Burning the Dragons

Tabitha leaned on the railing of the ship as she watched the land of Essos disappear on the horizon. Pentos had been a pleasant place to stop at, and now that she was back on the water she was already feeling sick from the motions. A Martell boat caught her eye as it was heading in the wrong direction and she frowned, pondering why it would be heading back south to Dorne. Dismissing it as important instructions given to the captain by Oberyn, she left the cold deck and headed into her cabin. She was surprised to find Oberyn there, and no sign of Ellaria. Once she spotted her husband’s anxious expression, her eyes flicked over to the wooden compartment that had housed Ellaria’s clothes and she saw that it had been emptied.

“Where is Ellaria?” Tabitha asked cautiously, noticing Oberyn’s stiff jaw.

“She is on a ship back to Dorne…” he trailed off while glancing down at the floor.

“She is what? Why?” Tabitha exclaimed. Tears began to form in her eyes and her hands clasped together with nervousness. “I thought this was your idea? That this was what you wanted for me? I embraced the change, even though it was difficult at first for me!”

“Yes, I know, and I am sorry that I am changing it so suddenly, I just couldn’t bear it any longer,” Oberyn sighed and Tabitha’s eyebrows raised.

“Bear what?”

“You two, the relationship you had with her,” Oberyn confessed after a short pause.

“What are you talking about?” she asked in a softer tone, trying to coax an honest answer out of him.

“You love her, don’t you? I see the way you look at her, I hear the way you speak of her and to her, I-”

“Of course I love her, she is a dear friend, but I’m not in love with her,” Tabitha interrupted before his rambling got out of hand. “My sun, I am only in love with you, I promise.” Oberyn sighed as he sat heavily on the edge of their small bed, his head falling into his hands.

“Even with that reassurance, I cannot stand seeing you two together again. I am an awful husband to you for thinking like that, for sending her off on another boat and preventing you from being happy…”

“No, don’t say that,” Tabitha cooed as she approached him to wrap her arms around him and provide comfort.

“It is true. I essentially hired someone to do the things for you that I was too busy to do. I wanted you to be taken care of while you were with child, but I should have been taking care of you, not someone else, not a stranger,” Oberyn continued with a shake of his head.

“You had important issues to deal with, important plans to set in motion. It is understandable that you could not find the time to do everything,” Tabitha countered, hoping that she could somehow convince him to bring her good friend Ellaria back.

“But now I have the time. Now I promise that I will look after you. I won’t leave your side, my wolf,” he promised and Tabitha gave him a tight embrace from the side.

“I am glad. Now we can both have what we want,” she mumbled into his shoulder, causing him to hesitate.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“All I’ve ever wanted was you,” Tabitha admitted with a knowing smile, causing Oberyn to briefly rethink her relationship with Ellaria.

“Well now you have me,” Oberyn said, deciding to brush off the comment. “I will give everything for my first highborn child. He will have-”

“You mean your firstborn,” Tabitha corrected softly and Oberyn hesitated, his dark eyes drifting to the side instead of meeting Tabitha’s. She sighed and removed her hands from him, clasping them in her lap instead. “Is there something you would like to tell me?” Oberyn winced at her hurt tone, acknowledging that while he had already done enough damage for one day, he should still be honest with her if they were to move past these barriers.

“I have three bastard daughters,” Oberyn said, quiet and reluctant. Neither of them met eyes, and when Tabitha did not speak Oberyn continued. “I have acknowledged all three, and I love them very much. Obara is the oldest, then Nymeria, and then Tyene… Obara is from a whore in Oldtown, Nymeria from a noblewoman when I was visiting Volantis, and Tyene actually came from a septa.” Tabitha stood and headed towards the door, infuriated that her husband had seduced so many women. He probably had more bastards but the women hadn’t the courage or means to tell him.

“I need some fresh air,” she murmured before slamming the door shut. She then headed to the stern of the ship and watched as the lone Dornish ship disappeared on the horizon, her stomach sinking as she realised that Ellaria was probably on it and that she was the only person she wanted to talk to.