This was no coincidence. Oberyn was certain of it. That old, dried up crusty bitch already had her hooks in the citizens of Dorne 

Shit! Oberyn wasn't sure what to do now. Had this been the old sorceress' plan all along?

Oberyn remembered tales told in his childhood about a sorceress who could read the future. Had she known that Tatiana would come to her, willingly giving up her soul in order to save Oberyn and his kingdom?

It was possible. She'd told Oberyn that she knew he'd come. However, no one needed to have magic to know that after what Tatiana had done, that someone would come and plead with her for the return of her soul.

He dreaded sharing this news with Tatiana. She'd blame herself. An invisible shadow of weariness settled over Oberyn.

"My lord,  what do you wish of us?"

"Ready the men. It appears we have a war coming."

......

Thane spotted the hundreds of soldiers headed in the direction of the castle.

He stopped a group of them, asking asking what was happening.

"A war, sir. Lord Werther has challenged his royal highness, Prince Oberyn of Dorne."

Thane stepped aside, allowing the men to pass by. He only had one concern: Tatiana.

Thane rushed into the manor house, shouting for Murray.

"My lord?"

"Murray, if you're truly my friend, you'll do as I ask of you now." Thane hurried to where his armor was kept and began laying out the pieces.

"What in the gods names are you doing?" Thane looked up at Murray, his experience grave.

"Saving the only woman I ever cared about."

.......

The old sorceress was dancing with glee. She couldn't stop gazing upon herself in the looking glass.

She was young and beautiful again! Although she was laughing, it boarded on hysteria. She was finally freed from her curse!

Who knew that all it took was the touch of a true princess to set her free from the darkness and gloom of her life?

She had an inkling that something such as this could happen. Yet she never actually believed the myth until she saw her own reflection in the looking glass after so many long years.

She stopped, gazing at her smooth skin, her golden hair, her sharp blue eyes, the lush and full bosom and slender form. It was uncanny and exquisite!

She paused, a thought forming in her head. Prince Oberyn wouldn't recognize her now. Neither would Princess Tatiana.

Perhaps she needed to make a formal call and thank them in person for her new life.

But first she needed to make a visit to Lord and Lady Werther's estate so that they could continue on with their plans for overthrowing that overly confident bastard, Oberyn and his child bride.

........

Tatiana received word from her father that he would be sending more soldiers to assist Oberyn in the coming war.

Tatiana remembered the look on Oberyn's face that morning at breakfast when he'd broke the awful news about how Lord Werther had declared war on their kingdom.

Tatiana had tried to soothe Oberyn's disgrace, however, she knew he wouldn't be easily consoled.

"This is my doing," Tatiana said, reaching out to touch Oberyn's hand. He'd tried to smile and gently grasped her hand.

"No, Tatiana. Please don't blame yourself."

"Oh, Oberyn! What are we going to do?" Oberyn drew Tatiana closer to him and she sat down on his lap.

"Fight until the death, my princess. Fight to the death."

......

Thane and Murray rode into the castle courtyard and quickly dismounted. A few guards approached them, asking what business they had here.

"We would like to offer our assistance to fight alongside you." The guards stared at them.

"Come! You can present your request to his royal highness."

.....

Tatiana couldn't hardly believe it. Thane, her Thane, was offering to fight in a war that wasn't even meant to happen.

He could die. Without glory and honor and especially without the promise of getting her..back.

"You'd do this?" Thane almost couldn't stand the look in Tatiana's eyes. She'd never looked at him this way when he'd thought that Tatiana cared for him.

"You know I'd forge through Hell if it meant keeping you safe, Princess."

Oberyn saw the look in his beautiful wife's eyes and it nearly undid him. Had Tatiana ever looked as tender as she did now, at him?

He couldn't remember. He supposed she had.

Then, as Thane took Tatiana's hand and kissed it, Oberyn saw her immediately stiffen, slipping her fingers from Thane's hand, stepping closer to Oberyn.

Oberyn didn't want to be an ass concerning this, but he couldn't help but feel triumphant at this small gesture from Tatiana.

Although Tatiana may have felt some tenderness towards Thane, she didn't love him as she loved Oberyn.

"You're welcome to stay and fight, Lord Vaughn," Oberyn said.

"I can use as many capable soldiers as possible." 

Tatiana reached for Oberyn's hand and he didn't miss how Thane's eyes darted to the small gesture.

"It will be bloody and horrible. There's no guarantee that you'll be alive when this ends."

"I'm aware of the risks, your highness," Thane said tartly.

"However, I'm doing this of my own free will. No one is forcing my hand."

Oberyn gave Thane a curt nod.

"Very well, Lord Vaughn. May the gods have mercy on your soul."

........

The sorceress sat upon a cushion, in Lord Werther's parlor, watching him as he converses with his men.

She knows that by nightfall, several hundred men will be waiting just outside the castle walls of Dorne.

Lady Werther swept into the room, beckoning the sorceress to follow her.

Reluctantly, she does, wondering what could possibly be so damned urgent that Lady Werther wanted her away from the men.

"What is it?" The witch snapped.

"I'm just curious as to exactly, pray tell, you'll be of assistance to my husband and his army of men during the raid upon Prince Oberyn's castle?"

"I'm a powerful sorceress, you bitch. I could turn you into a toad and crush you with my heel, if I so chose to."

Ramona studied the woman standing next to her. Last time she'd heard of this old bitch, she'd been wasting away in her dark tower, brooding over how Oberyn's great grandfather had taken away her power.

Ramona Werther wasn't a fool. That wasn't how magic worked. If a person had the gift, it couldn't just be stolen away from them.

The truth was most likely that Oberyn's great grandfather knew magic as well and had cursed the witch, magically sequestered her in that dark tower.

Until the princess had been foolish enough to pay the old crone a visit and somehow lifted her curse.

"What's stopping you?" Ramona taunted.

The witch smiled a cruel smile, lifting her hands and.....

"Sorceress! If you as so much lay a hand on my wife, I'll not hesitate to chop your head off and display it for all Westeros to gaze upon!"

The sorceress lowered her hands, turning towards Lord Werther.

"I humbly beg your forgiveness, my lord."

"I allowed you in for a reason. And that reason is to help me overthrow Prince Oberyn! Not threaten my wife."

The sorceress held her tongue. Arguing with this stubborn ass would get her no where.

"Understood, my lord. Have you anything specific you would like me to focus my attention on?"

"Empower my army, if possible. Make them undefeated. I want that throne for myself."

The sorceress started walking away.

"I'll do my utmost, my lord."

"You'll do more than that, Sorceress. For your very life depends on it."