2nd Month of 300 A.C. King's Landing
Prince Oberyn Martell
King's Landing, the infested snake hole had not changed, not one bit since the days when Elia graced it with her presence. Elia, the sister who had been taken from them far too early, something that not been addressed. Doran could delay all he wanted, but Oberyn wanted justice, and he wanted it now. The King declaring the imp free of all charges had hindered his plans, but there was time yet left for him to enact why he had come to court, and he was determined to see it done. Even if it cost him his life.
"So tell me Lord Tyrion, has the king told you what he wishes you to do for him, now that you owe him your life?" Oberyn asks.
The imp is silent a moment and then responds. "I do believe His Grace has need of me here. After all, his mother was someone who definitely did not support his decision, and there is a need for good decent counsellors."
Oberyn laughs then a moment. "With the fat flower and the incompetent Rosby on the council, alongside the spider, I cannot say I blame the king for wanting more able bodied counsellors. Though I must ask, why would you wish to serve here? Surely you would want to see to it that your inheritance is secured, and then ensure your father never gets the chance to remove it from you?
The dwarf is silent a moment and then laughs. "I do not think that is my concern for now. Yes my sister seemed bent on my death, but she failed, and because of that, I must ensure that she is removed from power for good. My father can try to achieve what he wants regarding the succession to the Rock, but I will not allow him to get too far. Nor do I think the king will either."
Oberyn looks at the dwarf and asks. "You seem sure that the king will allow you the chance to advance through until you have that power. What makes you think that?"
The dwarf stares back at him and then says. "Tommen is not his brother, he has a good heart, and he knows how to reward those who were loyal to him. I have been nothing but loyal to him. I have no doubt that he will ensure that in the end there is a reward there for me."
Oberyn is silent a moment and then says. "And what of those who are guilty of the most heinous of crimes, those who hide behind their liege lords like little girls? When will the king see fit to bring their end about?"
The dwarf moves somewhat uncomfortably then. "Prince Oberyn, these charges are somewhat unfounded would you not say? After all, they were never formally presented before any official of the kingdom. There is no proof."
Oberyn feels his anger begin to grow then. "Do not play the fool with me Tyrion. You know as well as I do, that they did the deeds, and that they would not have done it without your father's permission. Your father, who need I remind you wanted you dead just as much as your sister, so why then do you continue to defend him?"
"It is because he is my father, that I do this." the dwarf replies. "I cannot openly condemn him to death, I am no kinslayer. I know he is not the best of men, but he is still my father, and to be seen doing something like that, well it would harm my chances."
"Chances of what?" Oberyn asks. "Of becoming Lord of the Rock? You hold the king's ear, if you are as smart as you seem, you will use that to your advantage. Do not be fooled by the lull in the storm, there is going to be another attempt at discrediting you and it is time you learned to end that."
There is a moment's silence and then the dwarf sighs and says. "What do you wish me to do?"
"I want you to merely prepare the way for me. Your father is an old man, his system shall be weakening, give him more reason to weaken, and ensure that he has no reason to suspect you. I shall take care of the rest." Oberyn responds, before he stops and turns and walks away from the imp, back toward his own chambers.
He does not stop walking until he is safely within his own chambers, he is not a naïve child anymore, he knows the dangers of King's Landing, and so he is unsurprised when he sees the spider speaking to Ellaria. "Ah Prince Oberyn, so glad that you are here. I was just saying to Lady Ellaria here, that it is so good that Prince Doran is willing to ally with the crown once more."
Oberyn looks at his lover a moment, and then looks toward the Spider and says. "I am sure you were saying just that, but I would know what it is that you are here for."
The Spider titters a moment and then he says. "I am merely here to see how two of our most valued guests are feeling. There has been so much excitement at court as of late that I fear I have not been able to do you much service."
"Get to the point Lord Varys. What are you here for?" Oberyn snaps.
Ellaria lays a hand on his arm and whispers. "Patience my love. Patience."
The eunuch titters and then in a much deeper voice responds. "I have come here to ensure you have not forgotten the pledge you made all those years ago. The dragons are returning, and the time will soon come for you and Dorne to rally to their banners. Do not forget that in the midst of your quest for revenge."
Oberyn stares at the man a moment and then says. "I forget nothing." The eunuch bows and then turns and disappears, leaving Oberyn alone with his lover. They look at one another a moment and then Oberyn whispers. "It is done, the imp shall begin the deed."
"Good, now the lady might well leave us alone." Ellaria responds.
"We might all hope, I do not know whether she will. Lady Joanna can be rather persistent in these things." he replies.
King Tommen I Baratheon
It was good to finally have some peace, even if it was for a brief moment. His grandfather was handling the Tyrell situation with some secrecy, and as for the Dornish situation well, that was something that was going to be worked on once his marriage was sorted. The marriage, now that was something that had been playing on his mind for some time, gods he just wanted to get it done and dusted, and yet something was holding it all back. He was frustrated with that and he was trying to find some way to reverse it.
"You've got that look again my love." Sansa says, snapping him out of his reverie.
"What look?" Tommen asks.
"The look where it seems as if there is something unpleasant on your mind. Am I truly that much of bad company for you?" Sansa teases.
Tommen blushes. "No, it's not that, it's just that, well everything seems to be moving so slowly. The Tyrells are being looked into, the Dornish are happy for now, and yet something is still preventing us from being together. I do not know what it is, but there is something stopping us from being together, and it is angering me."
His love takes his hand and says. "You are the king, my love. Whatever you want can be achieved, there is nothing beyond your reach. All you need to do is say what you want and they will ensure it will be done."
Tommen looks at Sansa then and smiles sadly. "I think it is a bit more complicated than that my love. There are many other things that might need to get done before we can get married."
"I think you're just scared my love." Sansa says, and before he can protest she puts a finger to his mouth and says. "No, don't deny it, I think you are truly scared of something, and I am not sure of what."
Tommen can feel heat rushing to his face, and he gives into the urge and kisses Sansa's finger, causing her to giggle. He grins then and pulls back and says. "Well, I think I might well change that. I shall go and speak to the High Septon this very day."
Sansa smiles at him then and responds. "Oh will you now? And will you just leave me here?"
Tommen looks at her and then at their joined hands. "Oh, I don't think I could ever leave you. Not again, not ever again." he leans forward then and kisses her. He feels something akin to pleasure run through him when she leans into the kiss and replies in kind.
He kisses her and kisses her until they have to break apart for air, and when he sees the flush on her skin, he feels something akin to pride. "Your blushing Sansa." he says teasingly.
"So are you Your Grace." she replies.
Tommen looks at her and then says. "Well come here."
Sansa moves towards him then, but before he can bring her closer toward him, there is a knock on the door and Ser Meryn Trant opens the door and says. "Begging your pardon Your Grace, but the Queen Dowager is here, she wishes to speak to you."
Tommen sighs. "Very well, send her in."
Sansa sits back down in her chair, and Tommen remains seated in his, as his mother walks in looking haggard, and smelling of wine. "Well what do we have here? A young wolf trying to charm another stag. Well, well, a traitor never does learn, now does she?"
"What do you want mother?" Tommen asks.
His mother sways slightly as she turns to look at him. "Not going to offer your own mother a seat? Whatever happened to your manners boy?"
Tommen looks at his mother and sighs. "Would you like a seat then mother?"
His mother shakes her head and replies. "No. I will not sit down, I do not wish to stay for long. I merely wanted to ask, why you want to marry a traitor."
Tommen feels anger rise inside of him then. "Sansa is not a traitor, she has been cleared of all wrong doing, as has Tyrion. Now if you have nothing more to say, please leave."
His mother does a curtsey then, but sways unsteadily, Tommen stands up then, not wanting her to fall. "Sansa, Sansa, what is it with you Baratheons and your infatuation with Stark girls. What this whore have that I do not? What does she have that a Lannister does not have? The sister of a traitor, daughter of another, and yet still the Baratheons insist on keeping her around. I do not understand it."
Tommen looks at his mother and then says. "Leave mother, you are drunk, and I have no wish to discuss things with you, if you are in this state."
His mother sways some more and then says. "You are not a true Lannister, you are a mistake. You always were, I should have been more careful. Something that happened once should never have happened again. Only Jaime should have given me children, not that oaf, never that oaf."
Tommen feels himself shake then. "What do you mean?"
"Joffrey was a true Lannister, a trueborn lion through and through, as is Myrcella. But you, you" his mother sways then, a finger pointed at him. "You were a mistake, a very big mistake. I should never have allowed Robert to fill me the way he did." His mother sways once more, and Tommen feels as if he is going to be sick.
"Ser Meryn, take my mother back to her chambers." Tommen calls out, and the knight takes one of his mother's hands and leads her away from the room. Once his mother is gone, Tommen remains silent for a long time, before he too moves toward the door.
"Where are you going my love?" Sansa asks.
Tommen stops before the door and says. "I am going off to think." He walks out of the room, and walks down the hallway, watching as Ser Meryn carries his mother off back to her chambers. He stops there for a moment and then hears someone call his name, stopping he sees a short man walking toward him. "What do you want?" he asks the man. The man says nothing but merely gives him a piece of paper and then walks off.
Tommen looks at the note and sighs. Come to the Godswood tonight, wolves and stags must dance once more.