The Red Viper and Dragon Princess Edit

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty - 299 AC

Plans & Letters

A Week Later. . .

When one of the servants came calling for him, Oberyn was slightly apprehensive and concerned as he walked the halls heading for his brother. He had been with the three eldest Sand Snakes in the training yards and was slightly angry that he had been called away from them. Ever since they had started receiving more frequent letters from Visenya, he had begun to realize how closed off her had been from his family, made apparent by just their time together that day.

Obara could almost best him with a spear now, Nymeria had mastered a bull whip, Tyene had almost more knowledge of poisons than he did and Sarella was away in Oldtown spying on Kings Landing, sending reports about the war back to Dorne. Oberyn hadn't been around for any of it. He had come to realize he had spent more time with Ellaria and their four daughters, than he did with the rest of his family in the last fifteen years, and he was starting to see that Ellaria was very controlling.

He had also noticed that his four oldest daughters, were keeping a close eye on her. It wasn't obvious by any means, but Oberyn could remember his daughters when they were first learning to fight, when Visenya was still prominent in their mind, and he could tell that something had made his daughters leery of his paramour. It made something in his chest tighten with dread as he wondered what Ellaria had done to make Obara glare at her, as though her eyes had the power to set the Uller bastard on fire.

In the last few weeks, he had slowly begun to repair his relationships with his brother and oldest daughters, especially Obara. He could still remember when he first seen her, the little dornish girl standing on Visenya's ship. She had been dressed in yellow and Oberyn's heart had ached as their identical eyes had met and Obara had greeted him so happily. She had been so leery of him those first few weeks and it was only Visenya that had allowed them to bond. He couldn't blame her for being leery, she had been born and raised in a whorehouse after all.

He would never forget when she had asked Visenya, if she would be her mother. He would also never forget Visenya's face when she accepted. When word had come that Visenya was barren, everything inside him had howled with denial. He knew how much she had wanted to be a mother. He remembered promising they could have as many children as she wanted when she could finally bind herself to his side. But it would never happen. Their only children would be their four daughters, of which, not one was of her blood.

He was drawn from his thoughts when Aero opened the doors, and he entered the throne room to see Doran was sitting at the table with a pitcher of wine. He stalked across the room and slumped down into the chair across from him, "Why have you summoned me Doran?" he drawled lazily as he poured himself some wine. His elder brother didn't say anything, he just handed him the two pieces of parchment in his hands. Oberyn, sensing the seriousness of his brothers mood, accepted them.

When he finished reading the one from Prince Jacaerys he moved to the other. When he saw they had finally given the announcement of marriage and a coming of a birth, he was ecstatic and couldn't help the excited grin that crossed his face. Everything was now slowly coming together.

He placed the parchment of the table and looked to his brother, "What now?" he asked softly.

Doran rubbed his cheek while frowning, "I don't know. Visenya has asked we don't make a move yet and now the heir to the Iron Throne is calling all allies to battle. If we ignore it, there is a great insult to him, but if we answer we are ignoring an order from the Queen Regent," he explained tiredly.

Oberyn nodded thoughtfully, "What if we send Lord Dayne and ten thousand soldiers to them? It won't be us directly answering the call or defying Visenya's order," he said thinking quickly.