Oberynn Martell

The Red Viper was famous in the Seven Kingdoms and even much of the lands of Essos for his prowess in two arenas-- which the man himself often found to be more alike than unlike. To be pursued to the fullest, both endeavors required the development of great physical agility, endurance, and dexterity, the study and perfection of many diverse techniques, and the willingness to constantly learn and adapt. And while there was every indication that the nine bastard daughters of Prince Oberyn Martell were likely to carry on his legacy in the bedchamber, he deemed it his place to oversee their training as warriors instead.

After all, while it was well known that Oberyn was more than willing to partake in all manner of pleasures, there were temptations that even he felt needed to be resisted. (Though he did have to admit, even if only to himself, the temptation existed.)

Wiping at his brow, Oberyn repeated that resistance to himself as he took a moment to catch his breath. All of his girls that had begun their education as warriors-- the Sand Snakes, as they'd come to be known-- showed the promise of much of their father's prowess, with Tyene, the one standing before him now with a blade in each hand, regularly providing him with the best exercise.

He tapped the end of his spear on the simple stone floor of the training room. "You're getting better at keeping your off-hand side from being exposed," he told the girl. "There won't be many adversaries fast enough to take advantage of such an opening, but they do exist." Oberyn's eyes flicked down to the side of Tyene's body, the side he'd just mentioned, the side which he would swear was more bare than when they'd begun... surely thanks to their exertions, of course.

Revenge and retribution between Houses was nothing new in Westeros. Indeed, the in-fighting amongst the kingdom's nobility helped fuel much of its industry and kept any one family from accumulating too much power for too long. But for the most part, the fighting was done on the field of battle, with bannermen and armies of smallfolk from each House's territories clashing with sword and mace and fist. Few of them resorted to other, more devious means to wage war upon each other, but it was not entirely unheard of.

House Martell of Dorne was not the sort of House generally associated with such villainy. Their members, and the ruling Princes in particular, were famed to be noble, conscientious men who faced their opponents on the field or, in Prince Oberyn's case, often on the sands of an arena. But even the Red Viper himself was capable of living up to his name, and years ago when a certain opportunity presented itself, Oberyn took advantage of it-- inspired, in fact, by the Mad King himself.

In a clash with the hated Lannisters, the House that had brutally killed his sister and her child, Oberyn had stumbled upon a secret: a fourth child of Tywin Lannister himself, a tiny little girl with golden hair and green eyes being spirited away to be protected in some far-off keep. Prince Oberyn had easily slain her would-be protectors, taking the child away. The Martells had a rarely-used estate on the edge of Dorne that was perfect for his purposes, turning it into his very own Tower of Joy. The girl he ensconced in a room in the highest turret, installed a few servants to keep her fed and well, and ordered that the girl he called Rapunzel would never be allowed to leave except by his permission and receive no other visitors but himself.

Oberyn visited as often as possible, seeing to Rapunzel's education, ensuring her unswerving and iron-clad loyalty to House Martell, instilling a hatred of the Lannisters, and indoctrinating the girl to the idea that her best purpose was to serve his will and his pleasure in all ways. Prince Oberyn watched her grow into a lovely teenager, and found himself deciding that it was high time to see if the golden-haired girl was truly his now.

The Prince opened the heavy wooden door that led to Rapunzel's chambers, and locked them with a large iron key he returned to a chain around his neck. "Rapunzel?" he called.