( Arianne )
"This is outrageous!" the heir to Sunspear cried out in furious anger, her jewellery hitting the desk, nearly denting it. "It's another insult!"
"It's only logical." Her Summer Islander cousin, Sarella, tried to calm her down, as her other cousins, Nymeria and Tyene, looked on. "Your brother invented this powder; it is he who takes responsibility for the guilds of Sunspear to start production of this miracle medicine as soon as possible."
"And I am the heir to Dorne, I should be the one consulted to do this, not him!" she growled back. "It is to me that the responsibilities of producing this powder, however it is called, should fall. Not Quentyn, not my uncle Oberyn, me."
"You worry too much, cousin." Sarella sighed. "Anyways, it is done. Your father has sent instructions to Yronwood, and considering his success in the production of medicine by the guilds there, he shouldn't have much problems in sending a few ravens to get this started."
Seven hells, this was bad.
For years she'd been scorned by the fact that her father had planned to set her aside for Quentyn in the dornish succession, but she'd had hope.
The Yronwoods were on the other side of Dorne, and she would have been able to extend her influence in Sunspear easily, thanks to the Water Gardens.
She was popular, and Quentyn was a prisoner in Yronwood.
And then disaster.
Her brother became the most beloved man in Dorne almost overnight. His white powder took Dorne by storm, as it said it could heal almost all diseases, from the slightest headache to the gravest infections.
And he didn't stop there.
Other treatments, for heart, lung and kidney diseases. For sexually transmitted ones as well. And to top it all off, it seemed that he made a collection of rare beasts from all over the world, and even convinced her father to launch a survey of dornish topography.
"Does he wish to topple me?" she asked her cousin, who sheepishly laughed.
"I have no idea, I am not your spy, cousin."
"You should have found out." Arianne replied. "He wishes to steal my birthright. And that Lord Yronwood seeks to marry him to his youngest daughter and seal his takeover of Dorne."
"Gwyneth is twelve."
"Do you think that matters?"
"It sure matters to him." Sarella answered. "Take it from someone who actually met him not so long ago. Quentyn has changed, Arianne."
"So, you do know things."
"I'll say it again, I am not your spy."
"And we know damn well what happened the last time you sent someone to spy on him." Tyene purred.
"Quentyn is scared of women, what a surprise." Arianne shook her head. "My brother can't even act like a true dornishman and bed a woman. He can never be a true prince of Dorne. Seven hells, they still call him the Frog."
Sarella raised an eyebrow.
"Cousin, you sent the one that has no interest whatsoever in men to seduce him." Nymeria added.
"They're twins, how was I to know which one liked who!"
"This is the attitude that lost you the Fowlers and put them firmly in Quentyn's camp." Nymeria scoffed. "That you can be sure about. He's only been respectful towards them."
"Along with the Fowlers, Quentyn can count on the Wyls, the Jordaynes, the Qorgyles, the Yronwoods, the Manwoodys, the Blackmonts, the Tolands and even the Ullers and Daynes if he's smart enough." Sarella continued.
"I hear he wishes to travel to Starfall. This is not the time to spur any other potential allies."
"Fine!" Arianne shouted out, frustrated. "How about this letter? You said that he was scared shitless when you grabbed it."
Sarella shook her head
"I know not what was written. Neither to whom it was addressed to." She answered. "I only managed to make out two words as it was thrown into the fire: I KNOW."
"I know what?" Arianne asked, intrigued.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Sarella shrugged. "It could mean anything."
She sighed. It seemed that she would get no more information from Sarella.
And as much as she hated to admit it, this meant nothing. Two words in a letter could very well be put out of context, or be part of a courtesy. If the letter was burnt to a crisp, there wouldn't be much to try and recover.
"Well, the good news, in a way, is that my brother will come back to Sunspear in less than a year." Arianne continued with a smile. "He will be isolated, and left with no allies. I will be able to re-establish my control over Dorne."
Tyene and Nymeria shared a glance. It was the blonde-haired girl that talked first.
"You don't know?" she asked.
"Know what?"
"Quentyn asked for Gerris Drinkwater, Archibald Yronwood, Cletus Yronwood and Gulian Qorgyle to join him in Sunspear." Tyene answered.
"These are not only stalwart allies, but they are all of influential families, safe for the Drinkwater boy, who is sworn to Yronwood. And with his popularity with the smallfolk here bound to rise, the game will be level."
Arianne's smile fell.
This changed everything. With a tightly-knit group of friends in Sunspear, isolating Quentyn would be hard. She needed to rethink her approach.
"Leave me, I need to think." She called out. "Tyene, stay, I will need you."
Her cousin nodded, as Nymeria and Sarella left the room.
You might have won this round, brother, but you will soon see that the viper will strike, and it will strike hard.
Dorne is mine, by right. And you will learn not to cross me.
...
( Nymeria )
As she and Sarella exited the princess' rooms, she caught up to her sister and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Cut the crap, Sarella." She warned her.
Her sister seemed confused.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not the smart one, I do admit, that's always been your domain." Nymeria winced. "But I'm not as stupid as our cousin to think Quentyn is the same man as he was before he left."
"What makes you think that?"
"The way you looked at Arianne when she said that Quentyn was scared of women." She grinned. "Did you fuck him?"
"No." Sarella frowned. "I'm not like you lot, I don't partake in these things. His friend, Gulian though, well we spent a very fun night together."
Nymeria only nodded, somewhat disappointed.
Still though, someone close to Quentyn was just as good.
"How is Quentyn?"
"Physically, you mean?" Sarella asked. "Slightly taller than Arianne, and much thinner than what our cousin thinks of him. He cuts his hair short, so that it doesn't fall into his eyes. He's not as handsome as some of his friends, but quite comely all the same. Why?"
"One of the Fowler twins told me about a reception in Yronwood they attended, and saw the little prince make off with the heir to the Tor." She chuckled. "So much for our cousin's hopes."
"So much indeed."
"Why do they call him the frog, though?" Nymeria asked, confused. "Arianne made sure to make this moniker stick, but that was only because he was round, and his face unappealing. If this isn't true, why would people keep calling him that?"
"He has a pet tree frog, about as large as my hand." Sarella answers. "Cute little thing. And he doesn't take offense to being called a frog, encourages it, actually."
"Intriguing."
"It's almost as if people here in Sunspear want to think that he's still the same old Quentyn. A round, unappealing, maiden. He is neither of these things. I wonder why he still insists on continuing this talk about him. Our cousin has a plan, but I know naught of it."
"I look forward to meeting him again, if only to get the measure of him." Nymeria smiled. "In the meantime, I'll have to contend with Arianne's bootlickers."
Sarella sighed.
"Maybe this is the opportunity she needs to finally take charge."
"That's not for me to judge. But one can only hope Uncle Doran stops the silence he's walled himself in and actually make this whole succession thing clear, or it's going to blow up in our faces."
Sarella laughed.
"See? You're smarter than you look."
"Indeed. Which is why I see you know more about that letter."
Sarella nodded.
"Nothing that will be of use to our cousin." She answered. "But it could still change a lot of things. And Quentyn was right. If it leads to what I think it leads, there is a chance he would not have long to live if he'd sent that letter. I need to delve deeper into this matter."
"Good luck, Sarella."
"And you, Nym. Take care of yourself."
"You know I will. The snake bites are venomous."