He knew that Ellaria would never mind if he slept with her. It was not in Ellaria's, nor his nature, to be jealous. But he wanted this to himself, she represented everything he thought had long since been lost in this world; purity, innocence and kindness. She wasn't open to him, as she wasn't open with anyone at Kings Landing but sometimes he would catch her smiling as she gazed at the budding flowers in the garden or twirling a strand of her luscious hair around a pale finger as she slipped into her mind. Those moments spoke volumes and he loved to catch her in them, when, for just a second, she forgot about the horrors she had faced and her torment and was happy.
The first time they spoke he had been unmanned, the way her bright blue eyes frosted over and her words were so carefully assessed before she spoke them, he wanted desperately to break her out of that, to show her that some people could be different, some people could be trusted.
As he walked through the Great Hall after yet another tedious meeting with Tywin and that prick Joffrey he saw her staring at him, eyes unguarded and assessing. He didn't turn, best to let her think he hadn't seen but he couldn't help walking a little straighter and a small smile appeared on his face, perhaps he wasn't the only curious one.
She stood in the sept, hair hanging about her, wild and wavy as a Wildlings. Her mouth moved quickly but no sound echoed other than his own footfalls. He saw the exact moment she realised she wasn't alone, her whole body tensed and her mouth fell shut as she clasped her hands tightly in front of her stomach.
"I didn't think anyone would be here at this time of night." He murmured, watching her turn to him in the dim light.
"My apologies Lord Oberyn. I shall leave you to your prayers." She said, looking at the ground.
"No, please, continue." He soothed, seating himself on a small bench.
"Oh… Yes, thank you, Lord Oberyn." She curtsied and sank back to the ground, her profile angelic as she looked upon The Stranger.
"Just call me Oberyn."
"Of course Lo… Oberyn. You may call me Sansa if it please you?"
"It pleases me if that is what you wished to be called." He answered simply, watching her lips part slightly in surprise.
They sat in silence. Her praying, body slowly relaxing and lips moving again as he continued to watch her, amazed at her focus.
When she rose to exit he stood too.
"May I escort you back to your chambers Sansa? I fear there are bad things roaming these putrid halls as night." He proffered his arm to her.
"Yes, I fear you may be right." She sighed, linking her arm gently through his.
The day at court was a tepid one, courtesies and small talk just concealing the thick tension surrounding all in attendance. Joffrey was on a rampage, punishing and bullying mercilessly as he grew more and more restless with the proceedings. He looked for her in the crowd, she wore a tight but simple grey gown, looking every inch the Stark. He noted the dirty glances from Cersei, no doubt angered by Sansa's choice of attire, he would have to try and grab Sansa after court, take her for lunch in the gardens or sit with her in the ancient library, somewhere Cersei wouldn't find her. Finally Joffrey signalled to Tywin, an end to this charade of rulership. The assembled Lords and Ladies filtered slowly out of the hall, glad they had been spared of Joffrey's brutality. He caught her arm gently just as she was about to disappear in the flow of finery. He heard her gasp and she instinctively flinched away from his hand.
"I am sorry to have startled you Sansa." He softly said into her ear.
"It is most fine Lord Oberyn." She answered with indifference, beginning to move away again.
"I thought I told you to call me Oberyn." He queried with a smile.
"Of course Oberyn." She said, the slightest blush appearing on her pale cheeks as her eyes locked on his.
"Would you care to peruse the library with me?"
"O…of course Oberyn." She stuttered up at him, smiling slightly.
He beamed, never had such a small step seemed so important as this.
The library, as he predicted, was entirely deserted. He led her to a small couch, seating her gently as he sat beside her. The air was dusty and stale but the light was natural and he thought she had never looked so beautiful.
"I thank you for this distraction Oberyn. It has been a long time since I had a… Friend." She said quietly without facing him.
"It is my pleasure Sansa, I enjoy your company. So unlike all the malicious and blubbering fools we find ourselves surrounded by." He spoke to her downturned head.
She looked up at him them, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Surely you do not speak ill of the court or the royals?" She asked in feign shock.
"Surely I do! There is no one here but you to hear me. I'll say it louder if you like," He replied grinning manically, "A bunch of fools the lot!" He yelled.
Causing her to jump and giggle at the same time.
The sound was like a snow flurry in Winter, or the way the sunlight glances of Ice 'just so'. But it stopped as soon as it had come and her hand covered her mouth. He longed to hear it again but she gathered her skirts about her, standing and bobbing her head to him.
"I must return to my chamber to finish my needlework Oberyn, thank you for the company." She said calmly and floated out of the room.
He didn't see her for days but her laugh never left his mind. He heard it constantly, like a taunt and promise in one. He lay in his chambers, silk curtains billowing in the soft breeze and a scent of vanilla and sex in the slightly cool air. Ellaria was somewhere, making friends with noblewomen no doubt, shocking them with her coquettish ways, he smiled at that, Ellaria loved to be shocking. He only just heard the soft, hesitant knock at the door and almost dismissed it until he heard her lilting voice calling him.
"Oberyn?"
"Sansa do come in." He swept the door open with a languid movement returning to his lounging as soon as she had entered. She shut the door softly behind her and turned to him slowly. Her hair hung around her face but it didn't hide the fading bruises that marred her pale face and elegant neck.
"I am sad it has been so long since we talked." She smiled, surprising him by coming to sit on the edge of his bed.
"As am I, Sansa. Your lovely thoughts are a respite from everything." He murmured, ignoring the bruises though she must have noted his blatant avoidance of the subject.
She smiled though, turning fully to face him, her hand raised as if of its own volition and gently pressed against his warm cheek.
"I find myself wanting to talk to you increasingly more Oberyn. I have so missed companionship." She said quietly, before letting her hand drop.
He caught it before it made its way back to her side, pressing her icy fingers between his two, large hands and shifting himself closer to her.
"Always seek me out Sansa, please. I crave you companionship also."
When her soft lips pressed gently against his larger, rougher ones he almost yelled in shock. She had leaned in so quickly he hadn't even anticipated it, she tasted of ice and lemons and the moisture from her lips burned into him like dragon fire.
"Sansa!" He exclaimed when she pulled back from the chaste kiss.
Her whole face flooded with embarrassment as she rose quickly.
"I am terribly sorry Lord Oberyn… I should never have presumed to have… That was most untoward…" She blurted out hastening for the door.
"Sansa stop." He commanded, jumping up after her. She turned back, eyes wide and full of unshed tears as she pressed her back against the door.
He strode quickly towards her, one handing slipping into her unbound hair and the other going to her waist, their faces were only inches apart.
"If I had of known you wished to kiss me, my love, I would have done it first the day we met." He moaned into the crown of her hair, placing a small kiss there. He felt her whole body shiver under him.
It was the night before the royal cunts wedding. He had watched her be taunted by Joffrey all night before finally managing to drag her away to dance with him. She was light on her feet and they glided around the hall, he felt pride when she laughed gaily as he spun her round and pulled her close, her joy was purely his. They had kissed whenever possible since that day. Sneaking into deserted rooms or meeting late at night but never more than kissing and she never truly let herself go. He didn't mind, whilst he was known for his lust, she was something pure and he didn't want to taint or spoil, only nourish and cherish her. Under the hundreds of torches they danced for hours. He knew people would talk and Ellaria would probably have questions but he didn't care, this was happiness, he felt a calm he hadn't had ever since the death of his sister, Sansa was like coming home when he didn't even know he had left.
When they were both dizzyingly out of breath and red in the face he led her off the floor, surprised when she took lead and dragged him gently by the arm towards a small corridor.
"I think its time we left." She smirked at him, eyes twinkling in the moonlight.
He laughed and allowed himself to be led, finding he could never disagree with her on anything. He was so caught up in her, the swish of her dress, the sway of her hips, the smell of roses and the way her wild hair was escaping its plaits, that he only just noticed they had entered her bedchamber. He had never been here before. They had spent time near everywhere in the castle, even his chambers but not here, never here.
She pulled him into a deep kiss, there tongues moving passionately and slowly over each other, there was no rush to it. His hands ran softly up and down her sides, brushing the underside of her small breasts and smoothing over her wide hips.
"I want you." She whispered into his mouth.
He stopped his caresses and pulled back, looking down at her sweet face.
"Sansa…?" He said uncertainly even as he pulled her body closer to his.
"Please." She whispered as her hands found the laces of his tunic.
He shed her of her gown, relishing as each new bit of skin revealed itself to him, she seemed equally enamoured, face flushed as her eyes raked over every inch of his dark skin.
"Like night and day." He sighed into the soft skin of her shoulder as he tried to kiss every part of her body.
Her hands travelled over his back in slow circles before sliding around to his chest and down to stroke his exposed cock. He groaned and rocked slightly into her small hand, trying to keep things slow.
"When you do that it makes things very hard for me…" He groaned, albeit happily.
"So I can see." She laughed, continuing her gentle exploration.
He laughed to as he guided her to the soft bed, laying her down below him. Her bright hair flowed over the white sheets and her pink nipples stood out against her alabaster skin.
"Perfection." He said.
He entered her slowly, allowing her time to grow used to his size. He could see her pain but she urged him on, starting to moan his name gently as he got into a steady rhythm.
He made sure she finished before him, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and her head thrown back as she choked out his name amidst a string of profanities her never thought he would hear from her. He came on her stomach, not wanting to disgrace her any further. He felt no guilt though, he hadn't violated or ruined her, she looked even more luminous and beautiful to him now and he wandered at what drew her to him.
She curled into his side and he drew her onto his chest, locking his arms around her in a tight embrace. He felt her breath tickle his chest as she spoke.
"When you leave… Take me with you?" Her body was clenched with the anticipation of his response.
He felt an overwhelming need to protect her, no one would ever bruise her again.
"I could never leave you," She relaxed against him. "My winter queen."