"What is this place?" 

Livia asked, looking around the dusty mountains. She had woken up a few days before aboard a ship sailing to Dorne. She had not been allowed to leave her cabin, only being sent food and water.

When they had docked, Livia noticed that they weren't heading to Sunspear. She had looked at Oberyn then after days of avoiding him. Was he doing this with Prince Doran's help or was he doing this of his own accord?

It was probably the latter, after all, why would he be avoiding the capital?

They were on horseback, Livia was restrained, rope binding her wrists and her horse being pulled by one of the Dornishmen. She found herself in the mountains, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. 

Oberyn looked back at her once. "We are at the Red Mountains, my precious lioness."

"The Red Mountains?" She looked around once more. If she somehow managed to escape, there would be nowhere for her to go. Dust, sand, heat. She'd be dead in one day without water or food or shelter. "Don't tell me we travelled all this way for you to bury me in the sand."

He laughed before his tone turned mocking. "Have you ever heard of the Tower of Joy? Your friend, Ned Stark has been there actually."

"The Tower of Joy?" She asked, confused. Why was that familiar? Where did she hear that word from?

The first time Livia had ever heard of the 'Tower of Joy' was in King's Landing from...Rhaegar Targaryen.

Her eyes widened, turning to Oberyn who only smirked, his face tinged with sadness. "Where do you think Rhaegar Targaryen brought Lyanna Stark?"

Just as he spoke, a small tower came into view and Livia suppressed a shudder. Was this truly meant to be her fate?

Was she meant to be imprisoned in the Tower of Joy, held against her will? Was she what everyone thought of Lyanna Stark? Kidnapped and stolen away?

She barely registered being carried up the steps, barely saw the near-bare room in front of her. She could almost see the blood on the cotton sheets.

"Is this meant to be my home for the next couple of weeks, months, years? What do you hope to achieve from all of this?" Livia spoke up, finally gathering up the nerve to ask what the end point of all this is.

Oberyn approached her, reaching out to touch her face. It took everything in her not to flinch. "Leave him, marry me, stay in Dorne with me. I'll take care of you, I shall treat your child as my own. Just stay with me."

She slapped his hand away, face contorting in disgust. "If you'd forgotten, I am the queen of the Seven Kingdoms and I am already married, I love Robert and I am carrying his child nonetheless. And if you think he won't be coming for me, he will."

"Oh, will he now? I had thought he had left you for Lyanna Stark like I told you he will, isn't he in Winterfell?" He took a step back before raising a brow.

She laughed, holding her stomach from laughing so hard before becoming serious. "Robert went to Winterfell because I let him go, so he could make peace. Because I love him with every fiber of my being and that's what you do when you love someone, you'd do anything to see them happy."

"Do you really think he'll love you when you gave him the chance to leave?" Oberyn asked in exasperation, pulling her close. "Do you really think I'd go though all of these things if I didn't love you? What would I have to do for you to see that?"

Livia tried her hardest not to cringe in his embrace, but she forced herself to appeal to the side of him that claimed to care for her.

"Let me go, Oberyn. Please." Livia whispered, her hope hanging by a thread. "If you love me at all, let me go."

"I can't." Oberyn answered, pulling away and cutting away that thread of hope.

As he left, Livia walked to the window, seeing Oberyn and his men ride away. She lifted her hand to her belly, taking comfort that she was not alone.

Robert will come. He had to.

For all their sakes.

°•°•°•°•°•°

"If we attack Dorne, we risk another war!"

"The realm can't handle another war! But they have the queen! What choice do we have?"

"Perhaps we shouldn't at-"

At that, Robert slammed his hands on the table. The small council went quiet at the sound, all eyes turning to him, even the great Tywin Lannister who had been quiet all this time.

It had been a few days since he had gotten back to King's Landing but Robert had not stopped working even for a single second, gathering men and ships. He even called Tywin Lannister to come to King's Landing.

Of course, the man had insisted on staying, after all, his son had been battered and his daughter had been kidnapped. Maybe Tywin Lannister did care, at least, for his family's reputation.

Feeling everyone's stare on him once again, Robert gritted his teeth, turning to Maester Pycelle. "Tell me if I'm wrong, Pycelle but I think I just heard you suggest leaving my wife in Dorne."

"I only meant that perhaps we shouldn't go so soon, maybe negotiate-" Pycelle stuttered.

"My wife is not some object to haggle over. If you think, for one second, that I'm going to leave Livia in the hands of that Dornishman, get out!" Robert commanded, every nerve in his body screaming for Livia, for the sound of her voice, for the feel of her lips on his, for her soft pearly arms around him.

As the maester scrambled off his seat at the sight of Robert's fists, everyone left the room, that is, everyone but the one person Robert still didn't feel comfortable talking to.

"She told me you cared for her but I wouldn't have been able to guess how much." Lord Tywin said, facing the king.

"I won't leave her in Dorne. You do know that, don't you?" Robert answered, looking away.

Lord Tywin asked, looking amused. "Do you plan on starting another war? For another girl this time? For my daughter?"

"Livia's not Lyanna. She's-I love her so much and I don't know what to do." Robert sighed, looking to his good father. 

"And what do you wish for? Advice? Aegon Targaryen had three dragons and yet he failed to conquer Dorne. You barely have an army, what makes you think you can succeed where he failed?" Lord Tywin mocked.

"I do not wish to conquer Dorne, I only wish to get Livia back. I ask for your help, Lord Tywin. I understand that you don't want to risk so much but Livia, she's worth it. She's worth everything." Robert replied, eyes glazed with sincerity.

"Love has no place for monarchs such as yourself. If men were ruled by love, there would be no order, no leaders, only lovesick fools." Lord Tywin retorted.

Robert breathed in slowly. He pictured his fist connecting with his good father's face but he couldn't go through with it, not when he needed the men, the gold and the ships.

He had to use something other than his fists to solve this problem. He had to use the weapon Livia has used all this time.

Wits and logic.

Robert swallowed, yet his voice stood clear. "I am not a lovesick fool, Lord Tywin. I have fought for and protected this realm, I have earned the right to be King Robert Baratheon. The woman kidnapped by Oberyn Martell is not just my wife, she is Queen Livia Baratheon of the Seven Kingdoms, a fact that you overlooked." 

Lord Tywin said slowly, as if explaining his point to a child but the king has had enough. "You've done nothing but state your position as th-"

"Leaving her there proves that I cannot defend the realm, much less my queen. Livia is carrying our child, the heir to the Iron Throne. Had Livia not stepped in, your son, Jaime would be dead. If you do not aid me, you will be showing that your family is weak. Every day, you will be preparing yourself for the vultures." Robert snapped, standing from his seat.

For a moment, none of them spoke, both men unflinching as they glared at one another. Each of them unwilling to give in. 

Finally, Lord Tywin broke eye contact before giving his decision. "You will have Lannisport's fleet and men to steer them to Dorne."

Robert broke into a small smile. "I thank you Lord Tywin. I shall never forget this."

"Bring my daughter back safely. Bring her back and perhaps I shall forget your description of my family as weak." Lord Tywin stated, standing from his seat and leaving the room.

Robert was left alone, and he found his feet bringing him to the window. His eyes fell on the city, seeing the bustling streets and the crowded markets.

The hospital and the orphanages Livia had aided were still thriving but the people of King's Landing have been flocking the walls of the Great Sept to pray for their queen. 

They prayed for her return every single day. Not that prayer had done anything.

But even if Robert had to defy the gods, he swore on his mother, he would bring Livia back.

Even if it kills him.

<>-------------<>