The Sun Will Shine On Us Again | Oberyn Martell

The Uncloaking of Uthero

Joanna and Oberyn arrived in the city. It was one of those times in Braavos when there was a big celebration in the streets. Festival of the Uncloaking was known throughout Essos. Oberyn had told her about it so many times before, and Joanna was therefore all too happy to experience it for herself.

Of course, they both came with masks. It would be unacceptable if they appeared there without masks, which were removed only on the last day of the festival. And specifically, it was on the tenth day. Joanna had a black lace mask on her face. And she also had all kinds of stones stuck to her face, which glistened under the light. Oberyn's mask was pure black without any lace or the like.

Joanna wasn't wearing many clothes. Her breasts were practically covered by a piece of cloth, and the skirt also covered only certain parts of her body. Oberyn chose trousers for that evening along with a cloak, so his entire chest and stomach were exposed.

"Is this here every year?" Joanna asked in awe. She was constantly looking around. There were lights everywhere. Dancers. Singers. The food smelled all over the streets of Braavos. There were various stalls everywhere and there was loud commotion and laughter everywhere.

She squeezed the hand of her husband, who wasn't looking around but was mainly watching Joanna, from whom he could not take his eyes off. "Every year," he answered her in agreement.

She took a few steps forward when Oberyn held out his hand to reach her, but eventually, they let go anyway. She turned around on her own axis to take a good look at it there one more time. They didn't have anything like that in Westeros. Or at least she didn't know about it. If she could, she would organize something like this and try to keep it happening every single year.

She ran her hands through her flowing blonde hair and laughed. She reached for Oberyn's hand again and started pulling him towards one of the stalls. She needed a drink. She wanted to be relaxed so much more than she was already relaxed. And she believed that a glass of wine or mead would only help her.

He watched her. He loved looking at his wife. He adored how happy she was at that moment. How she couldn't easily get enough of the sight of it all. And how the whole environment and the whole mood that prevailed in the streets of Braavos filled her. He enjoyed himself with her. He was glad that everything bad that had befallen them both during the whole time they were together was suddenly forgotten and Joanna was focusing more on the present than on the past. The future didn't bother her as much now. And he was happy about that too. Because at least she wasn't worried about what might or might not be.

He walked slowly behind her. He was taking his time, letting her look at it all there alone. He didn't want to delay her unnecessarily, even though he could easily keep up with her. Joanna stopped at one point and turned to him. She raised one eyebrow and a sly smile appeared on her face.

"What are you doing?" he laughed when he saw that smile of hers.

Joanna shrugged. The dark-haired woman, who was more exposed than covered, thrust two glasses into her hands, which Joanna could tell were filled with mead just by the color of the liquid. She handed one glass straight to her dear husband and raised her hand with her own.

"They dance right over there. Let's join them."

Oberyn took Joanna's glass and sniffed the mead. He would recognize poison in anything, anytime. But now... he couldn't smell it in that glass. He wouldn't have any reason to when crime here was at a low level. It was his habit. He took a sip from the mead and twisted his face into a grimace. He didn't really like this drink, but when Joanna pressed the glass into his hand, he didn't refuse.

And while Joanna waited for an answer from her husband, she poured the contents of the glass into herself. She wiped her lips with the back of her hand and raised one eyebrow. She was still waiting for his answer. While he tried to enjoy the taste of mead on his tongue, she shifted from one foot to the other one.