26 A fateful Choice

"Victor... did you fucking have a stroke? What in your right mind made to think I would EVER leave my family behind like this? There is nothing you could ever offer mo to agree to this deal. If I didn't know you better, I would leave right now. You must know something. Something so important that it would drive me to the insane decision to agree to your offer. I want to know, right now! What is that important to me to leave behind my identity as a Dornish and the honor of house Martell?? Tell me!" Oberyn shouted visibly agitated.

"I would like to tell you. But this information is so important that it could bring disaster to the House of Di Natale. I will never trust the deeper information and my plan for what I think will happen next to anybody that I do not trust 100%. No one, not even you Oberyn, second son of House Martell. I can tell you the bargaining, but I will not tell you even a single more detail before you don't accept the offer, I made you. I know you will become furious once you listen to what I have to say. I don't care. You must be responsible for House Martell and I, as the eldest son and heir of the family, must be even more responsible for House Di Natale. Look at my eyes Oberyn. Do you agree?" Victor explained, at he stared into the eyes of a man he started to trust, a man he wanted to form a bond of family with.

Oberyn didn't answer for some time. He kept drinking alcohol, one glass after another. He stood up walking across the balcony, his mood getting more and more disturbed. Finally, he sat back down across from Victor. Looking deep into his eyes only saying two nearly inaudible words. "Tell me...."

Victor looked at the sea. Feeling the breeze and the warmth of the sun. He was not as unfaced as he seemed on the outside. He was about to ignite a sleeping volcano. Taking a deep breath, he slowly said the following words.

"The life and death of Elia Martell."

BOOM! Oberyn immediately overturned the table and was moving towards Victor. Before he could even take a third step he was pinned down. A shadow moved behind him unknowingly taking him down the second he could pose a threat towards Victor. He was immediately surrounded by at least five special soldiers of the Di Natale family while Victor was protected by another ten soldiers, all carrying shield and spear. In a distance of 50 meters at least 20 bowmen could be spotted and without a doubt, if there was any need, they would be surrounded by the most elite small scale army of the Known World if Victor needed it.

Oberyn was desperately struggling for at least one minute. After feeling no chance of getting free he started screaming towards Victor. "You lying piece of shit! Elia is safe and protected in Dorne by mother and Doran! Nothing could happen to her. Don't try to trick me into your deal with family affection. I will never let anything happen to Elia!! How can you fall so deep to even want to blackmail me with my innocent sister, VICTOR! BASTARD!"

Victor answered as calmy as possible, but his shaking hand betrayed him.

"I know you are not sane right now, that is the only reason I take this insult today. If you ever dare to talk to me like this again, I will but your head in a basket and send it back to Sunspear. I will let my guards bring you to a closed courtyard isolated in Canahs. I give you three days to make up your mind. Let's see if the Red Viper of Dorne makes the right decision or not. I give you one last sentence to ponder in the next three days.

'A woman will marry one day'

Just think about it. Take your time. But remember Oberyn, whatever decision you make, don't come running to me when you face the consequences."

When finishing his sentence, he went back inside his courtyard ignoring the struggling Oberyn. The voice behind him was getting smaller and smaller, yet it was printed in his mind.

"Victor! Victor, tell me! Victor!..."

The next three days were like an eternity for Victor. He could not eat a lot, he hardly ever slept. His mother was going crazy with worry. She even forced Amando to talk to Victor. Nothing helped. At the end even his grandparents went to visit him. Only after seeing his grandmother started to cry Victor finally got himself together and ate something, before falling asleep. When he woke up again it was already the middle of the day. He knew it was time to see Oberyn again and face the inevitable choice. A choice that would decide the future of many people. A choice of Fate.

The same table, the same place, the same view. Even though the sun was still shining on the port of Calahs the world seemed a lot colder than before. A young handsome lysene boy seemingly 11-12 years old, thanks to his physical talents, and still seventeen years old Oberyn Martell. Victor still had his handsome demeanor, seemingly calm and collective, thanks to the pressure of his grandmother. Oberyn on the other side seemed absolutely destroyed. Red sunken eyes, unkempt facial hair, dirty hands and shaking fingers. Victor has never seen his friend like this before.

He couldn't imagine what kind of mental torture Oberyn must have gone through in the last few days. This man seemed completely broken. Everything that kept him going now was his unwavering thirst for the truth. 

In front of him was the hardest decision he would ever make in his entire life. What choice would he make? The fate of many people was decided at this seemingly idyllic seaside courtyard.