Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 139 Oberyn Martell

The ship undoubtedly belonged to House Martell, and as the two ships drew closer and the figure at the bow became clear, it proved that Princess Elia's earlier certainty was entirely correct—the one leaping and waving at the bow was none other than her brother, Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne.

Euron couldn't help but sigh, perhaps there really was some mysterious connection deep within his blood that transcended the five senses.

Oberon Martell couldn't even wait for the two ships to come to a complete stop.

Just as the ship's gunwale was about to touch and the waves were still pounding against the hull, Oberyn leaped into the air. He was as agile as a scorpion in the desert, landing precisely and lightly on Euron's deck with almost no extra sound.

His gaze immediately locked onto his sister. The next moment, he strode forward, opened his arms, and embraced Princess Ilya Martell tightly and firmly. It was an embrace filled with worry, longing, and the ecstatic joy of reunion, as if trying to absorb all the worries of the days of separation into this powerful embrace.

Following Oberyn as he leaped over the ship's railing was a woman with a graceful figure and captivating eyes—his lover, Ellaria Shad.

Shad is the surname of Dorne's bastard son.

Ellaria Sand is the illegitimate daughter of Earl Haman Uller, a nobleman of Dorne, a sea buckthorn flower that blooms freely in the shadows.

There are many rumors about her, the most striking of which is that she once squandered her youth in the red-light district of Ries, an experience that has given her an indelible, mysterious, and exotic allure. There are also rumors that she devoutly worships a love god from Ries, whose doctrines glorify the freedom of physical pleasure and sexual desire.

Prince Oberon himself made no secret of his praise for Ellaria's uninhibited views on that subject, and often hinted with a playful pride that Ellaria's charm was like the finest wine, enough to captivate admirers of any gender.

Her exotic charm and unabashed sensuality created her unique allure. Standing beside Oberyn, she wasn't merely an appendage, but rather a dangerous yet captivating jewel that perfectly complemented his charisma, naturally drawing all eyes to her.

Ellaria's belly was swollen, indicating that a new life was being born inside her.

Prince Oberyn Martell's gaze finally passed over his sister's shoulder and landed on Euron. He looked at this companion with whom he had spent three years on the other side of the Narrow Sea, a familiar smile playing on his lips. "Ha!"

"You brat!" He released Ilya and instead gave Euron an equally warm and powerful hug, slapping his back forcefully. "It's been a year, and you're almost taller than me now!"

Euron, basking in this Dornish-style enthusiasm, responded with a smile, "It's been a year, and you're about to become a father." He glanced meaningfully at the smiling Ellaria Shad beside him.

Meanwhile, the other companions on Oberon's ship also appeared one after another.

Castor Daniels leaned lazily against the ship's railing, a nonchalant grin on his face, and loudly teased his sister Victoria Daniels on Euron's ship, "Hey, look who's here? Isn't this my good sister who unfortunately got captured? I warned you long ago, the life of a hapless traveler isn't for you. Finding a good family to marry into and have children is the right path!"

Victoria Daniels, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, immediately retorted without backing down: "Shut up! You disgrace to the family! It's none of your business how I conduct myself!"

Unlike Oberyn, Ashara Dayne and Arianne Martell did not leap over. The two ladies stood gracefully side by side at the bow, hand in hand.

Ashara Dayne gazed at Euron from afar, a gentle smile in her azure eyes, and gave him a slight nod. Beside her, Arianne Martell, with a mischievous glint in her eye, whispered something in Ashara's ear, clearly teasing her friend about her relationship with Euron. Ashara blushed slightly and playfully nudged the Dornish princess with her elbow.

Euron raised an eyebrow at Oberyn and asked directly, "How did you all suddenly end up so far out at sea?"

Oberyn shrugged, his tone casual yet tinged with unmistakable concern: "I'd been anticipating your arrival for a while, expecting you to be here in the next few days. But this morning I received news that those two gangs of stupid pirates on the Steps Islands are in a bloodthirsty frenzy again. I'm afraid you might be unaware of the danger and walk headlong into that meat grinder." A signature mocking smile played on his lips. "I'm mainly worried about you. If the little sea monster accidentally dies on Dorn's doorstep, we might not be able to explain ourselves."

Euron chuckled, clearly unconvinced by the excuse: "Worried about me? That doesn't sound like you, Oberyn Martell."

"Yes," Oberyn nodded readily, a sly glint in his eyes, "or more precisely, I'm worried that after you die, your wolfish relatives from the Iron Islands will come to Dorne for revenge. You know, 'The Flames of Greentree' is the most popular song in Dorne taverns these days. How dare we provoke the Iron Islands, who can 'ignite such fireworks'?" His tone was exaggerated, full of a joking tone.

Euron sensed the sarcasm in his words, and deliberately put on a serious face to play along, letting out a cold snort and saying, "So, are you scared or not!"

"Afraid? Of course I'm afraid!" Oberyn laughed, patting Euron's shoulder forcefully. "You've caused quite a stir this year. Sweeping across Green Pavilion Island, your business is booming. I heard your Ice and Fire Caravan is so busy it's practically touching the ground, even the Horse King of the Grasslands is using the ironware you sell?"

"These are all trivial matters, not worth mentioning," Euron said casually.

"But what's most despicable is," Oberyn suddenly changed the subject, wrapping his arms around Euron's neck, his tone becoming one of deep remorse, as if accusing someone of a heinous crime, "that you secretly plucked away the brightest star in our Dornish sky—Ashara! And you even dared to swagger into Dornish, into Sunspear City?"

"It's not picking," Euron corrected helplessly, but with a smile in his eyes, "we're just engaged."

"Then you'd better be well prepared," Oberyn said, his joking expression fading. Though his eyes still held amusement, his tone held a more serious warning. "The young men in Sunspear City who admire Ashara could stretch from the Sun Tower to the Water Gardens. You, 'Star-Hunter,' are likely to face countless troubles."

"Heh," Euron let out a short laugh, his eyes as calm as a still sea. "I've always hated trouble." He paused, giving Oberyn a meaningful look, a sly smile returning to his lips. "But, with you, the Prince of Dorne, the Red Viper, here to keep things under control, things should be alright, right?"

Upon hearing this, Oberyn burst into laughter, his laughter tinged with schadenfreude: "Whether I'm here or not, the rules are the same. If someone openly challenges you on this grounds, even if I were a prince, I couldn't openly show favoritism or interfere."

Oberyn abruptly changed the subject, holding up three fingers and speaking with a serious yet almost game-like tone, "All I can do is ensure that every challenge is fair and just. For example, challengers must be of noble birth—illegitimate children won't do; they must be around your age, so experienced individuals can't bully the young; and it must be a public, formal competition, with only one chance per person, and you can only accept one challenge per day. How about that, fair enough?"

Euron narrowed his eyes suspiciously: "Are you serious? I feel like you're not helping me, but rather deliberately arranging an exhibition match for me?"

"Oh dear, you noticed something," Oberyn admitted with a grin, then lowered his voice to reveal another key reason, "Actually, part of it is because of my precious niece."

"————?" Euron looked puzzled.

"Arianne," Oberyn gestured towards their ship, "her suitors stretch from Streamer Gardens to Broken Arm Cape. That little devil is cunning; for peace and quiet, she's pinning all the trouble on you. She's declared that anyone wanting to court her must first at least defeat Euron Greyjoy, the one she rejected!"

"Me?" Euron suddenly felt absurdly caught in the crossfire. "When did I ever offend her? And when did I ever pursue her? Humph, there's no way I could have been rejected! This is truly a case of being caught in the crossfire!"