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***
279 A.D.
Valley of the Solar Flame, Osgiliath Castle
Time always flies fast. It does not matter whether it is years, months, days or minutes. Before you know it, events are replacing each other, keeping a kaleidoscope of images in our memory. Therefore, the most important thing in human life is to be able to get everything possible from these events. To squeeze out every ounce of simple human happiness and warmth from those moments that make up our life.
That's what happened to me. The two weeks leading up to one of the most important events for me as a lord, knight, and human being flew by like a blink of an eye. I spent the entire time in my office, supervising all the processes taking place on the territory of my domain - the almost completed construction of aqueducts, the development of mines, the selection of sites for future villages, gardens and fields, the construction of the remaining rooms of the castle, Osgiliath and a small island fortress, which I had already decided to name Minas Itil. The Fortress of the Rising Moon was to serve as the main line of defense from the sea, strongly securing the Valley of the Sunflame, which could only be accessed from the bay or the narrow and winding mountain road.
Of course, I didn't stay in one place. I had to visit my family at lunches, breakfasts, and dinners; I had to help Eilis, supported by my mother, who had taken on the role of wedding planner; and sometimes I had to travel in and out of town to supervise the sometimes impossibly stupid employees.
But most of all, I spent the most time with my own son. Lyon, like any child, turned out to be a small and hyperactive lump of happiness, in just a few days managed to fall in love with most of the maids, who began to smile and look at him with undisguised affection in his presence. Our little walks, where I held him in my arms and showed him the Red Mountains and the views of the Dornish Sea from them, became one of my retreats, allowing me to rest not only my body but my soul as well.
The first guests arrived at the beginning of the second week. The Martell family, consisting of Prince Doran, Princess Elia and Arianna, Lady Mellario, and naturally Oberyn and his daughters, were housed in some of the finest guest quarters. And while Obara, Nymeria, Tiena and Arianna, along with Lyon, fell into the raking hands of my mother, who was crazy about small children, Oberyn met his soul mate in Aerys (though he first laughed at his name and later got a sword to the head from him during a sparring session), Elia, Doran and Mellario had to be entertained by me. Thank the Gods the princess was greatly helped by her sisters, often keeping her busy with questions about the life and livelihood of the Lords of Westeros.
And the guests kept arriving. The Ironwood ships, bringing the current head of their house, Ormund Ironwood, with his wife Milena and son Anders, arrived the day after the Martell family. Almost simultaneously with them, across the mountain road, the Fowlers arrived. Franklin Fowler, with his wife Anara and two twins, Jane and Jenneline, decided to honor my wedding with their presence.
When three of Dorne's strongest houses came to the wedding of a former peddler, it signaled to many lords that they had better hurry.
There was a steady stream of guests - the Weelys, the Manwoodys, the Blackmonts, the Jordains, the Veiths, the Ullers, the Quargils, even the Daines... The flow of noble and not-so-noble guests was a torrent. The ritual of Eilis and I going out and greeting the guests together had become something familiar and even tiresome. Especially annoying were the looks of lust and unconcealed lust thrown by many lords. I even had to break my jaws and kick out a few of the inconsiderate knights who crossed the line.
At that moment, I was incredibly happy that my future wife had a great home education and professionally knew how to keep her face. After all, she was the one who took care of most of the ceremony and guest accommodations. After all, a bored and disgruntled Dornish lord is a dangerous lord. It was only thanks to her, and a little help from her father and Aerys, that there were no fights between Anders and Oberyn, Lords Franklin and Ormund, and the Blackmonts, Veiths, and Daines. Hot blood these Dornish have and they needed to cool it down all the time.
But we were prepared for that, so there were no particular problems.
The only surprise came on the last day, when at sunset a small, fast ship carrying the Targaryenne symbol on its sails entered the harbor. Not to say that the arrival of someone from the royal dynasty caused a stir, but the castle was instantly revitalized into a hornet's nest. Within half an hour, a small delegation of half Dornean lords, half interested, and guards present in case of a stabbing, which could happen at any moment (we know, we've been there), had gathered at one of the wharves where the royal galley was moored.
It was anyone's guess who had visited my valley, knowing full well the king's reservations about his own safety, and the status of the queen and Prince Viserys. Even so, when the Silver Prince descended the gangway onto the concrete of the docks, most of those present forgot how to breathe. While my fiancée evoked feelings of lust in all people of the male sex, sometimes affecting women as well, Prince Rhaegar gave the exact opposite impression.
After accepting my bow and gallantly kissing Eilis's outstretched palm, he said, to the admiring glances of the ladies and envious lords:
«Greetings Lord Temper. Will you allow me to be a guest at your wedding?
«Of course, your highness. - I answered, knowing full well that no negative answer was possible. It is already a great honor to have a representative of the royal dynasty visit my estate. So at that moment, I had one thought on my mind:
"Where can I put them?"
Especially when I saw Ser Barristan Selmy, Ser Erthur Dane, and Prince Lieven Martell descend from the ship following the prince. The number of high noble guests at my wedding increased dramatically.
***
P.O.V Eilis
The 2nd day of the 5th month of the 5th month of the year 279 from Aegon's conquest
The morning of the main event in any woman's life, I met alone. No matter how much Felix insists on the help of maids, a woman must do everything herself on her wedding day. That is Volantian, and therefore Valyrian, tradition.
I threw off my light nightgown and walked over to the wall-mounted, human-high I-tian mirror and stared at my naked body.
"How wrong they were to think that I would live my whole life under another old fat old merchant." - I thought, involuntarily touching a few small birth stretch marks left over from Lyon's birth.
Life had never been kind to me.
Born into the Belroy clan, chief vassals of the larger Levak clan, I had been an outcast from birth. The daughter of a concubine who died after childbirth... Mother's murderer... Living commodity... From childhood I was not seen as a human being - even children like me, born to my father's other mistresses, did not want to have contact with me. Too cold and aloof in appearance.
The only relief for me was the library, a room filled with books of all sorts that most aristocrats needed only as an object of status, not enlightenment. It was there that I met my first friend and teacher.
Listo was a middle-aged slave who had been enslaved to the Belroy clan two years before I was born and had become the keeper of the library for his vast knowledge and sharp mind. As I learned later, he had been a former student at the Citadel who had decided to visit the Free Cities to expand his knowledge. But there in Volantis, framed by guards and wrongfully accused, he was enslaved and became a servant of the Belroy family.
It was he who taught me to read and write. It was he who first told me about the world around me and the wonders that occur in it. It was he who showed how, through books, a man could go wherever he wanted without leaving the four walls.
The years went by. I grew up and grew good. Only my two "sisters", five years older than me, could match me in beauty when they blossomed, and I was only an angular teenager. But the views of those around me didn't change - until now, each of my relatives looked at me as an expensive commodity that would bring great profits in the future. There was even a moment when my two older brothers decided, against my father's orders, to rape me. It didn't work - the Black Guard did not eat their bread in vain.
So, when I turned fifteen, the head of the clan called me and told me that it was time for me to do my duty. The next day I shared a bed with a promising and wealthy merchant from the Sunset Kingdoms named Felix.
Not to say that life changed dramatically, but there was then a sudden feeling of... relief in my heart? A lifetime of waiting to be pawned off on a strange aristocrat three times your age, and to end up sharing a bed with a rather handsome peer... At the time, I was even glad.
And when I found out about the pregnancy, this feeling increased many times over. Rightly told me then Listo - "the feeling of involvement in the creation of a new life - one of the most beautiful in a woman's life". And when I saw that little pink lump, with a fluff of yellow hair and red eyes covered with a light veil, it became clear that all those nine months were worth it.
The next thing that happened was that I presented myself to Felix, who reacted appropriately enough and even fulfilled a few of my requests to create a small castle library and buy out the elderly Listo as a keeper. Engagement. Recognition as the third daughter of the family. Daily instructions on how to behave with a husband and what benefits to the clan to get from him. And finally arriving in Felix's lands, where I met his family, who turned out to be very nice people, and preparing for today's wedding.
I didn't even notice how I managed to take a bath with incense, put on my wedding dress, and even do a light makeup.
Knock, knock...
«Come in. - I shouted, adjusting a small earring made in the shape of crystal demon violets, a rare plant that only grows in the Feather Mountains and is the symbol of our clan.
«Pardon the intrusion, sister, but we must be going. - Aquinas, who came through the door, looked as impeccable as ever - Valyrian features, long hair the color of pure salt, and a sturdy build always attracted many female gazes to the fifth eldest son of the Belroy family. But his brown eyes were always a cause for ridicule from the other brothers and a reason why he could never be the heir.
Valyrian features were valued too much in Volantis.
«Of course. - I said, putting on my light sandals and taking my half-brother under my arm, I went to the main "garden" of the castle where the altar had been set up. It was Aquinos who had the honor of marrying me off, for my father could not leave Volantis for long because of his position as triarch, and I could no longer tolerate the rest of the male relatives.
Walking slowly through the still empty corridors of my new home I found myself sinking further and further into myself.
This wedding was special. After all, my fiancé and I were of different religions, and most of the guests believed in completely different gods. That's why we chose the so-called "Silent Wedding", where the priests of the deities were not called as witnesses, but instead were ordinary people. Such a wedding was not very much liked by followers of all religions, but there was simply no choice. According to Felix, we are still lucky that Dorne is very much connected to Essos and everyone here understands our circumstances. As he said, in other kingdoms we would have been horsewhipped for such disrespect to the Seven or the Old Gods.
Still, later, when the guests have left, we will have to have a traditional wedding according to the traditions of the North, otherwise the gods will not bless our marriage.
"Strange people," I thought, when suddenly my hand was squeezed sharply, forcing me out of my thoughts.
«Sister, we're here. - My brother said quietly, pointing to the red-carpeted path leading down the aisle.
All of Dorne's arriving nobles were lined up in two lines, from the lowest-born knights to the Martells, the Fowlers, the Ironwoods, and Prince Rhaegar, standing almost at the top of the dais.
And there he stood. Clad in a white silk cloak, with a linen shirt and yellow colette, with purple markings on the sleeves, he was the only one who looked at me in a special way.
If in the eyes of the local lords I saw the usual lust, desire, admiration and mild adoration, and in the eyes of their wives burned unconfused jealousy, Felix was quite different. In his green eyes, like the vast Summer Sea, one could drown. They looked at me only with warm, unclouded happiness, joy and... love? Yeah, I guess so. Judging by Aquinos' slightly mocking snicker, I wasn't much different from my fiancé.
I almost missed the moment when we stepped onto the dais, and that familiar and large hand took my palm. Too many emotions were swirling in my head, and my heart was pounding too hard, trying to break out of my chest.
The ceremony itself was conducted by Alexander - Felix's father, a very nice man in his late teens, with long gray hair and pleasant features. Immediately it became clear in whom my fiancé went.
First there was a long appeal to all known gods, asking them to bless our marriage or punish the one who would violate it in the future. Then came the traditional wedding hymn, sung even by the Valyrians since the days of Andalos.
Next came the simple question - "are there any reasons why this marriage cannot take place". At that moment Felix looked over his shoulder at everyone present, and the large warriors from the far north, who were acting as guards, checked their swords as if on command. Naturally, no one found any reason.
At that moment, a barely perceptible weight was placed on my shoulders, which turned out to be a light cloak with violets embroidered on it.
«Congratulations, sister. - Aquinos said, putting his arm around my shoulders. If I didn't know the nature of this beautiful snake, I might have believed that he was genuinely happy for my happiness. But unfortunately, there is no room for brotherly or sisterly love in the Belroy clan. Only profit.
The ceremony continued. Soon a red cloak with a yellow sun and purple flames burning inside was on my shoulders. It was so huge and heavy that it was clear that it had been sewn on Felix, who towered over many of the guests like a giant. And my cloak looked very short on him, and what is there - very funny. Thank the gods of Valyria we quickly took them off, otherwise I would have fallen under the weight of this woolly giant, and some of the guests would have died of laughter.
«With this kiss I pledge my love to you and recognize you as my lady and wife. - Felix said softly, and began to lean down to kiss me.
«With this kiss I pledge my love to you and recognize you as my lord and husband. - I answered softly as well and lifted my chin to help him reach my lips.
«In the sight of all gods and men, I solemnly pronounce Felix of House Temper and Eilis of House Belroy husband and wife. One fate, one life, one faith. From now until the end of time you are bound by unbreakable ties and all those who dare to interfere with you will be damned! - The father of my, now husband's, father loudly shouted, drowning out all the sounds around us.
The applause and congratulations that followed did not affect me. I was drowning in those beautiful green eyes, and I was happy. From now on, I'm not part of the Belroy clan, where everyone considered me a thing. I am the First Lady of Clan Temper. And this is where I belong from now on.
***
P.O.V. Felix Temper.
The ceremony itself went off without any excesses. As soon as our kiss was over, loud applause followed, deafening for a second. True, with my side-eye, I noticed a few lords and knights who didn't even raise their hands. They should be memorized - in such little things, a person's true attitude was shown.
After signing a few papers that will be sent to the citadel and they will become the evidence of our marriage, all the guests were quietly escorted to the Great Hall, which according to plans can accommodate five hundred people. Tables were already set up there, bursting with food.
Dorne was very different in nature from the other eight realms, and that was very much true of its cuisine. Most of the dishes were very spicy and more like those of the earthly Middle East than medieval Europe. Stuffed lamb with grape leaves, duck in lemon sauce, toretelli with spicy pork, capon with walnuts, Dornish eel in mint sauce... All these dishes could hardly be found in Europe in the 14th-15th century. And we can't forget the wine - Arbor gold, local red, summer green, white wine from the Vale. I even turned out and got a rare pear brandy from Tirosh, which the craftsmen there make only a few dozen barrels a year.
I was prepared to perfection.
Though I didn't like this kind of food very much. The same capon the Dornish pounced on with such ferocity. Cooked in 23 steps, it is not only insanely expensive, but also with a weak flavor after 22 stages of abuse. But this is the aristocracy - you have to distinguish yourself from the commoners. If a simple kebab, so popular with the common people in Dorne, had been served, I would have been misunderstood.
For me, the wedding was also a good opportunity - it was rare to see so many lords in one place. Each of them had to be met, talked to, and some agreements made.
So, imperceptibly, for me the feast turned from rest into one continuous running around, when I had to walk between the lords and try not only to leave a good opinion about myself, but also to make some agreements.
The same conversation with Lords Fowler and Ironwood drew all the juices out of me.
From the Fowlers I needed fruit tree seedlings to create my own orchards in the valley to provide food for the population and raw materials for some enterprises. We agreed to buy in several batches, with the first, the smallest, at 200,000 seedlings.
«But why me? - Asked at the end of the conversation Lord Franklin, drinking another sip of green Letnian wine. He was of medium height, with an eagle nose and blond hair with a slight streak of graying, and resembled the crested animal of his house, which was why most lords called him simply Hawk. - Lord Temper, you are known for your business acumen and your ability to get and spend money. I'm sure there's a catch to this seedling purchase that I don't know about. Care to share?
«There is none, Lord Fowler. - I answered and, seeing the incredulous sly look in his eyes, continued. - I could buy it all from the Merriweathers, the Carons, or the Tyrells, but that would be a waste of money.
To his interested look, I said only one word.
«Soil. - And seeing the understanding in his eyes, and at the same time the owner of some of the largest and most extensive gardens in all of Dorne (along with the Daines), I continued. - My lands are water-poor and very stony. The delicate plants of the vast plains would not do well here. So I had to come to you as the owner of the best orchards in all of Westeros.
Leaving the hawk to enjoy that little bit of flattery, silent that I'd had the same conversation with Altrim Dane and Wieland Vile, I set off for my next target.
The Ironwoods.
They were both harder and easier to deal with at the same time. Ormund Ironwood was a sheep, fixated on getting viruses from Oberyn for killing his father. And he didn't like me, the one who'd helped the Dornish prince escape to Essos five years ago. On the other hand, he proved far more practical than Lords Fowler, Vilei, Blackmont, and the rest, agreeing to my request at once. I needed escort ships from the House of Ironwood to guard my ships. The werewolves might have made the risk of encountering pirates low, but the gods protect the safe. With most of the goods I trade being very expensive, the loss of a single ship could be a very nasty sting.
As a result, the entire Great Dungeon could spend half an hour watching two stubborn rams haggling over every copper, unwilling to give up a single coin.
But there were some pleasant moments.
Eilis, my treasure, gracefully circled around the whole of the nave, stopping fights and raising the mood of others with her mere presence, and at the end of the evening, when I had finished all my business, she almost never left my side. She poured wine, gave me the most delicious piece of cake, stroked my head affectionately... did everything to make the evening end on a pleasant note.
I had a very interesting conversation with Prince Rhaegar. The heir to the throne turned out to be a very well-read and gentle man, trying to communicate with his interlocutor as an equal, not from the position of suzerain-vassal. The topic of our conversation was his great-grandfather Aegon V the Incredible and his life. The prince himself told how as a child he wanted to repeat the feat of his great-grandfather and for a while become "the second egg from which the dragon will hatch, but two old chumps prevented him". At this moment he looked so expressively at Barristan, who was sitting in a neighboring chair, that he was even a little embarrassed.
The peculiar custom of all worlds of fighting at a wedding was also observed. Aerys and Erthur Dane, who had been dragged into the wine drinking contest, had had a disagreement and began beating each other's faces in public. I, the prince, Selmy, and my father had to break them up. The cause of the fight was never learned, and since only fists were used, the incident was quickly forgotten.
Wine flowed, and the elegant and tall food served at the beginning was replaced by simple dishes like pork chops or slices of fresh bread with garlic. Lords and knights were getting tipsy, their ladies were getting ruder and ruder, minstrels were singing their best songs, and the servants, mostly men, could not keep up with bringing in new kegs of liquor. The only place of peace was our platform, where the quieter people who did not like to drink were sitting - myself, my wife, Prince Doran and his wife, and my father and mother. Even Prince Rhaegar and Ser Barristan were already drunk and singing a song in another corner of the dungeon, causing a storm of applause.
«Prince Doran, did you bring what I asked for? - I asked, realizing that the feast would soon be over and I had one last thing to finish.
«Ah, yes. Of course. - Though he had drunk less than everyone else, but he was still a little dazed, the Grandlord of Dorne pulled out a small scroll of crested paper from behind his back, sealed with a seal with a sun pierced by a spear. - As you requested.
«Thank you. - I replied, putting the scroll in a small box brought by a quick servant.
«What is it, dear? - Eilis asked me, resting her head on my shoulder and with her presence chasing away the odor of alcohol, which hung in the palace, despite the open windows. In its place came the faint scent of violets and hydrangeas, very soothing and relaxing.
«This, my dear, is the document that legitimized all our children, conceived and born before marriage. - Her pupils dilated slightly at my words, showing that she was in mild shock.
«You mean...?
«Yes. Lyon is now officially Temper. - I answered before I was buried in my wife's soft chest, almost crying with delight.
She was well versed in the laws and customs of the Seven Kingdoms, thanks to her tutor, and clearly recognized what life would be like for Lyon if he had been branded a bastard. And the fact that this was her first child put even more pressure on the loving mother who wished him a happy life.
Now all business for the day is done.
«Look at all the excitement! - A drunken and slurred voice, seemingly belonging to Lord Jordain, was suddenly heard. - Isn't it time we had a send-off!
"Fuck!" - I thought, quickly pulling my wife away from me and looking around for Aerys, Joen, Piper, Rick, Jack, and the rest of my men, who had been instructed not to get drunk and remain able to stand on their feet by the end of the party. Only three of them were in the Great Hall and conscious. - "I'll give them a good time tomorrow!"
Some of the minstrels played "The King has taken off his crown, the Queen her slipper," picked up by all the other bards. And the guests, obeying drunken reflexes, rushed in our direction - to perform the traditional rite of seeing off.
In itself it consists in escorting the young to the bedroom. It is an old and frivolous custom of this world - female guests surround the groom, and male guests - the bride, and carry them in their arms, while removing items of clothing and making crude jokes and groping. I didn't like this custom, so I prepared a support group for Eilis in advance, knowing that drunken Dornish men could be a bit much, and it wasn't a good idea to end a wedding with a duel.
But it didn't work out. My "friends" were either huddled with women elsewhere in the castle or lying in an alcoholic swoon among other bodies. I was about to raise my fist to smack the table heartily and say that this ritual would not be performed, but my father stopped me. He gave me one look that said it was all right and pointed to the cordon that had formed in front of the crowd.
Aerys, Oberyn, Doran, Prince Leven, Ser Barristan, Ser Erthur, Aquinas, my wife's brother, and Prince Rhaegar stood in the way of the other lords, keeping them from laying a finger on Ailis. And soon Father joined them.
So we were in very different positions in the bedroom-if Eilis had only been stripped of her cloak, leaving her fully clothed, I was not spared by the ladies. I entered the room in just my socks.
«The Sunset Kingdoms have interesting traditions. - My wife said with a grin, sitting at a small dressing table and taking off a little jewelry.
«Yes." I replied thoughtfully, lying down on the bed. - Only when you're not part of them. I swear, if the same thing happens at my sisters' wedding, I'll break everyone's arms.
«You're scary. - Eilis laughed and stood up from the small pouffe and threw her dress off her shoulders. It made me stare at her for a moment.
In the moonlight falling through the balcony archway, she was incredibly beautiful. Like a goddess of the moon, she was bathed in silver light, outlining every feature, every curve of her perfect and alluring body. I was so enraptured by this picture that I didn't even notice her on the bed and coming toward me on all fours.
«And if it will be daughters? - She asked slyly, kissing me lightly on the cheek, inflaming my desire.
«I'll slaughter them all. - I answered, pulling her onto her back and pinning her to the bed. - And now we'll make sure I have one daughter.
Even though my marriage to Eilis was consummated... early, the night after the wedding was the best night I remembered. Nothing seemed to spoil my mood then (not even the dirty jokes of a Dornish man at the door). Life seemed peaceful and carefree.
***
Alas, circumstances do not always agree with our plans. The next day, at breakfast, when most of the guests were recovering from their hangovers and preparing to go home, Robin brought a letter from the Stormlands.
Grandlord Steffon Baratheon of the Stormlands, along with his wife Cassana, maiden name Estermont, had perished by drowning in a bay of wrecked ships.
Their eldest son Robert Baratheon became the new Lord of the Stormlands.
***
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