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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In the time that Oberyn had been unconscious, countless things had taken place.
A recovery that had been thought to be a mere few days turned into weeks and in time, even a month.
In a span of a month, Ashara had bid her goodbyes, promising to write and send gifts to her newfound nephew, Owain.
While Cassandra had been sad to see her go, she knew that with her friend being only a ship's ride away, they could visit each other whenever the other wanted to.
There was no more reason for them to be parted for very long and while theirs was a long goodbye, it was not a very sad one.
Not when they were to see each other again very soon, as soon as Ashara had ensured that everything was in order in Starfall.
However, not all farewells were as light as theirs when Cassandra heard short furious knocks on her door one morning and Arianne came bounding in before collapsing into sobs in her arms.
She was soon to learn that Lady Mellario had departed from Dorne in the dead of night like some kind of criminal, with none the wise, not even her own daughter.
Cassandra could not fathom the idea of abandoning any of her loved ones and while she could not fully understand Lady Mellario's decision, she could not help but despise the woman for what her actions meant for Arianne.
Arianne had lost a mother and even when Prince Doran had sent off men to find her, everyone knew that Lady Mellario would not be returned to Dorne willingly.
Cassandra and Owain had done all they could to cheer the girl up, spending time with her in between lessons and including her whenever they would visit Oberyn.
Surprisingly, Prince Doran had no qualms with it, having reached an understanding with Cassandra. After all, it was only in her company that Arianna was found to be smiling.
With smiles being scarce at the palace loss after loss, everyone had understood that should one be found, it should be protected.
While there were plenty of times for goodbye, Cassandra had taken that same time to explore Sunspear with the children, meeting as many as they did.
It helped Arianne get to know her people and keep her mind off her mother. It also helped Cassandra and Owain learn about Dorne's customs and traditions.
As the month came to an end, Cassandra had slowly carved out a place for herself in Dorne as more than just Oberyn's wife. She knew that he would need every bit of support when he woke from his slumber.
Both from her and from the people he considered his family. Despite his reassuring words in the past that she was family, she supposed she needed the time to see it as the truth too.
