Reyna closed her eyes for a moment, letting the warm summer breeze caress her face. If not for the current circumstances today would be a near perfect day. But today was going to be far from content. She and Tyrion were standing side by side next to the fighting arena that overlooked Blackwater Bay and spectators were now finding seats and placing bets. Reyna had been hiding from Oberyn ever since their encounter in the brothel. She had stormed out only seconds after their hug had ended and had ordered her maids to keep Oberyn out of the room. She had heard him fighting with the girls last night, but he eventually gave up and went to spend the night with Ellaria. Thinking back on it, if Oberyn died today then Reyna would regret that decision for the rest of her life.
"I fear for him," Reyna finally said out loud. Tyrion reached up and held Reyna's hand, comforting not only her but also himself. He had been very skeptical about accepting Oberyn's help, but after Bronn had rejected the offer the Dornish prince was really his only option.
"He's called the Red Viper for a reason, we need to have faith," Tyrion replied, his shaking voice giving away his nerves. Reyna nodded silently and started looking around the crowd. Cersei, Tywin, and Jaime all sat in the royal box with Margaery and Olenna sitting just to the right of them. Margaery shot her sister a worried look and Reyna suddenly wished they were together.
"He is ready," Ellaria announced as she and Oberyn appeared at Reyna's side. Reyna looked to them and had to do a double take. There was something different about her husband and it wasn't just the nerves making her see things. The man looked so much like Oberyn that they could be twins, but something about the man's demeanor irked Reyna. He was almost too confident like he was trying too hard to be like Oberyn.
"Are you ready?" Tyrion asked, obviously not seeing anything wrong with Oberyn.
"I have been preparing for this day since my sister's murder." The Oberyn look alike answered. Even his voice was similar, but Reyna had spent many years in courts around Westeros. She could pick out a pretender and easily as breathing. Just then the Mountain entered the courtyard, his huge bulking frame almost big enough to block out the sun. Reyna had only seen the Mountain a hand full of times, but each time he took her breath away. The only man that even came close to him in size was the Hound, the Mountains own brother, but even he was a good foot shorter.
"You are going to fight that?" Ellaria asked, her nerves finally coming to the surface. Reyna had to give this pretender some credit, his smirk looked like it had been ripped right from Oberyn's face.
"I am going to kill that," he replied, turning to look at Reyna. Reyna met his stare and the look on his face changed. He looked almost nervous like he knew he had been caught, but Reyna said nothing. If he was here instead of Oberyn, there must certainly be a reason.
"Are the champions ready?" Tywin asked from the head seat. The Mountain roared and the crowd cheered for him. The fake Oberyn was about to walk out when Ellaria grabbed him. It was unclear to Reyna whether Ellaria knew about the imposter and was acting or if she was really in the dark.
"Do not leave me alone in this world," she whispered, her voice full of passion.
"Never," he replied in a low voice. They shared a passionate kiss, Ellaria clinging to him like it would be their last. Then the fake turned to Reyna. Ellaria and Tyrion stepped back to give them a little privacy.
"Wish me, well wife," the imposter almost commanded. If Reyna hadn't figured it out yet she would have after that. Oberyn would never command her, and he would certainly never say anything like that.
"You have my confidence, husband," she replied. They each leaned forward and gave the other a polite kiss on the cheek. Anyone watching would think that Reyna was still angry with her husband. Fake Oberyn turned and walked to the middle of the courtyard, twirling his spear and acting just as confident as Reyna imagined the real Oberyn would.
"Let the battle commence!" Tywin shouted above the cheering. While the two fought Reyna began to scan the crowd. If Oberyn wasn't fighting, then certainly he would be in the crowd somewhere. She recognized courtiers, servants, even some common folk, but she couldn't find Oberyn. There wasn't even someone who looked like they were in disguise.
"Are you nervous for your husband?" Ellaria asked, reaching out and holding Reyna's hand. Reyna observed her Dornish friend, her face passive and as blank as a stone. It was certain to her now that Ellaria really believed that the man fighting was her lover.
"That is not my husband," Reyna replied calmly. Ellaria gave her a sympathetic look, obviously thinking that Reyna was still upset. Fake Oberyn was the first to land a blow, a sharp stab to the Mountains leg. Tyrion cheered and rattled his chains, even Jaime let a victorious smile cross his lips when Cersei wasn't looking.
The Mountain landed a lucky kick and Fake Oberyn went flying. Ellaria's grip on Reyna grew tighter and Reyna placed a comforting arm around the woman's shoulder. The Mountain chopped the head off Fake Oberyn's spear and he managed to twirl away towards a page waiting with another spear.
"I will hear you confess before you die. I am the brother of Elia Martell. You killed her children, you raped her, then you killed her. Confess and this will end much quicker," Fake Oberyn laughed. The Mountain only growled and threw himself back into battle. He managed to grab onto Fake Oberyn's shoulder and threw him to the ground. Even Reyna couldn't hold in her gasp at that. Fake Oberyn twisted on the ground and managed to raise his spear directly into the Mountain's stomach. Reyna couldn't help but look right at Cersei as Fake Oberyn strut around the larger man. Her face now held a look of fear, something that was new to Reyna.
"You raped her! You murdered her! You killed her children!" The imposter screamed. He was now behind the Mountain and with quick work sliced the man's ankle so that he fell to the ground, unable to walk. Then Fake Oberyn was facing him and jabbed the spear into the Mountain's chest. Blood went flying from the man's mouth as he fell flat onto his back. Hope bubbled in Reyna's chest and she caught eyes with Jaime. He was sporting another victorious smile that he shared with her before turning back to the battle.
"Wait, are you dying? No, no, you haven't confessed," Fake Oberyn growled as he removed the spear. He circled the large man and for one moment Reyna realized why Oberyn chose this man. They moved in a way very similar to the viper Oberyn was named after. They moved fluidly, almost like they were underwater.
"Who gave you the order! Admit it!" Fake Oberyn screamed. Reyna and Ellaria now clung to each other, afraid for the outcome.
"Just kill him," Reyna heard Tyrion whisper. Fake Oberyn was still circling the Mountain when Reyna finally saw him. Oberyn was walking up the steps from the beach, his hands casually behind his back, watching the scene with an amused expression. But Reyna wasn't the only one to notice him, several people in the crowd noticed as well and began to whisper. The whispering caught the attention of Cersei and Tywin and Tywin rose to his feet as if he couldn't believe it.
"Admit it!" Fake Oberyn snarled. Then the Mountain's arm swung out, knocking the smaller man's feet out from under him. Ellaria let out a shriek, still unaware of the real Oberyn's presence. The Mountain grabbed the imposter by the neck and lifted him above him. Fake Oberyn scratched at the man but he stopped once the Mountain punched him. Blood and even a few teeth went flying and Ellaria nearly took off Reyna's arm with her pulling.
"I raped her!" Another punch. "I smashed her children's heads against the wall!" Another punch.
The Mountain rolled so that Fake Oberyn was underneath him. He placed his thumbs over the man's eyes and began to squeeze. Reyna turned her head away and found herself looking at Tyrion. He still hadn't seen Oberyn either, his focus completely on the scene unfolding before him.
"I murdered her with her children's blood still on my hands. I squeezed her head just like this until it popped!" The Mountain roared over Fake Oberyn's screams. Another second later and his head imploded, blood and little bits of brain scattering across the stone.
Ellaria released Reyna and fell to her knees screaming. Reyna looked straight at Oberyn and saw that his eyes were filled with a mix of satisfaction and pity. The Mountain was still going to die, but he had not won the fight for Tyrion's life. She felt the whole courts eyes on her, so she grabbed onto her stomach as if she were sickened and swayed. A Martell page came up and helped steady her so that she wouldn't fall.
"They both died…," Tyrion whispered, his tone a little hopeful.
"But Oberyn died first," Reyna replied. Tyrion looked down at his hands and then everyone looked up at the sound of a single person clapping. Those who had not been aware of Oberyn now saw him and screams and gasps erupted in the courtyard. Ellaria barked a relieved laugh while Tyrion looked both shocked and furious.
"I got my wishes. He confessed and now he will die," Oberyn smirked. He walked past his doubles body and clicked his tongue in disappointment. Tywin was still in such a state of shock that he said nothing. Reyna felt that Tywin thought that this would be killing two birds with one stone for him. Now he would be rid of both Tyrion and Oberyn, but once again his plans were foiled.
"Forgive me, Lord Tyrion, for tricking you. But someone convinced me that this was the better plan," he addressed as he strut closer to the trio. Ellaria ran at him and the two met in a heated embrace. As the two pulled away Oberyn turned to Reyna, but theirs would not be a happy reunion. He approached her with arms wide open, but instead of falling into them Reyna only curtsied politely, her rage boiling to new levels.
"I am glad you are unharmed, husband," she said in her perfect courtier's voice. Oberyn's face fell and his arms dropped to his side. The two Kingsguard beside Tyrion yanked on his chains and began dragging him away. Reyna caught Cersei's eye and the two women shared a long look. Cersei let a victorious smile grace her lips, but it was much more menacing than Jaime's had been. Reyna gave her the smallest of curtsies before turning on her heel and marching out of the courtyard. She needed to be alone, far away from her husband, the royal family, and the bloody mess her life had become.