Chapter 38

Harry Potter + A song of Ice and Fire Crossover

Chapter 38

Dorne was…quiet.

In contrast to Lily's life of the past few years, constantly moving about, speaking to different people, using her magic to apparate to different places around Westeros, it was almost dull.

That didn't mean that she was complaining however.

Following their desperate flight from the capital, she, Elia and Jaime had ridden only by night and slept in different hovels or copse of trees by day. They had stayed off all of the main roads and attired themselves as travelers intent on a journey south to Dorne, speaking to no one and barely speaking to each other.

The first few nights, Jaime did not sleep, but Lily insisted that he do so, explaining that the wards she had erected around their camp each time they stopped, would alert them to the presence of any who came near.

She could tell the knight still didn't know what to think of her magic, but he did as she asked and they all slept the better for it.

Elia too had been quiet that first week on the road, preoccupied with the wellbeing of her daughters and what they had all left behind. Lily didn't attempt to ask her how she was feeling because she knew her friend would need some time to process all that had happened and she herself was feeling a bit dazed by how fast everything had occurred.

It wasn't until the second week into their journey when they had all camped for the night off the main road that they had stumbled upon help.

Lily had gone to set the wards as was her usual practice and had gone just close enough to the main road in order to see a large amount of horses and riders coming down the highway towards her. Even from the great distance, she could see the speed of their advance and the orange banners replete with golden suns and spears.

Her heart had soared then.

Not wanting to risk missing them, she stayed on the road and waved her arms about until the column saw her and came to a stop several yards back. To the red head's immense relief, the rider at the head of the party turned out to be Prince Oberyn.

Once he had recognized her, he was off his horse in an instant and Lily led him immediately to their hiding spot where he found Elia and her daughters safe and sound.

He was immensely relieved and Elia was in tears as she embraced her brother and she and Jaime watched the reunion off to the side. The latter looked a bit wary when Oberyn approached him, but the tension in his shoulders vanished when the Prince clasped his hand and thanked him profusely on behalf of House Martell.

Oberyn had put them all on horses following their meeting and they had proceeded in a much slower manner to Dorne than their previous journey.

Truthfully, the next few weeks had passed in a blur for Lily as the much larger party had traveled south to Sunspear. She remembered thinking the keep and the city beautiful the first time she had seen it. She remembered meeting Prince Doran and noting the man's sharp eyes as he thanked her for her role in saving his sister.

And then she had tumbled into the bed in the guest chamber that had been provided for her in the Tower of the Sun and knew nothing else for at least the next twelve hours.

Upon her waking, she had been reunited with her sister who seemed far happier than Lily ever remembered seeing her and the relief at the presence of the other red head was only elevated when Lily was introduced to Ser Ryon who never seemed far from Lysa. It was quite obvious the devotion that the two felt for one another and Lily once again silently thanked Elia that she had used her connections to send her sister to Dorne.

Her life had clearly been much enriched from her time here.

And if her sister were to wed in the near future, Lily was glad that she would be here to witness it, for she wasn't certain she had anything to return to in the north.

Elbert was dead and she hadn't allowed herself to fully grieve his passing. Instead, she had shoved it down, buried it as she had done with her grief for the loss of James and Harry and forced herself to keep moving.

Now though…now there was too much time to think.

Jaime Lannister seemed to be in a similar boat. He was quiet around the members of House Martell, even though he had been publicly acknowledge for his efforts in helping Elia and her daughters escape from the capital.

Their story had been told to Prince Doran on the second day of their arrival and it was rather eerie how good of a listener he was.

Elia had corroborated their retelling and Oberyn had nearly broken his goblet of wine at the news that the three of them had faced down the Lannister dogs and lived.

After a long silence when they had completed the tale, Doran had declared Jaime and Lily honored guests of House Martell, welcome to stay for as long as they desired.

Jaime looked relieved as it seemed that he had no desire to return to the capital and face the mess that was no doubt developing there.

Lily hadn't asked him how he felt about staying in Dorne, but Oberyn had taken the young Kingsguard under his wing and seemed to be rather fond of him, despite the dislike the Viper held for the rest of his family.

That was something that she had decided to let go of.

Life had returned to some semblance of normalcy and the red head wasn't eager to rock her world with anymore strange revelations.

"What are you thinking about?"

Lily looked up from the book that she wasn't reading into the familiar blue eyes of her sister. She had no idea how long she had been standing there.

Over the last few weeks, she had found herself frequenting a bench in the Water Gardens under one of the large spreading palm fronds. It was surrounded by flowering bushes and tall green plants, creating almost a curtain between her and the outside world.

It blocked out much of the sun and allowed for a great deal of shade during the heat of the day.

Lily hadn't been hiding there.

She hadn't.

Really.

She flipped one of the pages of the book and stared unseeing at the illustrations. "For the moment, I am trying not to think."

Lysa snorted and moved to sit down next to her. "Are your thoughts truly that bad?"

"Not bad, simply confusing."

"What is there to be confused about?"

"About what happens now," Lily replied somewhat testily. She knew she was being short with her sister, the only family that she had here, but a larger part of her could not help it. "I can't go back."

"Why can't you?" Lysa asked.

Lily sighed and shut the book with a snap. "I have essentially named myself a traitor and a loyalist to those who have taken over the throne and there may or may not be a price on my head."

Lysa snorted again. "I think that you are overestimating the reasoning abilities of much of this realm. The only ones to know about your magic beyond our siblings are here. And those who may have seen something likely did not know what it was that they were seeing. Magic is not commonplace, especially yours."

Lily gave no reply and the two lapsed into silence.

"I don't think it's the politics that you're worried about," Lysa said finally. "I think you're more worried about what it is that you want."

Had Dorne made her sister so wise?

"I don't know what I want," Lily admitted. "The course I thought that my life had taken is now gone and I am feeling adrift once more."

It was not unlike the feeling that she had had when she'd woken here in this realm in a much younger body and carrying a different name.

Unpleasant and yet annoyingly familiar, Lily had decided that she didn't want to feel that way again.

"We've switched positions then," Lysa said wryly. "But for what its worth little sister, I don't think you've lost your place or your footing. You're among friends who are absurdly loyal to you. I know that Father will not hesitate to secure another marriage alliance for you given everything you've done, the need for brides after the war is at an all time high."

Lily raised an eyebrow at her. "My, that sounds appealing."

"The old man is probably going crazy right now," Lysa mused. "All of the pieces on his chess board have chosen to move off the playing table and his queen, you, has completely flown out the window."

Lily scoffed, "Cat is his queen."

Lysa made a tutting noise. "Not so sister dear. Cat may be the oldest but he had grander designs for you. She was to influence the north, you were to influence the east, I the west and if Ed had managed to secure a bride from the reach, he would doubtless be influencing the south. Father would have had his fingers in each of the four corners of Westeros and would have more influence than the king."

"Where is this leading Lysa?" Lily asked tiredly, she could feel a headache coming on the more her sister talked.

"I am saying that you have upset his plans most wonderfully," the taller redhead continued. "I am now the fallen sister, you are the wildcard and unfortunately, the man dear Cat was to marry is now dead."

Ah, yes.

Brandon Stark.

Lily had been trying not to think too much of him since the news had reached her. She wondered how her sister had taken the knowledge that her betrothed was dead.

On the one hand, Lily was sickened that this rebellion caused by the sins of one mad had taken so many heirs from the realm and sons from their fathers.

On the other hand, she was disgustingly grateful that her sister wouldn't have to marry a philanderer. Cat would have too much on her plate to deal with as it was and now that the oldest Stark son was dead, she imagined that she would be marrying the second.

Having Eddard for a brother in law sent a jolt of relief through her. He was a good man, he would treat Cat well and despite the bitter cold of the north, her sister would not have to worry about her own wellbeing.

If anything, the death of Brandon Stark had worked out rather well all things considered.

She grimaced inwardly, the cold pragmatism of war was one she did not often like to consider. She had always been an optimist, choosing to see the best in others until they irrevocably proved to her that her trust was misplaced.

A stab of pain hit her when she thought of the one person for whom her regard had been eradicated.

Oh Severus…

She still missed him sometimes. Lily imagined that if she had survived the war, she would have made up with him at some point. He was too dear to her to be angry with forever, even if their last parting words had been too painful and terrible to think about for long.

And now she never could.

Regret, it seemed would chase her until her inevitable second death.

"Lily?"

The red head looked up at her sister who she had forgotten was still standing in front of her. "Yes?"

Lysa frowned but didn't reply for a moment. "You've been doing that a lot lately."

"Doing what?"

"Staring off into space when you're alone. You'll get this thousand yard stare in your eyes as if your mind is somewhere across the realm entirely."

"Sorry," was all Lily could think to say, she hadn't realized that she had been watched that closely.

Lysa sighed and shifted closer. "You don't need to apologize to me, I can only imagine the things that you have gone through since the war began, compounded with losing your own betrothed as well."

Lily shook her head, she didn't want to talk about Elbert.

"Speaking of men," she said forcing a smile to her face. "Are you going to tell me about the one whose arm you are usually one?"

Lysa blushed but allowed the subject to change. "I would be ringing wedding bells yet, it's all very new after all."

"Perhaps, but I do not think it will remain so," Lily said playfully. "Ser Ryon seems like a wonderful man and the perfect match for you. I shall have to thank Prince Oberyn's paramour for orchestrating the meeting."

Lysa rolled her eyes. "It was Prince Oberyn as well. For as fast and loose as the man is, he does seem to appreciate romance after all."

"I suspected as much," Lily said wryly before forcing herself to her feet. "Come sister. I've been meaning to go to the beach today and I haven't yet. If we're lucky the prince's adorable daughters will be there."

"I don't know if I'd consider their presence lucky," Lily said with a wry smile. "And only Tyene is adorable. Obara scares me sometimes and Nym is far too clever for her own good."

"Well then, we should be in for an exciting afternoon."

Lysa laughed but followed her sister through the water gardens, and Lily determined that she wasn't going to dwell on anymore dark memories or fears that day.

"My lord?"

The prince of Dorne looked up from the parchment his eyes were glued to and fastened onto Areo Hotah. "Yes?"

"Will you be supping here my lord or in the palace dining quarters?'

"Here I think," Doran replied and ran a hand through his thinning hair. He still had far too much to consider before he could begin interacting with people again, much less the members of his own family.

The guard nodded and stepped out from his study, allowing Doran to go back to the letter he had just received.

Suing for peace…

He rubbed his chin and considered the rest of the letter.

The Stark girl had been found by her brother, alive and whole though Doran had to wonder about the state of her mind if what the rest of the letter said was true.

A love tryst with Prince Rhaegar was certainly bad enough given that the crown prince had been wed to his sister, but the execution of a war following such an affair had taken the situation to catastrophic levels.

Nevertheless, Lyanna Stark had been found and returned to the capital where she had emphatically refused to wed Baratheon, causing such a scene about his "killing the love of her life," that she had had to be sedated with milk of the poppy.

Once again, the future of the realm was now in flux.

Baratheon now crowned king, had no queen.

Doran could just imagine every lord south of the Neck licking their chops as they wrote their letters, putting their daughter's forth as candidates to be the realm's most powerful woman.

If he hadn't already been convinced by a maester that Elia's health had prevented her from bearing more children, he wondered if he would have insisted at her retaining her title.

He dismissed the thought a moment later. That would be absurd.

Elia was princess no longer and he doubted he could make her leave her daughters if he tried.

And truthfully, it was nice to have his family all together under one roof again.

But it also left them at an extreme tactical disadvantage.

Doran was no fool. He knew that until an heir was produced for Baratheon, his nieces would be targets. There would be loyalists who would seek to place Rhaenys on the throne and might refuse to follow Baratheon's rule now that some of Rhaegar's heirs still lived.

Even after Baratheon sired a son, their futures would always be precarious.

The sound of sudden laughter came to him. He glanced over the edge of the balcony to see the youngest Tully sisters Lysa and Lillian making their way through the Water Gardens. They were talking and laughing about something that he could not hear, but both seemed at peace.

His eyes narrowed on the youngest Tully daughter as an idea began to percolate in his mind. The girl was one of Elia's closest friends, loyal to a fault and had demonstrated that ability in helping to free his sister from Lannister's dogs. Both her and Ser Jaime would prove to be interesting pieces on Westeros' chessboard in the coming years and both of them were here where he could move them about subtly to his liking.

His plans for Jaime could wait. It was Lily that he was more interested in now.

Lannister will no doubt put forth his daughter as a candidate, he thought to himself. And with the way he delivered King's Landing to Baratheon on a platter, the young lord would be hard pressed to refused.

But Lannister wasn't the only one who had fought in the rebellion. He was just the most treacherous. And surely Baratheon didn't want to have a snake like that for a good father, not if he wished to live past a certain age.

His eyes returned to the two red heads who had just disappeared behind the fountains. But Lillian Tully is a different story…

Her older sister would be wed to the heir of the north by now and her younger brother would no doubt be looking for a bride himself. Hoster Tully had provided his armies to assist Baratheon and Stark so he had just as great a claim in making his own daughter queen than Lannister did.

If Lillian was as loyal as he suspected, she would be a much easier queen to place beside Baratheon than Lord Tywin's daughter. Her disposition was more even, her kindness and compassion apparent, given her love for his sister and the request to have Lysa Tully stay with them in her fallen state. It had also come to his attention that Elia had made Lillian the godmother of one of her daughters. Such knowledge would be a boon to him.

She would not care if a child is a bastard, or illegitimate, he thought to himself. They are all children to her. She would continue to care for Elia's children long after she left this place. And if she does, well then it should take no effort at all to ensure one of the princesses weds Westeros' next heir. If Lilian is loyal to my sister, she will insist on it. Dornish blood will be tied to the crown…it will simply skip a generation.

The prince's eyes turned back to the letter and he slowly set it down on his desk before taking up quill and ink to pen a reply in return.

We shall have peace Lord Arryn, when Lilian Tully is queen and my nieces once more have their due…we shall have peace.

So...Lily's life has once more been upended and she is left scrambling to pick up the pieces. Fortunately Lysa's with her and they can figure it out together. I decided to skip to them being in Dorne immediately, because I've already dragged the war arc out long enough and you guys are anxious to get to Lily/Robert. (I am too.) Doran is once again scheming. In his mind, there are tactical benefits to having Lily be queen. She is loyal to them and to their future in the form of Rhaenys and Visenya, his two nieces. But she has enough connections to the north to satisfy the northern lords. The Vale would be happy with her as she was set to marry their heir before he died. The north would be happy with her because she is the sister of their new lady. And the stormlands would have to be happy with her because her father had helped supply the rebellion with armies and would be looking for recompense. The ones who wouldn't be happy with this are of course, the Lannisters and the Tyrells, but seeing as how Jaime is now living in Dorne and is under Doran's thumb, he's not as worried about them.

I always thought that Doran was a schemer on the same level as Tywin Lannister. In this way, he'd still get to see his blood tied to the throne and in a way, he would win after all.

Anyway, that's all for now, let me know your thoughts and I'll see you next time!