Redemption || Oberyn Martell

Chapter VI

"I think not. You may be getting married but I will not be for a long time." Ashara answered before looking toward her friend on the pedestal. "What about you?" 

"What about me?" Cassandra asked, raising a brow.

Ashara pointed out. "You and Ned Stark have been betrothed for some time now. When is the wedding?" 

Cassandra sighed before flinching as a needle was stuck into her side. "We were planning on being wed after his brother's nuptials." 

"What will you do till then?" Elia asked thoughtfully, curious about what her friend's answer would be. 

Cassandra listed, tilting her head as she spoke from the top of her head. "See the great wonders of the world. Eat the most delicious of foods. Be an aunt to your future children. The possibilities are endless." 

Ashara raised her water, downing it as though it were wine and cheering loudly. "Hear, hear." 

Elia was silent for a while until she smiled, almost as if she had heard a similar answer from someone else. "You should meet my brother. He would absolutely adore you."

Ashara's eyes furrowed, recalling the stories told by Elia. "Which one?" 

Elia replied, a reminiscent look on her face. "My younger brother. He and Cassandra share similar ideals. Oftentimes when you speak, it is as if I am hearing his thoughts." 

"Prince Oberyn?" Cassandra asked, remembering how Elia spoke fondly of the brother she was very close to. 

"The very same. He will be attending the wedding, I cannot wait to introduce you to him."

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

Cassandra pulled her hood further down to shield her face from view. 

At the end of every week, Cassandra had a habit of leaving the Red Keep to distribute coin and food to the children of Fleabottom. It was something she decided upon when a small child, barely three, had tried to steal from her when she was buying cloth. 

Instead of handing him over to the men of the city watch, she had given the child her entire coin purse. The child had embraced her and kissed her hand, running off to the first baker he saw to buy bread. Seeing such a child have to resort to actions that could lead to his death made her decide to take a risk of her own.

Knowing some of the secret pathways in the Red Keep, she had wandered out every late afternoon when everybody was busy. The first time she had done it, she was terrified beyond anything but now, she could handle her own, even befriending some of the children she met. 

That day, Ashara had agreed to cover for her should her brother arrive unexpectedly and Elia had assured her that she would not be needing any more assistance for the day, leaving her to do as she usually did every week. 

She followed the familiar path she took every time, a basket in hand as she traversed those working hard to deliver things concerning the preparations made for the wedding. When she finally arrived at Fleabottom, she waved to some of the children who had been waiting for her. 

"We thought you weren't coming, milady. What with the wedding of the prince." Owain, one of the children, spoke up, glee in his voice upon seeing her. He was the boy who had tried to rob her but in time, he had warmed up to her. 

"Now you know nothing can stop me from seeing you." Cassandra said, opening the basket to distribute the food she had taken from the kitchens and the toys that Elia had made her bring, little dolls for the children to play with.