The Baratheon Girl • Oberyn Martell

04: "Quick wit and charm."

In long strides Oberyn moved himself from the entrance of the ballroom to stand in front of the high table. He bowed his head and, not surprising to me, Father's face was stony, even with ale in his stomach he hated the Prince.

Despite this he stood from his chair, wobbling slightly due to the amount of alcohol he had consumed, and gently took a hold of my hand for us to walk before the Prince.

He had the kind of looks that made you stare a little longer than proper, but I guess the smirk on his face made it apparent he was used to it. His rich black hair, though dotted with silver streaks, was swept into a thick and lustrous tussle. He had thin arched eyebrows and long eyelashes, up close I could see the speckles of blue in his dark eyes and the light freckles that were almost invisible against his olive skin. His face was strong and defined, he most definitely looked devilishly handsome.

"Prince Oberyn, welcome to the Capital." I curtsied, smiling at the dornishman.

"My lady." He simply smirked in response, taking ahold of fingers and pressing his lips against my knuckles.

"Come," I enclosed his hand in mine and pulled him along to the corner of the Queen's Ballroom, "It's so loud in here I can't even hear my own thoughts."

Walking up to the large, wooden doors we left the ballroom in favor of the quiet corridors. There were plenty of servants going about their duties, I didn't think it would do any harm to stroll around for a while.

"You're staring." I noticed, feeling his heated gaze scanning me from head to toe.

"I am." He simply confirmed, his eyes dancing with amusement as he looked down at me.

"May I ask why?"

"You weren't what I was expecting Kendra." He admitted, his eyes mainly focusing on my dark locks. "A young doe in the lions den."

"Just because my hair isn't golden doesn't make me any different from my Lannister family."

"I suppose you're right," He laughed softly, turning his face away from my gaze.

"Why is that laughable?" I asked him curiously, his laughter was too great to just be a response to a sarcastic comment.

"It's just..." He continued to smirk, rubbing the side of his face with his palm. "Gods, I'm just happy you look nothing like your mother."

"I would be careful not to let her hear you say so," I cautiously laughed, but based on those words alone I had hope we would get along. "It's a very touchy subject."

"Isn't everything concerning the Queen a touchy subject?" He raised a brow at me, smirking to himself again.

"That it is." I looked up at him with a smile shaking my head, he was funny I'd give him that.

"Will you accompany me back into the ballroom Princess?" I accepted the arm Oberyn offered and allowed him to guide us back to the feast. "I'd kill for a good goblet of wine."

"You and me both, My Prince." I agreed, our first meeting was making my head fuzzy with nerves. "Let us drink in the gardens instead, I've been surrounded by peering eyes all day."

"As you wish." He began to steer us in the opposite direction as before, we walked silently through the halls and made our way outside into the garden courtyard.

As we sat down under the dark canopy of the night sky, a maid servant placed two goblets of wine infront of us.

"You must know, I'm grateful for your presence this eventide." I began, looking up at the stars in the sky. "But, please, don't ever leave me waiting whilst you're with another again."