Short Stories, One Shots and Contest Entries

Summer of the Snakes- entry ii

Title: Summer of the Snakes
Author: LiviieMarie
Type: Game of Thrones one shot
Reason: writing contest entry
Note: For imperio-'s writing contest. It turned out a lot longer than I expected, but I hope it meets your expectations.

Ellenwyn Sand greatly enjoyed the sun. She had the tanned skin that only a Dornishwoman could posses, coupled with dark, almond shaped eyes, high cheek bones and long black hair that fell past her waist. That still did not stop her from lounging in the sun whenever she could, tanning her already tanned skin. She was laying naked on a stretch of beach outside of Sunspear when she heard the distant sound of hooves through the sand. Closing her eyes against the sun and it's blasting heat, Elle pretended she couldn't hear it at all, focusing instead in the sound of the waves of the Narrow Sea crashing against the beach.

"Have you no modesty sister?" The chiding voice of her half sister, Obera called down to her from atop her horse.

Despite herself, Elle smiled a bit. "I didn't want the sun to darken my skin unevenly."

"Get dressed," Obera scoffed and the swish of fabric was he only warning Elle got before her clothes were thrown over her face. "Father sent me to find you."

Elle carefully brushed the sand from her body and donned her clothes, loose pants and a shirt, both white and made of thin material to keep her from overheating in the desert sun, and a hood and scarf to keep the sand from her hair and face. Twin swords were strapped to her back and gleaned in the sunlight when she moved.

"Has he summoned us all?" The Sand Snakes, the bastard daughter of Prince Oberyn Martell, were highly notorious in Dorne, but Elle was probably the most notorious of all. She had her father's wit and prowess along with her mother's grace, beauty and wisdom, at least, that's what her father said. While her sister's tended to keep close to Sunspear and their father, Elle had taken several years to travel all across Dorne. She learned new languages and different styles of combat. She even inherited her father's taste in the ways of pleasure and was constantly known to take many lovers to her bed. She was the reason the name The Sand Snakes was feared and respected across Dorne. Of course, her sister's had their own names to uphold. None of them disappointed their father. Only four of them were of age, Obera, Elle, Nym and Tyene. If their father was calling all four of them together, something must be wrong.

Obera nodded looking uncertain and even a bit scared. "Even Ellaria and the young ones are there." Obera never showed fear to anyone except Elle. They were close, being only a few month apart in age. To both of their mothers' fury, Oberyn had impregnated them both at the same time. They were born only a month apart with Obera being the eldest. Elle's mother, a whore, had died in childbirth so she had been raise by Oberyn her entire life. Once Obera was old enough, she had been allowed to make the choice to stay with her mother or come with him and Elle. She had chosen the latter, so Elle and Obera grew up and were trained personally by Oberyn together. It wasn't until Elle was 16 that she left for the first time to begin traveling, only returning home occasionally. Still, their bond as sisters remained strong. Elle was the calm to Obera's storm. They relied on one another and valued each other's council more than the others.

Elle had only been back in Sunspear for a handful of weeks after spending several months in the Red Mountains. She had hoped to just relax, but that didn't seem to be the case. Oberyn was summoning them all, which could only mean he had a task for them. "Any idea on what is going on?" she asked her sister as she swung into the saddle of her horse, a black beauty.

"No idea," Obera replied and the two sisters set off, using the scarfs to cover their faces and protect it from flying sand. Yellow dunes gave away to hard, packed ground, trampled by centuries of feet, yet just as yellow as the rest of the desert as then made their way to the gates of Sunspear. Bastards they may be, but they were treated as royalty, servant coming to take their horses.