The man's skin was dark, bronzed by the sun and his eyes were black like the heaven above them. They had something mischievous and intelligent about them, but his smile was sweet as honey and deadly as poison.
-"I didn't mean to disturb you. I was just curious of the cloaked Lady... you are highborn, aren't you?" he had an obvious yet unfamiliar accent, making his voice melodious and foreign.
-"Ser, I would ask you to leave." Rona insisted but the man just entered the room. Rebekah noticed how gracefully and casually he moved, unlike most men she knew.
-"My birth is none of your concern." Rebekah sneered, feverishly trying to think of a way to get rid of this odd man. Maybe he was one the Spider's little birds, yet they would never themselves in the open.
-"Forgive me, my lady. I am from Dorne, and it's so unusual to witness such kindness and compassion in this part of Westeros, especially in the Capital."
The dornish was quite handsome, but he was the type of man women would either hate, love or be torn apart between both.
-"Now that you have seen it exists, you can finally leave." Rebekah said between gritted teeth and gestured towards the door.
Although the man wasn't dressed in particularly fine clothes but in the light, colorful fabrics commonly used in Dorne, he behaved like he was a noble born. His little laugh was almost arrogant. Rona was getting more and more nervous next to Rebekah.
-"I can see you have pretty eyes. Golden like the sun of Dorne. A simple cloak can't hide them."
Rebekah froze. This man seemed far to clever to make allusions to her eyes without further meaning.
-"I fail to understand your intentions." Rebekah said, her hand sliding to the hidden dagger at her hip. The Dornishman followed her movements with his dark eyes, and Rebekah cursed internally for underestimating him. He cocked his eyebrow mockingly and let the grip of a thin embellished dagger appear in his palm.
-"Don't play with pointy knifes, love. I only wish to help you." He pleaded and raised his hands like in a gesture of defeat, but he approached with the graceful moves of a predator. "If you wish to help, you should forget you ever encountered me. I promised Mistress Rona I would make no trouble."
-"Apologies." The dornish muttered towards the quiet women and then turned to Rebekah again. "Let us speak outside, please."
Rebekah held back a sigh. She had no choice if she wanted to keep her promise to Rona, so she followed the stranger outside the room. The sight of the men with their whores made her slightly uncomfortable , but she would not show it in front of the dornish.
He led her into another small room, which was obviously meant for pleasure. The only way of escape was a window towards the street, but the man was standing right in front of it.
She only needed to distract him for a moment.
-"Put your mind at ease, I have no intention to hurt you." The dornish's smile was beginning to unnerve her.
-"Tell me who you are." Rebekah demanded bluntly.
-"Do you not want to guess?" he asked playfully but Rebekah shook her head.
-"I do not wish to play games with cowards." The dornish cocked his head to the side and his black eyes sparkled with delight.
-"You call me a coward?"
-"Only cowards hold back their name while bothering a foreign lady." He laughed and gestured towards a chair next to the bed. "Please, make yourself comfortable."
Rebekah reasoned sitting down would only put him in a superior position.
-"No." She said shortly and the dornish laughed again, a short, dangerous laugh.
-"You are not unknown to me. In fact, I admired you from afar, my lady. In Dorne, we speak in awe about the women who fights against the Mountain that rides and still lives." His words proved he truly knew who she was. Rebekah had no idea how to get out of this situation anymore.
-"Who are you?" She asked again and draw the dagger out enough for the evening sun to reflect on it.
-"I am Oberyn Martell, Prince of Dorne." He said with pride and confidence, and Rebekah could see he was not lying. Her cheeks began to grow hot and it felt like someone dropped a heavy weight in her stomach.
She seemed incapable of forming another sentence.
Oberyn Martell stepped to her and removed hood so that he could see her face entirely.
Rebekah let him, she had already been more than rude to the Prince.
He even smelled like foreign spice and hot sand, Rebekah thought before coming to reason again. Prince or not, he was dangerous.
-"Ahh, what a beauty you are. I'm so impressed by your appearance and your actions. Especially because you are the daughter of Lannister bannermen." His hand reminded on her hair.
-"I'm sure you have heard embellished versions of the story. I'm nothing but a simple girl with a talent for ending up in unfortunate situations... my prince." She added.
-"However, every enemy of the Mountain is a friend to House Martell. Especially the bold and pretty ones." He slowly stroke over the strand of hair until he reached the end, then lightly touched her cheek with his warm fingers. It was the moment Rebekah decided he was close enough to her. Who knew what he was going to do if she didn't stop him.
-"My Prince, your reputation precedes you as well. Yet I shall not be dishonored even by the Red Viper of Dorne." She said, hoping he would understand without her being too rude again.
His eyes locked into hers as he slowly took away his hand only to bend closer to her. "Honor seems so important to you northern people. I always remember that when I think about my sister Elia. Do you know how much Tywin Lannister cared for honor when he ordered Gregor Clegane to kill and rape her?" he whispered into her ear.
Rebekah felt her heartbeat accelerate. Did every rabbit feel this way when threatened by a snake? Oberyn Martell switched from charming to vengeful within seconds, and Rebekah still had no idea what he truly wanted from her.
-"Your sister's murder was a horrible crime. It is always an atrocity when beloved siblings are taken from us." She said quietly.
She waited fearfully for the Viper's answer.
-"You call it murder, which is more than most people here admit, yet you don't agree on Tywin Lannister's part in it?" he asked and removed his face from hers. Rebekah tried not to gasp for breath.
Oberyn Martell was clearly questioning her loyalties and her honor, and Rebekah was walking on eggshells.
-"I can't judge something that happened way before my time. I'm well aware that some Lannister's hands are stained with innocent people's blood but they are far from being the only ones. Every single House in this kingdom has it's own feuds, wars and dark secrets. I don't blame bannermen for the crimes of their Lords."
Oberyn stared at her for a second, then burst into laughter. Rebekah was unsure if it was a good or a bad sign. "Aren't you a smart girl?" he exclaimed. "I don't blame you, love. Tell me, I'm curious, how does it feel be betrothed to Gregor Clegane? Probably you don't blame him for his lord's crimes as well?"
He was using her words against her, confronting her with something that had always bothered her. House Waldorf was bound to the Lannister, yet most Lannisters were cruel and ruthless.
-"I do blame him because he was the one committing the crime. It's a big difference from me and my family, my prince. " Oberyn nodded slowly, obviously thinking over her words.
-"So it's alright to serve a family who ordered Clegane to rape and murder a Princess with her babe's blood still on his hands? The Mountain is a monster, you see the crimes of the Lannisters – but you never stop listening to Tywin Lannister's orders?"
His tone was accusing now and again he turned to her. Rebekah looked away to rally her thoughts but Oberyn pushed her chin towards him with two fingers so that she had to meet his eyes.
-"I asked you a question." He said intensely, the playfulness gone.
Rebekah cleared her throat and pushed his fingers away.
-"My loyalties lie with my House, yet I do not follow orders blindly. Do you think Tywin Lannister is pleased with me with openly defying his favorite dog and refusing the marriage? Do you think he sent me to feed the children of this house? I try to be loyal to my high brother, my liege lord, my King and my conscience. It's not an easy task but I do the best I can." She defended herself, but Oberyn was still not pleased.
-"When I first heard of you I told my people you were only fighting for your life. A Lannister girl would never fight for something else than power, gold and her own skin.
But today I saw you feeding lowborn whores and I was reminded you travelled through half Westeros to find your brother. So what shall I make of you?" he mused.
Rebekah kept quiet. She had not answer to his question. Then she decided that attack may be the best defense.
-"And you my Prince? What shall I make of you? You crave revenge for Elia, which is understandable, but did you ever think that not all the Lannisters are the same? Is every Lord in the Westerland a murderer only because Clegane is? Is every man with the name Lannister cold-hearted because Lord Tywin is?
I heard you killed a Lord in Dorne with poison, does that make all the Martells Vipers? You crippled Willas Tyrell so is every dornishman a ruthless fighter?" Rebekah again lost control of her words, but she was tired of Oberyn judging everything in black and white.
He kept listening to her during her speech, staring thoughtful into her eyes.
-"I underestimated you, love. Forgive me if I scared you, my sister Elia's death always makes me... angry. Yet I was curious to see how you would react if I pushed you a bit."
Rebekah's jaw dropped. Was he actually saying he had provoked her on purpose?
She thought she may have been rude, but Oberyn had toyed with her only to see her outburst. One day, Rebekah would have to learn to finally control her feelings, she scolded herself.
Oberyn smiled, this time softly and friendly. "Do not be harsh on yourself. I have that effect on many people. In Dorne, we don't hold back our thoughts and emotions. You would be very happy in Sunspear." His smile turned warm again.
"We shall speak again and find comfort in each other for the loss of our siblings at the hand of monsters. I would escort you back to the Red Keep, but no one knows I'm in the capital. I hope it stays that way, Lady Rebekah. We would not want your precious honor to be questioned, wouldn't we?"
Oberyn Martell had come alone to the city for some reason, although Rebekah didn't believe for a second he was truly alone. The Viper was well-informed about her, and their meeting had been suspiciously coincidental. Yet she doubted the Spider didn't already know about the Prince of Dorne sneaking around in King's Landing.
Rebekah pulled her cloak back on and offered Oberyn a reassuring smile. "Seems like a fine agreement. Although you have certainly not chosen the best time to visit King's Landing. Haven't you heard about Stannis Baratheon?"
Oberyn waved his hand. "I don't care about the Lannisters' quarrel. How mindless of me, I mean the Baratheons' of course. The King is a stag like his uncle."
Rebekah almost genuinely laughed. Joffrey was truly a stag like his uncle. Which meant he had not the slightest drop of Baratheon blood in his veins.
"I hope to see that smile again, love." Oberyn said and bowed mockingly.
"I hope to be properly introduced the next time, with preference not in a brothel." Rebekah answered and closed the door behind her, leaving behind the Prince of Dorne.
Hi guys, I hope the first meeting with Oberyn lived up to your expectations ;) He's such an interesting character and very fun to write. Thanks to HermioneAndMarcus, HarleyQuinn, Anna.B, guest, Veri01 and Sparky She-Demon for your reviews.
HarleyQuinn: You're probably not the only reader who is confused with the quotation marks, so you did me a favor with telling me :D I will change it in time so that everyone can enjoy the story!
Anna.B: You're so wonderful with your reviews! I hope you're not disappointed with the outcome of their encounter. I have thought of many more scenes with them... Like you said, they have many points in common but some conflicts as well.
Bronn and Rebekah will have another moment in the next chapter where Bronn won't be so cold. No, Rebekah can't fight except with her bow, and I have not yet decided who will train her ;)
Rebekah has red hair, and I imagine her a bit like Elyse Levesque (Genevieve on the Originals) or Holland Roden. I like your suggestions anyways, you would only have to imagine them with red hair :D
Veri01: Thank you for your amazing review! I'm glad you liked Kenna, she will be important in the future... You are right about Rebekah and Oberyn, their relationship will be quite complex. I try not to rush things between Bronn and Rebekah because he truly appears to be a hard man on the show and is described as coldhearted in the books. I simply can't image him being lovey-dovey :D
Next chapter: Rebekah finds Bronn in the streets of King's Landing with someone we haven't met yet and who causes some trouble...
Liebe Grüße & xoxo