A Month Later
The Elder Brother
Two nights before his sister left, Doran dreamed of nothing but their lives as children. In his dreams they were the same age, with Oberyn only a year behind. They spent long days in the Water Gardens and roaming the ruins of their ancestors. In his dreams Elia was healthy and dressed in his clothes as they wandered the streets of Sunspear.
Growing up was easier with them closer. He could be a child with them, and never feel as if he had the duty to protect them. They laughed and played games. Nothing mattered but the long days spent in the sun and the feel of the wind and sand on their faces.
In his dreams she never had to leave.
"I do not think Arianne understands what is going on." Doran whispered to his wife as they lay closely together in the darkness of their room. His hand laid on her stomach, the only indication of her pregnancy a small hardness in her abdomen.
Mellario snorted softly, "Of course not, she is still very much a babe. How could she understand?"
"I do not know how to explain it to her, she looks up to Elia." Mellario shifts slightly to look at him.
"We will explain it carefully, my love. She will understand when she is older." Her voice was soft and tired. He would get no further in the conversation that night.
Doran nodded at her words and tried to let sleep take him.
A cold feeling crept into his veins as his eyes closed. In his dreams he was running through the desert, searching for something he could not find.