(Third Person POV)
"May I come in?" Jaehaerys asked Maegelle as he stood in the doorway, "Maegelle...."
Maegelle was sitting down in a chair, inside her chambers, when she looked up. She had her daughter in her arms, looking at her father with a bit of surprise.
"Father..." She said softly
Jaehaerys looked around, "I did not see Drakken anywhere near." He said, "He must be with his sons somewhere."
"Yes." Maegelle said with a nod, "He took them to the coast to spar. The two have been eager to keep their training up."
"So young, the two of them." Jaehaerys said, "But.....so desperate to live up to his expectations. May I come in, daughter?"
"Go ahead." Maegelle said
Jaehaerys walked in, "I want to apologize." He said as he reached her, "For any offense. I know you just wanted to show your Mother how happy you are.....as happy as one could get in the situation I put them in."
Maegelle nodded and looked at Vaella, "Sit."
The King sat down next to her, seeing that her eyes did not leave Vaella, who was looking up at with a curious look in her eyes.
"Hm..." He said, "Despite her eyes, she looks plenty like you."
"Yes." She said, "She does....but....that red eye....it is beautiful, is it not?"
"Red eyes...." Jaehaerys said, "It is quite the rare thing to see....almost like it is not of a man's...."
"As is our purple eyes, Father...." Maegelle said, "Everyone else will look at red and purple eyes to be eyes belonging to individuals that are above men.....closer to gods....."
"Hm, you might be right." Jaehaerys said
"We ride dragons....well, you do..." Maegelle said, "And those with red eyes....they possess power that was granted to them by a being above even dragons."
"So it seems." Jaehaerys said softly, looking at Maegelle, "You....you've grown so much, my daughter."
"Father...." Maegelle did not take her eyes off Vaella, "I will never forgive you."
"Forgive me?" Jaehaerys asked, "What do you mean?"
"I loved Daranne...she was like a sister to me." Maegelle said softly, "And she was taken from us. Do you understand how important she was to House Drakkengard?"
"I....I am sorry." Jaehaerys said, "I never intended to hurt her or anyone else."
"She's gone, though." Maegelle said, "And no matter how much he tries to act differently, Drakken is angry. And he will be angry for a long time. He hates you. He hates you with all his heart. Because of you, his Daranne is gone. The mother of his son is gone and she cannot come back. And Drakken blames you....and all that anger....all that hate.....he is taking it out on a single woman, who he intends to break. Do you understand, Father? Do you understand what you've done?"
Jaehaerys sighed and looked ahead, "This...." he said, "It is the burden of a King."
"I understand." Maegelle said, looking at her father, "But no matter what, I cannot bring myself to allow him to kill you. Because.....you are my Father. And I love you."
Jaehaerys looked at her, "I see...."
Tears were forming in her eyes as she held Vaella, "Would it not be easier?" She asked softly, "To give in? Just...allow yourself to kneel down and join the Trinity? I promise you.....I will beg Drakken myself to spare all of you....you just need to convert....please...."
"My sweet daughter...." Jaehaerys said, "That.....we are well past that point. Drakken is not someone who will easily forget what I've done to him. Whatever fate he has in store for me...I need you to understand that I cannot escape it....and please, do not blame yourself for it."
Maegelle looked at Vaella, "Well...." She sniffed, "At the very least...would you hold her? M-My little girl?"
Jaehaerys nodded, "Of course."
He reached for the babe, gently taking her into his arms as he looked at the girl's face. Vaella simply looked up at her grandsire, her round eyes full of curiosity. Then, a smile formed on her face, and she reached up for his beard.
"Seems she likes me...." Jaehaerys said simply
Maegelle leaned in to Jaehaerys and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, Father." She said, "I want you to look past that red eye....and see her as what she truly is; your granddaughter....my daughter...."
"And I hope she grows up to be just that." Jaehaerys said, looking at his daughter, "Your Daughter. Because I don't want to look at her and see Drakken, I am sorry to say that."
"It is fine." She said softly, "I understand. And don't worry, my girl will not turn out that way."
"I promise."
*********************
"I believe it has been a while since we've sat down and spoken one on one." Queen Alysanne said as she looked at Mya, "Lady Mya."
"Hm, that is true." Mya said
They were sitting down under the gondola in the Secret Gardens, the sea breeze hitting both of them as they were served tea. In the distance, a single Duskguard Knight stood, watching over Mya as two Kingsguard stood opposite of him, watching over the Queen.
Alysanne sighed, "You must look at me with resentment." She said, "For what happened to your fellow Lady."
"Perhaps." Mya said, "Daranne was a pure and gentle soul; she didn't hurt anyone."
"It was an accident." Alysanne said
"It matters not. The Priestess that charmed your husband is under our....care....." Mya drank some tea, "Our Lord is getting entertained....daily torture for her. But...since our Vaella was born, he has stopped. Shame, really...."
Alysanne nodded, "I don't expect anything less." She said, "I asked to speak to you this way for one specific reason; to warn you."
"Warn me?" Mya asked
"Listen, I love Maegelle." Alysanne said seriously, "As I do all my daughters, including Saera. And well.....I know Maegelle cares deeply about you. And it is quite clear you are an important figure for the Trinity. You are the First, after all."
"And this warning....?" Mya raised an eyebrow
"I believe the Faith will move against you." Alysanne said, "They are starting to get very persistent."
"Let them." Mya said, "I am not concerned. In fact, I encourage them."
"W-Why is that?" Aysanne asked her
"The truth?" Mya said as she set the cup down, "The truth is.....I want them to provoke Our Lord...My Drakken.....I want them to invoke his fury and wrath because I am still angry for what happened to Daranne. I don't care what happens to you and your Family, save for Maegelle and Saera.....but the truth is that I only want Drakken to revert himself to his true self; The God of War and Death."
"You...." Alysanne said softly
"Saera manipulates him for her own gain, yes. She enables the ruthless monster that he can be." Mya explained, "And Maegelle restrains him harder than anyone would be capable of. He doesn't say it but he loves her, he loves her so much. But me? You know what I want? I want the Drakken that promised to plunge this entire world in War. I want the Drakken that is both ruthless and merciful, the God that does whatever he wants. I care for your daughters, I really do....but they influence him too much. I want Drakken to ignore said influence and do what he wants....."
"I want him to be the Natural Disaster he has always been."