A Dance of Lions and Snakes (O. Martell)

VI

My father and prince Doran certainly went all out for our wedding ceremony, every inch of the garden is exquisitely decorated with gold and all possible tones of orange for both our houses. As per tradition we along with family are in the middle of it all, currently waiting for the cake and the birds, a silly tradition in my opinion, a bird can be free unlike either of us in this marriage.

Oberyn's whore hasn't shown her face since I arrived at Sunspear, better for her, I don't know if I could control my father's temperament if she were to attend the wedding. We haven't talked either, in the walk the people's cheers drowned out our conversation, but here we can't risk anyone hearing about our mutual hostility, rumors are tiresome and we both seem to want to avoid them.

He leaned into my ear and said "This is definitely one of the most boring parties I've ever attended, after I free those birds in your honor let's dance wife." Ha! As if you know anything about honor, you two-timer "Well I would love to be my beloved husband."

When the cake arrived Oberyn got up without a word and held his hand out for me to take, as we walked together to the very center of the garden, all the guests turned quiet and turned to watch us. Oberyn once in front of the cake said "As per tradition we honor the gods with the free spirits of the winds, however, I too will honor my wife today... shall we always be as happy as we are at this moment"

He bent ever so little and kissed my hand, as before his eyes always on mine, I put on the smile I gave Daario every morning, one of love and admiration, "Shall we always, beloved"

He let go of my hand and took a couple of steps forward, unleashing his sword and with one clean swoop the birds were rendered free, white pigeons. Ha! So they represent purity? Love? Lies? Infidelity?

"Now band, play a tune so I may dance with my beautiful wife" and the did, they played a song, I now that song, it is the same song that *gasp* the song Johna played for me the day he proposed.

Oberyn heard my gasp and I'm sure he saw the terror in my eyes, the very same one I've practiced so hard to suppress for years "Flower, what is the matter?" nonono, how could he do this to me? As we danced I tried to find my father, there he was sung faced, drinking some wine from his seat besides mine.

He smiles at me and a shiver goes down my spine, reminiscing about that night with my love, our last night together "Seriously Flower, is something the matter?" I finally looked at him and my mask went right back on with a perfect smile "Everything is perfect beloved, just got lost in thought for a moment"

He pulled me closer to him and said with just a whisper "For this to work you have to be honest with me Flower... we are man and wife after all" oh really? "Don't make me laugh Viper, you have done nothing to earn my trust or deserve my honesty"

He twirled around, smiled on both our faces, masks, and when I came back to his hold he continued "What do you mean? Not talking every day hardly counts when it comes to one's trust" pff! "Tell me beloved, how could I trust you if you couldn't keep the simplest of promises?"

Realization dawn on him, our deal before my departure "That isn't fair Flower. I could not just ignore the woman in my bed to write you a gods damned letter. Besides, how can I know if you held your end?" he is jesting right? "You saw the snake, it is still there, it is part of my body. I kept my promise"

More nobles and their wifes joined us on the dance floor, but none of them mattered at the moment "You forgot about me, you took a lover" my eyes snapped to meet his "What? You thought you were the only one with eyes and ears everywhere?"

We had been dancing for quite a while now but all of a sudden the intense stare in his eyes warmed my body "What are you insinuating beloved?" He bent down slowly and lifted me into the air for the dance, I am certain we look flawless to everyone else, the perfect couple, far from it.

"That you are no longer pure, and I haven't been for a long time... we are more similar than would like to admit Flower." I intentionally missed a step and crushed one of his toes, he suppressed the groan and just glared at me "How dare you say such a thing? You, the whore of Dorne, dare judge me upon taking a lover?"

"I've heard stories about you, how you preached purity till marriage to all the noble ladies that approached you, the perfect wild lioness" so he's been asking about me, interesting "You brute, whether you believe me or not I don't care..."

I leaned into his ear after one last spin "... No man has ever defiled me, I remain pure, I kept my promise... and what do you have to offer? Nothing but the rotten smell of the whore in your bed and the forgotten promise you made me"

My father could not have had better timing, "May I have a moment with my daughter?" Oberyn had the look of a true idiot on his face, not knowing whether to believe me or not, nevertheless he said "Of course Lord Lannister" and he walked away.

"My little girl, did you like my surprise?" He's talking about Johna's song. "I did father, and I understand... I will be good" is nothing ever enough for you?

We danced the rest of the song in silence, my heart a million per minute, I wouldn't have guessed he'd be so bold with all these nobles around us. Once the song was finished he went to talk to the lords while I returned to my seat, my hand could not stop shaking when I reached for my goblet.

I don't know why but he reached for my hand under the table "Breath Flower, he will be gone in a few days... try to enjoy this wretched wedding" why is he doing this? "I don't understand you Oberyn, you act like a caring husband now but you will go back to her after today, will you not?"

"Why must you bring her up? It is a complicated matter" by the seven hells "What is complicated about it? You attack me for taking a lover who never had me, not entirely, yet you took a lover and her her a status, a room in our palace"

"She is the mother of two of my daughters and another unborn child on the way. I care for her, I can't just forget that Davina, and I won't" you won't leave her "Then let's get one thing straight beloved, after tonight you will not have me again until you make a choice between your wife and your mistress"

"Being a paramount means much more than a mere mistress Flower, she is important to me, besides why should I listen to the opinion of a woman"

I will survive this, Cersie taught me how... good or bad, free or cursed I am a Lannister after all.

A/N

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