The Redfish (chapter 6)

The talk

Edmure POV

After prince Oberyn left, the first thing I did what check on Patrek to see if he is fine. I found him in the brothel with a woman in the bed. He looks at me surprised when I ordered the woman to leave.

“What are you doing?” Patrek asked confused.

“Change of the plan,” I reply to him. “I want you to gather all the men, I am leaving alone to water gardens.”

“What? It’s way too dangerous to leave alone.” He says to me.

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen to me,” I reassure him. “If someone wants to cause trouble, I will remind them why I am called the Redfish.”

“I will be waiting a day for you.” He didn’t look reassured at all. “If I hear nothing of you, we will storm Water gardens.”

“You won’t have to do, but prepare horses, we might need to run for our lives,” I order him and leave to meet prince Doran.

…

Once I arrived at Water Garden, it was already getting dark, I was met with prince Oberyn and his squire Daemon. Both didn’t look at me favorably, I could see distrust and anger in their eyes. I understood Oberyn’s look, but I don’t remember much about Daemon from the books, to understand him.

“My brother is waiting for you.” Prince Oberyn tells me.

As I was going inside, he stopped me, pointing at my sword and telling me to disarm myself first. After thinking for a few moments I decided to do as said and give my sword to him, he passed it to his squire.

“I would like to remember what happened to the last owner of this sword,” I say to Daemon. “I still haven’t eaten dinner today.”

He didn’t look scared, but I could see him flinch at my creepy smile. Together with Oberyn, we entered the Water Garden, where we were awaited by prince Doran and his guard Areo Hotah. Nobody else was inside.

“You came, ser Edmure.” Prince Doran says to me.

“Prince Doran, I hope you know why I have come here,” I ask for his confirmation.

“You wanted to ask for my daughter’s hand.” He tells me. “But it seems it’s not the only reason.”

“No, it isn’t, I want for our families to form an alliance,” I reply to him.

“And why we would do that?” He asks, before Oberyn could say something, from his look I don’t think it was anything good.

“I know what you want,” I answer.

“And what that would be?” He asks again, prying at me.

“Vengeance and power,” I answer him. “I can give you vengeance.”

“And what you want in return?” He asked in a calm voice, it felt like he was leading his conversation.

“For you do let go your power search,” I answer him.

“Is that what you want, power?” Prince Oberyn asks.

“To me power is just an illusion, that we hide behind, thinking it could protect us from swords and arrows,” I tell him. “What I seek is a better future, where my lands don’t burn, where I don’t need to sacrifice few, to save many.”

“I see that why you are concerned with my plans with the last dragon.” Prince Doran says.

“Prince Viserys was more of his father than of his brother,” I tell him. “I won’t let you bring another Mad King to the Iron Throne.”

“You think of yourself too much, calling yourself the Redfish, do you think we are afraid of you.” Prince Oberyn asks me.

“Blue,” I say.

“What?” He asks confused.

“I like the color blue,” I tell him with a calm voice. “The color of sky and seas, this color to means freedom, that why I like it.”

“What does it have to do with anything?” He asks with a confused voice.

“Red, is the color of blood, of sunset, to me, it means the end, finality,” I explain to him. “That what you will bring for your ambitions, for your vengeance and power-seeking.”

“Viserys is still young, he can be taught.” Prince Doran tells me.

“Do you even know where he is?” I ask. “From what I know, after the death of ser Willem Darry, he has gone missing.”

“He will be found.” Prince Oberyn reveals that indeed they don’t know where he is.

“Even if you find him, it would be far too late,” I tell him. “He will hold grudge against all of the Houses for his suffering, he will do everything to destroy us, I can’t let him do it.”

“What are you going to do? Tell your King?” Prince Oberyn says with a sneer.

“It would be only my word, nothing I can prove,” I reply to him. “You can’t have both, vengeance and power, that no how the world works.”

“In this game, we can only win, anything else isn’t an option for us.” Prince Doran says. “There isn’t a middle ground, you go all out or don’t even start to play.”

“This isn’t a game, it is a war,” I reply to him. “And in the war, there are no winners.”

“So you offer us vengeance, for my niece’s hand?” Prince Oberyn asks, while prince Doran motions for Oberyn to calm down.

“Yes, for an alliance, I am not your enemy, and Lannisters aren’t my friends,” I answer him.

“Your words are convincing, I don’t know how you figured out my plan, you probably won’t tell me.” He tells me. “I listened to your words, let me think about it, we continue our conversation another day.”

“Very well, I will be waiting for your decision,” I reply to him and leave him with his brother and silent guard.

Oberyn POV

“Are you going to accept his offer, brother?” I ask my brother once the brat left.

“His offer has merit.” He answered me.

“How could you even think about an alliance with him? He just another dog of Robert’s.” I ask with anger rising inside.

“Is he? He was a boy of nine name days when the war ended.” He answered me with a calm voice. “Don’t make unnecessary enemies, he has nothing to do with Elia’s death.”

“He might not, but his father has sold his daughters, to the dogs responsible,” I tell him.

“And he made a good choice, we can use Tully’s former alliance.” He explains to me. “It is a good marriage proposal.”

“You can’t be serious, you are considering selling Arianne to that trout.” I couldn’t believe him.

“Some might say he is a shark, don’t underestimate him, he figured our plan that shows he isn’t a fool,” Doran tells me. “And what I planned to do with prince Viserys wasn’t that much different, and we know he won’t let it happen, he is someone I don’t want to make an enemy of.”

“You afraid of him?” I asked not understanding my brother anymore.

“In a way, yes.” He confesses. “But I hold more respect to him, we’re similar in a way, both of us want what is best for our houses.”

“I can’t believe you considering this,” I tell with more and more anger rising inside me. “I listened when you told me to wait, but now you’re telling me that my waiting was pointless.”

“Calm yourself and think.” He raises his voice at me. “You get your chance at the Lannisters, I promise you that, but I am Prince of the Dorne, I must think what it is best for my people.”

“Fine, do as you wish,” I tell him, before leaving.

My anger burning inside, I knew that I am being impulsive and my feelings are clouting me. Edmure is innocent for the crimes of Lannisters, but I couldn’t just let my anger go.

Edmure POV

When I come back it was already gotten dark, Patrek and others were waiting for me. Seeing that I was fine, I bid them have some rest. Once everyone left for their rooms, it was only me and Patrek left.

“So, what happened?” He asked me.

“It was better than expected,” I answered him. “I will get another meeting with Prince Doran soon enough.”

“Good, it seems I can have some fun in the meanwhile.” He says.

“All you think is how to get more fun,” I tell him jokingly.

“Fun is the most important thing in this world, you should try it sometime.” He replies with a laugh.

“Yes, yes, go have some fun, while you can,” I tell him. “I wouldn’t want to leave you in here all alone.”

“Well, then see you in the morning.” And he’s gone.

…

The next day an envoy came to me, telling me that I and my companions are invited to stay at Old Palace in Sunspear. We decided to accept this offer. So there we are at the seat of House Martell. We were welcomed by both princes and their children.

At the dining hall, I was seated next to Arianne, it seemed that Prince Doran has made a decision. Princess Arianne was taking curious glances at me for few moments at a time. Probably knowing why I was here, she was studying me.

“You know if you want to ask something you should do it,” I tell her, she wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest for being caught looking at me.

“Father said, I will have to marry you.” She says, not betraying any emotion.

“You don’t seem too happy about it,” I reply.

“I don’t know what to think, I heard you are a fierce warrior, but you don’t look like one.” She tells me.

“Well, sorry to disappoint you,” I say to her and she just giggles. “Your smile is very pretty, you should always wear it.”

“Wouldn’t it be too tiresome?” She asks.

“It might be, but soon you realize that we must do a lot of tiresome things, to achieve what we want,” I explain to her. “A smile is a powerful weapon, it can disturb your enemies and reassure your friends.”

“I keep that in mind.” She replies to me.

…

After having a meal with Martells, I was invited to Doran’s solar for further discussion. At the door, I was greeted by the silent guard, who take a good look at me and then let me through the door. Inside I met with Prince Doran and his brother Oberyn.

“Take a seat, ser Edmure,” Prince tells me.

“It seems you have come to a conclusion of your predicament,” I say after taking a seat in front of him.

“Yes, I want to discuss the terms of our alliance.” He tells me.

“Very well, but first I have a gift for you, to celebrate our friendship,” I say and take out a parchment and give it to him.

“What is it?” He asks after taking a look at it.

“Is the glassmaking method,” I answer him.

“If it works, it would be quite a valuable gift.” He says to me surprised.

“Only the best for family, as the saying goes,” I reply to him. “And it just happens that there is one component that only was found in the North.”

“I see, you get to sell us the resources we will need,” I say to myself. “It is fine with me, we both will get profit.”

“I will stay in Dorne for some time, we can discuss it more,” I tell him.

And so another part of the plan has been accomplished.