A Crown of Winter Roses

Chapter 9

"Ellaria?" Rosie called again, her voice softer than before as she approach the tearful woman, one hand balled into the fabric of her orange dress while the other clutched a goblet of wine. Dark hues fell onto the pale girl, before turning away, squeezing shut.

In which of the Seven Hells was the wife of her lover doing here? Gods, Ellaria felt like throwing up. The warm, wet trails running down her cheeks betraying her crumpled state.

"What do you want?" Ellaria spat, before biting her lip, she shouldn't speak in such a manner, especially to a Queen but she couldn't control the rage that engulfed her very soul. The sharpness of her tongue acting like a poisonous knife. Rosie ignored her words, eventually choosing to sit on a seat beside the tree.

"I came out for Oberyn, he wanted me to check on how you are." Ellaria scoffed, shaking her head.

"For Oberyn? What are you? His little lap dog?" The slur became more evident in her voice, her hand pointing. Rosie sighed, shooting an exasperated look.

"Ellaria, I just want to make amends; I want us to be on good terms, despite out situation not being the greatest; and I-" Ellaria was a fire, raging and remaining to burn all around her as her eyes narrowed, mouth pulling tight. The stench of wine seemed to cling to her slender body, tense under Rosie's stare. She had, had a little too much wine.

"Not the greatest situation? You took away my everything!" Her voice had grown louder and louder with each word, before eventually reaching a decibel that was grabbing the attention of those around them. "You took my lover! My Oberyn! If you honestly think we could be on good terms then you have a head full of straw, Braavosi whore! Go back to Meereen, we don't want you!"

The words echoed throughout the garden, the sound around them quieting down. The Dornish Garden was watching, waiting for the Dragon Queen's next move. Rosie felt nothing but pity, something that Ellaria most likely didn't want.

The slender woman shifted to her knees, swaying slightly to the left as she stood, her eyes remaining sharp. Rosie looked up at the woman, a slosh of wine spilled over her Orange dress, ruining the fine material.

"Ellaria, how about we go inside?" Rosie stood, pulling the goblet from the woman's clenched fist, before holding her arms, clinging onto her swaying body.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed, attempting to yank her hands from Rosie's tough grip. Ellaria pulled them free, her arms swinging wildly before knocking Rosie back, her ass landing roughly on the ground. "You are not getting a word that I am saying!" Her dark eyes were half wild as she towered over the girl on the floor, a sadistic smile waving over her face.

The shouts of those around them barely waved Ellaria's smirk as she took a step forward. It had all happened too fast, Ellaria's hand connected to Rosie's cheek, her head whipping to the side; Rosie's hand just that second to slow to stop Ellaria's.

The slap echoed through the garden, the shocked faces of those in the crowd being all that showed.