The Little Wolf

Chapter 20 | Discussions of the past

Oberyn was standing at the balcony, staring at the sky and at his nephew playing with his betrothed and his cousins. He was the only boy inside the castle, yet he had been raised with his cousins like a brother would be.

People used to say that Oberyn Martell would make a daughter everywhere he went to. Not that it bothered him since it was, partially, the truth. Many people around the Seven Kingdoms thought it was disrespectful for him to bring his bastard daughters to court, but most of those people were stupid, to begin with.

He never regretted his choices for one minute. He didn't regret any of it. Bringing his daughters to Court, recognising them as his.

Many argued that a child's place is with the mother, not with the father. However, Oberyn knew that if it weren't for him, most of them would live a miserable life. He loved them, every single one of them. The easy daughters, the complicated daughters... all of them.

"Licked your wounds already? Or did you have the Stark girl kissing them?" he asked once he saw his squire arriving by the corner of his eye.

"Licked them myself, Prince" he stated recomposed once again. Oberyn indicated for him to come closer, which the boy did.

"She's very fond of you, you know that?" Daemon nodded in silence. "Then be careful"

"I would never treat her wrong, My Prince" he assured defensively. "I was hoping you knew that"

"She's not just any girl, she's gone through a lot herself" he began, turning to face his squire. "She's not like my niece or any of my daughters. She's not a dornishwoman"

"I know she's not," he said. "She's of the North"

"She comes from a place where no one would ever want to marry her after seeing her being taken on a stroll by you" Oberyn explained. "She has gone through things you could never even imagine. Do you know what they did to her in King's Landing?"

"They executed her father and held her as a prisoner" Oberyn gave a sarcastic laugh that made Daemon warry. Had he spoken such nonsense? That was what he had been told! "I apologize, but is it funny to you?"

"That was a tragedy, but out of the monstruosities that happened there, that was the smallest one" Daemon's facial expression changed as he listened carefully, afraid of what he was about to hear. "They did what Lannisters and usurpers are best at! You know what they do to women and children there?"

"I've heard rumours" he stated as he swallowed dryly. "About what they did to your sister and her children"

"Aye, so have I" the mentioning of Elia was poisonous to Oberyn. There was nothing that made him sadder, angrier, or more upset than what happened to his sister. "I heard many rumours but the one I keep hearing is that Tywin Lannister marched on King's Landing pretending to be on the Mad King's side. And Aerys Targaryen, the Mad King, was foolish enough to believe his genuine devotion and obedience to the crown. Then, when he invaded the city and while his soldiers killed and raped the citizens of the Capitol, he sent Ser Gregor Clegane... what a knight he was! He ordered him to get rid of Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys! My nephew and niece! And as if it weren't enough, he made my sister, Princess Elia Martell watch as he dashed her infant son's head against the wall, raping her afterwards and split her in half with his great, knighted sword!"

"It was a vile act, an awful crime" Daemon stated as he watched Oberyn getting furious. He was vengeful, he wanted to avenge Elia and her children, he wanted to make the Lannisters pay for their crimes. Not with fancy marriage alliances or apologetic letters... no, that wouldn't do! He wanted them dead, all of those who were responsible for the crimes committed against his family! "Lannisters only care about themselves, My Prince. They protect each other to make their family name live on, to carry on with their legacy"