Chapter 41

Marie's Answer was quite predictable, as was her request for a Cub of her own later that Day, making you pretty pleased that your little Oracle wasn't going to keep up her Defences indefinitely. You also took some time to properly introduce your newest and kind of only Friend to your Family, though you found yourself more than a bit confused at her reactions. Your Father had the same effect on her that you had expected, seeing as you knew quite a few grown Men that didn't want to draw his attention, and equally predictable was the effect the warmth of your Mother was having on her, seeing as the Temple she grew up in was, let's call it subdued.

What didn't match with your expectations however was her reaction to your Siblings, for one Day she seemed absolutely fine with them, at least considering the difference of standing, and the next she couldn't get far enough away from them. While your Questions on the matter were pushed aside by her, which you didn't actually mind, or you wouldn't if it wasn't so confusing, she was yours after all, and you really couldn't care less if the Gods showed her a more lamentable Side of your Sister or something.

Cersei never liked to share Jaime, and that hasn't really improved if you think back on it, so it's perhaps really something as simple as her seeing some of your Sister's Plans to deal with her, should she ever overstep her boundaries. But apart from little hiccups like these everything was going great, she was infatuated with your Gift, and her apparent dislike for your Siblings simply meant she became closer to you instead. Your time was made even sweeter by the Reports coming in from the Capital, retelling that the Tyrells were making an effort to secure even further support from the Crown, much to the annoyance of the King.

Though Marie remained silent on the matter you're sure it's quite a big step in the wrong direction for the Tyrells, and honestly, what could the Crown even send them? Certainly not Troops with all the problems the King is having with the Westerlands, and considering the Debt of the Realm you really can't imagine that the Crown can spare any Gold for the Reach, nor would that help them. They're by now essentially just showing that the Crown doesn't have anything to give its Vassals, and that in the King's own Castle, perhaps the Tyrells simply have a Death Wish.

Your newest Companion was all in all great company, while Marie has the tendency of being holier than thou as some might say, she did slowly learn that even the Wealth of the Rock can't solve everything that's wrong with the World. She obviously didn't understand it, not really, but your Secret glimpsing Friend had somewhere along the way decided to put a bit of Trust in you, at least when it came to matters of ruling. You thought at this Point that she would slowly open up a bit more, but most of the issues she had with the World still remained shrouded, and you didn't have the slightest Idea how you could change that, at least not without being, overly insistent, as she would put it.

"Hey, Marie, is there something you need help with?"

"No, why?"

"No reason, I just thought you were bored or something."

"I am, but why would I need your help when I'm bored?"

"Because Friends help each other to have fun?"

"Huh, that's not one of your Plots, is it?"

"..."

"It isn't, it truly isn't, what did the Gods show you that you think so badly of me all the time, Marie, I told you that you won't lose your Head just because you know a few things."

"..."

"I know that you're responsible for the Deaths of tens of thousands of innocent People, Azami."

"That doesn't sound right, but okay, is that really it?"

"Why, do I need more to think that you're twisted?"

"And what do you mean with, it doesn't sound right, why do you react like that when you're confronted with your Crimes?"

"You sound a bit unstable, Marie."

"And whose fault is that?!"

She truly is a bit of a softy if that is all it takes for her to think you're twisted, and what's that about tens of thousands, with all the Rebellions and starvation it should be a few hundred-thousands at least, you aren't some kind of amateur, you're a proper Warlord. And sometimes you simply needed to make sure that your Enemies were truly dead and buried, so that the proper Order of the World could be restored, there's truly and simply no Point in being gentle in a War where the future of Humanity will be decided.

"What are you thinking about, Azami?"

"Ignoring me while you think about whatever isn't nice, you know."

"Whatever the Gods showed you is wrong, Marie, there's no way that less than a hundred-thousand People died in my last War."

"Why by the Gods are you saying that with Pride?"

"Well, if the Gods told you that something was corrupting Humanity and ordered you to stop it, and you had the Strength to do something about it, then you wouldn't shy away from your Duty, now would you?"

"It's pretty much the same for me, if I think something is my Duty as a decent Human Being, then I won't shy away from it, no matter the cost, and that's something I'm proud of."

"There is no right to live, Marie, and not everyone has the right to enter Heaven either, and I would include myself into that Group, but to get to the Point, Human Lives matter, our insignificant little Lives matter, Marie."

"That's why I believe that cleansing the World of Monsters is my purpose, or calling from the Gods if you prefer, and simply put, someone has to pay the price to properly protect the Souls of Humanity."

"Those that still call themselves Humans, yet do nothing but destroy Humanity with every breath and step they take are what I wish to destroy, sadly that involves a lot of, as you put it, innocent People."

"Then just don't do it, or do it right and put some effort into finding the right People, Azami, one in a hundred isn't justifiable, so stop trying."

"I'm not trying to justify it, Marie, you asked me why I was saying it with Pride, and I tried to explain it, and honestly, leave it to the Gods to sort them out, they are merciful, are they not?"

"..."

"You're really scary sometimes."