Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken

Chapter Two: Leaving Fairmarsh

Stepping out of the only home that she had ever known, Amara took a deep breath as she prepared for the trip that would change her life; she had almost hoped that this was all a joke.

It had only been a few days since her brother had told her that she was to travel to the Sunspear and be married to Prince Oberyn; she'd barely had time to arrange her wedding dress and her things before it was time to leave.

Laerra was stood on the steps looking at the carriage that would take Amara away from Fairmarsh; she couldn't believe it was happening and she would be able to do things her way from now on.

The two women didn't say a word to one another as Amara passed and headed down the steps to the carriage that was waiting for her; she held her head high not wanting to show how upset she was by this.

The only relief that Amara had was the fact that Herit would be traveling with her, she had been Amara's most trusted hand-maiden and she had completely refused to leave her behind.

Amara knew that she was going to need all the help that she could get when she married the prince; she had no doubts that it was going to be easy to keep her husband-to-be's attention.

Ammett approached his sister, he was sure the match would lead to great things and it would benefit their family the most especially now that he was Lord here.

He and Laerra would be able to carve out their own life here without having Amara in the way causing them problems; she was the only problem that he saw his rule having.

"I trust you will have a safe journey and the Gods will bless your marriage to the Prince," Ammett insisted firmly, he knew that if Amara was to succeed and perhaps give Prince Oberyn a son then things would certainly change around here.

His nephew would be a prince and stand above the sand snakes that the Prince had already father and should Prince Doran's line fail then it would be Amara's son that would inherit the throne.

It wasn't going to be easy, Doran had children that would have to inherit first but Ammett was sure that it was the will of the Gods that this had happened; his sister was going to be a Princess when she was truly a no one from Fairmarsh.

Amara nodded her head, she didn't say a word as she stared at Ammett wondering where her caring brother had gone; he would have never done this if Laerra wasn't constantly in his ear all the time.

"Don't forget where you came from sister," Ammett reminded her, he wanted things to benefit them here in Fairmarsh and that could only happen if Amara played her part right.

It was time to bring glory back to Fairmarsh, it had fallen into disrepair in recent years and Ammett wanted it to be a grand home for his family; he wanted people to see that they weren't just some minor family that could be forgotten in the history of Westeros.

His words made Amara feel cold and she nodded her head sharply before she moved to get into the carriage; she doubted that he would have any better words for her.

Of course, Ammett was only concerned about what her marriage would gain him and Amara doubted that she would ever see him again; he would have no reason to come to the capital and she would have no reason to leave it.

Climbing into the carriage, Amara tried not to show any emotion about leaving the only place that she had ever called home; she would need to be brave and she could only pray that she wasn't walking into a true viper's den.

Her life lay in the hands of people that she did not know and didn't trust; she feared that she wasn't going to make it.

***

"I hear that she is quite a beauty," Ellaria Sand mused approaching her lover, she had been far from pleased to hear that he was to marry some noble-born woman when he had been with her for many years.

She had been furious when she had heard that Prince Doran had arranged for Oberyn to marry another woman; she had always thought that because Oberyn favoured her that should he ever marry then it would be to her.

The news had come as a shock to her that Doran would meddle in his brother's life like this, it had never been an issue before.

Oberyn raised an eyebrow at Ellaria, she had expressed her distaste for his engagement to another and he had been surprised himself but he knew that Doran had his reasons for doing this.

"So, I have heard," Oberyn replied, he had never meet Lady Amara before and he had been surprised by his brother's choice in wife for him.

House Cantrell was only a minor house and they weren't notable in Dornish history, so the match had taken many in surprise who wondered just why Doran had made the decision to marry his brother to the family.

It had been a strange move and now they awaited the arrival of Oberyn's intended, the wedding would take place within two weeks of the bride arriving.

Ellaria frowned at his words, she knew that he had never seen the woman that he was meant to marry and he had already assured her that his love for her would never fail.

However, she couldn't help but fear what would happen when he saw the woman that he was meant to marry; it wouldn't matter that she had given him beautiful daughters and travelled across worlds with him.

"You have nothing to worry about... she might be my wife but it is your bed that I shall share," Oberyn attempted to reassure her, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her close hoping to appease her.

Lady Amara hadn't even arrived yet and trouble seemed to be already brewing between the two women that would be the centre of his life; he had hoped that he could avoid being caught in the middle of the two women.

He wasn't sure how much Lady Amara knew about his life and his lifestyle, he made no secret about how he lived nor did he care for the rumours that were spread about him.

People had always talked about how he lived his life and the number of bastards that he had fathered; it had never been a problem before and he hoped a wife wouldn't expect him to change.

Ellaria searched his face, she wanted to believe him and she knew that he would do anything to make her happy but he couldn't promise things like that.

His wife was younger than her and would be able to produce many more children for him; something that Ellaria couldn't do anymore.

After the difficult birth of their fourth daughter, Ellaria had been warned against having another child in fear of her losing her life during the birth; she had accepted that and she loved all of her daughters.

Elia,Obella, Dorea and Loreza were everything to her and Oberyn cared for them and the other daughters that he had fathered; they were a part of his life and she hoped nothing would change that.

There was no telling what his wife would expect of him when she arrived and Ellaria was prepared to fight for her place as Oberyn's paramour.

Oberyn might have been blind to believe that the arrival of a woman that was to be his wife wouldn't change things for them but Ellaria wasn't.

Her place in Oberyn's life was threatened and she was determined to defend it; she had the Sand snakes on her side and that was the first step to make sure she wasn't displaced by the other woman.