The biggest terrace of the palace in Sunspear

[ashalind]

The terrace, covered with marble tiles and shadowed by a silk canopy, is the perfect place for late dinners and suppers. The views are magnificent, the elevation ensures cooling breeze from the sea, different aromatic plants in marble pots make it more like a garden than just a terrace.

[ashalind]

Zoella is supervising the preparations for her small reception.

[brigida]

Tristeza arrived at the reception, perhaps early, for she had found that Zoella had taken such neat care of stately affairs in her absence that there was almost nothing for her to attend to upon her homecoming.

[ashalind]

Zoella curtsied and beckoned her cousin to sit on the widest and biggest sofa at the head of the main table, usually occupied by late Princess Emelia. She sat next to her on a lower sofa and introduced all the guests that started to arrive.

As the first arrived Farryn with his son and heir, Keiryn, and his wife Talia, the main glass producers and merchants in Sunspear. They'd financed the bank with money paid for Zoella's formula. The men bowed low before Tristeza and offered her some gifts, as it was the custom. Talia, wearing a splendid assortment of gold-embroidered purple and violet silks, a raiment worth a small fortune - just curtsied and sat behind her husband and son.

[brigida]

Tristeza gazed at the rich garments donned by the wealthy merhansts of the city--she felt suddenly underdressed, but gave no impression of her momentary self-consciousness. She welcomed the guests pleasantly, and thanked them for their support in a time when support by the people was as vital to her political survival as air to her physical. She spent a majority of the introductory conversation flashing winning smiles and pleasant comments towards the people who might have been she and Zoellla's saviors.

[loremaster]

Walder Frey, (the big one, not the little one) moved nimbly about the crowd, speaking merrily to the other guests. He was like a walking pillow, never stiff or heavy, but with a massive gut that let him move about gracefully nonethless.

He was here on the orders of his employer to make sure things in Sunspear moved as smoothly as possible.

[ashalind]

As soon as all the guests - merchants and nobility of Dorne alike - occupied themselves with food and wine served, Zoella leaned over and whispered into her cousin's ear:

"Our guests seem to be very happy but don't deceive yourself - they came in such a number, especialy the nobles, to voice some discontent. There are rumours circulating about your future marriage and they don't want to have a Frey as the prince consort. They don't trust him enough and they feel that their pride is hurt - first the invasion of Ironborn, then the rule of a Northman. It is often repeated that Dorne should be governed by a Dornish house. I've heard that the Jordaynes, the Quorgyles and the Ullers have made a clandestine pact to overthrow you and your Frey husband just after your wedding. Farryn's wife is an Uller and she's been my source. If we don't act, sweet cousin, soon there will be no Martells ruling over Dorne any more. Without your lands and influence you will be worthless to lord Frey - he'll divorce you in no time."

[ashalind]

Zoella noticed lord Frey (how many of them can be named "Walder"? she thought to herself, that's ridiculous...) and welcomed him with a sweet smile and a glass of finest Dornish wine. Then she returned to her cousin and their silent conversation.

[brigida]

Tristeza gazed solemnly at her cousin as she delivered this information to her. "Are you certain of this, Zoella?" she asked warily, "It is a great charge to level against people who claim to be our allies." she closed her eyes momentarily, shaking her head slightly, "I can see the logic of it, of course...what with the reunification directive..."

[ashalind]

"It doesn't have to be connected with the reunification or the lack of it. We can even stay friends with the Freys if we have to. Just know this: your marriage might be a ruin of the Martell restoration. In their eyes, you won't be worth of their allegiance any more. No amount of money can buy you the recognition of your own people, my sweet cousin. No amount of money can change a Frey into a prince of Dorne."

[brigida]

As Tristeza raised her eyes to take in the party-dwellers, she saw them differently than she had when she had arrived--she saw their furtive glances both towards her, and towards Frey...she was them gossiping, guffawing; she hung her head, a woman beaten. "This court will be the end of me." she muttered, with a knowing glance at Zoella. "Though it is a miracle you are here to warn me of such problems." and she tacked on an unconvincing smile. She hugged Zoella lightly, as she excused herself from the table, and walked towards Walder Frey. "We must speak." she told him, and gesutred towards a vacant area of the veranda, where a tall potted plant swayed nervously in the dusk sea-breaze.

[loremaster]

He walked over lifted Zoella's hand his lips and bowed. "My lady, I hope you will not think ill of this guest, but I might steal your party for a moment."

Suddenly, Master Frey signaled for everyone's attention. "I want to thank everyone for coming, but I have a most dire message... I'm afraid I've just regained my appetite and we'll all have to relocate to the Crossing for the wedding." Raucous laughter greeted the clark. Settling everyone with a wave of his hand, he continued. "Now I want to personally thank Lord Farryn for letting us invest in his bank. After the war, Lord Frey that it was his duty to help his future home prodper. That is why we have invested 500, 000 golden dragons in the Glass Bank!!"

There was much cheering which the fat lord refused to acceot. "Please, I am not the Walder Frey you should be thanking. The man you should be thanking is in King's Landing, workinmg with his peers to keep monsters like Andry Baratheon and Felryn Harlaw from ever creating a situation where good men must suffer for the acts of corrupt monsters!"

More cheering.

"I know you are not really clapping because you support this uninion... but know that this marriage will seed a new future. Under Dornish law, Lord Frey has ceded all authority and primogenture to his wife's family and whatever child shall come of their loins. We swear... that Dorne shall remain Dornish. That is why..." Then he pulled out a scroll from somewhere in his voluminous robes. "He has written out a legal contract that states that no Frey shall ever challenge Martell seniority in any matter."

He knelt in the most amazing form of acrobatics and offered it Tristeza. "My lady... the House of Frey bends to you."

[brigida]

His gesture caught her off-guard; he had begun his speech just as her words had left her mouth. She glanced anxiously around the crowd, who had fallen silent in the interluding moment. She uttered a nervous laugh, not at all befitting of her station. "Um...Thank you, Ser Frey. It is most kind of you, truly, and...I believe it will benefit us to further discuss your proposal in private."

[ashalind]

Zoella observed her guests' reactions to such an unexpected pronouncement. After a moment of stunned silence most of them started to mutter to each other with ironic smiles. She knew what was the topic : the whole Dorne is being bought before their own eyes and the sum of 500 000 dragons was hardly adequate, according to their view. She decided to let Tristeza sort it out. If not now, never she thought to herself. Show your mettle, my cousin, you are a Martell, you can succeed she urged her silently. Tristeza looked a bit thrown off the balance so she sent her an encouraging smile.

[loremaster]

He stood. "Thank you, milady."