A Crown of Winter Roses

Chapter 17

"Oberyn, it's going to be okay." She whispered, running her hand across his face, the soft flesh calming against her palm. "It'll work itself out." He nodded, before pulling back from her once more, his eyes glimmering. "Just explain to Rosaerys that you don't want her, you never did. I forgive you for everything, I promise I do; I'll come back with the girls and live in Palace; we'll go to the wedding and she can go back to Meereen. Dorne will wash her hands of her."

Ellaria felt the weight lift from her chest as the words tumbled from her lips, sending the soothing words to Oberyn who recoiled from the woman, her hands bringing icy sharp pain to his skin.

"No, Ellaria; I'm not going to leave Rosaerys, she was not the mistake that I spoke of." He uttered, truthful as the pain slipped between them. "The mistake was what happened between us, the way it all went down. I should have explained what I was up to and why, I should have provided for you better."

Ellaria pulled back, Oberyn's arms attempting to grip her shoulders. "Come back with me to Sunspear, the girls need to be in their home. For the gods sake Ellaria, you left Loreza there. Your youngest, the one who needs you most." He wanted to plead with her, to see reason and logic but the lines were hazy even by his standards.

Ellaria shook her head, eyes searching the room keeping her back turned away from him. "No Oberyn, no. You need to leave her, otherwise me and the girls will never come back. You seem to think that your paramour and wife can live in one home, even Rosaerys would not allow that." It was a weak threat but a threat all the same, something that would dig under Oberyn's skin. "Loreza stayed there willingly; I had no choice but to leave her."

"Ellaria, Ellaria, Ellaria." Oberyn whispered, the anger bubbling away in the pit of his stomach as he gazed at his ex-paramour. "I am not leaving her, and the girls are coming back otherwise you will stay here alone and don't think that is as empty as your is because we know full well that I follow through on my threats. Rosaerys is more understanding than you give her credit for." The anger had grown to his ego, the Viper soon replacing the usually calm man he was.

His words pounced on her curvaceous body. "I came here to apologise, to come to some form of understanding between the two of us. I wanted to apologise for my marriage and how it has hurt you, because it has hurt me too but you leave me no choice Ellaria, now you either accept Rosaerys and the girls staying at Sunspear, or you have no part of their lives.

"You make your decision now, Ellaria; before I make it for you." He had lost his temper, she had not only disrespected their children but his wife too, he had sworn that after Elia's death he would fight to the death for his family and if Ellaria wanted to take his children away from him, he was going to fight to keep them.