Strands of Fate

Chapter 5: Tess

I bent backwards almost losing my balance as I dodged the arc of the blade aimed at my chest. Nym smiled at me as she backed off a step.

"Not bad Tessa." She said with smirk, "week ago, trying that move would have had you flat on your ass."

"As I told you, I'm a quick learner." I retorted, spinning my spear the way that Obarra had taught me.

I knew that while she'd never admit it, Nym had taken it personally when I had opted for the spear over the daggers as my primary weapon, but truthfully it suited me much better. The spear felt powerful in my hands and I loved the way it allowed me to be more of an offensive fighter than defensive. Nym capitalized on my momentary distraction and kicked the spear from my hand. She did an impressive spin bringing her blade down to the spot just over my heart and smiled.

"Did you forget? The first rule is never let your focus leave you opponent." She purred.

"And the second, is always be aware of your surroundings." I countered, raising an eyebrow.

Nym looked down slightly, to where I had the small blade I slipped from a sheath in the side of my armor pressed against the artery in her neck.

"Glad to know you've picked up a few tricks from me as well." Nym said with a grin.

A bell rang from the house on the hill above them, signaling the evening meal. We both returned their weapons to the rack at the edge of the training mat before heading back up the hill.

"If you ever tell Obarra I said this I'll deny it, but you are quite the prodigy with that spear. It wouldn't surprise me if you are better than her eventually." Nym said.

"I'm not sure I'd go that far." I replied, but I smiled slyly.

I had been here in the home of the Sand Snakes for almost two moons. I had to admit, while I was not sure exactly what I had been expecting, it wasn't what I experienced. I supposed with the reputation that proceeded Oberyn Martell and his paramour, I'd expected the residence, they shared with their children to be opulent, even gaudy, but it was nothing of the sort. The manor, set on a hillside just outside of Sunspear, was spacious to be sure, but it had a kind of simplicity to it's sandstone walls, and rich wooden beamed ceiling that made it feel, like a home. The people within the home were almost as unexpected as the home itself. While the Sand Snakes presented a fearsome persona as far as the world was concerned, here they were simply able to be who they were. Sisters who laughed, and bickered but always loved one another, and now I was one of them. As I climbed the steps, Dorea who was only nine, jumped onto my back, clinging on tightly.

"Gotcha Tessa!" She said with a giggle.

"You sure did." I agreed, scooting the girl up slightly higher on my back and carrying her inside.

"Did you beat Nym today?" Dorea asked. From my left side Nymeria made a disgruntled sound.

"Oooooo you did!" Said Dorea, with a grin.

"Barely..." Nym grumbled, as we walked into the main room.

Several of the other sisters were bring plates of food to the table. That was another thing I loved about the Sand Snakes, while they were obviously wealthy enough to have servants doing all their cooking and cleaning, Oberyn preferred them to work together to make things happen.

"Barely what?" Said Obarra as she came through the door way, nearly tripping with a armful of dishes as a small head of wild dark curls went whipping past her.

"Gods be damned Loreza!" She cursed, as the six year old ran away giggling. "One of these days that child is going to give someone a broken neck!"

I took the stack of plates from her and we shared a small smile. Obarra had quickly become my closest friend, she was smart, whitty, and took absolutely no shit from anyone. I never had to worry about Obarra keeping things from me, or not telling the entire truth. The girl seemed almost incapable of not speaking her mind. She also had an annoying habit of downplaying just how charming she was. It drove me crazy the way she always referred to herself in such deprecating ways.