Author's Notes: Hey everyone hope that you liked the last chapter and that you like this one as well, as always I own nothing, Martin and HBO do. Before we start I just want to say: 100,000+ VIEWS! Thanks everyone and keep enjoying. MINOR SPOILERS in this chapter, just descriptions of places and persons that the show hasn't shown yet.
Sansa fell in love with the Water Gardens the moment she saw them. It was a two story affair with several towers built around a courtyard which contained numerous pools and fountains paved with pale pink marble and shaded with a number of fruit trees. The second story had a terrace surrounding the courtyard, this was supported by a series of scalped Moorish archways supported by a series of paired columns. Sansa found it all to be quite pleasant, it even seemed cooler than anywhere else in Dorne, and she could see why Prince Doran found the place so desirable.
When they arrived the Lannister party were introduced to more of Prince Oberyn's daughters, Elia's sisters, Obella, Dorea and Loreza. Obella was twelve or thirteen, Dorea was eight years old and Loreza had just turned seven. Also present were a number of other children, Elia told Sansa that this was often the case as Prince Doran was fond of children and often spent hours at a time watching them. It was immediately clear that Obella and Dorea were Elia's sisters. Elia and Obella soon established themselves as the terrors of the other children at the pool. Dorea, while she did not always join them had the rather alarming habit of going about with a morning star and knocking fruit from the trees with it, she reminded Sansa of Arya and Sansa was grateful that Father had never let Arya have a weapon. Loreza was by far the calmest of the four, though the looks she gave the septa who would intervene to prevent her from joining in showed that it was only a matter of time. While they tried to get her to join in she politely declined, she was a married woman and even if she had not been their activities had never had any appeal to them, even when she had lived in Winterfell. This resulted in some teasing on their part.
They also teased her for her prudishness, while the pools were indeed beautiful, she could not bring herself to bath when anyone was around. She always waited till after dark to do so, Tyrion felt the same way, though she suspected him simply did not want people to stare at his misshaped body. He bathed in a tub in their quarters but Sansa wanted to experience the pools so she would wait until the sun had set and everyone had retired and the only light was provided by torch-light. For these excursions she was joined by Brienne.
Her bodyguard still accompanied her everywhere in full armor and despite the cooler weather she still suffered greatly from the heat, which she bore with her typical stoicism. At first she would stand at the edge of the pool like an armored statue but eventually Sansa persuaded her to join her. Even then the older woman remained alert and was constantly watching the area around them. When Brienne had joined her for the first time Sansa had had to work not to stare. She had known that her bodyguard was taller than most men but she hadn't realized how much burlier than most men she was as well. Indeed, that, plus the scars she sported, made her look more like a man than a woman.
Occasionally, Elia and her sisters would join then and they would enjoy the pools together. The first time that it was just the two of them Sansa and Brienne discussed what Nymeria had told her about Arya being at the Eyre. Brienne agreed that it was suspicious. When she had served Renly he had sent messages to the Dornish demanding their allegiance. All that he had received was an air-filled reply which had promised everything and nothing at the same time. While they had not sent troops to aid any of the claimants Brienne thought that this meant that they were either playing their own game or were simply waiting for a victor to emerge. Either way she agreed that they were not to be trusted.
This left them with the difficulty of confirming whither or not Arya was where they said she was or not. Brienne suggested that Sansa write to her sister and then use her ability to control a bird or other animal to deliver it. Unfortunately Sansa had already considered that and had discounted it. To travel all the way to Eyre she would have to control the bird all of the way there. In addition to the fact that Sansa did not know how to get to the Eyre her absence for such a long time would be noticed.
That left the problem of Nymeria, she had offered the use of a raven to carry a letter to the Eyre for her and Sansa was running out of excuses, if she could not come up with something soon then Nymeria would begin to suspect something, if she did not do so already. Fortunately for Sansa a distraction soon arrived.
Several days after they arrived a second group arrived at the Water Gardens. It included Prince Trystane Martell, son of Prince Doran, and his betrothed Princess Myrcella Baratheon. Sansa was happy to see them, both because they provided a distraction from Nymeria and also because Sansa was pleased to see Myrcella again. Even though she knew what Myrcella was the girl had always been kind to Sansa, both at Winterfell and after Father had been executed, and despite her family Sansa had always been fond of her and had once even tried to be as ladylike as the princess. As Myrcella dismounted she first bowed to Prince Doran and then, as she looked at Sansa and Tyrion her face broke into a wide smile.
"Uncle!" She cried, she looked as if she wanted to run to him but she remembered her upbringing and forced herself to walk up to him. When she reached them and moved to embrace her uncle Sansa was surprised to see that she now had to lean down to embrace Tyrion. He, other hand, seemed to accept it with resignation. Myrcella then turned to smile shyly at Sansa.
"Lady Sansa, how good to see you again." Sansa smiled back.
"It is good to see you again as well, but please, call my Aunt, I am married to your uncle after all." It was meant merely as a pleasantry but she saw out of the corner of her eye that Tyrion looked both surprised and pleased. Just then Prince Doran called them over so he could introduce them to his son Trystane Martell. He was a handsome young man, a little younger than Sansa, with olive skin and straight dark hair, he had exhalent manners and seemed quite fond of Myrcella.
"Tell me, my lady," he asked Sansa after being introduced; "Do you play chess?"
"Yes, my prince but I fear not very well." At this he smiled brightly.
"Wonderful! I am fond of the game but my betrothed, your niece, says her uncle is even better at it than she is and she often beats me." Sansa was surprised not to hear any rancor in his voice, she had found that men usually did not like losing at anything, especially to women. Had anyone beaten Joffrey at chess he would have had their hands cut off.
Also among their party was Sir Arys Oakheart of the Kingsguard, his presence brought Sansa mixed feelings. On the one hand he, along with all of the other Kingsguard, except for the Hound, had beaten her on command. But unlike the others Sir Oakheart had protested and had hit her as lightly as possible. While she knew that she had nothing to fear from him now she still had a tremor of unease and she looked back to the comforting mass of Brienne.
To her surprise she saw that, even encased in armor and with her helmet on, Sansa could sense the hostility emanating from Brienne. She had told Brienne of her treatment and Brienne had been both shocked and enraged that members of the Kingsguard, hailed as the finest knights in the Seven Kingdoms, would disgrace the ideals of knighthood so. While Oakheart had been kinder than the others had been it seemed that Brienne had saved a portion of her ire for him as well. Sansa was also concerned about how Oakheart would react to Brienne as well, she had killed one of his sworn brothers after all, glancing down she could see Brienne's hand was twitching slightly, as if she wished to draw her sword. Sansa could all too easily see the two coming to blows and disaster would result whatever the outcome. Gently she laid her hand on her bodyguard's arm.
"Be at peace Brienne." Brienne took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
"Indeed, forgive me my lady." Sansa gave her a slight smile and turned back to the others. No one seemed to have noticed the conversation, indeed Sir Oakheart appeared to be trying not to look at Sansa.
Everyone went into the main hall where there was a feast prepared for the new arrivals. Sansa found Dornish food to be far spicier than what she was used to but also very good. As the food came and the wine flowed Sansa looked about the room. While everyone seemed to be having a good time she could not help but notice several things. Her husband, while clearly pleased to see Myrcella again, was watching their hosts seditiously and Prince Doran's smiles never quite seemed to reach his eyes. Sansa could not shake the feeling that something was going to happen and she did not know what.
Author's Notes: Well what do you think? I hope you liked it. Things will hopefully start soon but I am not rushing it. Till next time please pray for those in France, the woman in Pakistan, the Americans held abroad, the victims of the big pileup in Michigan and all who need prayer. Bye and may Jesus bless you.