( Ennella Martell POV )
Princess Ennella Martell of Dorne was of two minds about her visit to Casterly Rock.
On the one hand, the staggeringly large castle had tens of thousands of stairs, and hundreds of miles of passages, and her hips had been suffering throughout their stay. One thing Joanna had never told her about her home was the sheer number of steps.
On the other hand, the Lannisters had been nothing but pleasant, her children got along with Joanna's, much to her delight, while Kevan Lannister, and rather surprisingly Joanna's second son Callum proved capable conversationalists.
The brother of Lord Tywin was clearly more capable than any gossip gave him credit for, not merely his brother's dogsbody, but the real shock was to be engaged in the principles of Dorneish tax collection by a child who she knew was no more than eight years of age. At various dinner and breakfast conversations, the boy had pried into her seeking a level of detail that she couldn't remember ever having to explain to anyone before, not even her heir Doran.
How were bailiffs selected? What was the rationale for assigning them regions? Did House Martell provide their housing on a royal budget or were they housed by local populations as a form of tribute? What safeguards were in place to ensure their good performance? It was staggering meeting someone so infatuated with the minutiae of her kingdom's bureaucracy and administration, asking questions she herself had not thoroughly asked until she was already Princess of Dorne.
That boy was smart, too smart. If he could pry into the depths of her tax code by simply reading books on the subject then he could likely pry into any other aspect of her kingdom as well. Dorne was not a land of honesty and chivalry, and someone who could find where the skeletons were buried in the dunes was dangerous indeed. Still, he was not necessarily dangerous to her, and the same went for Joanna's other two children.
From Oberyn's reports she had learned that Young Jaime seemed to be shaping up into a fine Andal Knight, while from Elia's, Cersei Lannister was an adventurous young girl with a head for adventure. While Jaime was proving to have an exceptional arm, from their conversations Ennella found both of them to be of relatively ordinary intelligence, at least when compared to their younger brother. She hadn't seen Tyrion yet, but he was an infant and would no doubt have nothing meaningful to learn at such a small age.
She snorted, perhaps she was biased towards Callum amongst the three because he so closely resembled the sweet Joanna she remembered.
Of course, while Callum's intelligence made him a potential threat to her family in a decade or so, the very real Lion of the realm in Lord Tywin was the actual threat, and his return to the castle had set everyone present on a knife's edge. Kevan was less talkative, the servants more attentive, and Jaime and Cersei Lannister were better behaved. Callum was much the same, which was another point adding to his danger. Oberyn and Elia seemed to notice the shift as well, and she had to consult with them privately about their actual objectives here.
"Cersei is… acceptable, though she's been quite resistant to my charms thus far," Oberyn said carefully, as she had asked him his opinion on his potential match first. "She is not old enough yet to tell if she'll be pretty or not, but I think her desire for adventure is pleasant enough to match against my own. I do not hate the idea of marrying her in a few years." he stopped for a moment, thinking. "That's about the sum of my thoughts honestly, she's a nice enough girl."
Ennella smiled, Oberyn let his heart rule him as always, not a comment on political benefits or negatives. It wasn't that he didn't know, rather that he knew that she knew, and trusted Ennella as his mother to select a suitable political choice.
"She's certainly not as comely as Lord Yronwood's daughter…" Elia added with a giggle, that set Oberyn to fidgeting, the boy had clearly been smitten with her. If this arrangement did end in a betrothal between Oberyn and Cersei then she'd have to put in place a plan to keep her son away from Yronwood for the foreseeable future.
"What of you Elia?" Ennella turned her focus to her teasing daughter, who reclined back on the velvet pillows in their guest quarters. "Which of the Lannister boys would you prefer?"
"Oh, Jaime certainly," Elia replied without hesitation. "He's very charming for a child, seems to be a whirlwind in the yard, talented in embroidery, and looks quite good in a dress. All that, and he's set to inherit the Westerlands, he's obviously the better pick."
The sound of Oberyn spitting out his wine and coughing brought a clear smile to Elia's face, even as Ennella raised her eyebrow. "Well dear, I won't pry into how you know that." not today at least, Ennella would be lying if she said she wasn't interested at all. "Your thoughts on Callum?"
"Too bookish, he reminds me of the Hightowers, though he's a little better than them," Elia replied, frowning slightly. "He can hold a conversation at least, and Oberyn likes him, but even still, I don't want a Lord Husband who sits around in a tower all the time."
Ennella paused, taking in her daughter's words. Elia was a young woman driven by her passions, and Ennella wondered whether she'd considered just how much the younger Lannister boy could grow. Still, she didn't want to press too much. "Oberyn, Elia says you like him, your thoughts?"
"What, to marry him? I'm not a swordsw-"
Ennella shook her head. "Your thoughts on his suitability as a husband for Elia."
"Well obviously if Elia doesn't like him it won't work, but he is very clever. That press device of his has serious potential, I intend to commission someone to make something similar when we return to Sunspear. It's something that could compete with the artisans of Essos, just on its own." Oberyn paused. "Overall, he strikes me as someone entirely committed, even at his age, to the Game of Thrones you often speak of Mother. I would not say he will necessarily be bookish forever, he is… driven. He may take after his father in other ways too."
"Strange, he looks much more like his mother." Ennella snorted, before turning her gaze back to her daughter, giving her a long glance. "Elia," she said at last. "I do not know if I will necessarily be able to win a betrothal between you and Jaime from Lord Tywin tomorrow.
If I cannot, would you be willing to accept a betrothal to Callum instead? I would dearly like for one of you to marry one of Joanna's children at any rate, in memory of our friendship." and also because Dorne, as always, desperately wanted allies to their north. The legacy of hostility between the Reach, Stormlands, and Dorne meant any alliance that could sandwich those two nations was highly desirable to House Martell.
Elia paused, frowning, her daughter's face grew more serious, and she paused midway through eating a grape.
Finally, the girl sighed and finished the grape. "I would… not hate it, I don't think, but I would not love it either. For the love of you, mother, I would accept the betrothal."
Ennella nodded, stepping up from her chair, she walked over and embraced her daughter. "I love you as well Elia, my evening flower." She stroked the girl's hair tenderly. "I will do everything reasonable to secure a betrothal to Jaime, or for Cersei to marry your brother before I ask for a betrothal between Callum and you."
"Thank you." Elia nodded, smiling, and Ennella couldn't help but return that smile as her daughter embraced her in turn.
"So sappy," Oberyn commented from across the room. "You know there's a decent chance the Lion turns us down entirely. He was giving us suspicious eyes all throughout dinner. He's much less friendly than his children."
"Joanna said that Tywin had been forced to grow wary and suspicious by his role as Hand of the King," Ennella said, somewhat cautiously.
"Oh, not when he drowned the Reynes and all their servants?" Oberyn asked sarcastically. "I think he may react badly to our request, he seems like a man who makes his own plans and doesn't intend to let the wants of others change them. I have no doubt he already has betrothals in mind for Cersei and Jaime at least. They're old enough."
"We'll have to make the case then that we are a better option for him then," Ennella said, standing back up to her full height. "We have our royal name after all, and he greatly desires respect. The closest trade with Essos is ours, and we don't lack for wealth. I also hope dearly that Lord Tywin will respect Lady Joanna's wishes." Enella had loved the woman deeply long ago, she certainly wanted to see her will done. She hoped the same was true of Tywin.
"I do as well." Elia nodded. "Certainly, while he is still young, Jaime has been the most interesting and of most suitable status of anyone we've met on this journey."
Ennella nodded, pulling her children into her arms once again.
It was best to be in a good mood herself when she went off to bargain with the Lion tomorrow after all.
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