Author's Notes: Hey everyone, sorry that it has taken me so long to update but I am still here and now that there has been a few episodes of the new season we can proceed without spoilers.
Sansa rose shortly after sunrise, as Shae helped her dress she thought about the recent developments that had occurred the day before. Prince Oberyn Nymeros Martell, whom some called the Red Viper, had arrived in the city and had set many tongues in the Red Keep wagging. She had heard people say that Lord Tywin was not happy at this development, apparently he had been expecting the Prince's older brother, a man far less given to violent and reckless action than Prince Oberyn. Sansa was not sure what, if anything, this arrival had on her plans except that perhaps people would be watching the Dornish and would be less likely to notice her activity.
She decided that she would proceed with her plans to meet with Baelish that night, she was not sure how much longer that she could keep up the charade. She looked over at the bottle of wine that was sitting on the table. Shae saw her looking at it and did not quite succeed in hiding her look of disapproval from crossing her face. Sansa saw the look and pretended not to notice, she knew what her maid thought that she and Baelish were having an affair, the very thought made Sanas feel ill. Sleeping with him was the last thing she wanted to do, apart from sleeping with Joffery. She dismissed the thought from her mind, she had other things to occupy her mind, and she had guests to attend to.
As the wife of a member of the Small Council she was expected to assist in the entertaining the new guests. As she was not due to meet Baelish till late that night so in the meantime she had invited Prince Oberyn to take the mid-day meal with her. At the appointed time Shae came in to announce the Prince and his companion had arrived. Sansa raised an eyebrow, she had thought that the Prince would be coming alone. Before she could think further on this the Prince was shown in with his companion.
The Prince looked to be about forty with dark, receding hair which showed a few grey strands. He had a lithe build and olive skin. His faced was lined and his eyes were the strangest that Sansa had ever seen, they were the blackest that she had ever seen and they seemed strange, almost reptilian. Sansa turned to look at the woman who had accompanied the Prince.
She looked to be the same age as the Prince or perhaps a year or two younger. She had long black hair and while she would not be considered beautiful she was definitely attractive. She seemed to give off an aura of vibrancy, a zest for life, almost wild in nature. As Sansa rose to bow in greeting the woman looked at her in a way that she did not recognize, it looked almost appraising.
Remembering her manners Sansa recovered herself. "Welcome Prince Oberyn. It was good of you to accept my invitation." His face broke into a dazzling smile.
"It is I who should be thanking you, I would have come even if I had to miss an appointment with the King himself." He must have seen her looking at his female companion as he turned to look at her as well. "Oh, of course, please allow me to introduce my paramour, Ellaria Sand and do forgive me for not announcing that she was coming but she and I go everywhere together."
For a moment Sansa did not know what to say. She had heard that Dornish people had strange customs but this was truly shocking. According to the way she had been raised it would be unheard of for a noble to so openly flaunt their mistress in public, particularly if they were base born. Indeed she had heard that the Queen had said that Ellaria Sand was nothing more than a whore. That last thought pushed helped to push any negative feelings to the back of her mind, that the Queen disliked her was enough for Sansa to like her, she smiled and returned the other woman's curtsy.
"Forgive me, you are of course welcome."
"You are too kind My Lady."
"Please allow me to express sympathy for your lose." Prince Oberyn interjected as Sansa led them to the table and offered them wine. Sansa flinched but she instinctively said what she had been saying since she had heard the news of her family.
"They we traitors and died traitors deaths." The two gave her a look that showed that neither of them believed a word that she said. But the Prince smiled anyway.
"Of course, one must be loyal to the Crown. Still, one cannot help but be loyal to family, in the end it is all we have and it is only natural to desire vengeance upon those responsible for their deaths." Sansa flinched, afraid that she had been found out. But then he smiled again and the topic soon turned to other things and the afternoon passed rather pleasantly. That evening she set her plan in motion.
She waited till Shae and most of the other inhabitants of the Red Keep had gone to sleep. She wrapped herself in a heavy cloak and set off into the dark. Her progress was slow as she had to frequently stop and wait for guards to pass but at last she arrived at her destination. She knocked at the door and Petyr Baelish opened it, he saw who it was and smiled.
"Lady Sansa, I am glad that you were able to keep our appointment, I was afraid that you would not be able to make it. Please, come in." As he said this he stood aside to let her in, as she passed him she saw that he was wearing only a dressing gown, she flushed but at the same time she was pleased, this would make what she was going to do easier.
"I must say that I am glad that your lord husband was called away on business, otherwise we would not be able to meet, innocent though it is." He smiled as if what he had just said was a joke of some sort. Sansa forced a smile to come her face.
"Indeed as they say, what he doesn't know cannot hurt him." At this he snorted in contempt.
"A stupid saying. What we don't know is usually what get us killed. As I have had reason to say before." Then his smile returned; "But enough of such things. Let us enjoy ourselves and I have some wonderful news to tell you. But that can wait." He looked at her strangely with a look of almost longing; "I offered to marry you, you know but they would not permit it. We would have made a fine couple." Seeing an opportunity Sansa went to him kissed him full on the lips. He stiffened in surprise and then he returned it.
She felt the urge to vomit and focused on maintaining contact. When they had all been together at Winterfell she had long dreamed of her first kiss. She thought it would be shared with her true love and it would be magical, just like in the stories. She knew better now, those stories were just stories and kissing was just a physical act. But the Queen was right, it had its uses. At last they broke contact and she proffered the wine that she had brought.
"Perhaps you would care for some Lord Balish?" He smiled at the offer.
"Why not? Tonight it seems is a night for enjoying the finer things that Lord Tyrion enjoys or doesn't enjoy as the case may be." So saying he retrieved two glasses into which she poured the wine, it was a fine vintage and was laced with all of her remaining essence of nightshade. She raised her cup to her lips but did not drink. To distract him from this she asked him a question.
"What news did you have to tell me?" As she had hoped he took a deep draught before he responded.
"News that concerns you my lady." He paused for a moment, looking slightly disoriented and then he continued. "I know that you are very unhappy here in the capital what if I told you…" Here he trailed off as he stumbled and his glass fell from his hand to shatter on the floor. "Wha…" Was all he was able to get out before he too fell to the ground. Sansa put her own glass down and came to stand over him as he looked up at her.
"That would be the essence of nightshade taking effect. You see I know that you helped the Lannisters kill my father, Lord Varys told me and I vowed to have my revenge. You were right, everyone here is a better liar than I am, so I did not lie and you did not see me coming, I just wanted you to know that before you die." He tried to speak but he was too far gone to do so. She rose a turned to leave, at the door she turned back. She was not sure if he was still alive or not but she could not resist saying it; "You were right about another thing, what you didn't know did kill you." Then she was gone.
The uproar that followed was stunning. While he had not been a popular man Balish had been a Lord Paramount and Warden of the East through his marriage. Lord Tywin had the Gold Cloaks scouring the Keep and the city beyond and the Small Council they said had been called for an emergency session. Through it all Sansa kept to her quarters and did her best to seem small and inconsequential, something that she had become very good at since coming to the city.
So it came as something of a surprise when one morning Shae informed her that Prince Oberyn wished to see her. Sansa could not guess why he wanted to see her but as she could not think of a gracious way to refuse him she told Shae to show him in. He swept in and bowed and there was a look in his eye that she did not understand.
"Thank you for seeing me, it was completely thoughtless of me to arrive thus but I felt we must speak."
"Speak of what?" She asked him. In reply he smiled so broadly that she was sure his face would split. From somewhere produced a bottle and placed it on the table. The bottle which had contained the poisoned wine.
"Why of Lannisters and debts."
Author's Notes: Hey everyone I am alive and I hope you enjoyed this update. Sorry if Balish seemed out of character but if you think about it he was obsessed with her in his way and he did not think of her as a threat. Well now that we have all seen the Purple Wedding and that event is approaching in my story are you satisfied with it or would you like something more creative, please let me know in the reviews. Bye for now please pray for those effected by the South Korean ship, the Americans held abroad and all who need it and may Jesus bless you all.