Elia soon left Brandon and Ashara behind to collect the Stark children whereas she entered the tent in front of her just to see Oberyn was about to begin his carnal pleasures with a new whore.
Elia gave a slight cough which did not prompt any response from Oberyn as he continued showering his affections to his whore beneath him. Not being able to stand any longer, Elia spoke in a loud voice, "Oberyn! I need you to excuse her for now. We will be having guests soon and I am in need of your help."
Oberyn huffed and asked the whore to leave. He then cast a hopeful expression on his face while asking "Are we taking action against the Crown Prince?"
"No Oberyn. We are not risking a war for this. Please drop this. Now, I will be using this tent for a meeting with the Starks…."
"STARKS!" Oberyn roared, interrupting Elia and then he continued, "Why do we need to talk about anything with those northern savages? Lyanna did not even come and apologize for her slights against you"
"Oberyn! How is this Lyanna's fault? She's just a small girl. Surely you would not hold it against a naive kid for what happened at the tourney when all she did was accept the Crown."
Oberyn continued to growl and grumble but Elia's stare pretty much shut him up. 'For now.' Elia was sure.
"Anyway," Elia continued, "They are coming here because they need our help to marry Ashara and Brandon Stark."
"Oh! One more Stark leaping up and taking what is not his. Just great. Don't tell me Eddard Stark has been making his advances toward you or some other maiden from another Great House as well."
"No. I do not see fit to provide responses for the nonsense you just blurted out of your mouth and blame it on the wine you've been drinking. However, just for your information, Brandon is not tied up with any betrothal as of yet. And you, dear Oberyn, will be using the pressure to expedite their betrothal and marriage."
"Oh well! The things we do for love."
Just as they started to talk about Doran and the Water Gardens, the tent flapped open and in came a retinue of Northerners led by Brandon Stark and Ashara. Eddard Stark, the second-born, Benjen, the youngest and Lyanna, the only daughter of Lord Rickard Stark entered.
While uncomfortable to be in the presence of Lyanna just after what she had seen, Elia allowed them to sit comfortably before she began, "I hope you have been informed as to why we have invited you here"
"No, your Grace. Would you be kind enough to inform us what we are here for?" began Eddard feeling uncomfortable with the pressure in the tent.
"Brandon?" Elia asked in a pointed manner asking him to begin this conversation.
So, hesitantly, Brandon gave a sigh and understood he would have to lead this since it involved him and his lover. "I just wanted to inform you that over the past few days at Harrenhal, I have come to be deeply in love with Ashara and wish to ask for her hand in marriage."
Lyanna, Eddard and Benjen were shocked.
"What about Catelyn?" asked Benjen
"Well, I don't like her. There's nothing wrong with her of course but she is just not Ashara."
That sentence stopped any other arguments that could be raised by the Starks.
Oberyn, seeing that this was going nowhere opened up his first remark since the gathering in a hostile manner, "And I hope you are not going to just Fuck and run from this. We are not your bannermen that can be fucked into silence."
"Oberyn!" shouted Elia secretly glad that Oberyn played his part wonderfully. Then she turned to the Starks and began the process to soothe them. Lyanna and Benjen were incensed and ready to battle while a cold frosty look appeared in the eyes of Eddard seeking to freeze anyone who thought ill of the Starks. She had her work cut out for her.
"While what Oberyn mentioned was very harsh. This does not shy away from what must be done to prevent further escalation. Since the betrothal between Houses Stark and Tully has not been finalized, can we get started with arranging a betrothal soon and the marriage with Ashara within the moon?"
"Yes, Brandon, if you love her, you should move forward with this" said Lyanna, expressing her stance on this.
"We must write to our father for his advice on this." said Eddard, the wise one out of the four. "However, if the betrothal agreement has not been signed, I believe we will be able to convince Father about this. I will begin drafting a betrothal contract for Brandon and Ashara as well. However, please let me know who will be signing the agreement for Ashara?"
Benjen was mute and just staring at this with wide eyes. He knew when he should not speak.
"Oh! We have Oberyn for this. Since Doran cannot travel, Oberyn also has the right to sign agreements for alliances and trade deals for Dorne. Besides, as long as it is Ashara's wish, none can deny her what she wants in Dorne. She is my best friend." Elia replied while looking at Oberyn in a tone inviting him to disagree.
"Yes Elia. Your will shall be done" replied Oberyn, though to the rest it sounded like a kid who had been denied his favorite snack.
The remaining conversations were quick and it was decided that Ashara would be wed in Winterfell and that Oberyn would be following the Starks to the North with Ashara where Ashara would wed with Brandon before Ashara, Oberyn and Eddard would return. Ashara would head to Dragonstone to help with the childbirth of the second child whereas Eddard would return to the Vale.
Following the finalization of the plans, Ser Barristan came into the tent asking Elia if she would like to retire for the night, to which Elia voiced her displeasure and mentioned she would be living in a separate tent from Rhaegar. While apologizing to Lyanna, explaining that she didn't mean anything to her, but this has to be handled politically.
---- The Next Day ----
Ashara could not sleep that night. She could not be more content. Of course the only regret or disappoint of the tourney was that her sister by choice and best friend was not awarded the Queen of Love and Beauty by her husband.
Regardless, she had a mission for today. She would be tailing the She-Wolf to really know if the Crown Prince was courting her or was this just Elia's imagination and hostility. She had assigned one to herself after what happened yesterday. She knew she could never repay the favor Elia did for her yesterday.
Having already informed Brandon of her unavailability tomorrow and that she would find him once she would get confirmation.
So, with these thoughts in mind, Elia quickly changed into rather plain boorish clothes with a hood along with smearing mud across her face to hide her beauty which made her look more like a commoner rather than the beauty she was.
She quickly went to the part where the Northerners were camped and was just in time to see Lyanna take a horse and informing them that she was off for a morning ride on the horse.
Seeing that she would have to follow her, she quickly dropped a Gold Dragon in the hands of a Frey squire that was standing nearby and asked for his horse. Even though not being as fast as Lyanna she could make out the direction she was travelling in and follow behind her.
She could clearly feel that they were reaching the same place where Elia and her had taken the walk yesterday. She quickly got down from the horse, tied him from the tree and reached the same spot to see that Rhaegar was waiting for Lyanna and there behind him was Ser Oswell Whent of the Kingsguard.
Her fears turned out to be true. The conversation between them revolved around freedom, betrothals, duty and what not. Rhaegar's overtures and Lyanna's puckering eyelashes could even be seen by a blind man.
She simply did not have the stomach for more and left them to break her fast and then decide how to break this to Elia, whether her betrothal would be affected by this or should she tell this information to Brandon and ask her to restrain his sister?
She left behind her thoughts promising to talk to Elia first before she made a decision and quickly got onto the horse and returned to her tent where she would change and then visit Elia to get to the bottom of this.