ONE YEAR LATER

Doran Martell steadied in his chair, exhaling deeply as his eyes adjusted to the bright skies of the water garden. The giggles of young adults running through the large trees and beautiful landscaping filled the air.

"Do you remember when you were that young? Did you ever expect for us to fall so far?" Victoria commented softly, bowing in front of her uncle and walking to her chair, she took her seat besides her uncle, adjusting to the plush cushion and melting into its back support.

She was a changed women from the girl who had stepped off the docks in Dorne, her hair was no longer long and spewing down her back but now cut short and swayed above her shoulders. Her skin was now a smooth tan, a shade darker then her children's. She no longer looked as thin as she'd once been but was now comely like a women ripe of her age. At only 3 and 20 she indeed appeared as powerful as her name and stories foretold. She was the panther that rose from a lions den and the wolf cave, surviving the odds of a Dornish women in Westeros.

Doran looked over at his niece, she was so strange to him sometimes, so familiar from voices past he reminded himself often how she was her own women. The softness in her eyes and the gentle smile she gave was much like his sister Elia had been even near the end but the fierce and sharp gaze given was like Oberyn's after long journeys. Sometimes her stubbornness rivaled her fathers but the gentle way she coaxed herself into always gaining favor was all Amara Martell. She had seen many faults and falls, her words echoed those of leaders past but she was still just a girl, naive to much of the art in war.

"Have you been speaking with Elaria?" He questioned her.

She looked over, tendrils of hair whipping in the air, "she's spoken of your decisions quite often and loudly, even if it is not directly to me it is to someone with ears. Uncle, you must be careful, there is nothing more dangerous then a wrathful women."

"She does not understand, I loved my brother deeply and I wished he had made different decisions but it was his choice and it was a valid fight. He knew what the outcomes may be," Doran defended, he was tired of this same argument, he's enough from the sand snakes and the questionable stares he received from his people.

"I know," Victoria muttered back and twirled the cup of wine in her hand. She grew fearful each day for her uncles life, "for what it's worth, I agree with you there but Uncle, you have to know it does not send a great message. Oberyn was loved in Dorne, more then most and to see him die at the hands of a Lannister's doing... it's not right. None of this is a great look for our people, we once won a war against the Targaryens, their blood is as much Martell as ours is. And now where do we stand?"

"You've been speaking to Elaria," Doran grew slightly angry, his eyes darkening as he stared at his niece ready to defend his choice.

She drew back and a loud breath exhaled, "I won't lie to you uncle, we've spoken, well, she's spoken at me. She's angry but so are most, everyone is, we lost again to the Lannisters and harbor a daughter here. She's a child, and of no fault but it is not safe for her."

"Your cousin loves her, he's told me." Doran admitted, he seemed to reel back from the sudden burst of anger. Victoria wasn't here to change his mind, not like Elaria Sand, but she was here to reason with him. "Trystan and Marcela will one day rule over Dorne, we can't go back on our word."

Victoria swallowed thickly, the idea of the Lannisters having another hand in her country felt uneasy. What would stop them from coming for then? "Uncle, all I ask is you consider your people. Consider me as your niece, when you are gone my children will be danger, Tywin will come for us all."

"Tywin Lannister has offered you peace, my niece, Aleksander and Valeria are Valientes in their eyes. Your cousin Trystan will not allow anything to happen to you, and for as long as I live neither will I." Doran softly repeated the words he'd spoken time and time again, but this time they seemed lighter, almost as if all the weight they once held had dissipated

Victoria smiled and stood, swallowing the doubt in her throat she bowed gracefully," I suppose I should go check on my children. They've skipped crawling and gone straight into full dashes across the water gardens, chasing each other like animals. I should make sure they're clean before our dinner, your Grace."

She kissed her uncles hand and he tightened his grip on her palm as if to assure her.

She walked past his guards who nodded her way and turned in the opposite direction of the water gardens, heading for her private quarters where she stayed when she was in Sunspear.

"He didn't listen did he." Amina appeared from the shadows, walking beside her cousin, her words were more of a statement then a question, like they'd both known the outcome long ago.

Victoria shook her head, "no, unfortunately our Uncle has always thought himself wiser then most. He thinks the people in Dorne are kind, but kindness only stretches so far against this pressure."

"We told you," Obara Sand appeared at her door, a whip in her hand she twisted it in her wrist and stared at her cousin and sister.

"Cousin," Victoria stopped in her tracks, "I didn't think you'd be here."

"We have news," she responded with mischief.

Victoria swallowed, she loved her cousins equally but as of late something had changed with most of the sand snakes. They were bitter, angry at the realm and for good reason, but their actions were questionable. Elaria he gotten into their head in only a way a mother could, seeded deep into their minds with her same malicious thoughts. Victoria knew her uncles paramour wanted to kill Marcela, send her back in pieces as a message to Cersei.

The Sand Snakes and their mother were on a path of destruction, one that was not privy to the ways of Lannisters, not firsthand at least.

Obara opened the door and allowed way for the women to enter.

Victoria froze as she stepped inside, a chill running up her spine and she stiffened to allow

"So beautiful, so elegant," Elaria was holding Valeria in her arms, spinning a tiny silver toy as the little girl gleefully bounced and kicked her legs out. "One would never know she was a bastard."

Elaine stood near the corner and bounced Aleks on her lap as he slept, she looked fearful Nymeria stood near the blonde and smirked happily at her cousins.

"What are you doing." Victoria spoke darkly, narrowing her eyes. "These are my private quarters, my children are to be sleeping."

"These were my private quarters once, when I stayed here with Oberyn, before he was murdered." Elaria ignored her and kept playing with Valeria, "I held your cousins here, played with them much in the same manner before things happened, before the Lannisters."

Victoria walked inside the room, she noted Tyene standing near her mother and a blade at her back. They were very much on edge with each other, tensions rose the longer things went on, and Victoria was cautious.

"Mama," Valeria sang softly and lifted her arms up to her mouth.

Victoria smiled at her baby girl and gently took her from Elaria, she stepped back and felt Elaine come close. "Amina, would you please help Lady Monterroso to the children's room."

Amina came close, arms extended awaiting, in turn Lady Valiente pressed a kiss to her daughters hair and inhaled her scent, calming herself.

She presses Valeria into her Amina's palms and nods as if to assure her cousin it's okay to go. The blonde and brunette quickly make their way out and Victoria is suddenly aware of the blade strapped to her thigh. She moves to the wine and pours herself a cup, calmly she moves around Tyene who stares her down.

"You will not do that again." Victoria says after taking a sip of her drink, "none of you will. My children are not some object you dangle to keep my in line, if any of you has given a thought to harming my children I will slaughter you with my bare hands."

Nymeria laughs, almost as if she's amused, "please Victoria, while your papa placed you in knitting and dancing we all learned how to be warriors. You could not stand a chance."

Victoria smiled, she took another drinks and pointed a finger at then all, "that is quite true. Perhaps all of you are aware how to kill a man in combat and you may be capable but which one of you has ever done it. Who of you has taken a blade and stabbed a man so deep in his belly you've felt the warmness of his insides spilling into your palm? Which one of you has fought for survival? Yes, fighting someone who is not intentionally trying to harm you is good but that's just it cousin, you do anything to my children or threaten Lady Monterroso again and I will kill you."

"Our papas are not here to pull us apart, perhaps we should test your true valor," Tyene hissed, stepping forward.

Victoria did not move, she relaxed into her seat and stared without waved. "Pull us apart or pull you away from me, never forget, cousin, who always seemed to be winning when they stepped in?"

Tyene moved forward but was stopped by Obara who seemed rather impressed by her cousins lack of fear. Sure, they had their differences but none of them could deny that the fire once snuffed out by the north's need for a future wife was now burning strong and fearless within Victoria.

"That's enough," Elaria finally cut in, "we have more important items to discuss then fighting with family."

"That's very rich," Amina walked back into the room, "considering you're plotting against our prince, our uncle. Tell her, Elaria, how you plot to overthrow our Uncle Doran."

Victoria felt shocked, she swallowed thickly and placed her cup of wine down, "what does she speak of?"

Elaria stared at her daughter, of all the rebellious children she and Oberyn had it was always Amina that seemed the most troublesome. She wasn't like her sisters, staying close to their father and learn his ways, and yet oddly she was the most alike Oberyn. She had been the one to leave consistently, never in one place for too long and learned to fight against unforgiving opponents. She was the one who opposed Elaria the most. Although the former paranoid considered all sand snakes her children Amina had always made it clear she would never be her mother.

The mother of the sand snakes waited a moment longer and quickly turned her head back to Victoria who's anger was bubbling the longer she had no answer. "Doran is weak, he's been weak for some time. We need to avenger Oberyn's death and so many other travesties we've felt because of Westeros and the Lannisters. Victoria, you are already building an uprising with your slow taking of their castles, we can do more with the proper houses behind us."

"We?" Victoria scoffed and stood, she looked down, feeling her cousins suddenly twitch as she moved. "We will not be doing anything! I will not be making a move towards a man who has taken care of us OUR WHOLE LIVES! Doran Martell is our prince! We cannot overthrow him! The people will never follow any of us if we do."

"We didn't mean overthrow." Obara corrected, her voice was straight, no emotion, no hesitation.

Victoria couldn't breathe, she felt a strike of fear enter her, and she deciphered every single move they had within those words. She saw they were set, not an ounce of regret was within their eyes. Somewhere, in the pit of her stomach she knew Oberyn would object, he knew the man to be forward but never this ludicrous.

"The people will never follow you, they may hate Doran but ridding the world of proper Martells will never work." Victoria sneered and turned away. "Leave my quarters before I threaten to out you all."

"There's more," Elaria drawled out lowly, not moving an inch. "You'll see why we need to do this once we show you

Victoria stilled, what else could there be? She looked to Amina who displayed a myriad of emotions, none of which told her an answer. She crossed her arms and felt horrible about staying instead of running but nodded her head, "go on."

"Jamie Lannister is coming," Elaria stated, "he's nearly here from what we've gathered, snuck on a boat and entered Dorne, and now he seeks to take Marcella home. Doran will not make him see justice when he's captured, instead he will seek peace. You know it to be true, you know that your beloved Uncle Doran will not seek to avenge your wrongdoings. Just you wait, you to will be fighting for revenge."

Amina froze and Victoria spared her a single glance out of sympathy, she knew things hadn't ended well in Kingslanding and Amina had been in unknown territory with the Lannister. Things had gone from bad to worse shortly after the murder of Joffrey Lannister and soon come to a vicious end when Oberyn Martell had died in combat.

"Perhaps he will be happy to see you, daughter," Elaria mocked Amina and stared directly at her, "or you will be glad to see him."

Amina made a move to step forward and Victoria grasped her wrist and held her in place, the vivid cerulean color of her eyes intensified the angrier she was. "You have no right to speak of what happened, you were not there. You do not know."

"You fell for him, even after your father asked you not too, begged you to go you stayed and got your father killed." Elaria mocked her.

"He chose to go in that battle, he chose to fight. He never blamed me for any of it," Amina said through a stiff voice. Her chest felt like it was collapsing as she relived the moments, she knew if Elaria could have any anger directed at someone other then the Lannisters and Doran Martell then it would be to her. In truth, she sometimes blamed herself for her fathers death, if he had not been so distracted keeping her from being lost in Jamie Lannister perhaps things would've ended differently. She regretted everything that led her to meet him that fateful day, she regretted every kiss he'd stolen, ever breath he'd taken, and finally the love she'd never wish to share.

"I suppose we will find out your allegiances soon, he is nearby. If you'd like to see your fathers death avenged then perhaps you should join us, the moment he steps foot on the water gardens we will seize him and take vengeance. With any luck Marcella will attempt to defend him and we can finally finish what we've come to start." Elaria finished and stood.

Victoria scowled at her, her eyes narrowed she chose her words very carefully, "I think you should be wise of threatening Amina in my presence, she is my blood more then she was ever yours."

Elaria smiled, as if her threat was nothing more then a taunt and tooo her leave, all 3 of her girls walking backwards as they kept their eyes on the remaining women.

The door closed shortly afterwards and Victoria looked at her cousin, they stared at one another for quite some time, neither saying nothing but clearly communicating.

Amina opened her mouth to speak, to explain verbally but anything that she attempted to speak was left breathless and she could only say. "I have to go."

Victoria nodded her head, "I have to tell the prince."

Amina nodded and blinked tears away as she shakily lifted a hand, "I don't know what to think."

"I know, I never did. It'll come to you in the moment, trust. Now go, make sure those bitches don't get to him before you do." Victoria attempted not to smile at her cousin. Their entire lives, Amina had claimed time and time again she would never marry and never fall in love.

It had caused a lot of downfall in her life, after her father had bed her mother in Lys they'd fallen in love, only her mother had fallen harder. Of course there was no living a normal life for the red viper and as gently as he able too he left, exiled by most of her blood and just a ghost amongst her relatives she'd become depressed and not even the hope of a child brought Oberyn back in her love. He was kind, providing for his daughter and occasionally coming to her, he promised a young Amina she would soon meet a world different then her home and would see her sisters all at once. She'd remembered how much she'd begged to go before and reasoned with her father saying she held no place in her mothers heart. It wasn't long after that her mother whispered while she assumed to be asleep that her only regret was never giving her the protection she deserved but she would walk beside her forever after. The next morning her mother was found washed ashore, dead by her own hand and Amina realized that her mother never truly hated her but was never able to overcome the grief of loved departure.

It was on the boat leaving to her new life with her father beside her did she promise never to fall that deeply for anyone. And she's been able to keep that promise until she met someone with such a twisted perspective on life.

Amina knew her cousins meant every single word, and the pain flashed in her maple colored eyes. She walked to the door and took a deep breath, today she would do what her mother never could, confront that love.

Victoria waited until she was out the door, locking it behind herself and then abruptly running into the adjoins corridors. She found Elaine and her husband awaiting, both carrying a sleeping child.

Victoria looked flustered as she walked in, and Elaine hated to admit but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her alive. The Lady of House Valiente walked over towards her sleeping son and picked him up, she kissed his head and breathed in the familiarity of his scent, finding her heart already calming and thinking clearly.

Victoria took a second to analyze her surroundings and gather her thoughts before she began to speak. "Elaine, you must take the twins back to Valiente castle and guard them with your life, take Greywind with you. Monteros we stay here until there is no other option but to leave. We must hurry, blood will begin to shed shortly."

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I really like this part of the story, there's a lot of character growth and building here. Victoria is still reeling from Robb's graphic death and is coming to terms with not only being a mother but also a leader. She has more family then before but now she has more enemies and these are much closer then before. M