Wife of the Wolf, Husband of the Sun.

Chapter One

The sun of Dorne shinned down bright on to the Water Gardens, the pools and fountains were turned to liquid gold by the light, Elia Martell stood on the balcony and watched as a few children splashed in one of the fountains while a few others were standing atop each other's shoulders in one of the pools, one pair trying to push the other over and into the cool water of the pool.

She spied Arianne and Quentyn sitting in the shade of one of the blood orange trees, under the care of their septa who was reading from her holy book. Tyene was sitting in the lap of her own septa while her sisters were fighting in one other of the other pools, Obara was the stronger and bigger of the two but Nymeria was quicker and she avoided every attempt her older sister made to grab her.

Watching the children at their play never failed to bring her joy but now the joy was tinged with sadness, she had always believe that her own children would one day play with her brothers in the pools but now that, which had seemed so certain not so very long ago, now seemed like something that was an impossibility. It had been only a few short weeks that the news had come to Dorne on the wings of a raven.

Oberyn had lost his mind, he had screamed and raged and roar and rode along the coast and deep into the sands and up into the mountains and demanded that the spears be raised in rebellion, for all Dorne to scream and let the king in the Red Keep hear them, hear all their rage. Doran had to send an entire force of guards as well as Aero Hotah to bring their little brother back before he actually dragged them into a war.

Oberyn had not been happy when he had been brought back last night, the ringing of that argument still blared in her eyes and her entire body was filled with a bone deep tiredness and all Elia wanted to do was crawl in her bed and sleep and sleep and in truth she didn't care that much if she would ever wake up again. She was just so tired of everything at the moment.

The sound of her door opening almost went unnoticed as Elia continued to gaze down into the gardens and only looked up when she heard her name being called. A maidservant was standing in the doorway, her dark eyes shinning with pity like every man and woman in the Gardens for her, like all the men and women of Sunspear, like all the men and women of Dorne.

Poor, gentle delicate Elia who had been so cruelly set aside. She hated it more than anything, Elia wanted to scream and pull at her hair and tear her room to shambles but she knew that she would not. Her mother has raised a gentle noblewoman, despite some small training with a sword that her brother had insisted on. She would endure the insult, and the pity, with as much dignity as only a princess could do.

"Princess, forgive me for intruding but Prince Doran would like for you to attend him." The maid spoke quietly and slowly, almost as if she believe that one word, said in the wrong way might cause her to shatter into a thousand pieces. Elia offered her a gentle smile and nodded as she made her way out of the room.

Elia walked through the halls of the Water Gardens, everywhere she turned their were shrieks of joy from children who were play a dozen different games and one. It was like knives being dragged through her heart. As she walked deeper through the palace, towards her elder brother's solar, the shireks of joy were soon replaced by screams of rage and rants that threatened to turn into tantrums.

Aero Hotah was standing outside the door, guarding her elder brother as ever. If it had been anyone else inside the solar with Doran then the large man would be in there as well but Aero knew as well as Elia did that Oberyn would never hurt Doran, no matter how angry he ever got. The Captain of the guards bent his head in greeting and pulled his longaxe out of the way and Elia opened the door to step inside.

Doran was sitting behind his desk, rubbing at his nose while Oberyn was pacing left and right. A storm trapped in the body of a man, a viper ready to strike at anyone who made a wrong step. When they heard the door open Oberyn looked up with a glare in his eyes but the moment that he saw that it was her his gaze softened but only for a moment before he rounded back on to Doran. "Tell her. Tell her what it is you mean to do?"

Doran looked annoyed for a moment before his turned his attention to her. "Elia, no one is more sorry than I for what happened to your engagement to Prince Rhaegar, I know how fond you were of him and the lose of the opportunity to become Queen is a great loss and I more than understand if you need more time. Alas, as a princess of Dorne you do have a duty."

"He wants you to marry a Northerner, as far North as North goes without going beyond the wall itself." Oberyn jumped in once again, resuming his restless pacing. "He wants you to wed the Stark boy."

"Brandon?" Elia asked with a frown, she had seen the eldest Stark son at one or two feasts and he was certainly handsome. He also seemed to be unbearably arrogant and irritating and Elia could not see herself being happy with him, alas if that was only the biggest problem. "Brandon Stark is betrothed to Catelyn Tully, did Lord Tully break the engagement?"

"Oh no, sweet sister. He doesn't want to wed you to the heir, no. He wants to wed you to the spare. Eddard." It shamed her to think that it took her a moment to try and think of who her brother meant, it came to her soon enough. There had always been a solemn boy near Brandon at those feasts, not as handsome but with enough similarity in features that there was clearly a relation.

"Thank you Oberyn, as it stands it's not as though we have much choice. The King has broken the engagement, Lord Tywin refused betrothing either of his children to either of you. Lord Arryn has no sons and his heir is betrothed, I believe. Lord Tully's son is too young. I am not sending Elia to the Iron Islands and The Tyrells wouldn't have us. The Starks are our only option and Lord Rickard is receptive to the idea."

"Yes, he get's a princess and Elia gets a spare, children who will inherit nothing except perhaps being guardsmen in their uncle's armies and perhaps a little stone keep, if they are lucky." Oberyn was starting to slow his pacing, but Elia, who was used to her little brother's moods, could tell that he was still angry. "Why does it have to be a great house, why not a Dornish house?"

"Because wedding Elia to a Dornish house gets us nothing, the other house would be the only one to benefit from it. Yronwood would be the obvious exception but I am unlikely to consider that." Oberyn scoffed and Doran's eyes narrowed. "House Hightower could be another option, though given the insult you gave Baelor Hightower I would expect that avenue has been closed to us as well."

"If Breakwind is truly so sensitive-

"Oberyn, I warn you I am short of patience-

"May I speak?" Nothing in Elia's voice gave the indication that it was a request, her brothers fell silent and she began to speak. "I am hurt that I have been put aside, I see no point in denying that. And I have never forgotten my duty, Doran I assure you. And, from what I know of him Oberyn, Eddard Stark seems an honourable enough man to me. I would consent to marrying him. Write to Lord Rickard."

Doran looked pleased but Oberyn did not, he didn't look angry. Elia didn't think that she had ever seen her little brother angry at her. What was in his dark eyes now, was nothing short of worry. "The north is cold in Summer, Elia. It's winter now. You aren't well."

"Obie, I am as unwell in the height of Summer as I am in the depths of Winter. I am simply an unwell woman, perhaps a change would be as good as a rest. Don't you think?" She asked gently and Oberyn simply stared at her like he had no idea who she was. Elia sighed and turned to her elder brother. "Doran, I am quite tired. With your leave, I believe I shall retire."

Once she had seen Doran nod, Elia turned and made her way out of the solar. She had only taken three steps before she heard the sounds of the argument resuming. She didn't stop to listen, she simply kept walking with her head held high until she reached her chamber. She crawled on to her bed, curled herself into a ball, and wept.

End of Chapter One.

So. This might be a surprise for some people but I've been wanting to rewrite Chapter One for a long time, I hope that you enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think by sending in a review and maybe a follow or a favourite.

With much love.

Doctorwhofan12345.