Naveena LANNISTER :||: Queen Series #2

7) Today Is Not The Day I Die

Naveena
I paid a guard to inform me of Lord Tyrion's visitors and the conversations they'd had. The guard had been on shift when Jaime had gone to see him, ridiculing him for fucking up the deal that would have guaranteed his life. And he'd been there when Bronn had come at Tyrion's request, no doubt the little lord would ask the sellsword to be his champion.

Ser Bronn of the Blackwater's social status had been upgraded. Cersei set up a marriage between him and Lollys Stokeworth, the second daughter with a barren older sister. He was no longer just a knight but a minor nobleman. The guard said Bronn had refused.

"You're distracted."

Oberyn had begun to join me in my favourite room, sitting on the pillows on the floor in the sun reading. Ellaria sometimes joined, but sitting in one place for so long and reading wasn't her thing. The couple loved each other immensely, and I had become the third wheel of amusement. There was no love between us, but mutual attraction and I found the prince interesting. The Dornish weren't people I'd interacted with a lot; I only knew things through word-of-mouth and what Jon Arryn had taught me.

I blinked, my head clearing of thoughts and I looked up at him from my book I hadn't opened yet. "Maybe."

"Is it Lord Tyrion?" I nodded hesitantly, watching him fiddle with the rings on his fingers. He was distracted too, eyes unfocusing. "Lady Naveen, would you like to accompany me to Lord Tyrion's cell?"

...

By the time night fell, my curiosity as to why Oberyn wanted to see Tyrion and why he had requested it be at this hour, was eating away at me. The guard I'd dealt with, led us down the stairs handing Oberyn a lit torch and unlocked the door. Tyrion sat on the only bench along the opposite wall to the door, the cold stone covered in a light layer of straw and there was nothing else but a bucket.

He sat in the dark, his scarred face frowning up at the two of us as we entered. "Naveena, Prince Oberyn."

"Tyrion," I greeted with a smile, standing opposite him as Oberyn set the flaming torch in its bracket. "I'm sorry to hear about Bronn. I know Jaime had to refuse you, not just because of his hand but because if he fought against Cersei, that would be the end of that." His face twitched into an annoyed 'I know' expression. "And I'm afraid I cannot offer you my services either."

Oberyn's head snapped to me in confusion, Tyrion nodding. "I know, my father would never let you."

"I am sorry," I reiterated, crouching down in front of him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I do not wish to see you dead; you are the only Lannister I like."

The dwarf squinted up at me. "What about Cersei?"

Standing, my eyes wandered to the ceiling, and I sighed. "Our relationship is complicated."

"How so?" The prince asked, and I looked at him.

"I was King Robert's favourite, I was a slap in the face, yet I was the first child Cersei ever looked after, I was her first daughter. She raised me and taught me how to navigate court, how to survive inside the viper's pit that is the palace. My sword skills I got from Jaime, he helped raise me too."

Oberyn mulled this over, grabbing the small wooden stool and offering it to me before, leaning against one of the wooden pillars and sliding to the floor. I sat, organising my dress and looked up at Tyrion now glancing between us, wondering what the hell we were doing here this late in the night.

"I spent some time with your sister the other day," Oberyn finally spoke. "Cersei approached me. We spoke a great deal about her daughter. How worried she is about her. She was trying very hard to pretend she had not come to sway me against you."