"Alright, I will convince my brother Doran," Oberyn said. "Dorne can blockade the Prince's Pass before the war begins to draw the attention of The Reach, and then attack The Stormlands from The Boneway to pin down their army. Moreover, Dorne's ports can provide supplies for the Valyrian fleet."
At this moment, Viserys took out a letter sealed with a golden rose crest. "Perhaps you don't need to worry about The Reach; after all, House Tyrell was part of the Loyalists before. You will rest here for a while, and perhaps you'll even meet them."
Oberyn looked at Viserys and suddenly smiled. "Your Majesty, you are truly more interesting than I imagined."
"I know there is a blood feud between Dorne and The Reach, but I won't demand that you set aside your hatred. I only require you to get along as peacefully as possible until I reclaim the iron throne."
Oberyn then spoke, "Your Majesty, Dornishmen hold grudges, but they also repay kindness. You previously promised to help us avenge Elia; this point is more important than any treaty. If you truly achieve it, Dorne will be your most loyal ally."
"I understand," Viserys said. "Hatred is a powerful motivator, but it is also a dangerous double-edged sword. I also hope the alliance between Dorne and Targaryen can be more stable."
The meeting lasted for an hour. By the end, both parties had reached a preliminary agreement: Dorne would temporarily remain inactive but would provide all necessary support. Viserys promised to safeguard Dorne's autonomy and House Martell's status after reclaiming the iron throne, and Princess Elia's enemies would be dealt with by Dorne personally.
"Do you trust him?" Ellaria asked.
"Not entirely," Oberyn told the truth. "But I believe in his ability."
He looked back at the closed door of the study. "Moreover, he gave Dorne what it wanted most: a chance for revenge. For that alone, it's worth doing this."
After the Dornish mission settled in, the castle became noticeably livelier. Oberyn spent all day at the training grounds watching the Young Dragons or sparring with the Unsullied in spear techniques, but every time he won, he would praise the opponent, saying, 'You almost hit me.'
Moreover, he often bathed with his paramour Ellaria in the royal men's bath, and sometimes even wanted to invite Viserys to join them.
Archmaester Marwyn was arranged by Viserys to breed ravens, as this was exclusive to The Citadel. Currently, Viserys's army still relied on manual message delivery, which was time-consuming and laborious; it would be excellent if ravens could be bred.
He was also able to enter the temporary Dragon Nest at the training grounds as he wished, observing the growth of the Young Dragons under the escort of guards, though he was not permitted to approach them. Nevertheless, this already made him very grateful, and he wanted to breed ravens as quickly as possible while working hard to teach those Viserys sent to learn.
The three Sand sisters began to carry out the task Arianne had given them: to see clearly what kind of person Viserys was.
The gardens of Dragonwing Fortress were still somewhat simple compared to those of the nobles in Westeros, but many flowers and plants had already been transplanted. Viserys was accustomed to walking here, sometimes to accompany Daenerys and the others, and sometimes to ponder government affairs. But since they all had dragons, they would often go to spend time with their dragons to deepen their bond.
Today, while he was walking, Nymeria 'happened' to be there as well. She wore a Dorne-style off-the-shoulder short shirt, dark red silk trousers, and stepped barefoot on the stone path. Seeing Viserys, she intentionally knocked over a pottery jar in her hand as she turned; it contained spiced water for perfume, which splashed all over Viserys.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Your Majesty." She stepped forward, picking up a silk scarf to wipe Viserys's chest. "I'm so clumsy; let me wipe it for you. I'm truly very sorry."
Her chest brushed against his arm intentionally or unintentionally, and her body was very close, allowing him to smell a body fragrance mixed with spices. Viserys grabbed her wrist and took the silk scarf.
"I can do it myself. Be more careful next time."
Nymeria blinked. "Are you not angry, Your Majesty?"
"It's just a small matter." Viserys continued walking. "Go on with your business."
That night, the three sisters gathered in her room.
"When he touched my wrist, his pulse didn't even quicken," Nymeria said with a frown. "Either his self-control is terrifyingly strong, or he has no interest in me."
Tyene said thoughtfully, "Perhaps he prefers someone more subtle; I see that his relationship with Lady Ashara of House Dayne is quite unusual."
So the next day, it was Tyene's turn. She was writing Dornish love poems in the garden pavilion, and the content was full of hints. When Viserys passed by, she had just finished the last paragraph and looked up with a perfectly timed shy expression.
"Would Your Majesty like to hear the poem I wrote? It's about fire and the desert."
Viserys stopped. "Of course, please."
Tyene began to recite, her voice soft and melodious. After finishing, she also felt some embarrassment. "It's not well-written; I've made a fool of myself before Your Majesty."
"The poem is very well-written," Viserys said. "If it were written for your lover, he would surely agree."
Tyene wanted to say more, but Viserys had already nodded in greeting and turned to leave.
"He understood my hints but didn't take the bait," Tyene summarized after returning to her room.
Obara had not participated in these matters until both of her younger sisters had failed. Only then did she speak up, "Your methods are too roundabout. We are Dornish; we should be more direct."
Obara found out about Viserys's bathing time and brought her two sisters to 'ambush him in advance.'
They were in the royal men's bath, having removed all their clothes and submerged their bodies in the water, but leaving their upper bodies fully exposed.
When Viserys entered, this was the erotic scene he saw.
He stopped at the door, his face expressionless. Obara stood up from the water, her body's curves fully visible. She picked up a silk scarf from the poolside and handed it over. "Your Majesty, could you help me wipe my back? My sisters have no strength."
Nymeria leaned against the edge of the pool, her chin resting on her hands. "Wash with us, Your Majesty. The water inside is very warm."
Tyene didn't speak, but her body slowly walked up the steps of the bath, water flowing off her and forming a small puddle on the ground.
Viserys looked at them for a few seconds and suddenly smiled. "Ladies, I respect your way of relaxing. But this is the men's bath."
He turned to the maid outside the door and said, "Prepare bathrobes for the three ladies." Then he turned and left, leaving the three sisters looking at each other.
The three sisters blocked Viserys in the corridor, the water on their bodies not yet dried.
"Your Majesty," Tyene spoke with some anxiety. "Are the three of us not beautiful enough? Do you look down on us?"
Nymeria followed up, "Or do you have other preferences?" Her gaze was suggestive.
"You are to marry Princess Arianne, yet you remain indifferent to women who offer themselves to you. This makes us very suspicious."
This statement was quite offensive. But Viserys just looked at them calmly.
"Ladies," his voice was gentle yet carried an unquestionable tone. "First of all, you are very beautiful, each with your own charm. However, I have a lover, and I also understand respect. As for Princess Arianne," he paused, "between her and me is a political marriage, but marriage itself requires loyalty. And I will give her the respect she deserves, along with power and the position of Queen. But before the wedding, I will not play such games. This is not only out of respect for her but also out of respect for yourselves."
The three sisters were stunned for a moment.
"If you intended to test me on Arianne's behalf," Viserys continued, "then you can tell her that if what she wants is a philandering husband, she might be disappointed."
"Any more questions?"
Nymeria was the first to snap out of it. "No more. Your Majesty, you are indeed very interesting."
The truth was, Viserys was no saint. The three sisters were indeed charming in their own ways, but they were not the type Viserys preferred. He preferred the classical, cool beauty of someone like Ashara, or the ethereal, elven faces of Daenerys and Rhaenys. As for the 'dark-skinned hotties' of Dorne, he didn't dislike them, but these three's looks and temperaments didn't meet his expectations.
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