Howling at the Sun

Cersei joined Tabitha at the entrance to the Great Sept of Baelor, a tense scowl on her lips. The two women looked stunning in their wedding dresses, with their hair wound into the most intricate of braids and the brightest jewellery hanging loosely over their smooth skin, but they were both too nervous to smile.

“Do you have someone to walk with you to the alters of the Father and the Mother?” the organiser asked Cersei, already aware that no male member from Tabitha’s family was present.

“No,” Cersei spat.

“Can we not walk together?” Tabitha suggested calmly and the man’s face lit up.

“Brilliant! Are you both ready?” he asked, only to receive blank stares of anxiety from them both. “I’ll begin the ceremony, then.” He peeked around the corner and signalled for the small orchestra to begin playing, and soft tunes flowed from the string instruments and silenced the chatter of the excited crowd.

“May the Old Gods watch over me,” Tabitha muttered her prayer to her own gods as she clenched her hands together with unease. For a moment she felt homesick as she remembered how she had always thought that her wedding would occur before a weirwood tree instead of indoors, but that was soon replaced by the excitement of marrying her unique Dornishman.

“I need Lady Tabitha on the left, please,” the organiser said and Cersei stepped around Tabitha to take her place.

“Well, this is it,” Cersei sighed and then straightened her back to take the poised stance of a lady. “Father is finally going to get what he wants.”

“At least you still have a father,” Tabitha remarked.

“And at least you are not marrying the son of the insensitive murderer,” Cersei pointed out grimly before the organiser hurried them forwards. Tabitha fell silent at the sudden vulnerability Cersei held and they both paused at the entrance of the Sept before walking down the stairs to pass between the parted crowd. At the opposite side of the Sept, Oberyn and Viserys awaited the women with their hands behind their backs, relaxing slightly as now the attention was no longer on them. Oberyn met Tabitha’s eyes and a smile uncontrollably crept across his face at how pretty she was in her finery. After glancing at Viserys smirking down at Cersei, Tabitha noted the contrast to Oberyn’s adoring gaze and she calmed considerably. Step by step, Cersei and Tabitha walked up to their betrothed and stood by their sides, facing the High Septon.

“In the name of the Seven…” the High Septon began and Tabitha’s mind wandered as her wedding ceremony was performed under a religion that she did not follow. Eventually it was time for her cloaking, and Oberyn placed a beautiful cloak of maroon red and mustard orange depicting suns and spears over her shoulders. As she turned back to face him, now officially under his protection, the High Septon named them husband and wife and Oberyn stepped forwards. He cupped her chin with one hand and rested his other on her waist as he pulled her into a sweet kiss, cheers erupting from the crowd as Viserys followed suit and kissed Cersei too, though their kiss lacked passion and was instead noticeably uncomfortable.

Tabitha did not have much time to speak with Oberyn for the rest of the day. Their wedding was followed immediately by a humungous feast, which was spent eating and receiving congratulations from the many different houses that had come from all across Westeros for the weddings. Before she had finished eating her meal and drinking her celebratory wine, Tabitha was swept off her feet and hoisted into the air for her bedding ceremony. She looked to her left and saw that Cersei too was being balanced in the air, wearing a worried frown and saddened eyes, and that made Tabitha comprehend exactly what was expected of her next. With a glance over her shoulder, she saw Oberyn laughing with another Dornishman and merrily drinking his wine. He caught her gaze and raised his glass to her before taking a sip, his usual flirtatious sparkle in his eye. During the whole walk to his chambers, Tabitha’s stomach jittered with nervousness. Once left alone, she rushed immediately to the table that had been stocked with a decent selection of wine and a few desserts. Tabitha poured the wine so hurriedly that she spilled some, and then she downed the glass as quickly as possible. A few minutes later, the door opened behind her.

“Starting without me?” Oberyn called as he locked the door behind him. Tabitha spun around and remained quiet, eyes wide, as Oberyn joined her side and picked up the bottle, noting that it was almost half empty already. “Well at least you are indulging. Please, continue. I had enough wine at the feast.” He gave a short smile before plucking a slice of strawberry cake from a plate and walking towards his bed, already fiddling with the belt that sat on his hips and held his yellow coat together. Tabitha watched on as Oberyn licked his fingers clean in such a manner that made her think of whispers she had once overheard from whores, then hang his coat and begin to pull at his orange shirt that had such a low neck that she began to blush.

“Oberyn, what do I do now?” Tabitha asked timidly, in a voice so hushed that she doubted that he had heard her. Oberyn halted and left his shirt on, striding back and coming to a stop before her. His fingers softly picked up a braid that sat over her shoulder and placed it so it hung down her back like the rest, trailing his fingers across the side of Tabitha’s neck, down the side of the bodice, and then to the back where it was tightly laced up.

“Now you should let me do everything for you. All you need to do is relax,” Oberyn explained in a low voice as he tugged at the lacing. “If you truly want me, then it will be easy and you will enjoy it.”

“It won’t hurt? I was told it did,” Tabitha said with a slight waver and Oberyn tilted her chin up to look her in the eyes.

“I’ve done this many times before. I won’t hurt you, I promise.” He placed a firm kiss on her lips and then pulled back to see if the creases of worry had disappeared from her face. Tabitha simply removed the direwolf pendant from her neck and allowed her sun to undo her dress.