"Why would a woman want to go to Castle Black?" Orivel spoke through a loud laugh. The way he spoke made it seem that he guessed her answer would be just as stupid as the thought of a woman roaming Castle Black was.
"Because it is the last place any...
A promise to our enemies, and a challenge to our lovers.
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Elyana Martell was the youngest of her siblings, having been born the year of the fall of Aerys the II Targaryen. Her mother died in childbirth, and her father and sister were killed during Robert Baratheon's rebellion; leaving House Martell much smaller than it was intended to be. The ruling of King Robert was all she knew, as was having her two brothers as her only family.
Her eldest brother, Doran, was much different to her younger. He was patient where Oberyn was hot-headed, and responsible where Oberyn was careless. Elyana grew to take after the younger of the two—though all three possessed the ruthlessness of the Martell's before them, and despite the differences that even her and Oberyn shared, they were connected by a bond of blood and loss.
On her fourteenth nameday, Elyana had her bleeding for the first time. It came much later than it did for other girls, and she didn't take it for granted; it was no secret that once she bled Doran planned to ship her off to be married in the name of some alliance or another, despite how Oberyn had been pushing back against the idea since it was first mentioned when the princess was only six. The last time his sister left Dorne to wed, she never came back, and the thought of history repeating itself sent fear into the fearless Martell brother.
It was neither Elyana's nor Oberyn's decision, and Doran was quick to remind them that as the Lord of Sunspear it was his duty to make a good match for his sister. So, he sat her down to inform her of whom she would be spending her future with, and it was much worse than she could have ever expected. Tyrion Lannister; it wasn't because he was the Imp, or because she had never met him before, but rather the sigil of his house that made Elyana wish to lock herself in her room and never come out. The Lion's of House Lannister murdered her sister—her niece and nephew, who hadn't been much older than her.
Elyana cried that night all alone in her bedchamber, the tears silent though the pain was louder than any she had ever bore. When Oberyn found her in the state she was in he worried that someone had hurt her, though when she managed to speak the truth through her sobs he grew much more angry. She heard his screams from her room; the venom in his voice as he tore apart their brother for keeping the arrangement from him. Doran only explained that is exactly how he though Oberyn would act, and it was the reason he didn't share the plans with him.
Only a night later, Oberyn came to her once more, this time in the dead of night long after she had fallen asleep. He awoke her quietly, instructing her to pack a small bag filled with items that were only desperately necessary. She halted any questions after he shushed her the first time, but when they were far from the castle and two horses came into view she slowed. Upon one sat Allar Pyke, a knight who had been sworn to protect her since her birth. She cried when Oberyn told her she was to leave with him, and that they were to ride far away until they found somewhere that the Lannister's would never find her.
