The Red Viper and the Tempest.
An unlikely match from the beginning.
A moment of attraction, fleeting and memorable.
A hint of vulnerability, strong and lasting.
A spark of a flame, inevitable and ruining.
In the midst of storms and poisons, tw...
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News of Rhaella Targaryen's death spread all across Westeros.
They said she perished in a wild summer storm after having given birth to a daughter, a Targaryen princess. She is survived by her two children who escaped Dragonstone with Ser Willem Darry days before Stannis Baratheon arrived.
Many mourned the past queen's demise, having remembered her for her kind heart and gentle demeanor. However they dare not show such sympathy for fear of punishment or ostracization from their peers.
Despite the queen's innocence in the war that had taken place, her family name held all the weight that could easily make a person go from being called a normal man to a traitor.
Cassandra did not care about any of that. Rhaella Targaryen had been her aunt, had been like a mother to her. Family names be damned.
What fire she had regained after arriving in Dorne had been extinguished, making her withdraw further within herself upon reading of the tragedy her aunt suffered.
Days after, she found herself in one of the gardens of Sunspear, hoping that she could be left to her solitude. She could not even find it in herself to pray for fear of calling the gods' attention to her.
With eyes dry and a heavy heart, all she could feel was the heat of the midday sun's rays bearing down on her. Unwanted memories of the past plagued her just as they did before, not even waiting for her mind to drift to materialize in her sleep.
Cassandra shut her eyes tightly and clenched her fists in front of her, breathing in the various scents of all the flowers that surrounded her. As if hearing her silent wish, a voice put a stop to all else that tormented her.
Oberyn entered the empty garden, taking a seat beside her. "I was looking for you. We missed you at the courtyard, Owain and I."
Truth be told, he had ended their training session early that day as he had done the past few days. He was much too worried about her to do anything else and though he would not tell her willingly, he had always known where she was.
For in the doorway before the garden's entrance, there was a small opening that he had hidden in as a small boy. Every time she would stay in the garden, he would stay in this opening, ensuring that she was safe and that she would eat.
Oberyn knew she wanted to be alone but he also knew about the dangers of grief and he would not let her suffer through the same things he did.
Cassandra did not meet his gaze, only looking down at her hands as she apologized. "Forgive me. I do not believe I can spar words with you today. I'm tired."
He did not come there to spar words or to force her to do anything she didn't want to but he wanted to be there for her, at a closer distance this time.
