CHAPTER 338: CAMPAIGN IN THE SANDS III

(Drakken’s POV)

[Harrenhal]

"Why is Mama Maegelle in the Citadel?" Riktor asked me, "Did something happen?"

I was standing in the balcony, looking out to the horizon, "She wanted to go."

"But....she took Vaella too." He said, "I find that strange. Vaella will cry a lot if you’re not there with her."

"She is not Astorias." I said simply

"Right." He said, "Did the two of you get in a fight?"

I turned around and walked back inside, "Don’t worry about it." I said, "Get back to your training."

I walked towards a table that had some wine on it and I picked the jug up, pouring some into a cup. I then took a sip of it and felt the obvious stare from my son.

I turned to face him, he was giving me a serious look, "What?"

"You take advantage of her kindness." He said

I scowled, "What did you say?"

"Mama Maegelle is the kindest person I have ever met. She is too kind for her own good." He said, "And you take advantage of that."

"What makes you say that I take advantage of that? Hm?" I said, "Do you have any idea what she and I fought about?"

"No, but I know that she would not get angry and leave if it weren’t for a good reason." He said as he walked inside, "And knowing my own Father, you probably did something that angered her so much it got to that point. Father, you take advantage of her kindness too much."

"You don’t know anything, boy." I said

"I know that she loves you!" He scowled, "And you spit in her face!"

"How do I do that?!" I exclaimed, "Enlighten me, Riktor!!"

"If you’re going to be with other women, then at the very least let her know!" Riktor scowled, "That is probably why she was hurt, because she didn’t see it coming!"

"Listen here-" I started

"No, you listen!" He said, "If it is for the sake of tormenting the people who took Mother Daranne away from us, I don’t blame you. But if you do something that is going to hurt Mama Maegelle in the process, rethink your actions!"

I set the cup down, "What has my life turned out to be?" I said, "Here I am getting lectured by a little shit."

"I am your son!" He exclaimed

"Yes, you are." I said, "But you’re also a little runt who hasn’t lived a fraction of what I have lived. The world is a cruel place, Riktor. You will understand the same. And it appears that you will turn out the same as me."

"Huh?!" He said, "I would never!"

I looked at him, "Tyrian’Cal." I said, "Do you know what that is?"

"No. Well, you explained it back then." He said, "A law that protects valuable hostages."

"Yes. And what does that require?" I asked him

"To bed the widow of the King or Lord that was killed." He said, "What about it?"

"From the looks of it, in the future, you will declare that Law." I told him as I poured more wine into the cup, "And it doesn’t matter who you are with at that point, you enforce it pretty well."

"Why would I do that?" He asked

"I suppose you wanted to do something." I said, "My point is, Riktor.....you chastise me about my decisions....but soon, you will be in my position and you will end up making the same decisions."

"Never." Riktor said

I looked at him, "Oh, you will." I said, "If you keep being so emotional about everything, then you will end up making even worse mistakes. Your Mother and I got into an argument, that is all. She will calm down and eventually, she will want to return. I did what I had to do for the sake of my enjoyment, my pleasure, and my entertainment. I never claimed to be a benevolent god; I do things for the sake of torment and despair. Aemon deserved what he got, he deserved what I did to him. And your Mother knows that. And you, my son, you will end up being the same as me."

"I will never do something like that." He said, "If you say that it is my emotions that will get the better of me, then I will get them in line."

He proceeded to walk past me and make his way to the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked him

"I am going to train." he said, "And from now on....."

"I will keep my emotions and thoughts in check."

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(Third Person POV)

[Near Yronwood]

Maegor stood next to a destroyed Sept, cleaning blood off his sword as he scowled, "Is this all there is to offer?" He spat on the ground, "Just a couple of dornish fucks with swords and the rest...peasants..."

He looked over to the corralled smallfolk who were on their knees while several Duskguard Knights were dragging more over to them.

It had been an hour after he led his men to sack the Sept, killing around a dozen soldiers who happened to be nearby and burned the entire thing down. The smoke and flames were still hot and the heat emanated from the charred debris next to him.

"Where are we?" He asked a Knight

"A few miles away from Yronwood." He said, "Why do you ask?"

"We need to see more action." He said as he sheathed his sword, "Don’t you think?"

"Our orders are to take Septs and burn Red Temples." The Knight said, "We have taken around six septs by now, but not Red Temples."

Maegor walked over to the septon, who was thrown to the ground, "If memory serves me right...." He said, "I had heard rumors back when I sat the throne, about the Red Cults building a temple somewhere near Yronwood....or next to it. I do not know."

"What do you suggest?" the Knight asked

"We go to Yronwood, take the seat...." Maegor said, "And we destroy the Red Cult nearby."

"That is a risky move." He said, "Olyver won’t approve."

"I don’t give a shit." Maegor said as he reached down and pulled the Septon up by the shirt, "You....."

The Septon looked at him, "W-What....?! Why must you do this?!"

"You worship the Seven..." Maegor said as he punched him in the stomach, buckling him violently as he let out a pained groan, "And the New God requires all of you to suffer. Dorne....."

"Will be dominated by the Dragon God."