The Baratheon Girl • Oberyn Martell

12: "Sweet talking"

We kept a steady pace as we walked through the main route to the private royal gardens. Along the way maids and guests bowed as we passed them, muttering 'My Prince' and 'My Princess' under their breath.

I sighed happily as we made it through the guarded archway towards an array of pillow seats on the patio. Oberyn sat across from me as the warm summer breeze danced along my skin and I soaked in the sunbeams.

"Are you nervous?" I spoke the words before my brain recognised the question.

Our marriage ceremony was fast approaching, in less than one moon I would be a Martell. I was willing to put my whole being in the hands of my lover and I didn't think twice about doing it. Was I just being an obedient princess or was this a side effect of love?

Love.

I was in love with the man gazing at me with a curious smile, a smile that could render my entire body useless. It was as if I had an epiphany, my eyes seeing more than they had before. For once it all made sense and I couldn't believe I was only just realising it.

The feeling was so strange, overwhelming my whole existence. And with that the dread set in. The fear of ending up like my parents, hating each other with every fibre of their being. My mind replayed memories of their fights, Mother's tantrums and Papa's stubbornness on a short loop over and over.

"For the wedding?" He questioned, raising his eyebrow at my blank stare.

"To answer a question with a question is very bothersome, Martell." I laughed, trying to swallow the anxiety of my discovery from eating me alive, but the look in my eyes was enough for him to realise something was wrong. "But yes, are you nervous for the ceremony?"

"A little," Oberyn admitted. He took both of my hands in his and squeezed them comfortingly, "But then I remember you will be the one I give my cloak to and all my worries disappear. We will be in our own cocoon up there."

I whimpered at the thought of being so exposed in front of the Court and the Kingdom at large. Giving myself into the protection of another, it was an intimate thing to show my trust and love so blatantly.

"Sunbeam, please you need not worry yourself so," He continues in an attempt to calm my rapid breathing.

"I don't..." I muttered. My heart was hammering inside my chest, thumping against my ribs as if it were to tear through my skin in an escape. "I don't understand... Oberyn what's happening? What's happening to me?"

"Come now, you have to calm down." With my mind turning itself into a mental soup of conflicting thoughts, his voice was my only anchor and I held onto it as best as I was allowed. "Please Kendra, breath."

"Keep talking." I spoke between quick gasps and wild eyes.

"Keep talking? Okay, okay, I'm good at sweet talking." He muttered to himself before continuing more certain and confident with his words, "I think you're the most beautiful human being to walk the Seven Kingdoms, and I've seen a lot of people. You're so very caring, you've accommodated the children better than I could have ever imagined. They adore you, especially Dorea. Sometimes I sit back and just think, 'how did I manage to catch a woman like you?'. Then I remember your Father arranged our marriage."

His sweet words made me laugh, his humor cracking the walls of anxiety that tightly caged me. "You're a silly man, Oberyn Martell."

A chuckle escaped his lips, charming and carefree. "Ah but your silly man nonetheless."

We both smiled at each other, and slowly I closed the gap with a kiss. His lips washing away my fears and nerves. "Thank you."

"You scared me there." He breathed, his hands cupping my face. "Whats wrong?"

"I don't know," I leaned into his touch, finding comfort in the warmth of his hands. "This is all new to me Oberyn, I've never felt this way before, I don't think I could bare it if our marriage turns out to be like Papa and Mother's."

"We won't hate each other Kendra."

"How do you know that?" I lowered my gaze, not wanting to see his reaction.

"Because your Father doesn't love your Mother like I do you." He admitted, I felt my heart leap as his words sunk in. I let out a shaky breath before raising my eyes to take in his genuine smile, capturing his lips into a kiss. He let out a surprised gasp before his lips began to move against mine, his hands wrapped around my waist pulling me closer into his lap. I pulled away and rested my hands under his ears, stroking my thumbs against his cheeks.

"I love you too." I whispered, pressing my lips fully against his once more.