benefits she should strive for. Her visit to meet Aegor was labeled as "negotiating on behalf of Dorne," but in truth, she only needed to operate within the boundaries set by Doran and Oberyn. If the alliance was guaranteed, any slight deviation in negotiation results wouldn't matter much.
After completing the official dialogue between factions, she was to engage in personal interaction with Aegor, hoping to leave an impression on this man of influence beside Daenerys. If possible, she aimed to build a personal relationship... ensuring her place as Dorne's first heir. These were her private thoughts beyond her diplomatic role.
First, complete the task assigned by her family. Then, privately approach and get to know Aegor. If she could charm and entice him, and even develop a romantic relationship, that would naturally be the best outcome. The reason she brought Tyene Sand wasn't only to assist in negotiations. She had another idea in mind: if Aegor didn't fancy her style, she would push her sister forward.
With their starkly different appearances and physiques, it was impossible that neither of them would catch his eye. And if he was open to either, a threesome was also acceptable.
She loved her bastard cousins so much, she was willing to share a man with them.
Having a private relationship with a world-renowned hero like the "White Walker Slayer" was not shameful in Dornish culture. On the contrary, it was a great honor.
...
But who would have thought, Aegor didn't play by the rules.
Whether it was the conditions and benefits he offered, or his expectations and demands for Dorne, they far exceeded the scope that Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn had prepared her for. At the moment, Arianne was feeling dizzy. To put her current mood in crude terms, it was: I only came to seduce you, but you're dragging me into something world-shaking?
She exchanged a glance with Tyene and saw confusion mirrored in her cousin's eyes.
The Sand Snake couldn't help but lean in and whisper, "Princess Arianne, I think these terms are too generous. It seems like a trap! We probably can't decide this ourselves. How about we go back and discuss it with Father?"
---
It wasn't strange that she felt unsettled. Anyone would hesitate.
Aegor's willingness to grant land from the Reach to Dorne stemmed from many considerations.
There was strategy behind it, but no deceit.
First, it was about winning hearts. Though Aegor's current explanation to Dorne was that "Daenerys wants to weaken the Reach's strength," once the Great King's Landing Plan began to take shape, its true intention would gradually surface. In this plan, the Crownlands would annex the entire Stormlands, most of the Reach, and parts of the Riverlands. For Dorne, this meant a new power would suddenly rise just beyond their doorstep. Although their longtime enemy had been dismantled, it was now replaced by an even more terrifying giant. This would naturally provoke resistance and hostility.
And to relieve that fear, nothing worked better than simply giving them a piece of it.
Granting Dorne a portion of the southern Stormlands and two smaller pieces of land from the Reach was a trade. In return, they would support or at least not oppose the Great King's Landing Plan.
But beyond that, there was a deeper aim—to control Dorne.
In Aegor's grand design, outside of the Crownlands, there would be four major ducal territories in the east, west, north, and south. The North could be managed by supporting House Bolton and creating internal balance. The Westerlands could be controlled through gold. But how could the eastern and southern regions be kept firmly under royal authority?
Dorne was naturally fortified. Once rebellion broke out, all they had to do was retreat behind the Red Mountains, seal the two passes—Prince's Pass and the Boneway—and they became impenetrable. Even if an army broke through, the Dornish could scatter into small groups in the desert, waging guerrilla warfare. That was why even Aegon the Conqueror couldn't conquer them.
After careful analysis, Aegor found that this problem could be summed up in one phrase: geopolitical structure.
To solve this, he drew upon the provincial administration models from the empire he once knew before crossing into this world, avoiding natural barriers like rivers and mountains as provincial borders.
By assigning two or three plots of land from the Stormlands and Reach to Dorne, their total area only increased by about a tenth. However, Dorne's territory would no longer be confined to the south of the Red Mountains. It would now span both sides. Most of the barren land remained to the south, but now a small, fertile portion was exposed on the northern side.
With this change, Dorne would no longer be able to act with impunity. Those new, valuable lands outside the protection of the Red Mountains meant they could no longer behave as if they had nothing to lose. Their position would be more cautious, more cooperative.
This was no longer just scheming. Even if Varys, Petyr, or Prince Doran himself were here, it would be difficult to guess Aegor's true motive. And even if they managed to guess it, they wouldn't be able to resist the offer.
If obedience and loyalty could bring land and food, House Martell might have raised the three-headed dragon banner three hundred years ago.
---
Tyene's whispered warning was meant for Arianne's benefit, but unexpectedly, it struck a nerve. Arianne became deeply displeased. Why? As a Princess, Dorne's rightful heir, could she not make a decision in negotiations without going home to ask for her elders' instructions? How humiliating would that be in the eyes of others?
Beyond her rebellious nature, once the shock passed, an entirely different emotion began to take root in her heart.
Everyone has their fatal weaknesses. Arianne's just happened to be her inability to resist the dangerous charm of men who carried a sense of wildness and madness. And nothing was more intoxicating than the ambition behind a plan to destroy and dismantle the Reach.
She had read the novel popular across the Seven Kingdoms, The Night's Watch's Fantastic Adventure Journey. But at the time, like most people with a shred of critical thinking, she believed most of the tales about the "protagonist" were either exaggerated or fictional.
Who would have thought that upon meeting him in person, she would find he was exactly like the wild and daring adventurer described in the book—perhaps even more intense. And now, all these captivating qualities were fused with real power, military command, fame, and authority to create a terrifying... monster.
When she walked into this room, she had done so with the playful and open-minded attitude of a typical Dornish woman, seeing Aegor as her target.
But now, something even she couldn't believe had happened: she found herself genuinely captivated by this man she had known for less than an hour.
She longed for his recognition and favor. She longed to participate in this earth-shaking plan to crush the Reach. And she longed to be with him tonight. No—right now.
Bah!
Shoving aside the desire that had suddenly surged up, she thought of a deeper benefit. If she, a mere daughter, could participate in such a grand endeavor as dismantling the Reach, leaving her name in the history books and earning military merit, then even if her father later wished to strip her of her inheritance, he would face enormous resistance.
After swallowing, she ignored Tyene's whispers and raised her head, locking eyes with Aegor.
"Dorne will join, Lord Commander. May I ask when I will have the honor to discuss the specific details of this plan with you?"
(To be continued.)