The Moon Behind the Tower

When Pride is Taken

Agha was sitting in the castle's main room, and the old Lord and Lady Lannister were in front of him. The Lady was whipped with a weapon called a Kurbash, a weapon used in the two empires for torture or capital punishment, and her husband had a broken nose, ribs, and their first two sons were kneeling, chains bound them to their bodies and their mouths were gagged, they were completely naked, and their beards and hair shaved off. The Lannister family cursed their youngest son for all of this. They knew that Risa was now related to the Empress regent of the Star Empire, and she was dead, but they never intended her death. Soon the sounds of feet and a woman's demands rang in the air. Soon the youngest Lannister and an unknown woman came into the room. Lady Lannister looked at the girl, her heart filling with rage. The lady screeched and despite her injury, she pounced on the young woman, clawing and ripping out her hair. The Lady kept screaming at her, saying that she was nothing but a whore's daughter and that it was her fault for everything. The Lord and his twin sons looked at the youngest with rage and disgust, and the youngest looked lost at everything that was happing at that moment. Agha looked at the youngest, his eyes cold and bloodthirsty. The old lord looked at the Sultan with fear, his mind thinking of the worst. Agha motioned to one of his guards and the man walked to the youngest Lannister and grabbed him by the hair. The man yelled in pain as the guard pulled the man to the Sultan. When the guard threw the young Lannister at Agha's feet, and when the man placed a hand on the ground Agha stomped a foot on the hand, the heel of his boot breaking many of the younger Lannister's hand bones. The young Lannister screamed in pain as he looked at the Sultan. It had been many years since Agha had felt such blinding rage, his hand cracking each knuckle with skill. The guard near him gripped his sword in fear, he knew that there would be mutilation, blood, and sights of terror this night. 

Agha: Tell me whore, where were the staff of the castle when its lady was in labor?

Young Lannister: I don't know!!

Agha: Then we should ask that whore there, being torn apart by the oh-so-supposed mother-in-law.

Two of Agha's guards tore the two women apart and brought the younger woman to the Sultan. She looked at him with terror on her face. Never had she seen such a face with calm cruelty before, and she knew that her life was at its end.

Agha: So, I hear that you come from a low birth, correct?

Woman: Yes.

Agha: I imagine that your mother taught you better, right?

Woman: Please my lord I...

Agha: Why does this boy love you?

Woman: I believe that he loves me because...

Agha: Your looks, how you treat him in bed, or the fact that he could just throw you away without any troubles?

Woman: My...

Agha: Let's say that if your face was scared, what will he do? Will he still love you or go to another woman's bed? My time here has taught me a thing or two about the women here. The tradition of women is that they are seen as only property, and always at the mercy of men. Many women have suffered, not only by men but by their gender as well. I'm having all of the servants of this disgusting place question at this moment, and I wonder what they will say about you and the boy here. What will they say about you? About him? Will they too throw you under the cart to save their skin?

The young woman looked at the Sultan with fear and shock, why was he doing this? What does this have to do with him?

Agha: I see that you are quite confused about why this is happening, so let me explain in words that even a whore like you and that boy can understand. Today was Lady Amata's and mine wedding, and because of you two, her most beloved cousin was killed by two whores that have no humanity, humility, and even common sense? I, unlike most of these whorish lords that I have met in this land, love and cherish my wife. So, when something like this happens, know that I will spill blood, and take lives to repay this insult. Know this, however, this night will end in blood.