Burning Water // Oberyn Martell

Chapter 1

A soft knock at the door of Maya's bedroom roused her from her deep sleep but wasn't loud enough to wake her fully. She didn't open her eyes, but she knew she was awake for she could feel the warmth of the sun on her face, the bedsheet over her body and the pillow beneath her head.

The second knock was harder and more rapid this time and Maya knew that it didn't belong to the person who had knocked first. She didn't have to cross the room and open the door to know that her younger sister Margaery and younger brother Loras were at the door, waiting for her to wake up. She never could figure out how they didn't seem to get why she slept later than they did. To be honest, Maya was always up the moment the sun was even if they didn't come to rouse her, but her two younger siblings were up before the rooster.

Maya would spend every evening singing the two to sleep, just as their mother did when they were little. By the time Loras and Margaery were asleep, it was late and even Maya's older brothers Garlan and Willas were in bed already. Ever since their mother had died two years prior, Maya had taken on the role of mother for her younger siblings. Willas was already 22, no need for a mother and was already attending jousting tournaments while Garlan was 13.

"Maya!" Margaery whined through the door. "You promised we would go to the lake today!"
"Come on Maya!" Loras called.

Sighing, Maya sat up and pushed her straight auburn hair out of her eyes. Maya was always described as different and special. She took after her mother in looks: fair but rosy tones, high smooth cheekbones, dented upper lip, adorable little nose and long black lashes. She matched her sister Margaery in petite but slender stature. As a ten-year-old, she hadn't begun to develop the shape of a woman, but her chest had begun to round out slightly. The one thing she did not inherit from her family were her eyes. Unlike any color they had ever seen, they were a cross between sky blue and lime green, making them appear to be a minty color. However, they were far brighter than any eyes anyone had ever seen and almost appeared to glow.

"Okay I'm coming," Maya called, climbing out of bed and preparing to change.

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Margaery grabbed onto Maya's hand and practically dragged her sister toward the water. The sun was shining heavily down on their heads and even though Maya's hair was lighter auburn than Margaery's, she could feel how her hair attracted the sun and made the top of her head feel hot.

Margaery splashed into the water till she was up to her knees, picking up the ends of her dark blue dress so it didn't get wet. Maya chuckled as she grabbed her long hair and pulled it up, so it was out of her face.

"You wanted to come to the lake Margo," Maya pointed out.

The younger girl looked at her sister in confusion, "And?"

Maya smirked mischievously before she tore across the rocky shore to her sister. Margaery's eyes widened in shock when she realized what her sister was about to do. She tried to run the other direction, but Margaery wasn't built like Maya was. Her thighs and calves weren't lined with sinew and muscle, nor her core which was strong and well-built from hours of wrestling with her brothers and sword fighting as well as bareback horseback riding. Maya overtook her sister in less than a few seconds and wrapping her strong arms around Margaery's shoulders, pulled her deeper before plunging into the cold water.

Margaery came to the surface sputtering and squeaking Maya's name in protest. She looked around for any sign of her sister and spied Maya's mint green eyes laughing at her, Maya's whole body submerged except for her eyes up which were above water.

"Oh, you're asking for it!" Margaery laughed, scooping water into her hands and splaying it at Maya.

The girl ducked under the water to avoid the splash before she shot out of the water, splaying an armful of water at Margaery, the girl squealing when most of it hit her.