seadragon | oberyn martell

Fifteen

Vaelerys did not move as the blood which spilled from her neck cascaded down her right arm, staining her turquoise robe a violent red. Her eyes were hollow as she looked to her husband and handmaid.

They both looked to her with pitiful stares. Oberyn held concern which despite her emotionless state, touched her. His eyes were sorry as he watched the blood trickle to the floor. Samira walked past his still body in the threshold.

Samira tenderly grabbed Vaelerys hand, to which she snatched it from her grasp. Her eyes were trained to the floor as she silently cried. She turned looking to the bloodied mess on the ground. The devil which had grasped her mere moments ago was faceless now, just a pile of blood and mutilation upon her royal floors.

"Vaelerys, you should see the Maester. You are bleeding, dear." His voice was solemn and tender. Samira ran her fingers down the long slash in her lady's robe. She looked to Oberyn giving a serious nod.

Samira tried to stop Vaelerys from bending down at the chance she might worsen her wound but her hands were ignored. Vaelerys silently took the long blade from Arstan's cold hand, her blood covering it.

"I think perhaps now we are even." She said quietly, looking to her husband with red swollen eyes.

Oberyn stood with his brother in the hallway, waiting for the maesters to welcome them in the treating room. Vaelerys was being stitched and had refused Milk of the Poppy so her screams could be heard through the stone walls at times.

Another sounded causing Doran to close his eyes and whence. Oberyn remained somber as he lent against the wall of the castle, his eyes fixated on the tapestry of Princess Nymeria.

"A raven has been sent to Beric Dondarrion and Ned Dayne. I also sent one to Arianne to stay in Tyrosh for a few weeks while we deal with this. I've decided against telling Monford Velaryon. I don't want to have to put Aurane Waters on a pike. We will keep this quiet." Doran sighed as he looked at his distracted brother.

Oberyn rolled his eyes as he thought to Aurane Waters. His brides ballsy bastard brother. Oberyn thought their relationship strange, the man was very protective of his sister. Oberyn had also been possessive to his younger sister when she still walked the Earth, but something inside him felt the oddness of the Velaryon siblings relationship. They were Valyrians after all.

"I sent away the guards at her door. I asked Obara and Tyene to clean up the mess. Tyene knows how to get the blood stains out." He shrugged his shoulders.

Doran raised a brow as he looked up to his taller brother. A small smile on his lips.

"My brother would never stand here silently after bashing a man's brains in. Especially one he hated so. My dear brother, have you fallen for your wife at last?"

Oberyn chuckled. Doran was greatly mistaken. Oberyn merely pitied the seventeen year old. She was young and innocent. She had confronted a ruthless murderer about his crimes while she was defenseless as a lamb.

"If falling you mean pissed that I had to even deal with such childish mistakes, then yes." His Dornish accent thickened at his frustration. Oberyn had traveled, growing up around the world, but at times he sounded as Rhoynish as they came.

"The eunuch of Kings Landing was here?" Oberyn stated more as a question as he watched an assistant to the maesters leave the room Vaelerys was in.

"Yes, he and I are allies. We have similar goals with this war."

"And may that be wise brother, Lord of Sunspear?" Oberyn mocked, smirking as he did so.

"That I can not tell you yet brother. But I promise you, Elia will be avenged. And your wife is the key to destroying the Lannisters from within. Like a rotten disease they will sicken from the inside out."

Oberyn smiled at the thought. It was rare Doran showed this side of himself. Doran was the voice of reason while Oberyn had been the chaos which plagued his worried mind. They had always balanced each other but every once in awhile Doran shown the Dornish man inside him.

The maesters erupted out of the room urging their prince's to come in. Doran quickly slipped into the room. Oberyn listened as he consoled his lady wife who kindly welcomed him. The Red Viper pushed himself from the wall and left the sound of voices behind him.