Chapter 11 (295 AC)
Obara POV
The eldest Sand Snake sat on the rocks with her two elder sisters, grasping the spear in her hand. Her father's wife sharpened her sword by gliding it against a rock that she held in her other hand. Ellaria told Obara and Nym that the Stark girl had been training with their father and Sarella. Obara was impressed with how far Kyra Stark was willing to go to please Oberyn's daughters, but having the will to submit his proud daughters would not an easy task. The Sand Snakes never backed down whenever they were challenged no matter who it was, however, Obara was amazed by the Stark girl's confidence to win. Her family had come to watch when they heard that Kyra Stark challenged her to a duel.
When her father's wife stood up, Obara did too. The rules were set. Whoever drew first blood reigned victorious. The eldest Sand Snake smirked at Kyra Stark one last time when she asked, "this is your last chance. Are you sure you wish to go through with this? You don't want to pick any of my other sisters to fight?"
"I've learned that if I want to be the best, then I need to beat the best. You surpass your sister's fighting skills in every way. I choose to fight you."
Obara grinned and nodded as she replied, "good."
A servant boy raised his hand and then brought it down. Obara and Kyra Stark charged at each other. Her spear clashed with the Stark girl's blade, so Obara used her strength to bring it down in order to swing her arm as her fist connected with her father's wife's cheek. She shuffled her feet and and grunted. Obara's two eldest sisters cheered for her when she lunged at the Stark girl.
The Stark girl jumped out of the way and ran over to the stairs, while Obara chased her. Sarella grabbed her Elia and Obelia's heads to bring them down as Kyra jumped over them. Obara twirled her spear only to swing it at Kyra Stark. She leaned back to avoid the blade as it almost slit Kyra Stark's neck. The Stark girl bent until she flipped backwards when her hands touched the step until her feet landed on the step behind her. Obara couldn't help herself but grin when her father's wife landed perfectly.
Obara swung her spear again, forcing her opponent to dodge every blow. The Sand Snake knew that nothing was working, so she had to think of something, and she did. When their blades clashed again, Obara immediately got on the ground and used her leg to sweep the Stark girl's feet. She landed on the ground with a thud, so Obara brought her spear down on her, but she was shocked when Kyra Stark blocked it. They both clenched their teeth as Obara tried to bring her spear down to draw blood, but it was no use. The Stark girl was much stronger than what the Sand Snake had anticipated.
Before Obara knew it, Kyra Stark tilted Obara's spear out of the way to kick her in the gut. Obara staggered for a moment and clenched her spear, while Kyra rolled off the ground to flip back on her feet. She then charged at the Sand Snake and swung her sword. Obara gasped and blocked it, while her family watched the scene.
When their blades clashed again, Obara questioned the grin on the Stark girl's face. Her mouth gaped open when her opponent jumped, locked her legs over Obara's neck, and tumbled her to the ground. Obara heard her younger siblings gasp when Kyra had her in a choke hold, so Obara elbowed her in the abdomen and used her spear to bring it down on Kyra Stark again. The Stark girl made Obara's eyes widen as she caught the blade with her hands. Obara noticed how her own father smirked at the sight.
Kyra Stark's hands bled when she clutched the blade tighter and pulled it away from Obara in a swift motion only to sweep the Sand Snake's legs and press the blade against her neck as the Stark girl knelt to her level. A round of applause filled the air, shocking Obara, Nym, and Tyene. When Kyra Stark took the blade away from Obara's neck, she extended her hand out to her. The Sand Snake gave her a puzzled look as her opponent said, "it's just a hand."
Obara reached up and finally grabbed her hand so that the Stark girl pulled her up. Obara's family stood from their seats with the exception of Prince Doran.
"I lost." Kyra Stark said.
Obara narrowed her eyes at her as she asked, "what do you mean?"
It was then that Obara realized what she meant as the Stark girl showed her her palms that were soaked in her opponent's blood. "I suppose I still have a long way to go."
"Yes," Obara smirked at her next words as she continued, "but you were still able to fight like a Dornish woman."
Kyra Stark smiled warmly at her until she heard Arianne say, "my what a fight. You taught her well, Uncle."
The Red Viper ignored his niece's comment as he made his way over to his wife with his paramour and his youngest children by his side. "You've done well."
"I agree." Ellaria said with a smile. "You are no longer a Stark." Kyra Stark's cheeks flushed when Ellaria traced her finger down her arm. "I can't wait to see what else you are capable of if you would allow me to see it."
The Stark girl cleared her throat before she replied, "thank you, Ellaria."
"She still lost though."
They turned their heads to see Tyene, so Oberyn responded without taking his eyes off of his wife as their eyes gazed into each other. "Yes, but that does not mean she has not improved."
When Oberyn leaned in, Obara rolled her eyes, while her youngest siblings giggled as he pressed his lips tenderly against Kyra's lips. Obara and her three elder sisters were surprised that Kyra Stark allowed him to kiss her. When they parted from each other, Prince Doran clapped and so did Trystan. Obara couldn't help but notice that Quentyn's eyes refused to leave Kyra Stark.
"Well done, sister." Kyra gave her brother-in-law a small smile as he continued, "don't you think so, brother?"
"Well I did train her."
The two princely brothers laughed together and took a stroll through the gardens to discuss some matters away from their family. When Arianne came over to them, Obara narrowed her eyes at her cousin, while Kyra stared at her menacingly.
"You were brilliant, Kyra." Arianne said. "You almost surpassed my cousin."
"Yes." Kyra replied with a slightly bored tone. "and if she were my enemy, I wouldn't hesitate to cut her throat unlike some people, or perhaps I should have laced my sword in poison. What do you think?"
Obara looked at Kyra Stark in amazement as Arianne's smile faltered for a moment. "Well I think it would be a shame to kill your enemies that way."
Tyene, Ellaria, and Nym smirked when Kyra Stark replied, "even if it kills a beast like a wolf for instance."
Arianne's smirk remained on her face, but it did not match her eyes, so she curtsied as she said, "good day, Kyra."
She walked away with Quentyn and Trystan, who all congratulated Kyra, even though Obara had won. Ellaria kissed her paramour's wife's cheek and told her that she had fought well as did her children before she walked away. Nym placed her hand on Kyra Stark's shoulder and congratulated her as well. Tyene did not say much. She only said that she was surprised how much she had improved, yet all Kyra had done was stare off at the space where Arianne was.
"What is it?" Nym asked.
"I need you all to do something for me."
Ellaria POV
The Red Viper's paramour panted for breath when Oberyn's fingers stilled inside her. They were in their room, and they finished pleasuring each other as a wave of ecstasy washed over her. She gasped when she felt something kick inside her.
"Is everything alright?" Oberyn asked as he smoothed her stomach using his palm.
"Yes." Ellaria placed her hand over his. "She is strong like her father."
"Hmm." Oberyn kissed her neck where her pulse was. "Yes, and she will set foot on this earth and be like her sisters."
It was true that almost all of Oberyn's children were brilliant fighters. Ellaria's children still had a long way to go if they were to be as skilled as Oberyn's eldest children. There was no doubt in Ellaria's mind that the child growing inside her would be a fighter like the eldest Sand Snakes.
The doors opened, and Kyra Stark walked in. She looked at The Red Viper and his paramour sprawled out on the bed and eyed Oberyn's hand on Ellaria's huge stomach. The couple couldn't help but smirk at Oberyn's little wife.
"Can we speak alone, Oberyn?"
The Prince of Dorne looked at Ellaria and nodded, so she leaned in and kissed him tenderly on the lips before she walked out of the room. When Ellaria passed through the doors, she smirked as if she knew something. She placed her hands on the stone wall when she was a few feet away from the room and pushed it open. Ellaria went down the corridor until the wall shut behind her. She then found a small panel on the wall and slid it to the right where two small holes were. Peeking through the holes, she watched the scene between Kyra and Oberyn.
"What did you come here for?" Oberyn sat up and met Kyra's eyes.
Instead of answering, Ellaria's eyes widened to see his wife unwrapping the ribbon from her dress as she said, "I came here to thank you, and I thought I have not been a proper wife when you have been too good to me." When her dress came loose, she let it fall to the floor, letting Oberyn's eyes linger on her naked body. "Perhaps it's time I fulfill my duties as your wife."
Ellaria was amazed at how forward she was as she sauntered over to Oberyn and knelt down to his level to kiss him and rub her palm over his bare chest. Oberyn immediately took her shoulders and leaned away from her. They gazed at each other for a moment before Kyra attempted to lean in again for more only to be stopped by her husband.
"I thought you always wanted me to." Kyra asked.
Oberyn gave her a solemn look and shook his head. "Not until you are ready, and I can tell that you're not."
Kyra scoffed as she replied, "I am."
"No. You are only doing this, because you feel you must pay me for training you, and I cannot allow that. I will never lay a hand on you. Not until you think here." He paused to point at her chest where her heart was, and then he pointed to her head to say, "rather than there. Do you understand?"
Kyra Stark could not take her eyes off his eyes. She huffed out a breath and turned her body away from him. Oberyn extended his arm out and traced small circles on her lower back. He then looped his arm over her waist to draw her closer to him as her back pressed his against his chest. When he kissed the side of her head, Ellaria smirked when she saw Kyra shuddering at his embrace.
"I have never been more proud of you when you fought against my eldest daughter."
She bobbed her head to the side and gave him a small smile as she said, "thank you."
Oberyn let her leave the bed that he laid in to take her dress from the floor and put it on. She did not seem to be bothered how her own husband watched her. Ellaria noticed how her paramour's eyes darkened as he watched her. She thought it was amusing, especially when his wife looked at him to give him a smile again before she walked out of the room.
"You can come out now, Ellaria."
Ellaria Sand pushed open the wall as the picture in Oberyn's room opened wide. She shut the portrait and walked over to him. Her arms coiled around him, and she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Why didn't you take her to bed, Oberyn? She seemed ready."
"A prince who takes advantage of a young girl's kindness is no true prince. I could not do that to her."
Ellaria's eyebrows were raised when he said that. "You must really care for her then."
"She is my wife after all." Oberyn smiled at her before he gave her a kiss.
Quentyn POV
The prince of Dorne still could not believe that Kyra Stark had knocked Obara off her feet. No one except The Red Viper could do that. The way how she moved made Quentyn's heart beat in fury. It was exciting to watch them duel.
Arianne was walking beside him as they wandered down the hall. "Have you thought of my proposal yet?" Arianne asked.
Quentyn narrowed his eyes at her before he said, "I already told you no, Arianne. I will not go along with your wicked schemes."
"Fine, then I will wait until you come to me."
When she went into her room, Quentyn thought it was over until he heard her scream. He stormed inside as did the servants nearby. Quentyn wondered what had her so upset as he looked at her, and he realized why when he looked at her bed. Her sheets were torn apart as were her pillows. There were red streaks running down her mattress. The one thing that stood out to him was a golden statue of a viper with a dead snake in its mouth. He then realized that it was the same statue that his sister had given to Kyra.
His sister's nostrils flared, and her eyes were burning in rage. She took four daunting steps to her bed and stared at it menacingly. None of the servants could hide their scared faces or their shoulders trembling when she knocked the statue over. At that moment, Quentyn knew Arianne would not back down. He had to keep a watchful eye on her if he was to protect the one he loved the most, Kyra Stark.
Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for your support! I am so excited that there is one more chapter before Kyra's first year in Dorne ends. I cannot wait to write it soon, because I am sure that it will leave you all surprised to see what will happen. Please let me know what you guys think of this chapter, and let me know what you are wondering what will happen at the end of Kyra's first year and what you hope to happen as the series goes on.