Okay, so here comes one which I think you will like... main characters are finally meeting! Enjoy :)
It took them almost 5 days to get their new instructions. Renly and Margaery had taken much of their army and were camping outside of King's Landing. Apparently, they were trying to get Stannis to deny his claim and join their side. Baelyx had met with Robb Stark in the North, and joined his army, which was riding against the Lannisters in the Riverlands. The young wolf was interested in an alliance, but his need for revenge was stronger now than any future political titles.
Olenna Tyrell was still in Highgarden, and instructed Samaya to continue with their plan as soon as possible. With her scroll came a second one from her brother Willas, telling her how much he missed her and that he was sad to hear of Beric's passing. He insisted on her being cautious, and told her that even though their mother had been furious about her secret disappearance, she had accepted by now that it was something she could not have stopped.
As they were readying their horses, the whore who had talked to Samaya their first night appeared. She put a hand on the young girls' shoulder and, to her surprise, planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
"You're a wild one, I can tell. If you're ever back in these parts, I'll be here," she said softly and walked away with swaying hips. Sam stared after her dumbfounded. Behind her, the two older men were chuckling. She shot them a scolding look.
"Take it as a compliment, sweetheart," Willam said and got on his horse. Sam shook her head and followed suit. She would miss this town. In the past days, she had explored it on her own. She bought exotic-looking food at the markets, talked to some people on the docks, and sat on the beach for hours on end. Her skin, despite being subjected to the sun the whole day long, was still pale, a fact her companions had commented on. Their faces have steadily become more sun-kissed the longer they were on the road. Sam blamed it on her 'noble heritage'. The two men had accepted that.
It took them a week to reach Sunspear, riding through the mountains and passing Godsgrace on their way. Sam was impressed by the huge tower of the Martell's ancestral house, visible from far outside the city. The rest of the buildings were mostly huts, a contrast that made the population seem poor, but from their clothes she could tell that they were well off.
They reached the gates to the keep around noon, and three guards stepped in their way. "Who goes there?" they asked in harsh accents. Sam took a deep breath and got off her horse. The time had come. She had to shed this anonymous face and become a Tyrell again.
"I am Samaya of House Tyrell, oldest daughter of Mace and granddaughter of Olenna. We have written to your lord and he is expecting us," she said with grace and authority. The guards exchanged a few uneasy glances.
"I am sorry, but you don't exactly look like a noble lady," one of them said, gesturing at her traveling attire. Sam nodded, she had expected so much.
"You wouldn't be good guards if you would believe every word spoken at these gates. Here, this is the sigil ring of my house, take it as proof and inform your lord about our arrival immediately," she said and reached inside her tunic. The ring was dangling from a leather necklace around her neck, a well-hidden place for treasures. One of the men stepped forward and inspected the treasure.
"Very well, please follow me, my Lady," he said after a few moments, and she smiled gently at him.
"Thank you, Sir," she said with an elegant nod and the man actually seemed to blush a little.
They were led into a small hall equipped with luscious lounges in yellow, orange and red. Refreshments were brought by servants, and they were instructed to sit and wait. Bayard was pacing the room nervously, while Willam helped himself to some wine and Sam gulped down some delicious lemon water. Some time later, the doors opened, and a man and woman walked in. Sam's breath stalled for a minute. She had seen boisterous men in Highgarden, but the air that this one carried was... different. There was a sly smile on his lips, big brown eyes which seemed to swallow her whole, and a tall and slender frame that moved with a natural confidence commanding the room. The woman was almost as tall as him, wearing a silk gown that left a lot of exposed skin, and an equally sly smile on her face.
"Lady Samaya, welcome to Sunspear, we have been eagerly expecting you!" the man came at her and took her by the shoulders. To her surprise, he planted two kisses on her cheeks. Was this customary in Dorne, or was he taking her for a fool? She was baffled.
"Price Oberyn, happy to see you're still in good health," Willam chimed in from behind them, and Sam gained back her countenance. Of course. Doran's younger brother, the one that had crippled Willas, and who had a wild reputation.
"Always, Ser Willam, you cannot kill weeds that easily," Oberyn replied, his arms still on her shoulders, watching her intensely. Sam managed a small smile, but could not look away from his face. She knew it was beyond wrong to remain eye-contact with a man for this long a time, but his eyes just made her curious... and comfortable. She felt very comfortable looking into them. The woman who had entered with him gave a small cough and finally, he released her.
"Oh, where are my manners? This is Ellaria Sand, my paramour and mother of some of my most ferocious daughters," he said and Sam studied the dark woman, which gave her a small curtsey.
"We do not care much about titles in Dorne, but I will use yours to show respect for this blossoming alliance, Lady Samaya," she said with a heavy accent and Sam's face lit up. She liked her.
"There will be no need for that in such an intimate setting, dear Ellaria. It is a pleasure to meet you too," she said and gave her a well-meant smile.
"You seem to know Ser Willam already, let me introduce my other companion, Ser Bayard Norcross," Sam gestured to the second man, who gave a short nod.
"Welcome to Sunspear, Ser Bayard. Now, it was a long journey, and I'm afraid it is not quite over, so I invite you to rest a few hours before we continue," Oberyn announced and gestured to the lounges.
"Continue? Forgive me, Prince Oberyn, but I thought Sunspear was the seat of your house?" Sam asked him curiously.
"Yes, it is, but due to his poor health, my brother has taken to the Water Gardens as his residency. It is just a short ride from Sunspear though, so do not worry, you are almost there," he explained and Sam felt relieved.
"I see. Will you be accompanying us?" she continued while sitting back down. She really was exhausted after such a long journey.
"Of course, my Lady. You are still in Dorne, and Dorne is very different from your homelands," Oberyn sat down right next to her, alerting Bayard. It was not very customary to sit so close to an unmarried Lady, and him and her both knew it. However, it made Sam feel at ease, not the other way around.
"We've experienced the dangers of Dorne on our journey. My son died at the Tower of Joy," Bayard piped up and Oberyn looked at him sympathetically.
"I am sorry to hear that, Ser Bayard. No father should know that pain," he said with a lot of emotion. Sam became curious, wanting to ask him his story. He clearly spoke from experience.
Bayard gave a short nod and looked away, his face a mask of misery. Oberyn looked at his fingers, twisting one of the pompous rings, before his gaze met hers again.
"Well, you are safe here. There are many things to discuss, but you really should rest first," he said much more careless than his eyes told her he was, and got up from the lounge. "We will leave you be, the guards will get you when it is time to ride," he gave them a small bow and turned to walk away.
"Prince Oberyn," Sam called after him in a quiet manner. He stopped and turned back around, raising his eyebrows at her inquisitively. "Are we your prisoners?" she continued and watched with glee as his mouth turned into a sensual smile.
"Lady Samaya, if you were my prisoner, you would know it. And you would never want to leave," he announced with a sultry voice and exited the room.
"How very dare he say these things to a lady? That was downright suggestive and out of line! Wait til your father hears about this… arrogant fool!" Bayard started shouting as soon as the door had closed, whereas Willam just sat there laughing. Sam paid him no attention, since she was dealing with something else. A feeling arising from deep within her… a feeling of hunger. A hunger for adventure, mischief, and… passion.
DUN DUN DUUUUN... I am too giddy about this. Please review if you liked/disliked/or have any suggestions. I greatly rely on your feedback as motivation! Take care, my lovelies! B x