Prince Doran's wife, Lady Mellario, arrived in Gohor once again, accompanied by Oberyn as the representative of House Martell.
This visit brought Doran's official reply.
When the discussion turned to military support and Dorne's commitment to the coming campaign, the talks proceeded smoothly.
Doran had even agreed to follow Viserys's battle plans in every detail.
It was only when the subject of Arianne becoming one of Viserys's consorts arose that the atmosphere began to change.
Even Oberyn, who was usually fearless and irreverent, found an excuse to leave the room.
"Prince Doran has accepted Your Grace's terms," Mellario said. "But as Arianne's mother, I cannot accept the fact that my daughter will not even be another man's lawful queen."
Her tone did not sound like a rejection.
It sounded more like the heartfelt plea of a mother.
Her hands were tightly clasped together, betraying the anxiety she struggled to conceal.
The king before her was still very young, yet he had built a throne for himself from nothing.
He had conquered the Dothraki, whose raids had plagued the Free Cities for centuries.
He had risen from the flames.
He had returned dragons to the world.
Those deeds already belonged more to legend than history.
Simply speaking to him this way required considerable courage.
In the original course of events, Doran had intended to follow Westerosi custom by sending his youngest son to be fostered in another noble household.
As a mother, Mellario could neither understand nor accept the idea.
She could not comprehend why children with living parents should be sent away to be raised by strangers.
Unable to stop Doran, she eventually left Dorne altogether and returned to Norvos.
For years afterward, she refused to see him again.
This time was much the same.
Doran had agreed to send troops and had consented to Arianne becoming one of Viserys's consorts.
Mellario, however, could not accept it. So she had come personally to speak with Viserys.
Looking at her, Viserys sensed that he was not facing a politician.
He was speaking to a mother.
For that reason, he felt no anger toward her.
"I understand your feelings, my lady," he said gently. "But I also hope you can understand my own position."
His kindness caught Mellario off guard.
That was precisely what made this conversation so difficult.
"Your Grace is the wisest man I have ever met," she replied. "So I believe you must also understand just how deeply Arianne loves you. I know what happened that day."
She was referring to the incident shortly before Viserys departed for war, when Arianne had secretly hidden herself beneath his blankets.
It had certainly been an unforgettable encounter.
Even so, Viserys had gone no further.
"Then you should also know..." Viserys began before allowing the sentence to trail off.
Mellario understood immediately.
"Yes, I know. You are an extraordinarily restrained king. No young man your age could exercise such self-control."
After making discreet inquiries from many different sources, Mellario had ultimately reached one conclusion.
Viserys was still a virgin.
Her brother-in-law, Oberyn, had been sharing the beds of noblewomen long before reaching Viserys's age.
The fact that Viserys had refused temptation when it had practically been offered to him commanded genuine respect.
At the same time...
It also made her quietly wonder whether the young king's tastes were entirely normal.
Viserys had little desire to prolong the conversation. He chose to move directly to the heart of the matter.
"What exactly is it that you wish to ask of me, Lady Mellario?"
She hesitated briefly before answering.
"Your Grace, I know the burdens you carry. The restoration of House Targaryen rests upon your shoulders.
I ask only one thing.
When Arianne becomes your consort... please do not neglect her. She... she fears loneliness."
Truthfully, if circumstances had allowed it, Viserys would have preferred not to marry Arianne at all.
In the canon, she had viewed her beauty and body as political tools.
Bringing such a woman into his household would hardly make for a peaceful court.
Yet making her one of his consorts would secure Dorne's support. That alone would save countless lives during the coming war.
In this world, women often married men they did not love for the sake of alliances.
Men, likewise, married women they did not love.
After ten years, Viserys had long since become part of this world.
Then again...
He considered himself fortunate. At least he knew that Arianne, Rhaenys, and Daenerys all truly loved him.
Besides, Arianne was still young. He would have plenty of time to guide and shape her.
"My lady," he said, "I give you my word."
"Although Arianne's children will not inherit my throne, I will find a crown for the children she bears me.
And I will not neglect her.
After all, spending time talking with one's family is one of life's greatest comforts."
Mellario's heart skipped a beat.
She suddenly found herself wondering whether Viserys truly understood what she meant by "not neglecting her."
A husband could not simply sit and chat with his wife forever.
Still...
Since Viserys had already made such a promise, she supposed there would be no problem.
Then an entirely different thought crossed her mind.
When Viserys had risen from the flames, his clothes must have burned away completely.
She wondered...
Had anyone happened to see... certain things?
Quickly driving the strange thought from her mind, Mellario steered the conversation toward more ordinary topics.
After chatting for a while longer, the noblewoman took her leave.
Watching her depart, Viserys chuckled quietly to himself.
Whatever Doran's faults might be—hesitation, indecisiveness, or otherwise—there was no denying one thing.
No one loved his wife more than Doran Martell.
Had it been almost any other lord, a wife daring to interfere in her husband's political marriage arrangements would probably have earned herself a slap across the face.
In much of Westeros, respecting one's wife was hardly considered a virtue.
Men like Eddard Stark were praised precisely because they were so uncommon.
With Dorne's loyalty now secured, Viserys decided it was time to move against Pentos.
Capturing the city would undoubtedly send shockwaves throughout the Free Cities.
The nine Free Cities had fought one another for centuries. Yet the complete destruction of one of them was something else entirely.
It would leave many rulers deeply uneasy.
If his war against Robert dragged into a stalemate while unrest erupted behind him, the consequences could be disastrous.
He needed to suppress the political fallout from annexing Pentos as quickly as possible.
The commander of the Windblown would become the perfect symbol.
As long as the Ragged Prince remained in the picture, many would continue believing that the Targaryens intended to leave Pentos sooner or later.
So long as that illusion endured, any proposal to unite against Viserys would struggle to gain unanimous support within the Free Cities.
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