The shifting sands of Dorne’s court are once again stirred, as fresh whispers and knowing glances follow the recent return of Prince Rhodry and his wife, Lady Tanyth, to Sunspear. Their arrival, some days past, was marked by little fanfare, but it was hard to say it was unnoticed that their entourage of companions had expanded by two: a wet nurse ... and the infant boy in her charge, newly born. These two were installed in the prince’s apartments in Sunspear. Though no announcements were made, the truth slipped into the corridors of Sunspear like a thief in the night: the child, named Taran Sand, was none other than Prince Rhodry’s bastard…
And the mother of this child? Two days after this quiet homecoming, Samara herself returned to Sunspear, slipping into her manse with no announcement. It seems she left Sunspear to parts unknown to give birth to this bastard child, and for the prince and his lady wife to take charge of it, a fact that has fanned the flames of gossip in every hall and garden. What remains the subject of both admiration and puzzlement is Lady Tanyth’s apparent acceptance of her husband’s bastard as their ward. For a noblewoman of such proud lineage, her composure and public grace in the face of what others might see as humiliation have earned her reluctant respect among some, and derision—though quietly, for it would not do for the Black Tempest to hear of it, much less her infamously volatile husband—among others.
Yet for all the whispers surrounding bastards and broken vows, the court’s attention is not solely consumed by these intrigues. Savina Reyaan, daughter of a Braavosi keyholder has caught the eye of the young Prince Malor, who has organized a ball at her request. With a keen interest in Dornish culture, the young lady Savina has expressed her desire to learn the art of Dornish dance, and in return, she and her attendants have promised to display dances of their own homeland for the enjoyment of the court. Curiosity has drawn many of the younger courtiers to attend, while wagers are already being made as to how long before a betrothal between the prince and the Braavosi.