Pedro Pascal Character Imagines

Fateful Meeting (Oberyn Martell)

Summary: Oberyn meets a young woman and her son in the gardens of Sunspear.

Walking the gardens of Sunspear never failed to give Oberyn a sense of peace. Especially after a day of diplomacy or a day where he missed his dearly departed sister.

Today as Oberyn walked the gardens, he thought he kept seeing something out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't sure until he heard a giggle. Oberyn fought back a smile as he pretended to not notice the sound. He heard the laugh again and turned his head quickly.

A small body ducked around the hedge.

It was clear it was a child playing around with him. Oberyn walked towards the hedge and darted around to the other side, but the child was gone. He glanced around, but he couldn't tell which way the child went. He instead listening very carefully until he pinpointed little footsteps running. Oberyn ran through the labyrinth of hedges. Just as he reached the end, he was poked in the stomach with a small stick. Oberyn pretended to cry out in pain and fell onto the ground, clutching the spot.

The small assailant perched themselves on his chest like a cat.

The child was a small boy.

Oberyn looked at him confused. There were no male children in Sunspear. Not in the palace anyway. Had he sired a son somewhere along the line?

"Hello, little one. Where is your mother?" Oberyn asked him.

"She had a meeting with the princess."

Arianne had a visitor? Oberyn hadn't been informed of it.

"Ciro!" a female voice yelled. A young woman walked up and pulled the small boy off Oberyn. "My prince! I am so sorry!"

Oberyn propped himself up on his elbows, smiling up at her. "He did no harm to me, my lady. We were simply playing."

"I slew Prince Oberyn!" the little boy said, excitedly.

The young woman put her hands on her hips and gave him a look. "Did you?"

He nodded. "I was quick and sly! Just like Papa!"

A sad look crossed her face and she took her son's hand. "We should let Prince Oberyn finish his walk through the gardens."

"Okay, Mama. Bye Prince Oberyn!"

"Goodbye, little one."

Ciro's mother gave Oberyn one last look before they left Oberyn alone.

The next night, Arianne threw a feast.

Oberyn wasn't really in the mood to socialize. He wanted to know more about the mysterious woman and her son he'd met the previous day.

"This feast is in your honor, uncle," Arianne told him.

"My honor? What have I done to warrant a celebration?"

Arianne frowned. "Didn't my father inform you?"

"Inform me of what, niece?" Oberyn hated it when Doran kept things from him.

Arianne walked over her desk and pulled a role of parchment. She handed it to her uncle, who snatched it from her hands.

He opened it and read it over. "Married? Doran is forcing me to marry?" Oberyn was furious. He'd never wanted to be married.

"You're not getting any younger, uncle. You don't need to love her or give her a child. This is political only. She needs this."

Oberyn sighed and agreed to attend the feast. Arianne insisted that Oberyn look his best and that included the golden circlet he never wore. He hated seeming like he was above his subjects.

Arianne entered the room with the woman from the day before. The woman was dressed in a beautiful orange dress in the Dornish fashion and it took Oberyn's breath away. They approached the table at the back and the woman bowed to him.

"Uncle, might I introduce Morgan Blackmar, your future wife."

The Blackmar's were a minor Dornish house. They didn't come from noble blood, instead being granted titles by Oberyn and Doran's father for their loyalty.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Oberyn," Morgan said.

"Where is your son?" Oberyn asked, "I was looking forward to seeing him again."

Arianne looked between the two of them. "You two know each other already?"

Morgan smiled softly. "We met yesterday in the gardens. Ciro is around here, my Prince."

Oberyn stood up and came around the table to stand in front of Morgan. He bowed and took her hand in his own, bringing it to his lips for a kiss.

"I'll leave you to it then," Arianne said, smiling. She squeezed Morgan's shoulder and walked off.

"I can't believe it's you," Oberyn breathed.

Morgan gave him a soft smile. "Fate seems to favor us."

"Then I pray it will favor us in all things."

"I couldn't ask for anything more."