The Baratheon Girl • Oberyn Martell

07: "Everything will work out"

"You brought her into my home." I stated, paying more attention to my nails than I did to the Dornishman leaning against my chamber door.

After Ellaria's appearance the children had raced to her side, all fighting for her attention with their stories and questions.

I quietly left to collect my thoughts. Though my jealousy for her pooled in the pits of my stomach, the realisation that Oberyn had only just noticed my disappearance, hours later, hurt much more.

I was never one for confrontation. Unlike my mother I rarely confess my opinions on other people's choices but this was different. Somehow my betrothed thought it was a good idea to bring his whore into the Red Keep.

It certainly was not a good idea.

Oberyn's decision to let Ellaria Sand join him in King's Landing caused shivers to run down my spine, the prospect of him having a lover had never been so blatantly real. This was a possibility now, would she haunt my marriage like a ghostly apparition waiting for her chance to be rid of me.

I was at war with the expectations of society and my own mind yet again. Mostly all Lords had lovers which their wives knew about and I was fully aware of this 'practice'. But Oberyn had been incredibly sweet to me, his gentle touches and kind words made me forget this was a likelihood. I hoped I wouldn't overlook his power over me again. For all his hot kisses, Oberyn still hated my family and his enemies blood ran through my veins.

Am I naive enough to think Oberyn would renounce himself to a lifetime with one woman. A girl whose family played a large role in his brother-in-law's death, it was stupid of me to think such a way.

Regardless of that, he is so worldly and I had rarely left the Keep. What could I offer the Prince which he couldn't find elsewhere.

What was I to expect, as Tyrion once said he was known for fucking half of Westeros, why would he stop now because of me.

Ellaria's disruption had brought me back to reality. The past few days had made me forget the way society worked, the way husbands took lovers and wives looked the other way.

"I did not-"

"Clearly you did, she is with the children as we speak." I yelled turning around to face him with a glare. "In your room, the one you no doubt kept for her."

"Kendra my sunbeam-"

"Do not call me that."

"Kendra," He sighed, the frown lines on his forehead showing his irritation for my interruptions. Not that I was in the position to rationalise my words, my anger was practically sizzling on the surface of my skin.

"If you could let me speak you would know that I, in fact, did not invite her here." I let out a scoff at his patronising comment, "Believe me or not, it is the truth."

The brief slip of hope crossing my face must've shown him my uncertainty, I'm sure in the midst of jealousy and betrayal I didn't voice it. His lips lifted into a smile, not quite reaching the corners of his eyes but twitching nonetheless.

Twisting on his feet he quickly moved to leave our chamber but I stepped forward in a poor attempt to stop him. "Oberyn I-"

"I know my sweet, I know." He spoke, his back to me and walking out of the door.

I stared at the door for a while. It could've been hours and I wouldn't have noticed. Beside my father, Oberyn was the one man to take real interest in me. Of course I had my uncle Tyrion, but he was rarely in the Keep long enough, favouring the love of whores over the innocent love of his niece. But Oberyn had the time for me, or was it all a ploy. By now it often slipped my mind that our marriage was arranged and we had only scratched the surface of our lives together.