Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Oberyn Martell was suffering.
As much as someone hung-over in one of the best brothels of Lys is. And so were all his companions. And there were many of those.
But then again, the Red Viper was always generous to his nightly company. Even the pillow-house slaves. After all, just because they would never see any of the money payed for their bodies doesn’t mean that they do not deserve a pleasant experience they would later recall with a fond smile.
And if somewhere deep inside he is still hoping for that long-awaited male Sand…
Well…
He is the only one (and Ellaria of course, but she doesn’t count) who would know.
Honestly, he would even marry her if he were the marrying type. If he was to choose from all the women in the world, Ellaria would be his one and only. After all, he just loves Sands. His own and others, doesn’t matter. Many of his lovers could testify.
Even with the attitudes of the Dornish, even with the acceptance of the endless pleasures of the flesh, he would much prefer a Sand over any other. After all, after a lovely night spent together, a Sand wouldn’t kill the mood by saying ‘Oh, Oberyn surely we would make a good match! After all, I am a maiden no more! What if my father/uncle/brother marries me off outside of Dorne? Imagine the scandal!’ It was only in the latter years that his personal preference and aversion to marriage became widely known. So few naïve, hopeful or aspiring young maidens chose to focus their husband-hunting skills on him. Though whether on their own accord or through the urging of the same relatives that only some five and ten years back pushed their children for the exact opposite, he couldn’t know.
But regardless of all the wild rumors flowing about Westeros and even Essos, the reason for his lack of a spouse or even a proposal to his Sand of a lover, wasn’t because he wanted to drive his Lordly brother up a wall with his insolence. It wasn’t because he was not certain in his paramour’s ability to give him a proper heir (after all, what did the Dornish care for the foolishness of the other Kingdoms?). It wasn’t even so that he could finally marry Ellaria and not become an outcast in aristocratic circles due to the lack of and matrimonial interest towards him from any Westerosi maidens, and more importantly, their parents.
No. That wasn’t it.
Although if anyone was to know that it was his almost betrothal to Cersei Lannister that had put him completely off marriage for the rest of his life, he would surely become laughingstock! So it was a secret. He would not give the Lions any more credit! They don’t deserve it! They have already humiliated the Dornish enough! The only ones that have done so more were the Dragons. Surely it was a good thing that most of them were dead!
But sadly, his power-hungry fool of a brother refused to think so!
Had Oberyn known of Doran’s moronic plan to marry his own daughter to the ‘Beggar King’ and step into the same pile of shit that brought Dorne so much pain, he would have punched him in the face! Because that idiot deserved nothing else!
Luckily, the Seven-accursed Targaryen died without any intervention. All by his own idiocy and family madness!
But now, instead of slipping through the cracks to strike at the exposed throats of their House’s enemies in the latest round in the Game and finally avenging Elia, he is stuck here. In Essos. Just because the Pauper Princess had done the impossible and spawned dragons! Yes, his brother made some sense in wanting to swear to her cause in return for a marriage to Quentyn. But why? Why bother?! If Dorne was only part of the Seven Kingdoms because it was beneficial at the time? Surely now, when all the Kingdoms are weak and discontent is brewing, it is the opportune moment to announce independence?!
His stupid brother didn’t think so…sadly.
And now he has to drink his sorrows away and find a way to tell Doran the bad news. That instead of wooing the Princess, Quentyn went for her dragons instead! Dragons, that didn’t appreciate his attentions.
All he was aiming for was some fun! Visit some brothels, gather some news to show that yes, he was occupied with something useful, have an affair with some Valyrian noble, try things he had never dared before. What he definitely didn’t seek to do was bring his nephew’s burnt body back home!
And while Daenerys wasn’t the one to give the order, she was as much the daughter of Aerys as she was the sister of Rhaegar. And where one left charred corpses in his wake, another embarrassed and slayed Martell blood! The Princess certainly isn’t much different after all!
If only he didn’t have to be the bearer of bad news…
Otherwise, he would have even enjoyed the dismayed and constipated expression he could imagine would find its place on Doran’s face. And telling him ‘I told you so’…