usurper

( A raven from King's Landing to Prince Oberyn Martell, in Dorne. )

who: oberyn martell & ellaria sand. along with a princess and a whole bunch of little sands.
where: the water gardens, dorne
when: a few days after oberyn gets a talking to from doran
what: lovers reunited, offers made

( I may be a Sand - like all your little Sands beyond the door, prince - but I do understand the familiarity of blood. I am my father’s daughter. Never mistake me for only. )

who: oberyn & doran martell
where: sunspear
when: when oberyn arrives back in dorne
what: a clearing of the air; doran is as transparent as he gets

( And what will you do then, rash prince? Will you trust? )

who: oberyn & elia martell
where: king's landing, post-harrenhal
when: shortly after reconciliation
what: dornish right of rule, and heartbreak

( You sought to act for me, Oberyn, now you must be bound by my wishes: you will go. Home. )

who: oberyn martell & rhaegar targaryen
where: back in king's landing, post-harrenhal
when: right about the time of this exchange
what: a poisoned book

( You have no right to tell me what to do. You see poison but I see a Westeros united behind a strong and nurturing leader. )

who: cersei lannister & oberyn martell
where: the red keep, king's landing
when: some time before cersei's exchange with elia
what: one shows claws; the other, fangs.

( Perhaps I am in the throes of my own theft right now. )

who: lewyn and oberyn martell
where: the red keep, king's landing
when: soon after the dornish come to king's landing
what: oberyn and lewyn try to out-slut each other

( Or, as Lewyn liked to define it, reward himself for a good life lived and good service given. )

who: elia and oberyn
where: the red keep, king's landing
when: juuuuust after this!
what: oberyn is fascinated by his sister's sudden interest in the myriad flora to be found in king's landing

( It is so very tiring, being a natural slave to one’s carnal desires. )

who: ellaria sand & oberyn martell.
where: sunspear.
when: a few days after the exchange of letters between rhaegar and elia!
what: first meetings.

( Even the feral saints called me mad but I was intoxicated, then, with the glory of you.  )

who: oberyn & elia martell
where: sunspear, dorne
when: after rhaegar's raven arrives, and before the reply is sent!
what: elia is having trouble writing a certain letter; oberyn -- in his own way -- lends a hand.

( garlanded with gladness and wreathed in good luck, gaining the harbour of black earth )

who: myrah allyrion (npc), oberyn martell & rhaegar targaryen.
where: the water gardens, dorne.
when: the evening after rhaegar's day with elia.
what: oberyn launches the "pleasing the ladies school" and kids? class is in session.

( I go a journey in galleries of sound / I flow among the resonant presences / going, a blind man passing transparencies / one mirror cancels me, I rise from another / forest whose trees are the pillars of magic / under the arches of light I go among / the corridors of a dissolving autumn. )

who. oberyn nymeros martell and rhaegar targaryen.
where. the water gardens; dorne.
when. perhaps approximately a year after oberyn returns to dorne.
what. under the auspices of seeing after the rhoynish tribute to the iron throne, prince rhaegar comes to take stock of the martell princess. he is received by her all too interesting brother. :}

*********

( Though Hamlet rambles and Lear rages, / And all the drop-scenes drop at once / Upon a hundred thousand stages, / It cannot grow by an inch or an ounce. )

who: elia & oberyn nymeros martell
where: the water gardens, dorne
when: elia is 18, oberyn 17.
what: a homecoming!

( Say lemon-tree. Say lavender. Cold moon. Stone arch. Oregano. )