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After a long day's journey, the five travelers stopped at a roadside inn for the night. The five travelers being Oberyn Martell, Ashara Dayne, Elia Martell and her two young children.
Oberyn had taken a room to himself and Ashara and Elia had shared one with the children, Rhaenys had fallen asleep quickly after they arrived, but Aegon only calmed down after Ashara sang to him for a while, the boy really seemed to like her voice, that was a trait he shared with his mother.
Ashara used to sing all the time when they were younger, but that had stopped after they moved to King's Landing. The song she sang now was still the same song Ashara had sung to her many times when they were girls, even though they themselves weren't.
It was good to hear that song again, it was good to have her by her side. It always was.
Through the window of the inn room, it was possible to see the High Garden from afar. According to Oberyn if everything went well the next night they would already be in Dorne. It was almost unbelievable.
Her brother offered to kill the prince for humiliating her like that in front of everyone during the Harrenhal Tournament. Elia said that she didn't want that, just for him to take her home, and she didn't need to clarify that in no way was she talking about the Red Keep in King's Landing. And when at dawn Ashara came to her room to see if she was okay and saw Elia packing her bags she understood what was happening and immediately offered to go along.
And now here they were, almost home.
Looking out over the view, Elia wonders if Rhaegar was coming for her. That maybe her departure was what he needed to wake up and appreciate what he had. But even in her head such a thought sounded unrealistic. If once the flame of love had burned within Rhaegar's heart for her, he had made it clear that it was now extinguished.
If he came to her, it would probably only be because she took the children with her. But maybe he would just be glad she got out of her way.
Elia couldn't help but think that if she had been a better wife maybe she would have stayed by his side and endured the humiliation. But the truth is, if Rhaegar had been a better husband, she never would have had to make that choice.
She only noticed that Ashara joined her at the window, as she felt her arm brushing against her.
"He slept." she says with a smile, their shoulders touching.
"Thank you."
“So what were you thinking?”
"Only that I barely can't believe we're almost in Dorne already."
"Me too. Father will probably be very disappointed when he sees that I didn't get a husband in court like he wanted.”
“You can still come back, there will be a place for you at court even if I am not there.”
Ashara hesitated for a second then said:
“The place I want to be is by your side, whether in Dorne or King's Landing. And I will remain as long as you wish.”
“What if I wish forever?”
Ashara looked at her intensely for a few seconds and then said:
“Then I will be a happy woman for the rest of my days.”
Elia touches her face as a question, is her friend saying what she thinks she's saying?
And Ashara answers her too, not with words, but with a kiss.
That hadn't happened since the night before her wedding, Elia had told her that would be the last time, that even if they weren't caught that as a married woman it felt wrong to be disloyal to Rhaegar like that.
Ashara agreed that night, but there were tears in her eyes when she said the words.
Elia touches her now, her lips against hers and her hands sliding down her back and it doesn't feel wrong.
For a second she wonders if Rhaegar had touched the Stark girl that way. But as the kiss deepens, thoughts of her husband and his young lover fade from her mind.
And only Ashara remains.