Telen and Ellanna walked a few paced behind Ylsa and Doran, just side eyeing each other with varying degrees of amusement and mirth. The two of them were making their way through the gardens at a leisurely pace in the early morning breeze. Ahead of them, in the maze of hedges and fountains lay a brunch set out in the merciful shade of several blossoming trees whose branches bent down low over the little cove. At the moment, it was a bit cool, but soon as the sun moved overhead, it would provide the space below with much needed and appreciated shade.

Ylsa was pushing Doran's wheeled chair along the well-trodden path; she was a slight girl but Doran was no behemoth himself, it wasn't so difficult. Her two handmaidens stayed just out of earshot of the couple, so they couldn't make out what she was saying to Doran each time she bent lower to speak to him over his shoulder, but likewise, they could not hear the hushed conversation between Telen and Ellanna.

"She was so upset before," Telen said. "And now she's all hunky dory. She's downright affectionate with him."

"They are to be married," Ellanna reminded her, shrugging. "Sometimes, even arranged matches can be good matches."

"She was getting distant for a while, and then that whole business with Jerris….I still don't know how she could have picked Doran over Jerris."

"Doran is the PRINCE, Telen. That's a bit better than a mere soldier."

"But Doran is also OLD, Ellanna."

"Hey, watch it, old is gold, young lady." Telen laughed as the older woman good naturedly pulled her braid. Telen shrugged, maybe Ellanna was right. But she got the feeling Ylsa wasn't the type that was after status. So she really couldn't figure out the girl's motive….because it couldn't be true love, right?

As the foursome approached the shaded enclave, Ylsa eased Doran's chair to a stop in the shadiest spot, and started preparing a cup of coffee for him. Two sugars, no cream. Hers consisted of a fair bit more sugar and about half a cup of cream but….she was getting there. Then, handing off Doran's cup, dragging one of the large, overstuffed circular pillows right next to him, she sat down, patting down the billowing fabric of her gown as it whooshed up around her. Telen just watched her get the two of them situated, scoffing.

"Don't even need us, eh?" she asked, more of a joke really, but as Ylsa just opened her mouth, looking a bit surprised but….conspicuously NOT rejecting that notion, Telen just laughed louder, honestly amused. "Ohhh….I see how it is!"

"No, no, Telen, I didn't mean to offend you!" Ylsa shook her head, her loose hair bouncing and curling at her shoulders.

"No offence was taken, My Lady," Ellanna replied in her deeper timbre, putting a hand of Telen's shoulder. "We actually had quite a bit left to do on our chores this morning, don't we?"

"Oh!" Brightening up, Ylsa smiled. "I would hate to keep you! I think….I think I have everything handled here, and Areo is never out of shouting distance." Ellanna smiled knowingly, winking at the Western maiden as she guided a smirking Telen out of the shaded enclave, leaving the Prince and his betrothed alone.

"You made quick work of them," Doran teasing, sipping his coffee, as Ylsa pouted up at him in feigned indignance.

"I didn't mean to! But….I don't mind that they've gone." She sipped her own coffee with a slight laugh.

"Oh? Have some nefarious plans for me now that the handmaidens have left? You ARE from the Westernlands, how do I know you're not secretly planning my assassination?" She scoffed, shaking her head, and smiling evilly up at him.

"Or maybe I'm just planning on dumping you, chair and all into that pool over there….after all, that's what you did to me on our first day here."

"It would only be fair." The two of them grinned at one another, while Ylsa stood. "Oh, really going through with it?"

"No," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "I'm not that cruel. But a swim does sound sort of nice, doesn't it?"

"Oh?" Doran was a little caught off guard at that, not expecting her to actually want to get in the water again, not after that whole…. Soldier business. But Ylsa just laughed that clear, crisp laugh that Doran loved, tossing her hair over her shoulder, letting her shawl slip from her shoulders. The way she looked at him made Doran, the Prince of Dorne, feel like a mere mortal in the presence of a living goddess.

"You don't have to," Ylsa said, a bit quieter. "But I feel like having a swim." Doran watched in confusion, that slowly turned to realization, as she slowly stepped towards the edge of the nearby pool.

"I think….I'll just watch you, Lady Ylsa," He said, a smile spreading across his face as she looked back over her shoulder at him, smirking playfully, before letting her dress slip completely off her shoulders, leaving her bare before she stepped into the cool, crystal water of the pool.

"There you are, My Prince!" Ylsa picked up her skirts and made her way down the open air corridor to where she'd found Doran sitting in his chair, looking out onto the courtyard. She hadn't realized she'd left her room without her shoes again, and she just laughed at her own air headed forgetfulness as she realized she was once again barefoot. She knew Doran was not bothered by that.

Doran did not turn to look at Ylsa, in fact he made no movements at all; he was as still as stone. Ylsa strode a little faster towards him, a sudden sense of vague urgency washing over her. Whatever the cause of this feeling, she just felt that she needed to make it to Doran quicker.

"Doran…?" The closer she got, the more apprehensive she grew, as he was unmoving, unchanging even….even as she called out to him, he did not acknowledge her. What was running through that man's mind, she wondered? "Doran….. my love….?" This seemed to snap him out of his stupor somewhat, but the way he turned his head seemed more like he'd discovered a pesky fly buzzing about his head, not like he was hearing he voice of his betrothed. He looked vaguely in Ylsa's direction as she approached, but his eyes glossed over her, like he did not see her; or rather, like he was seeing through her. "Doran! ….You're scaring me!"

It was only then, as she picked her full skirts up completely in her arms and ran to him, did she see the source of her hurried, anxious feelings; behind where Doran sat, slithering it's way down the wall, was a large, green serpent. It's yellow eyes were unblinking as it transfixed it's deadly gaze on the back of Doran's head. It stopped it's downward slithering halfway down the wall, and lifted it's head, baring it's fangs; it was within striking distance of The Prince.

"DORAN!" She shrieked his name this time, and just as she was sprinting to him, her voice broke into an anguished scream as the serpent reared back, striking across the open space between it and Doran, it's fangs just moments from connecting with the back of his neck-

"NO!" Sitting straight up in bed, Ylsa found herself drenched in sweat as she lay in the sprawl of the moonlight streaming into her room. It was only a nightmare, only a nightmare she told herself, real tears streaking down her face as she shivered and tried to calm herself down. But it wasn't just a dream; she'd had the same dream three nights in a row, and each night, the snake was always closer and closer to striking Doran down each time she awoke.

"Lady Ylsa!?" Ellanna burst into her chambers, a panicked look on her face; she knew her charge had been having restless nightmares as of late, but this was the first night she'd awoken so violently from them, and she was shocked to find Ylsa crying. "Ooh….my child, it's alright! It was only a dream!" Moving to sit on the bed beside her, taking her into her arms and holding her as she cried, the younger woman couldn't stop her heart from beating in her throat.

"No, no, it wasn't!" she sobbed, holding her face in her hands. "It's a sign, it's a dream from the Gods! They're trying to tell me something!"

"The Gods wouldn't be so cruel to such a pure hearted woman," Ellanna assured her, but it did not calm Ylsa.

"Doran is in danger!" she whimpered, before turning from Ellanna's embrace, standing. "I- ….I want to see him!"

"….Now?" The older woman looked outside, at the moon high in the sky. "He's surely asleep, my lady."

"I need to make sure he's alright! I….I feel like I'm only a hair's width away from losing him!" The handmaid had no idea what Ylsa was talking about, but she seemed hysterical and hell-bent on seeing Doran, no matter the time of night. Sighing, Ellanna stood.

"Alright, alright, let's wake him then." As soon as she said this, Ylsa sped past her, bursting through her chamber doors and making her way across the palace to Doran's chambers. Areo caught up with Ellanna as she tried to keep up with the girl.

"Midnight run?" he asked, somewhat mirthfully.

"She's been having terrible dreams, and has convinced herself Doran is in danger; she wants to see him." Shrugging and rolling her eyes just a tiny bit, Areo conceded; it was a tiny bit excessive. But it was also terribly endearing of Ylsa. When she reached the wing Doran slept in, Ylsa shoved the chamber doors open, much to the confusion and detestment of the guards posted outside.

"You can't barge in like that!" one of them said, but Areo held a hand up to silence him as he and Ellanna approached, hanging back to let Ylsa rush in on her own.

"Doran!" Stopping dead just inside the doorway, her heart beating wildly from the adrenaline of her nightmare, she was relieved to see Doran in bed, or rather, sitting straight up in bed, as the surprise visit had woken him up. He was startled, his eyes not yet recognizing Ylsa, looking around him in a panic.

"What!? What is it!" Trying to rise out of bed on his own, all he ended up doing was falling to one side of the bed, half way hanging off onto the floor, pulling all the sheets with him. "Lady Ylsa?" Once his eyes focused on his betrothed, standing there in the doorway (upside down in his view,) cloaked in light lavender gauze and moonlight, he let out the breath he was holding, and with it a short, disbelieving laugh. "You scared me, my Lady! Look at me!" Struggling to right himself, Ylsa rushed over, pulling him back up onto the bed.

"You scared ME, falling off the bed like that!" she replied, looking him over; he was shirtless in bed, so it was easy to see that there were no snake bites anywhere on him; her shoulders relaxed.

"What are you doing here at this hour, Lady Ylsa? Not that I'm not pleased to see you, but…." Doran trailed off as Ylsa was subtly trying to look him over to make sure he was alright. He knew she wasn't here for a mere 'visit' as it were; that wasn't Ylsa's way.

"I …. I had a terrible dream," she admitted, glancing up to make eye contact. "I dreamt that a great green viper was seconds away from killing you, and I couldn't get to you fast enough to stop it!"

"That does sound terrifying." Reaching out, tucking some loose curls of hair behind one of Ylsa's ears, trailing his fingers down the curve of her chin afterwards, tipping her face up to fully look to him. "But I promise you, I'm alright. No bites on me, and none in the foreseeable future either. Us Dornishmen aren't so easy to fell!"

"But…but I feared it was an omen, My Prince," she replied, setting her own hand over his, leaning her face into his touch. "From the Gods. I thought….. I was so afraid when I woke. I'm afraid it might come true!"

"I promise you, Ylsa. No harm is going to come to me; I've made it this long in life!" She smiled a little at that, but was still anxious, and Doran could sense it. "Why don't you sleep here with me this night, so you can have me next to you every time you wake from bad dreams?"

"We're unwed yet," Ylsa quietly reminded him, looking away shyly. "….It's not proper to share a bed until we can…. 'share a bed'."

"I won't tell anyone if you won't," he said, smiling cheekily, but Ylsa still turned her gaze away; as much as she was embracing life here in Dorne, there were still some things she couldn't change. Doran knew this clear as day, and taking one of her hand in both of his, patting it gently. He was going to tell Ylsa that she could come check on him any time of the night if it put her mind at ease, but then something of a crazy idea crossed his mind. An idea he wouldn't have even considered had it been anyone else but Ylsa. " ….We could wed right now."

"What?" There was both confusion and a small bit of curiosity in Ylsa's voice as she looked back to him in surprise at that, and Doran nodded.

"Let's wed, you and I, right now!" He was growing more enthusiastic about this idea with each passing moment. "We'll call the Septon in, he can read us our marriage vows." Turning and motioning towards the soft, bright moonlight coming in from the open windows. "The Gods even have a perfect view of our union from here!"

"But….but you're the Prince! Shouldn't your wedding have more thought and preparation in it!?"

"We can have an unofficial wedding for the sake of the country. But for us….we can be wed right here and now." Smiling at her, lifting her hand to kiss the back of her knuckes gently. "What do you say? Will you wed me here and become my wife tonight? Then you may keep watch over me from this very bed, to alleviate your fears for every night after."

Ylsa had to admit, not only was this a practical solution to her dilemma but an incredibly romantic one at that, the type of romantically impulsive gesture songs were sung about or tales told. And Doran, bless his heart, was so enthusiastic about it! An immediate and thoughtless 'yes' almost poured from Ylsa's lips right there, but she hesitated, the affirmation dying in her throat. Was this really what was best for her? For Doran? An impromptu marriage amid fears of an ill omen? There was an unease in the pit of her stomach, though she didn't know if it was from the idea of such a hasty wedding or the anxiety of leaving Doran alone again. And not even to mention the implications of marriage; Ylsa knew Doran has a viable and capable son already, poised to take the throne, so he was not clamoring for an heir, but, was Ylsa really ready for the inevitable?

This was what gave her greatest pause. Throughout her stay here in Dorne, and specifically the water gardens, Ylsa had been growing more brazen in her expressions of herself; in her thoughts, her opinions, her instinct, her wants and desires, and her fears and anxieties and distastes. She'd grown more comfortable around her peers and around Doran, more sure of her place here in Dorne, and most recently, more comfortable expressing her own budding sexuality, which for a woman from the Westerlands, should have been all but nonexistent. At least, that's what she was always taught. But here with Doran, it seemed so natural of a progression. But now that she was on the precipice of her inexperience, at the doorstep of marriage and of her marriage bed, she wondered if she was ready for the conclusion her growth of self would eventually come to. For some reason, she'd assumed it would take a lot longer to be married, and she'd have more time. Now that the time was here….could she handle it?

Doran watched as Ylsa gave him pause, anxious for her answer. He could see the turmoil behind her eyes, her inner struggle to find an answer; he should have known this wasn't something to be decided on impulse. Coughing to catch her attention again, he smiled.

"My lady, I'm sorry, that was such an improper question to spring on you, you don't-"

"Yes," Ylsa interrupted him, making his words peter off as he looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"…..Uh…"

"Yes, I'll be your wife. Right now." She grabbed his hands, resolve cutting through the confusion in her eyes.

"You will?" The relief was apparent on his face as he let out a sigh, taking both of her hands in his and kissing each one.

"On one condition," Ylsa continued, her face gaining a slight pink tinge, briefly looking away from him.

"Anything," Doran breathed, leaning in slightly closer.

"I….I want to be your wife. I want to do everything a wife does for her husband, but-" Nodding immediately, Doran was fairly certain he knew what she was saying, and he attempted to spare Ylsa from having to spell it out for him.

"Ylsa, I would never expect you to do anything until you want to do it. I want to be with you mind and soul; the 'body' part can come later-"

"Don't interrupt your future wife," Ylsa said cheekily, cheeks still pink but a slight smile gracing her lips. "I wasn't finished. I only meant to say, that you've been married before, and have a child, and I don't. There's a lot I don't know, and I'm not a fast learner."

"I would beg to differ."

"I only wanted to ask that you be a patient teacher with me."

"Of course." Leaning in to kiss her sweetly, wrapping an arm around her waist, before calling to the guards to wake the Septon and fetch him there.

The Septon was both surprised, and not surprised at all to be woken this late at night to officiate a scandalous midnight wedding. This was Dorne, after all, the country was not known for it's strict adherence to religious edicts. But then again, it was two people who wanted to make official their bond before the gods, so who was the Septon to judge? Even if those people were the Prince and his soon to be Princess.

"You may now, uh…. 'cloak' the bride and bring her under your protection." He said this uncertainly, as there was no cloak to be seen, but as he spoke, Doran plucked one of the embroidered throw blankets from his bed, which they were both still sitting upon, and with a badly concealed grin, he draped it across Ylsa's shoulders. It wasn't a cloak, but it was embroidered with the House Martel sigil, so….it was basically one and the same. "Ahem. My Lord and…..Lady," turning to look at Areo and Elanna, the only two who were present to witness the marriage, "we stand here in the sight of Gods and men to witness the union of man and wife. One flesh, one heart, one soul, now and forever." Taking the ceremonial cloth ribbon from his sleeve, he approached the giddy couple, and began to wind the cloth around their joined hands. "Let it be known that Doran of House Martel, and Ylsa of House Payne, are now and forever more one flesh, one heart, one soul. Cursed be they who seek to tear them asunder." As he finished tying the knot around their hands, he was a little taken aback by the intensity of their gaze into one another's eyes; the Septon had never really interacted directly with either of these individuals before, but even just seeing them now, even he could see this was no political marriage. "In the sight of the seven, I hereby seal these two souls for the rest of their lives, as one, for eternity. Now, look upon each other and say the words."

"Father, smith, warrior," the both of them began to recite, keeping pace with each other. Ylsa stuttered slightly but it only caused the both of them to breathlessly laugh, which the Septon found refreshingly endearing. "Mother, maiden, Crone, and Stranger…" At this point, they continued reciting in unison, though the words differed slightly.

"I am hers, and she is mine," Doran said softly, as Ylsa said along with him, "I am his, and he is mine." She felt his hand squeeze hers slightly, and she squeezed right back, as they continued. "I am yours, and you are mine, until the end of my days."

"With this kiss, I pledge my love," Doran finished the recitation quietly, kissing Ylsa quite chastely; oh, he would have preferred a more drawn-out affair, but he didn't make it a gratuitous kiss for Ylsa's still lingering sense of embarrassment about such blatant displays of affection in front of others, and after all, Areo and Ellanna were right there. The both of the witnesses present remained silent but smiling as the couple pulled away from the other, exchanging amused glances; of course this was how Doran chose to get married. The look Areo gave to Ellanna was a clear "I knew this would happen" look.

"My work here is done," the Septon said tiredly, closing the holy book he read from, tucking it under his arm. "If you need me, I'll be in my chambers. But please….don't need me." He said this with good humor, if not more than a bit of tiredness, and retired from the room, Ellanna following suit, yawning loudly as she left. Areo winked good naturedly at Doran as he was the last to leave, closing the chamber doors behind him. And finally, Ylsa was alone with Doran.

"So….I'm your wife now," Ylsa finally said, reaching up to touch Doran's cheek.

"And I your husband."

"When I was young, I feared I'd never have a husband," Ylsa said quietly, suppressing a small yawn, though Doran saw it.

"The Gods are good then, aren't they?" Doran replied, scooching over on the bed, holding the covers out for Ylsa to crawl under.

"I don't know about them….. but I know you are." Snuggling under the thin sheets with Doran, right up against his chest, she could finally rest easy knowing she was here with him, and nothing bad would happen to him without her knowing. Letting out tired sigh, her eyes slid shut. And before she driftd off to sleep, she felt Doran kiss her forehead.

"Goodnight, my precious wife."