seadragon | oberyn martell

Four

For five days Vaelerys stayed alone in her room. From what she assumed Aurane had gotten bored and found entertainment in the brothels of this cities streets which smelled of foreign flowers and spices.

Vaelerys had not been given the pleasure to choose the wedding dress. It was in a Dornish style  which showed much of her large pale breasts. She was uncomfortable in the thin blue silk. It was cut much like the dress she had seen Ellaria Sand wear upon their meet. It was heavily embroidered around her breasts and torso with golden flowers and hints of pink to match the strange brassiere which was meant to be showing that held up her breasts.

"Prince Oberyn is very generous Lady Vaelerys. You will enjoy yourself tonight." The Dornish accent of her handmaid was hard for her to decipher. From what she had learned, she was from the deep south where some still spoke the tongues of the Rhoynar.

"Whatever are you referring to Samira?"

Samira smiled as she looked to her lady. Samira had once served Lady Mellario before she left when the children were young. Her marriage between Prince Doran had been dissipated in the eyes of the Gods and laws.

"Prince Oberyn is one of the only men in the Seven Kingdoms who knows how to properly please a woman. It is hard to do so, yet he has mastered it. You will enjoy the bedding ceremony."

Vaelerys turned red at the thought of the bedding. She knew of it prior to the day. She had to prove their marriage by letting the court witness the unification of their bodies.

Vaelerys unlike her brothers, was a maiden. She had never been touched nor kissed for that matter and Oberyn Martell scared her greatly because of his sexual prowess and wisdom.

She didn't want him to touch her. He had been with many women, perhaps thousands. Their were diseases whores carried and she did not want her blood tainted by the Dornish man whore.

She also feared he would embarrass her more than the event already would be. She was a delicate untouched lamb, and he was a wild dog waiting to brutally devour her.

His lover was expected to be there as well, along with his eight bastards, The Sand Snakes. She expected Ellaria Sand to publicly humiliate her as well.

"I do not wish to bed him. He will humiliate and use me." Vaelerys bit her lip in fear as she gazed into the mirror.

Samira pet the side of the younger woman's head.

"Do not fear. Here in Dorne we take care of our own. Prince Oberyn understands not to hurt you Lady Velaryon. You will be his Princess Wife. You will be a Martell." She smiled as she laid her head upon the peak of the princess crown of braids.

She was dressed as the Rhoynar, yet she only saw a Valyrian sitting before her in the mirror. Pale skin, silver hair, and turquoise eyes. She did not belong here.

Samira placed the jewels upon her head, ears, and neck. Bangles adorned her wrists and ankles. She was wearing more wealth than her family had seen in all her fathers years as Lord of The Tides.

She felt an imposter. Her frown was deep as Samira joyously grinned in the golden trimmed mirror. In mere hours she would marry Oberyn Martell in the watergardens.

She felt her chest tighten as Aurane approached her inside the doors the restricted them from the crowd outside.

He frowned as he looked to her. Vaelerys wasn't an emotional woman but today he saw fear upon her face. Her eyes were frightened, her mouth agape, as she looked around as if paranoid a hidden assassins blade would break through her chest at any moment.

"Sister, you are frightened." He stated as he grabbed her arm. He would be escorting her to the Septon and Prince Oberyn in front of the collection of nobles.

"Beloved brother, I fear I will die here. In these hot and loveless lands I will die alone." She cried as she looked to him.

He softened as he held her within his arms.

The horns sounded and the siblings brief embrace was interrupted by the guards opening the doors. Vaelerys shuttered at the sight of at least two hundred witnesses.

"Lady Vaelerys of House Velaryon! Heir to the Driftmark Throne! Accompanied by Aurane Waters of House Velaryon!" The Martell guard announced as Aurane stepped forward.

She kept her head low as people murmured. The Velaryons's were rarely seen and for many of them her and her brother had been their first sight of Targaryen and Valyrian beauty.

"Valyrians truly are beauties. The Prince Oberyn will enjoy that one. Porky she may be, but that magic can not be distinguished by lemon cakes and piegon pies." A noble man laughed to his friend as the future Lady of Sunspear flenched at the deep and ominous tones of the Martell House song, The Unbent, Unbowed, and Unbroken Sun.

Prince Oberyn smirked looking to Ellaria in the crowd before looking back to his soon be wife. The Sandsnakes hissed as the Velaryon neared causing her to look over in anguish.

Obara snarled at Aurane Waters looked in disgust at the women.

Oberyn's handsome face smiled to Aurane as he handed his sister's trembling hand to his. Aurane did not return the amusement.

Oberyn took Vaelerys hands in his. She refused to look at him as he stared down at her. He found it amusing how frightful she was. Days earlier she had taken up for herself in front of men who out did her in station, now she hid her pretty face from him.

They exchanged their vows. Oberyn couldn't help but be annoyed by how quiet Vaelerys was as she spoke. The crowd surely could not hear her as he had to strain to hear her peep out the words himself.

"A kiss shall be shared, a symbol of one body, mind, and soul in front of the eyes of the Gods."

Oberyn chuckled at the Septons words as he looked to the sky above.

With a quick gust of the hand, he grabbed Vaelerys by her jaw, forcing her to look up to him, quickly pecking the meek girl on the lips.

The crowd roared in joy as the pale woman turned as red as the Dornish sun.