The Sage of Thrones

Chapter 10 ~ Contestation

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Petyr Baelish didn't believe in deities. He never did. Why should he believe in them? Did anyone even consider the idea that they didn't exist? Even if they did, what had the Old Gods, the Seven, or any other deity done for him in his life? Nothing! Everything Petyr Baelish did, whether for good or ill (mostly the latter), he had done it himself, or he had orchestrated to happen through his many contacts. Petyr came from nothing. His family as a whole came from nothing. Each Baelish before him had to improve their life based on what the previous Baelish had done before them. For a time, House Baelish wasn't even a House. Just a few members of a poor or smallfolk family struggling to eat drink, and even breathe to see the next day. Then one Baelish decided to become a Sell Sword. The one Baelish after that worked his way up to make his family a Minor House for the Vale and eventually get Petyr as a ward for House Tully.

And from there, Petyr used all his intellect, cunning, and skill he possessed to become one of the most influential people in all of the Seven Kingdoms. He became the Master of Coin for King Robert Baratheon. He had a seat on the Small Council. He owned brothels and had more money then most High Lords throughout the Seven Kingdoms. The amount of gold that Petyr acquired over the years serving as Master of Coin had given him almost as much wealth as the great Tywin Lannister himself! He had achieved what no one else in his family had ever done. He had risen up from a lowly frail child with just his little sack of poor quality clothing and become one of the most influential men in the Seven Kingdoms. Achieved with gold, blackmail, and having a spy network second only to the Seven damned Spider.

Yet in this strange dark place filled with dark skies and white sand as far as the eye could see with a few boulders, or rocks lying around, it matter little. Petyr knew all of the gold, blackmail, and information he obtained on people through the many whores working in his brothels...it counted for nothing here.

"Enjoying yourself?" asked Naruto while appearing 10 feet away from the stunned man born on the edge of the Vale.

"Why don't you come closer so I can express my gratitude more physically," called out Petyr with the dagger still in hand.

"I'll pass, but thanks anyway Lord Baelish" replied Naruto before he used his Rinnegan to yank the dagger out of the man's hands, sat on a nearby rock, and looked at Petyr with a lazy look on his face.

"So what happens now? Is this the part where I fall to my knees in despair and cry my eyes out? Where I beg for my life and swear in the name of the Seven that I will repent my wicked ways if freed? That I will take the Black and serve on the Wall?" asked Petyr with a sneer on his face.

"No. I could care less about your reaction to this place or what you do while here. I say to each their own," replied Naruto calmly while Petyr narrowed his eyes at him.

"Is this where you are from? Where all the Gods and their disciples are born or taught?" asked Petyr with Naruto laughing at him.

"Not in the slightest. This is a dimension only I can access. My world. It is where I go at times to find solitude and seek to be at peace. Away from all the problems of the Seven Kingdoms. You would be surprised what the dark abyss of this place can do for one's own mental perspective," answered Naruto lazily while Petyr looked around and saw nothing but emptiness.

"All I see is a waste of potential," remarked Petyr with Naruto shrugging.

"As I said earlier, to each their own," commented Naruto while Petyr glared at him.

"Why did you bring me here?" asked Petyr after a few second of bitter silence.

"Why to talk of course! Uninterrupted talk. No interference. No soldiers. No servants. No friends or foes to stand between us having a conversation. An honest conversation," said Naruto with Petyr scoffing.