"Sansa, it's time to wake, my love," Ellaria said, giving Sansa's shoulder a gentle shake.

Opening her eyes lazily, Sansa yawned. "What time is it?" she asked, rising to stretch lazily. Oberyn was still asleep, lightly snoring. She realized that he had a habit of not rising early and would be awake deep into the night. Ellaria had told her it was actually the real reason he was called the Red Viper, because vipers would laze in the sun for hours before going out to hunt at night.

"Slightly after dawn. The trial will start at high noon."

"I'll need to have a bath," Sansa proclaimed. Luckily for her, Ellaria already had a bath already drawn for her in the next room. For whatever reason, the tub there was an exceptionally large one, enough to fit two comfortably, she reckoned.

She had shooed all the maids out. She wanted to have a quiet moment to herself, where she could think properly. She was going to stand as a witness at the trial later, but there was something that made her feel uneasy. Up until now, she had been in the throne room and everything that transpired then was a disaster for her. Countless beatings, countless taunts and humiliations.

Knowing full well that she should not dwell on the past, Sansa reached for the jug but found there was nothing there. Instead, she felt Oberyn's hand upon the crown of her head. "Let me wash your hair for you," he offered as he set on the bench next to the tub. She looked into his dark eyes and gave him a brief nod. Carefully, he poured a jug-full of water over her head and took brief glance at her back. The lashes had completely healed, but he knew that although they would no longer hurt her, they would forever remind her of the day that her brother triumphed over the Lannisters by taking their ancestral home.

Oberyn had skillful hands. After he lathered her hair with a little bit of soap, he piled everything onto her head and started to comb his fingers through the mess of her soapy hair, raking his fingernails upon her scalp ever so slightly. She had never washed her hair like that before, and instantly felt like it was a welcome change

"Maybe, you should do this every time I have a bath," she mused, earning a chuckle from him. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Then I shall add hair-washing to my husbandly duties then," he said, pressing his lips to her forehead. He knew that she caught him glancing downwards. He had not seen her fully naked before, and she did not deprive him of what he would have seen sooner or later. After he was done washing her hair, she turned around to face him, standing tall before him. "Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?" he asked his wife.

Although she knew that she must have been as red as a beet, Sansa shook her head. "You are the first," she told him. All her life, she had only seen the beauty of others. Cersei, although getting on in age, was one of the legendary beauties of Westeros. Margery, Ellaria, they were all beautiful women. But she? What qualities did she have for her husband, with his vast experience... "Could... could you tell me why?"

Taking a deep intake of air, Oberyn held her by her hips. "Let's start from your hair, Sansa," he proclaimed. "You are kissed by fire, as you say it in the North?" He looked up to his wife and smirked when she nodded. "Then, your breasts... they are round and high." As he spoke, he brought his hands to her breasts, cupping each in his hands. "Your skin, it's white as milk..."

Sansa closed her eyes as he continued praising her body. His hands were coarse, callous, leaving a delicious sensation upon contact. He kissed her navel and his hands went further down, there her womanhood resided, protected by tufts of red hair. A rush of excitement entered her, blooming from her gut and straight to her heart. He pulled her closer to him by way of her pert buttocks and began to kiss the folds of the skin that hid her... her... what did Septa Mordane call it when she was undergoing her "bridal training" on the way to King's Landing from Winterfell?

Ah, she remembered. Maesters had called that part of the woman's anatomy the "clitoris", Septa Mordane liked to call it the "pearl" or the "flower". Whatever it was, she felt a jolt of electricity when Oberyn's tongue touched that sensitive nub of flesh, and her knees had almost buckled. She was anchored only by his hands on her hips.

"Ellaria will be jealous of me," he hummed, looking up at her. "For I got the first taste of you." He then rose from the stool and asked, "Do you wish for me to continue

"Will... will we be late for the trial?"

"Yes, most definitely," Oberyn almost growled. "I want to savor every part of you, my beautiful wife."

"We shouldn't then," Sansa reasoned, kissing the corner of his lips. There was a sigh of relief when she feel the tightness in her body abate slowly. However, just after he helped her out of the tub, he seized her in his arms and kissed her hungrily.

He smirked. "You are too trusting," he teased her and helped her to wrap a towel around herself to dry off. She gave him a little pout, but noticed that his expression had become grave. "When you are out there, do not be afraid," he told her. Now, his head was crooked against the arch of her neck, his arms around her waist. "I will be there and they would not dare do anything to you."

"I know," she nodded, raking a hand through his hair. She was not afraid. The person that made her life in King's Landing a living hell had already been cremated. She knew that no one would be foolish enough to harm her in his presence. But, having him as a judge there, although it was impossible that he could do anything to actually help her. He had to be fair, after all. "What did Lord Tywin say to you before you said yes to being the third judge?"

"Nothing escapes you indeed," he told her. "Perhaps you have one of Varys' little birds in your employ..."

"Oberyn," Sansa pleaded. Dorne did not need solidarity with the Iron Throne for long, so even if Tywin had acted to have needed Dorne, it was not reason enough for Oberyn to have consented. There must have been another reason. A reason was able to move even him.

Sighing, Oberyn knew that there was no escape from such a questioning gaze from his wife. Her eyes were too large and they were too blue, reminding him of the winter's moon. "Lord Tywin promised an opportunity to meet with Gregor Clegane," he admitted. "Then, I will bring justice to the one who killed my sister."

Strangely, she did not react to the news at all. She took everything calmly and asked, "Will you kill him?"

"Yes," he replied. "I have been waiting for the opportunity for twenty years."

"If it comes to that, you must keep your head," she told him. She held either cheek in her hand and touched her forehead with his. She remembered watching the Mountain during the Tourney of the Hand. She remember he had hewn the head of his mare in one clean stroke after Ser Loras unhorsed him. Arya later told her that she had learned from her "dancing master" that only the most skillful swordsmen could kill in one blow. If her husband would one day fight such a beast, she could only hope and pray that he would survive.

Oberyn gave her his consent with a soft, chaste kiss. "You have my word," he promised her. "My head belongs to you, Ellaria, my family and Dorne. I'll not throw it away so lightly."

At high noon, Sansa had entered the throne room hand in hand with Oberyn. Ellaria had decided that she should make a new point with her dress, and thus, had her dress in a mauve gown which had a slim cut skirt that bared her shoulders and tight sleeves. She wore yellow jewels, their shade the exact match of the Martell yellow in her hair, rhinestones, actually, not that anyone could tell.

"Show those bastards that Sansa Stark is no longer afraid of them," Ellaria had told her before they left their chambers. Sansa had been so thankful that she'd given the older woman a light kiss on her lips.

There were whispers when they entered. Lords and ladies looked at Sansa and turned towards one another. They were the same faces that she had seen the last time Joffrey had beaten her. Oh yes, she remembered every one of them.

"To think that she was once betrothed to the King," one of the ladies spat in a seemingly hushed voice, hiding her face behind a fan. "Now look at her, wrapped up in Dornish silks with a viper at her arm. I'd be surprised that it wasn't her that did it."

Sansa had to fight the urge to openly proclaim that she had wished to be the one that ended Joffrey's life. Oberyn had no doubt sensed that urged and kissed her temple when they reached her seat. "Peace, Sansa," he whispered into her ear. "If... any trouble comes, remember that I am here."

"I will," she replied and watched as her husband took his place as the third judge of the trial. Sansa watched as the King moved quietly to his seat upon the Iron Throne. Tommen Baratheon was a young boy. He was not vicious like his brother was, and this made him easier to be molded by those around him.

Tyrion Lannister was then brought into the throne room, shackled and manacled. He was led to the podium and was firmly chained onto it by two of the Kingsguard. Sansa momentarily met his eyes and gave him a quick nod. Unlike the rest of the Lannisters, Tyrion had once stopped Joffrey from beating her. It was a particularly harrowing episode where Joffrey had the Kingsguard to strip her of her clothes, although they only managed to rip her outer dress. She would not count him as one of her enemies.

"I, Tommen of the House Baratheon, First of my name, King of the Andals and the First Men and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, do hereby recuse myself from this trial," King Tommen said once Tyrion was in place. It was the first farce in the list of farces that would occur that day, Sansa was sure of it. "Tywin of House Lannister, Hand of the King, Protector of the Realm, will sit as judge in my stead and with him Prince Oberyn of the House Martell and Lord Mace of the House Tyrell, and if found guilty, may the Gods punish the accused." With those words, the second boy-King moved away from the throne room with his guards, leaving Tywin to preside over the trial.

"Tyrion of House Lannister, you stand accused by the Queen Regent of regicide," Tywin proclaimed. "Did you kill King Joffrey?"

"No," Tyrion answered blankly. Despite his imprisonment in the Black Cells, he seemed to have not lost his usual wit and humor. Sansa wondered how long that would hold out for. Her father had entered those cells a man on the hunt and he had emerged the prey. She wondered what gave Tyrion so much fortitude which her father could not have.

"Did anyone else?" Tywin asked further.

"Not that I know of," Tyrion replied just as simply.

"How would you say that he died then?"

"Choked on his pigeon pie."

"So you blame the bakers."

"Or the pigeons, just leave me out of it."

Tyrion was still defiant. His spirit had not been broken. Knowing that they would be in for a long ordeal, Tywin sank deeper into the Iron Throne. Sansa was appalled. When he was Hand of the King, Ned Stark had told her that it was the most uncomfortable chair there was to sit upon. It poked his body in countless areas, and yet Tywin sat on it as if it was made with plush satin.

"The crown may call it's first witness," Tywin said. Ser Meryn Trant of the Kingsguard was summoned and stood at the witness' podium.

"Once we'd got King Joffrey safely away from the mob, the Imp rounded on him," Ser Meryn said. "He slapped the King in the face and called him a vicious idiot and a fool." There were gasps all over, while Sansa rolled her eyes. "It wasn't the first time the Imp threatened Joffrey," he continued. "Right here, in this throne room, he marched up those steps and called our king a halfwit. He compared His Grace to the Mad King and suggested that he'd meet the same fate, and when I spoke in the king's defense, he threatened to have me killed."

Tyrion interrupted Ser Meryn by asking, "Oh, why don't you tell them what Joffrey was doing?"

"Silence!" Tywin called.

"He pointed a loaded crossbow at Princess Sansa Martell while you tore at her clothes and beat her!" Tyrion countered, knowing for sure that Oberyn would react.

"Is this true?" Oberyn demanded coolly, looking directly at Ser Meryn. He knew that Sansa had been beaten, but she had never told him or Ellaria how. He could only see the scars and she spoke nothing of them.

"My Prince..."

"The crown calls it's second witness, Princess Sansa of House Martell, formerly of House Stark," Tywin said before Ser Meryn could add anything. Immediately, Ser Meryn was led aside and Sansa was brought to where he stood.

"What Lord Tyrion said was true," Sansa said calmly. She had been crying that time, sobbing uncontrollably. Turning around, she showed the judges where she had been beaten. There was a thin, black line just below where her dress had began. She could not see Oberyn's face, but she knew he would be seething in rage. "Ser Meryn hit me here with the back of his sword."

Mace Tyrell gasped. "My dear Princess, were you still... betrothed to King Joffrey at the time?" he asked.

"Yes, Lord Mace," Sansa replied. "His Grace was kind and accepting although I had traitor's blood. He was only angry because my brother won the battle at Oxcross against his armies. Lord Tyrion even offered to resolve the betrothal for me, but I told him not to. I wanted to erase my family's sins and show them that there are Northerners who are loyal to the crown."

All this while, she had looked at Tywin Lannister as well as Cersei and she sang her little song which she had sung ever since her father had been beheaded. Cersei most certainly sensed the bile in those words, because she could see how offended the Queen Regent looked. Tywin looked unchanged for the matter, but he took a pause before asking his second question to her.

"Did the King have you beaten after that, Princess Sansa?"

"He did, my Lord Tywin," Sansa replied. "His Grace saw fit to let me see the error of my brother's ways with a tailed whip when he took Casterly Rock." Everyone knew about it. The lashes on her back weeped so much that she had to return to her chambers to change out of her clothes. Those lashes had been fresh when Oberyn had come to King's Landing. He saw them with their own eyes when they were red and raw.

Tyrion held his mouth agape. He knew that from how his father's expression had soured, Sansa had openly defied him. Her words held double meaning. They were the song of the caged bird once in their hands, but they spoke of how Joffrey had abused her and how Tyrion had defended her. His sister thought that Sansa could be cowed into submission by bringing her in as a witness, but in the end, Sansa became a witness for Tyrion's favor more than she was Joffrey's.

"The crown will remind Princess Sansa that she has been rewarded for her love and devotion to the late King Joffrey with her recent marriage to Prince Oberyn of House Martell," Tywin added bitterly before dismissing Sansa as a witness. She bowed her head deeply and returned to her seat, the scars of Joffrey's abuse displayed for all to see.

The third witness was Grand Maester Pycelle. It was wide and common knowledge that Pycelle was a Lannister man. "Basilik venom, Widow's Blood, Wolfsbane, Essence of Nightshade..." he read off a list that he held in his shaking hands. "Sweetsleep, Tears of Lys, Demon's Dance..."

Oberyn interrupted him. "I think you've made your point, Grand Maester, you've a lot of poison in your store," he said.

"Had, Prince Oberyn," Pycelle stressed. "My stores were plundered!"

"By whom?" Tywin asked. There was a strange intonation to his last word. There was less surprise or wonder, as if he already knew the name of the culprit.

"By the accused, Tyrion Lannister!" Pycelle reported. "After he had me wrongfully imprisoned..."

"Grand Maester," Tywin called, bringing Pycelle's attention back to the trial. "You examined King's Joffrey's corpse. Was it without question poison that killed him?"

Pycelle nodded. "Without question," he repeated firmly. He reached into his sleeves and produced a certain amethyst ring that Tyrion was rather fond of, however the amethyst was messing. "Tyrion Lannister was wearing this ring on the day of the wedding, residue of a most rare and terrible poison came in the form of its stone."

"Was this one of the poisons that have been stolen from your store?" Tywin inquired further.

"It was," Pycelle confirmed. "The Strangler," he named it. "A poison few in the Seven Kingdoms posses, and used to strike down the most noble child the Gods have put on this good earth!"

Even Oberyn was impressed with Pycelle's theatrics, but Tywin Lannister had no time for games. After Pycelle, Cersei was called as witness.

"'I will hurt you for this,'" Cersei repeated. "'A day will come when you think you are safe and happy, and your joy will turn into ashes in your mouth, and you will know the debt is paid..." Cersei went on and on about how Tyrion had forced Joffrey to go into the front lines during the Battle of Blackwater Bay, how his actions had endangered the King as repayment for her beating up the whores that he had kept.

After Cersei had given her testimony, Varys was called. "Lord Tyrion had told me that with King Joffrey starting a war that we cannot win, we had to seek different alliances," Varys recounted. "He'd called His Grace a fool that would have us all killed and told me that he planned to marry Princess Myrcella to Theon Greyjoy without the knowledge of the Queen Regent. However, it was a ploy to discover whom upon the Small Council was scheming against him and Grand Maester Pycelle fell for the trap." It was a relatively neutral testimony, one that could be used for anyone. "He often remarked the idiocy of King Joffrey's actions most inappropriately."

After Varys had been dismissed, the trial was adjourned for an hour. Oberyn had quickly led Sansa out of the throne room and into an empty one next to it where they could speak in private. "You never told me..." he could not complete his question because Sansa had silenced him with a kiss. "Sansa..."

"What happened is in the past," she told him. "You couldn't have stopped Joffrey then. No one could except Lord Tyrion. That's the truth and nothing can change it."

"You could have at least..." Sansa shook her head and rested it on his chest as he held her in his arms. She was sobbing silently. It took so much of her to have maintained her composure, to stare Tywin and Cersei right in the eye. It took so much that it tired her greatly. She wanted to move past the torment, and she knew that perhaps after that day, she could.

"We... we have to get back," Sansa told him. "Oberyn..."

"You will be the death of me, trust me," Oberyn said and led Sansa back to the throne room.

The last witness was the most unexpected one. Even Sansa widened her eyes when she was called. It was her former handmaiden. When she was the ward of the Lannisters, Shae was installed as her maid. She had never suspected that Shae would be a witness to anything to do with Tyrion.

"State your name," Tywin said lazily.

"Shae," she proclaimed.

"Do you swear by all the Gods that your testimony will be true and honest?" Shae nodded silently. "Do you know this man?"

"Yes, Tyrion Lannister," she answered.

"How did you know him?" Tywin asked her.

"He assigned me to be Princess Sansa's handmaid before she was married," Shae replied.

Tywin started again. "He has been accused of King Joffrey's murder. What do you know of it?"

"I know that he's guilty," Shae claimed. "He planned it."

A deafening chorus of whispers and gasps overcame the court. "SILENCE!" Tywin called. He then turned towards Shae and nodded. "Continue."

"He hated Joffrey, he hated the Queen and he hated you, my lord," Shae said. "He stole poison from the Grand Maester's chamber to put into Joffrey's wine."

Her knowledge in all this puzzled Oberyn. "How would you know all this?" he asked her. "Why would he reveal such plans to Sansa's maid?"

"I... wasn't just her maid," Shae answered. "I was his whore." The answer greatly satisfied Oberyn, who smirked at her answer. He was a like a lady at court, happily intrigued by scandal.

Mace Tyrell, however, was shocked to no end. "I beg your pardon, you said you were his..."

"His whore," Shae completed. "I was with another man, a knight in the Lord Hand's army. But when Tyrion arrived at the camp, he sent one of his cutthroats into our tent. He broke the knight's arm and brought me to Lord Tyrion. 'You belong to me now', he said. 'I want you to fuck me like it's my last night of this world."

"And did you?" Oberyn asked her, completely ignoring Tywin's call for silence.

"Did I what?"

"Fuck him like it's his last night in this world?"

Shae went on to describe every sordid detail of her relationship with Tyrion. She told the court how she called Tyrion her "lion" and how that she was his and he was hers. It was then when Sansa saw that Tyrion had already broken.

"I wish to confess!" he shouted.

He ranted on how he should have let Stannis Baratheon take King's Landing. He proclaimed that that he was put on trial before being a dwarf, that he had wished that he had killed Joffrey. He hissed at Cersei, "Watching your vicious bastard die gave me more relief than a thousand lying whores! I wish I was the monster you think I am, I wish I had enough poison for the pack of you! I would gladly give my life to watch you swallow it!"

By then, the Kingsguard had been summoned to bring him back to his cell. However, Tyrion resisted, however he could. "I'll know that I'll get no justice here! I will let the Gods decide my fate... I demand a trial by combat!"

HAN: Heh heh heh, I hope that you liked that little steamy scene at the beginning. Don't worry, there will be something longer in the future.

Anyone likes Oberyn making a fuss over Sansa? Trust me, if he could kill Joffrey after what he'd found out, he would.

Sansa basically wanted to say everything that Tyrion said in his long trial speech. HEH HEH HEH.

Enjoy!