Chapter 127 124

Gerold woke well before dawn and began dressing at an unhurried pace. Even that simple task turned into something of a small quest; the two of them had not been particularly careful with their clothes the night before. Having finally assembled the full set, Dayne was making to slip out quietly when:

"Don't forget to send the moon tea," Rhaenys murmured, half asleep.

His relationship with Rhaenys had begun a couple of years ago, when she was travelling through Dorne making connections with the region's lords. They had met at a tourney in Starfall, got acquainted over four bottles of wine, and then the princess had decided she wanted to escape her escort. A fairly drunk Dayne, without stopping to think, agreed and arranged her getaway. It had not been easy, but the castle's hidden passages had helped considerably.

A cold night, a shared adventure, plenty of wine: young Dornishmen needed far less than that to end up in bed together. To Gerold's surprise, he was her first. There was a minor scandal in the morning, which died down quickly enough, since the words "Dornish woman" and "chastity" have never sat comfortably in the same sentence. It later emerged that Prince Doran had been saving her virtue for some great purpose, or more plainly, had simply been holding out for a better price.

None of these small complications had stopped them from becoming lovers, and even friends, over the years that followed. She trusted him; he trusted her. And so after every night together Dayne would arrange moon tea for her, to prevent anything inadvisable. That trust from Rhaenys was, of all things, what gnawed at his heart the most.

"Of course," was all Gerold could say.

To hell with Doran and his grand plans.

In the past six months, two rival factions had taken shape in Dorne almost of their own accord. One was led by Prince Doran in his capacity as Prince of Dorne; the other had Rhaenys Targaryen and Oberyn Martell at its head. Gerold was naturally in Rhaenys's camp and, through various maneuvers, had made himself one of its pillars.

A couple of months ago Doran had made him a proposition: Rhaenys would fall pregnant, as if by accident, after which the Prince of Dorne would help them formalize the union in marriage. The idea of marrying Rhaenys was not without its appeal, but Dayne was no fool. He understood perfectly well that under those circumstances his princess would never see a throne. And yet he desperately wanted a child with the woman he loved.

Our child matters more, and won't be swayed by your objections.

Dayne felt that the position of king-consort was far too generous a reward for the Arryn, but he understood a plain truth: without at least one allied region, they could not win the war. As for the Falcon's Eye's reaction to another man's child, given the size of the prize on offer, the Arryn would swallow that particular detail. Of that Gerold was certain.

From that point on, every time Rhaenys asked for moon tea, she received an ordinary herbal brew instead.