[XXIX.] Seeds of Doubt
The honeymoon period was a crucial time for every newlywed.
Many married couples and noblewomen have gossiped about the importance of this timeframe. This period would serve as a time when couples would learn more about each other and get to navigate through their new home together.
It was typical that couples would be able to know how their marriage would fare by the end of this period. Newlyweds who could not stand the other would have distant marriages while those who are lucky would be blessed with long, fruitful marriages.
But as they were, Oberyn and Cassandra preferred to do things unconventionally. Even with their marriage being arranged, they still found the beauty of normalcy with one another. As friends.
Oberyn would wake first, typically before the sun would even rise, and then he would make his way to the training courtyard to wait for Owain.
On the other hand, Cassandra would wake much later, though she too would join them while they trained. Her arrival would usually indicate that it was time to head to the kitchen to have breakfast.
After that, they would go their separate ways, with Oberyn working on his duties as prince and Cassandra learning more about her new home from Arianne and the other people working in the Old Palace.
At times, Owain would join her, also curious about Dorne. There were even times when he would join Arianne in her lessons, the older girl not minding his presence.
While the people of Sunspear had initially been distrusting of the sister of the king, they had soon warmed up to her.
They had expected her to be a snobbish noblewoman who thought herself better than others. They thought that she would be like Prince Doran's wife, Lady Mellario who had trouble accepting Dorne as her home even after so many years.
Yet they came to discover Cassandra's kind and gentle nature when they saw her interactions with all that she would meet. Nobles and servants alike could not help but admire her perseverance in learning much about the culture and traditions in Dorne.
In time, they too saw how she and their prince matched well. He made her laugh in a way that she hadn't since the war while she inspired conversations that could last for hours and hours.
Whenever they would share meals, may it be for breakfast or supper, they looked as they should be. They spoke as much as they listened. They would argue before coming to a resolution they both agreed to.
In the midst of their exchanges, servants would send each other smiles. After all, Dorne was much changed after the war but having Prince Oberyn smiling once more felt like a hopeful thing for everyone who adored their prince.
Even as their marriage was going well, there were still many secrets left unspoken between them and until these were addressed, there would always be something between them.
That day, Cassandra woke from yet another nightmare. This time, it had been about the event that took place in the throneroom, with Lord Tywin and all the courtiers present.
Her hands shook as she tucked her legs to her chest. The sun had yet to rise from the sky and Oberyn was still sleeping soundly all the way on the other side of the room.
With her gaze on him, her breaths gradually began to slow. Pulling on the robe that hung by her bed, Cassandra hurried to the desk and started writing a letter.
It was as if she had no control over her body as she filled the sheet of parchment with words, almost in a frenzy that she had not noticed Oberyn waking.
Unbeknownst to her, Oberyn had stirred from his slumber. He raised his head from his pillow, barely recognizing Cassandra's form hunched over her desk.
His focus turned to their open window which showed that it was barely morning. Wondering what it was that had her utmost attention, Oberyn rose from his chaise lounge.
Not even bothering with a tunic, he walked over to her, peering over her shoulder to see her writing a letter to her brother, Robert.
However, before he could read further, Cassandra spun in her seat, letting out a surprised scream upon seeing him. "Oberyn!"
When she let out such a sound, Oberyn jumped from where he stood. For a moment, they looked at each other with wide eyes, not having expected their morning to start in that way.
Oberyn shrugged off his surprise as he brandished his familiar smile. "What are you doing up so early?"
Cassandra blushed upon seeing his state of undress, turning her gaze away immediately. "I couldn't sleep. Where's your tunic?"
He couldn't help but tease her even more as he crossed his arms over his bare chest despite the worry taking root within him. "It's here somewhere, I'm sure. Are you writing letters?"
She shook her head, keeping the parchment in one of the drawers of her desk. "It's nothing of important."
He kept his eyes on her, gauging her actions as he tried to determine what it was she was obviously doing. "Right. Well, shall we get started with our day?"
Taking his words as direction, she stood and tossed the cushion of her seat at him. "Yes, I just need to get dressed then we can be on our way. You should get dressed too."
He waggled his eyebrows at her, smirking as he followed after her. "Why? Are you distracted?"
She hastily moved away from him as he started to chase her around their chambers, dodging the objects she would throw in his general direction. "Oberyn!"
Cassandra laughed at his antics, glad he had let that incident go. After all, if he wanted, he could have taken it up with her.
Despite their typical banter and laughter, she remained oblivious to the tempest of doubt that had begun swirling in Oberyn's mind.
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"What are you thinking so hard about?"
Oberyn looked up to find his brother looking down at him worriedly. Doran had always felt responsible for his siblings.
As the eldest, he had been trained and prepared to be heir all his life. From a very young age, he was taught that as head of the family, he would take care of his younger siblings too.
For a long time, he had been the only child. Many had expected him to remain that way when many of his siblings did not make it to term. It was only when Elia was born, followed by Oberyn that their family was complete.
After what happened to Elia and his failure to take action to prevent it, Doran had been plagued with thoughts of revenge and uprising. Though the alliance was supposed to prevent all that, the brothers knew it was only a matter of time.
Now that Oberyn was his only living sibling, Doran could not help but be responsible for him. Especially since it was his sacrifice that allowed them enough time to prepare for their uprising.
By marrying the Baratheon girl, he had granted them one of the most important things they would need. Time.
"Huh?" Oberyn perked up, looking up from one of the correspondents.
"You've obviously got something on your mind, Oberyn. You've been reading the same page for over ten minutes. Have you suddenly forgotten how to read?" Doran asked, trying not to laugh at his brother.
Instead of laughing and responding with a snarky remark of his own like he usually would, Oberyn mumbled. "Right. Sorry."
Doran put down his own pen to address his brother's odd mood. "What is it? And don't you dare say nothing."
Oberyn sighed and for a moment, it was as if he would not even answer. However, when he did, he said it quite unsure. "It's Cassandra. I think she's hiding something from me."
That triggered a set of warning bells within Doran's mind. "Your wife? What do you mean? Hiding what?"
The people of Dorne have long since been known as people unwelcome to anyone other than their own. Cassandra Baratheon had not just been an outsider. She was also related to one of the people they considered an enemy.
"Letters. She's been writing these letters to the king, communicating with her brother somehow but I spoke to the servants and no ravens are being sent. Only to Starfall, to Ashara Dayne I am told." Oberyn replied, clearly having thought it through.
"Peculiar. What does she have to hide?" Doran remarked, thinking of all the possibilities there could be. Only for him, there was only one good reason why she would hide such a thing. She was informing her brother about their activities.
Oberyn challenged, still feeling quite protective over Cassandra. "It's her business, though. Isn't it? Doesn't Mellario write letters to her kin without telling you?"
Cassandra may have had secrets but so did he. It would be hypocritical of him to judge her in such a manner when his own secrets weigh much more. The time they had spent together, both alone or with Owain, had taught him that it is not in her nature to be deceitful.
"My wife is not the sister of the king we're trying to overthrow." Doran reminded before approaching his brother. "You have to find out what she writes in these letters."
Oberyn exclaimed, not at all liking what his brother was insinuating. "What?! Not a chance. Whatever you are thinking, Cassandra would never."
Doran justified, knowing of his brother's fondness for her. He just did not know how much. "Would you trust her with your life if given the chance? If she had nothing to hide then it would be alright for you to know of these letters."
"How would I know what is in these letters? What are you proposing then, brother?" Oberyn questioned defensively even as his brother's words resonated with the doubts he had started to have.
Doran sighed, preparing for his brother's disbelief and anger at the words he would say. "You have to get her to trust you above everyone else. Make her fall in love with you if you have to. Fall so deeply that she would tell you all her secrets. Everything she would tell her brother. It shouldn't be that difficult."
"You're out of your mind." Oberyn shook his head, standing up and beginning to pace. "I had underestimated your talent for acting. I had no idea your hatred for the Baratheons and the Lannisters ran that deep."
Doran enforced, leaning heavily on his cane. "You can't forget, Oberyn. Not even for a single second. We are going to avenge Elia's death no matter what. You married Cassandra so you can deliver justice to our sister's death."
"Cassandra should have no part in this. I refuse to involve her." Oberyn exhaled, not even wishing to consider the thought of her being a spy.
The image of her laughing in the courtyard with him and Owain entered his mind. It was the first time he had seen her laugh, without a care in the world. He found he could not imagine her as the villain his brother was painting her to be.
"It won't matter if she has already involved herself in the first place. She had reasons for marrying you too." Doran compelled, yet he could not help but give his brother the opportunity to decide for himself. "If you truly trust her, find the letters. If I'm wrong I will apologize."
"I have known Cassandra for a long time. I trust that she will not aid her brother in spying on us. It's not who she is." Oberyn defended, feeling confidence surge in him as he abandoned his tasks to return to his chambers, determined to prove his brother wrong.
However, right as he left, Doran delivered his final blow, hitting precisely where it hurt. "We would have done anything for Elia. Don't underestimate the things Cassandra would do for her family. Don't let our sister down because you suddenly have a soft spot for your wife."
Oberyn wanted to trust Cassandra. Truly he did. Above all else even if he did not know it.
But it was difficult to do so when later that day, he opened the same drawers on her desk. He was determined to find proof that the letters were nothing but meaningless.
Only to find that they were empty, his fragile hope now broken.
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Hello everyone! So here comes the dramaaa!! I'm sure you can already sort of predict where this is heading but trust me, there will be moree ;) Stay tuned and sending you all my love <3!