Prince Oberyn Martell was lost deep in the Red Keep's bowls, Maegor the Cruel's rat tunnels seemingly going on forever. It had started when he couldn't sleep. King's Landing was where Elia, his beautiful sister, was murdered. A place full of restless vengeful ghosts.
After days of restraining himself Oberyn had strayed from Ellaria's bed. She had found other company while he roamed. Then when Chataya's brothel couldn't exhaust him, even with Alayaya, the beautiful summer islander girl wrapped in flowing silks that could so easily flow off, he began to stalk Aegon's High Hill. The sight of Alayaya's back had enraged him further, scarred and whipped on Tywin Lannister's orders, adding to the Lion's crimes.
After the poisoning of Joffery Baratheon, he could tell the signs of the strangler, Oberyn needed to see the accused, Tyrion Lannister. If he could become Tyrion's champion in a trial by combat he could fight the Queen's champion, who would surely be Gregor Clegane.
His thoughts turned again to Gregor Clegane and his blood boiled, The Mountain, Murderer, Dog, Raper, he would suffer by Oberyn's hand. Vengeance for his sister Elia, and her children Rhaenys and Aegon would begin. But he would wait, not long, but long enough. They called him the Red Viper for a reason.
But, now Oberyn was lost, drowned in darkness but for the light a torch provided. His steps echoed as he travelled through twisted tunnels. A door emerged from the pitch, heavyset oak studded with iron, not easily moved. The Dornisman flinched as a shadow moved in the corner of his vision but it was gone before he looked.
Facing the door, Oberyn pulled the knocker hard (why this door had a knocker and no handle was a mystery probably answered by the door's age) and the door budged open, only slightly, the door was on old hinges, but still unlocked. After three heaves it gave and creaked open.
The sight that greeted him sent shivers up his spine, the skulls of monsters, tall massive heads with swords for teeth. Dragon skulls. The Baratheons just couldn't kill the Targaryens mused the Prince, only hide them. Oberyn moved towards the largest skull, Balerion the black dread and scoffed. Large enough to once swallow mammoths, now a cute room decoration flanked by the other largest skulls of Vhaegar and Meraxes. Oberyn had seen Meraxes' bones at the hellholt but the skull was new to him.
A shadow moved inside Balerion's skull and Oberyn's eyes darted back and forth through the skull as he tensed up ready to fight.
What emerged was a cat, old, with a chewed up ear and fur black as sin. Its harsh meow filled the cellar with an echo like a roar.
Oberyn laughed. "And I suppose you're Balerion the Black Dread!" He bent over his sides, ached from laughing in surprise. "Here to gobble up another Dornishman." he wheezed, his smooth accent corrupted by laughing exhaustion.
The cat meowed.
Oberyn extended his hand to pet the creature. It bit his thumb, the new Balerion lived up to his namesake.
Oberyn laughed again and the cat tilted its head in seeming confusion.
"Do you know the way out?" asked Oberyn, poking Balerion's cheek and scratching his neck. In response the Cat refused to let go of his thumb and swiped at his finger trapping his arm under the Black Dread's leg.
"Feisty!" teased the prince, pulling away his arm. Oberyn pulled a sliver of fried meat from his pocket, remnants from his late night snacking, and teased Balerion with it. The cat feigned disinterest then released his thumb and dove for the meat snatching it from his fingers. "I suppose you have experience stealing our food then" jested Oberyn to no one in particular.
How surreal it seemed to be talking to a cat in a room surrounded by dragons.
Balerion the black cat looked haughtily up at him with green cat eyes then walked into Balerion's skull with a cocky strut. Oberyn followed.
Oberyn was led into Balerion's skull and then into a corridor which led to a small storage room. Inside was abandoned Targaryen livery and other trinkets, all related to the Targaryens. One of Rhaegar's giant silver stringed harps, a pot of some liquid he couldn't identify, a handful of rubies, a portrait of Queen Rhaella Targaryen, a winter rose, a red babe's blanket embroidered with Targaryen Livery, even an ornate silver hand that looked like a badge of office less dusty than the rest of it. Strangely it looked as if this dusty enclave had been altered a while back…
Oberyn moved to where Balerion sat on his haunches looking up. He gasped, everything else forgotten, and looked at what the cat looked at … a portrait of Elia holding her baby Aegon and her daughter Rhaenys holding a black cat.
Oberyn sat and lifted his torch to better see. He sat for a long while staring. Shadows flickering around the portrait and Oberyn lifting his torch higher to beat them back. It was only after a long while he realised he was crying.
Hot tears poured down his cheeks and Oberyn… Sobbed. Eyes never wavering from the portrait he reached for the cat only to find Balerion's head rested on his thigh, green eyes staring up at him.
The prince scratched Balerion's head and the old cat purred "I miss them too" he choked out. Oberyn wondered if this old dragon cat also had family in the portrait.
Eventually Oberyn stood and left the room and with one last look swearing to return when it was over, he marched down the hall and stifled his tears. Balerion followed him, mewling for his return.
Oberyn turned a corner and found iron rungs leading upwards judging his distance the Viper of Dorne began to climb and eventually emerged behind a tapestry. The Iron bars on the windows told him he was in the right place. He marched for the tower cell of Tyrion Lannister.
After a brief but barbed sparing of words with Addam Marbrand, Oberyn gained entry into Tyrion's cell.
When the door swung open the dwarf rose and bowed mockingly. "Are judges permitted to visit the accused?"
Oberyn composed his mind and prepared himself smiling an overconfident smile "Princes are permitted to go where they will. Or so I told your guards."
Oberyn never noticed the portrait was torn. He never noticed the faded locks of silver hair that still remained on the portrait's edge nor the torn edges of a painted high harp that remained.
I finally wrote a one shot! Figured there's no reason why Oberyn couldn't meet Balerion, Rhaenys' cat. If you feel the need to be nitpicky please feel free to tell me what book lore I have breached.