The reply from Mace Tyrell came not by ravens or words written on a parchment, but delivered to Sunspear by his own son. Ser Garlan the Gallant, as he was known, Mace Tyrell's second son, and the one Arianne had convinced her father the son Mace Tyrell would prefer to inherit Highgarden in place of the crippled Willas. Garlan Tyrell came accompanied by Paxter Redwyne his uncle by marriage, bearing gifts from the Reach, as well as his father's answer to Doran's condition.

Arianne feared her plan had come to naught when she saw the endless crates and boxes overflowing with gifts brought in by the knights and guards accompanying Garlan Tyrell. Roses and flowers of all colors and shapes, peaches, melons and fireplums, silks and laces, jewelries. The riches and bounties of Highgarden and the Reach on full display in the throne room at Sunspear. If Mace Tyrell's answer to her father's condition had been a resounding 'No', then the marriage plan was null and void and there would be no need for Garlan Tyrell to come to Sunspear bearing gifts.

But how? Arianne was very perplexed. Willas had been so convinced that his father meant to disinherit him in favor of Garlan.

Perhaps he had unjustly misunderstood his father's intention, as I had done with my own father.

Garlan Tyrell's words confirmed what Arianne had feared. "My lord father sends his fondest regards to the Prince of Dorne, and his lovely daughter Princess Arianne." Oberyn was sitting to the left of Doran, with Arianne sitting on Doran's right, but Garlan Tyrell's greetings on his father's behalf did not include Oberyn. Garlan continued, "My father has received your letter, Prince Doran, and he has no quarrel with the matter you set forth in the letter."

"No quarrel? What does that mean, exactly?" Oberyn asked with one raised eyebrow. "Merely that he does not resent the condition set forth in the letter? Or would he actually comply with it?"

Paxter Redwyne cleared his throat. "Well … there is really no question of complying or not complying. Willas is the heir to Highgarden, that is an indisputable fact. Lord Tyrell took Prince Doran's mention of the issue of succession in Highgarden merely as an effort to confirm that fact, not as setting forth any condition or requirement to the marriage between Princess Arianne and Willas." He paused, looking at Doran meaningfully. "Is that not right, Prince Doran?"

Oberyn turned red and started to speak, but Doran gave him a sharp glance before looking at Paxter Redwyne meekly. "Yes, of course, you are right, Lord Redwyne. I only wish to protect my dearest daughter, as any father would."

Before, Arianne would have cursed what she perceived as her father's weakness, but now she knew better. Her father was playing a longer game than anyone else.

"Then you can be sure that Princess Arianne will be the Lady of Highgarden when my brother Willas becomes Lord of Highgarden," Garlan said. "And Willas of course will be the prince consort to the Princess of Dorne when the time comes?"

Garlan had phrased his last sentence as a question, and almost as a challenge. Surely … surely Willas had not confided to his brother what Arianne had confided to him about her fears of her father disinheriting her? Oh but she had been a fool! She had thought to make use of him, but perhaps Willas had turned the table and was making use of her. She had not disliked him, in fact had found him companionable if a tad dull, but she must have missed his more devious side.

On the other hand, this new Willas sounded a lot more fascinating and interesting to Arianne. She wondered how dangerous he truly was, what length he would go to -

Her father was speaking. She banished the thought of Willas Tyrell from her mind. No, I am promised. I am to marry Viserys Targaryen and be queen of the realm. She must concentrate on how to get out of the betrothal with Willas.

"Arianne is my eldest child, and therefore my heir and the future Princess of Dorne, as our Dornish law demands. That is also an indisputable fact," Doran replied, his expression still meek and mild, but there was a sharpness underneath his pleasant tone of voice that was not lost on Arianne, and on Garlan too, she suspected.

"Then we are all in agreement," Paxter Redwyne said, smiling for the first time since he entered the throne room. "The betrothal and the wedding could continue as was previously agreed."

Except her father had not actually agreed to anything. It was Arianne who had misled the Tyrells into believing that she had her father's blessing to discuss a betrothal during her ill-considered visit to Highgarden. Would her father mention that to Ser Garlan and Lord Redwyne now, as a final attempt to dispose of this betrothal?

He couldn't, Arianne realized. She had actually succeeded in tying her father's hands, even if the success brought nothing but sorrow for her, now that she knew the truth. For him to admit that Arianne had gone to Highgarden despite his wishes would be to admit a great weakness to the Tyrells, something the Prince of Dorne could not afford at the moment. And yet to reject Willas Tyrell for his daughter, after Arianne herself had been to Highgarden, would be a dangerous move as well, with the risk of incurring not only the wrath of Highgarden, but also suspicions. Arianne turned to her father with a look full of remorse on her face, but he shook his head slightly, smiled exaggeratedly as if reminding Arianne to smile too. Garlan Tyrell was watching her closely. Arianne turned her eyes to him and gave him her sunniest and most enchanting smile.

"We thank Ser Garlan and Lord Redwyne for making the journey to Sunspear, and for the generous gifts they have brought with them. I will of course go over other details of the betrothal and the marriage with Lord Tyrell himself in a letter," her father said, in an effort to stall and buy time, Arianne thought.

Paxter Redwyne looked dissatisfied. "Is there anything else to discuss, Prince Doran? I thought it would be only the simple matter of setting the date of the wedding."

"There are other considerations, of course," Doran replied. "Where they would live, for one. And then there is the question of the children, and inheritance. If Arianne gives birth to a girl as an eldest child, then the matter is settled, that child will be the heir to Sunspear, as is our law, and the eldest boy will be the heir to Highgarden, as is your law. But what if their eldest child is a boy? Which seat would he inherit, Sunspear or Highgarden? Dornish law calls for the eldest child to inherit, regardless of its sex, and your law calls for the eldest son to inherit. "

"Both, of course. The boy would rule over both Dorne and the Reach one day," Lord Redwyne said. "I do not think that will present us with any difficulty at all."

Doran smiled. "Oh I do not think it is as simple as you make it out to be, Lord Redwyne. This is something I would have to discuss with Lord Tyrell himself."

"Set out the terms you would like to come to agreement to, Prince Doran, and I will relay them personally to Lord Tyrell," Lord Redwyne said. He seemed determined to leave Sunspear with a binding agreement on the betrothal.

Doran glanced at Garlan Tyrell, who had been silent since his uncle took over the negotiation. "Perhaps Ser Garlan would like to explore Sunspear while he is here. Arianne will accompany him, while we old people discuss the details."

It was a command, not a suggestion, and neither Arianne nor Garlan dared to defy Redwyne looked uneasy, but he, too, acquiesced without a word.

"I have a letter from my brother for you, Princess Arianne," Garlan said as soon as he and Arianne were out of the throne room.

Arianne failed to hide the look of astonishment on her face. "A letter? From your brother Willas?"

"Well, I do have another brother, but you have never met Loras, so it could hardly be from him. Although I am sure Loras would be equally charmed by you, my princess, had he met you."

Arianne smiled despite herself. No wonder he was called Garlan the Gallant. "I did not think Willas was charmed at all. He seemed indifferent to all of my advantages," she said.

"I can assure you that he is," Garlan said firmly. "Willas is perhaps not the most demonstrative of men, but I know my brother better than most."

Arianne saw an opening to ask the question that had baffled her. "Why did you ask for confirmation regarding my inheritance, Ser Garlan? Is that something your brother asked you to do?"

Garlan looked mystified. "Willas? No, not at all." He seemed uncomfortable, and hesitated before replying to her question. "It was … my grandmother, in truth. She thought since your father was asking confirmation regarding Willas' inheritance, it is right for us to ask about your inheritance as well. She does not mean any insult by it, only to ensure that there is no misunderstanding on either side."

So Willas had not betrayed her whispered confidences after all.

"Quite right," Arianne said soothingly to the still uncomfortable Garlan. "Lady Olenna sounds very wise indeed."

"Yes, she is. Very much so," Garlan replied eagerly.

If anything, the Lady Olenna and her "wisdom" was one more reason Arianne was determined to get out of this betrothal with Willas Tyrell. She wondered how her father and her uncle were coming along.

"As a last resort, you could sorrowfully confide to the Tyrells your disappointment in me,"Arianne had told her father before Garlan Tyrell's arrival. "And how I would make a most unsuitable Lady of Highgarden."

Her father looked disapproving. "I could never speak ill of my own child, certainly not to the Tyrells!"

"But Father –"

"We will find another way, Arianne. But you are not to write to Willas to tell him anything to your disadvantage, or confide to Garlan Tyrell your past misdeeds. It might not even succeed in getting you out of this betrothal, and it could be used against you later, which would be very, very unfortunate," her father had warned her vehemently.

Willas' letter unsettled her greatly. It sounded entirely earnest and sincere for one; she could not help feeling guilty and ashamed that she had made use of him so blatantly. "If our marriage could somehow safeguard the inheritance that should be yours by right, my princess, it would be an agreeable alliance in my eyes." It was not a protestation of love, embarrassing or otherwise, but her heart and mind would have rested easier if he had written instead, "If our marriage could protect both of our inheritance."