(This chapter takes place over three weeks from start to end)
King's Landing 298 AC.
Oberyn.
Were it not for Ellaria's arrival and that she brought their babes with them then he'd still be wallowing and grieving for his brother. Even despite what Doran had done, he was his blood, and Oberyn was the last of them now. He would, he could never have forgiven him for going against Elia's wishes or for what he had done while their sister lived. He had known about Elia and Fowler, that his sister cared for the man and wished him for her own was not news to him.
Yet he had never thought anything of the man's death other than knowing it had caused Elia pain. Had he then in his anger he may have become a kinslayer. When Jae had told him what he'd done, he'd breathed a huge sigh of relief, his nephew would have been well within his rights to see Doran dead, and yet he'd spared him. Only for the gods to decide that he needed to answer to them also for what he'd done.
Oberyn had drunk, he'd removed himself and barely done his duties, and that Jae and his girls knew to leave him be was something he was thankful for. Hearing she was here and had brought his girls with him had soon woken him up and Ellaria had both slapped him and hugged him bringing him back from where he had been. That Jae had then sat her at the high table, that he'd not allowed anyone to look at her as less than she was, only further proved that he was Elia's son in spirit, if not blood.
Now though they'd been asked to attend a private dinner, and Jae finally had the time to meet his girls properly. So as Ellaria dressed and made sure Elia and Obella dressed properly for once and as Sarella spoke to Tyene, Nymeria and Obara, he sat with Dorea and Loreza, both girls playing on the floor in front of him. To say it was a boon to his soul to see them so happy was like saying the sun would rise on the morrow he thought with a smirk.
"Papa, what is our cousin like?" Dorea asked.
"He is the king." Loreza told her and Oberyn chuckled.
"The Dragonking?" Dorea asked and Oberyn nodded.
"I thought he was the Wolfking?" Loreza asked confused.
"He is, a Wolf, a Dragon, and a Snake too." Oberyn said.
"Like us?" Dorea asked happily.
"Just like us." he said looking at them both.
Ellaria walked into the room already dressed and with Elia and Obella, all three of them in matching outfits, bar the more adult nature of his paramour's.
"Come girls, let me look at you both." Ellaria said as Dorea and Loreza stood up, their mother fixing their dresses and wiping Dorea's face where she'd somehow managed to get some dirt on her cheek.
As he stood up Ellaria looked to him, Oberyn making a show of turning around, his own clothing quickly garnering her approval. They walked to the King's Rooms, Ellaria holding their youngest girls by the hands while he walked with Elia and Obella, both of his older girls trying their best to look like their sisters. Ser Arthur and Ser Richard were the two Kingsguard on duty and as the door was opened, any attempt at pretense or being what they were not was soon lost once Loreza saw Ghost.
"Look papa, he's white, like the sands in the Water Gardens." his daughter said happily.
"Your grace." Ellaria said as Jae walked towards them, the frown on his nephew's face soon replaced by a smile when he hugged his aunt and knelt down to speak to Dorea and Loreza.
