"Wait!"
Before Oberyn could search for the origin of the voice, a small person bumped violently into him, pushing him away from the merchant's stand.
Oberyn was taken by surprise, the only reason someone was able to throw him on the ground. The vase he had been inspecting fell on the ground and shattered, the pieces spreading in the dust. The Prince was about to command his guards to seize this person, as he saw something moving through the sands.
An amused laugh escaped his lips. A Viper winded itself out of the broken fragments.
Before Oberyn could command to let it live, one of his personal guards pierced it with a spear and removed it. Although Oberyn was familiar with his favorite animals, he did not doubt the snake would have bitten him if he had hold and tilted the vase much longer.
A guard gave him his hand to get him up on his feet, and Oberyn could finally see what just happened.
The merchant of artful vases, pots and amphoras, who had asked him to look at his merchandise was gone from his stand, while a few of Oberyn's guards were missing, obviously chasing the man. Another guard had a young woman pressed against him, his short dagger at her throat.
Around them, people chatted excitedly, staring a the Prince and his entourage.
Oberyn beat the sand from his orange robe. "My Prince, are you alright?" one of his man asked, eyeing him worriedly.
-"Yes my friend." Oberyn assured with a wave of his hand. "Now, who is this one?" He asked and pointed to the frightened girl.
She didn't answer, her eyes were widened and her lips pressed together. "The Prince of Dorne asked you something, girl." The guard growled and the girl flinched.
OoOoO
Cora was savouring the challenge. Cery would be proud of her, she kept repeating to herself. Agile like a cat, she jumped from the roof of a flat house to the next. It was the quickest way to the marketplace. An overhanging window board served to branchiate down on the street. In Oldtown, people were used to the lower class running on the flat roofs of the city, so no one minded the girl in the dirty blue dress. Dark blue fabric was wrapped around her head, as protection of the sun.
Before she finally spotted her target, she removed a few bags of coins from paltering merchants, who didn't even notice her.
When she saw him, she took a moment to soak in his appearance. Black, short hair, a thin beard and bronze colored skin. Definitely handsome. Fine silk garments, orange with red details. A long dagger attached to his leather belt. Cora blinked and observed the scene from a more professional point of view. Two guards were close to him, three a few steps behind him. In her direction of the street, another cloaked man was absently fingering leather saddles, but his gaze was alert and searching. Cora smiled to herself. Not only the most highborn, but also the smartest lords thought of positioning a guard masked in civil clothing to spot hidden dangers.
She took a version of the Maiden's book and the mother's book into her hands, carrying it so that everyone could obviously see it. A necklace around her neck showed a star-shaped pendant, and Cora bend her head to seem devour and shy.
Her experience had told her men despised the meek servants of the Seven, never looking too close at a religious women.
The target was watching a merchant's offer, turning a artfully painted object in his hand.
Her sharp eyes noticed he seemed rather bored by the merchant's constant talking. His purse hang on the other side of the belt and Cora already pictured the treasures he was bearing with him. Not very clever of him, she mused.
She decided it was not the best moment to strike, so she slowed down her pace.
The merchant had small brown eyes and a dazzling grin, praising his offers. Before her target could walk away, he handed him another vase, this one even prettier than the one before.
Was Cora mistaken or was the merchant very tensed? And the way he almost impressed his merchandise was odd. Especially when Cora's target was a highborn. The vase had a large opening, and the sun reflected on the inside.
Cora's breath accelerated. She had passed the first, cloaked guard, but now a feeling in her stomach was growing stronger. Something was wrong.
Again, her target moved the vase with clear boredom and was about to look into it, when Cora saw the merchants smile widen.
Seven hells, she cursed internally. With all her strength, she ran towards her target.
OoOoO
-"I..I...serve in the sept.." she stammered as the Prince stared at her with his black eyes. The guard tore away her books and handed them to him, but he didn't look at them.
-"No you don't." he said casually and smiled arrogantly.
Oberyn was not fond of liars, and this girl definitely was a liar, and a talented one. Blue eyes sparkled with tears as she sobbed softly.
How interesting she was, Oberyn thought. Like this entire situation.
-"But m'lord.." the girl pleaded and bat her thick black eyelashes.
-"I am not a lord, I am a Prince. And this merchant just tried to murder me. Something you stopped." Oberyn said, his voice and posture calm and collected. -"Who are you?"
-"A humble novice in the sept..." she muttered with a thin voice. "My name is Belle."
Oberyn watched her, crying and sobbing, but there was something in this blue eyes that proved she was not honest. Most septas were not the type of people to throw themselves in front of danger with such determination. Most septas did not even see such hidden dangers.
Even if Oberyn lively recalled one exception to this rule, the mother of his daughter Tyene. He didn't believe for a second this girl was a septa.
-"Belle. A sweet name." Oberyn said and raised her chin with two fingers, so that those mysterious eyes faced him again. "Tell me your real name." He asked softly.
-"Apologies... my prince." She said. "They told me it's safer to hold back my name... dangerous people are everywhere." She explained under tears. "I'm Audrey."
A lie. Again. Oberyn was more and more fascinated with every word she said.
He took his dagger out of the belt and let the sun sparkle on ist tip. "Beautiful, isn't it? Not Valyrian, but still..." Oberyn swirled it around playfully before pressing it on the girl's throat.
She didn't even blink.
-"Fascinating how something beautiful can be so... deadly. If I draw a drop of your blood with this..." he slowly stroke the dagger over her dress until he reached her heart.
-"Your death will be painful. Slow. Not pretty at all." Oberyn finished with a cock of his eyebrow. This time, the girl stopped crying and gulped. "This is the last time I ask, love. Who are you and what were you doing here?"
OoOoO
Cora cursed herself for underestimating the target. She should have escaped the guard when she had the chance to, but no, she was too curious to see how he reacted. Now he was pressing one of his poisoned weapons against her skin, and she didn't doubt he would use it.
The Prince was not like most of her targets, Cora had done enough research on him to know that. Although someone had attempted to kill him minutes before, his smile was only amused. Certainly the attack on him wasn't well planned, Cora knew at least a dozen men who had done a better job with it, but still – most nobleborns didn't stay calm when their life was threatened.
Cora did her best to play the shy, meek septa novice, trying to maneuver herself out of this situation. But the Prince's black eyes saw through her mask as easily as she used to cut through purses.
Cery would kill her for this, she thought and swallowed hardly.
"I am no septa." She muttered.
"Your name." Oberyn hissed now and pressed the dagger tighter to her chest.
"Coraline."
OoOoO
"Sweet, lying Coraline..." Oberyn whispered and roamed his hands over the women's body.
She moaned under his touch and wrapped her legs around him. "Not very patient, aren't we?" he said before thrusting into her.
Oberyn had taken the girl back into his chambers in Oldtown, offering her a reward for warning him of the hidden snake. Coraline made no attempts to run away. Her blue eyes observed him and she stayed quiet. One of his guards had warned the Prince she was a common thief and had probably attempted to rob him, but Oberyn had shook his head with a smile. Thieves were exiting, he thought, and this one was particularly pretty. Once he removed the fabric around her head, long thick black hair fell down her back, making those remarkable eyes stand out. Her skin was covered with dirt, a sign that she was living in the streets, but it was pale underneath.
Oberyn used his luring smile to explain her that she deserved a reward, a very precious experience with the Red Viper of Dorne. With it, he would see that she wasn't punished for the stolen purses hidden in her dress.
Without awaiting her answer, he began to undress her, and smiled against her lips as she responded to his deep kiss.
He accelerated his pace but waited until Coraline arched her back under him and dug her fingers into his back. Oberyn savoured her final moan of pleasure before finding release himself.
The girl offered him a quick smile. After he removed himself from her, she immediately slipped in her dress, hiding her naked figure again. Oberyn watched her, amazed by the mystery she presented. "You're truly no septa."
His words made her turn around to him. "You're truly a Viper." she said, this time her smile was teasing and confident.
OoOoO
The Prince of Dorne lived up to his reputation, Cora thought. Other women would envy her for sharing his bed. Although she clearly had enjoyed it, she feared to return empty-handed to Cery. He would not be pleased.
The little amulet in form of a sun she had removed from Oberyn's desk was pretty, but worthless in comparison to the Prince's purse or dagger.
Cora had failed in her task, but she had been able to seduce the target. It was better than nothing, she mused. Hopefully Cery would see it the same way and send her again to complete her mission.
This site needs more Oberyn, he's a badass and his time was too short in the show. So this is why I decided to make a start!
This chapter can stand as oneshot but I will continue writing it if people are interested. I would love to know what you think of it :)
Have a nice day,
xoxo & liebe Grüße -M