DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING

A/N: Thank you Ramzes for the lovely reviews, they keep me going!

ADDAM

"The king wishes to speak with you."

The three words Addam desperately wished to never hear, and yet when Ser Franklyn stood at his chamber door, stern faced, Addam followed him without hesitation. He had done many things that he was not proud of before, but it was only after that raiding journey to Dorne that Addam felt he committed an act of true evil. He could still see the panicked look on the Hightower woman's face, the desperation in her blue eyes as he entered her cabin and the blood….No, he warned himself, You must not allow these thoughts to cloud your mind when in front of the king.

Silently they went, climbing the winding stairwell begrudgingly. The light of the torches went before them, and their shadows marched beside them on the walls. Up and up they climbed until finally they came to the king's chamber. They found Maelys Blackfyre standing by his hearth, an ancient tome in his massive hands. Addam peered out of the single window in the room and could see what little daylight was left was quickly being consumed by a mass of storm clouds. When the king saw Addam and Ser Franklyn enter he quickly shut his book and set it down on a nearby before turning to his guests.

"You may leave us Ser Franklyn." Maelys commanded.

Addam watched as his sworn brother moved from the room, leaving him alone to face the king's wroth. Remember your vows, he told himself before falling to a knee. "Your Grace."

"Rise Ser Addam," said the king. "I'm much too tired to deal with courtesy today, I would hear the truth from you….this business with the Dornish coast, the Hightower woman…who was it who commanded the men to murder hostages?"

Addam had no choice but to answer. "They acted under their own volition your grace; they were pirates not under contract with our company."

"I gave you command over the men, I expected that you would have shown a firmer hand with them. Alerie Hightower was not only a woman of a rich and powerful house but also bride to a Targaryen prince, do you have any idea how valuable she could have been as a hostage?" the king's voice was thick with anger.

The knight could not contain himself then. "Your Grace, I am a member of your Kingsguard and the Gold Company, not a kennel master. By the time I arrived on the Hightower ship those curs had already raped and murdered everyone aboard." The lie came easily enough; he just prayed Maelys would swallow it.

Maelys clenched his jaw at that and Addam could see the ropes of muscle tighten up along his neck in anger. "You get that one, but if you ever talk back at me again and I'll put you in a noose, is that understood?"

Addam bowed his head. "Yes your grace."

"Now," he said turning his attention down to a map that lay discarded beside his large stone table. "Did you punish those who committed the attack?"

"I did your grace, had the four men responsible for Lady Hightower's death thrown overboard for the sharks."

The king grunted in agreement before pointing to a spot on his map. "I mean to push our forces up; we can no longer wait here on the edge of the Step Stones. Our pirates will take a grand majority of our fleet and smash a hole in Aegon's southern defences; from there our land forces will march and make a foothold in Dorne."

He knew he should keep silent but he was tired and sick at heart, and he heard himself say, "Sire, these pirates should be set upon anymore Westerosi…..they are evil your grace."

"Oh, and what exactly would you have me do with my fleet if not use them against my enemies? I have a large enough fleet that I'll be able to crush anything Aegon throws at us and not even that Redwyne fleet stands much of a chance. Those warriors are may not be the most disciplined but they are what I have Addam!" Maelys face twisted into a grimace that matched the permanent scowl that his second head bore. "My father and grandfather could have inspired a legion of followers from the very heart of Westeros itself. I never met my grandsire, though to hear men tell it he was trice as handsome as any man could ever hope to be, an image of Aegon the Conqueror, some even said that the Seven above wanted him as a king. A gift for inspiring love and loyalty." His deep voice came down to barely a whisper. "Look at me Ser, I do not inspire love, nor warmth or respect. A frightening appearance is what the Seven gave me, and fear is what I shall use. It is not as sweet a weapon I'll grant you, but it serves the same."

He is not an evil man; Addam reassured himself with the thought and spoke. "I have followed you for many years your grace. Through every contract the Gold Company has taken, every castle raided and every knife in the dark. I would do it all again in an instant over a place with the Targaryens, because you are the rightful king. You may not look as pretty as Daemon Blackfyre or your father but your blood is no less theirs. You're a good man; there is no need to give your soul to those pirates."

"My soul is not what is important here Ser, my sister is my heir and if it means bedding with monsters to help secure her place on the Throne then I shall gladly do it. " his purple eyes flicked back to his map. "You may leave."

I have lost, he realised then. "Aye, Your Grace." Addam bowed, though Maelys seemed to have turned his attention back to his old book so the white knight turned and left the room.

It was chilly in the yard when he left the king's chambers. A wind blew briskly from the west, making the banners snap and flap noisily along the walls. He glanced at the Blackfyre sigil briefly and wondered how he could keep the black dragon from becoming lost to the darkness of his own heart. I can start by seeing to the matter I left in Humfrey's hands. Hemade his way through the labyrinth of tents that littered the surrounding area, his thoughts racing. The pirates would only serve to create further butchery and that was not something Addam could in good conscious allow.

He was shaken from his thoughts by a gentle tugging at his sleeve and when he looked down he saw that it was princess Daenys, Ser Dafyd standing a few paces behind her. "Where are you going Ser? We still have to finish that game of Cyvasse."

Addam couldn't help but smile. "You haven't moved any of the pieces while I was away?"

The little girl shot him a toothy grin at that. "I don't need to cheat to beat you Ser," she looked at him curiously. "Have you been speaking to Maelys?"

"Aye, his grace was very busy making arrangements for the war my lady, perhaps you should wait a while before going to see him."

Daenys nodded in understanding, her brother was often in a foul mood of late and the best course of action was to leave the man alone to vent his anger alone rather than try and speak sense to him while his blood was up.

"I will keep the Cyvasse board ready for when you return Ser."

Addam let the corners of his mouth rise into a smile before giving a bow and continuing on through the camp. He hurried out until he was well on the very outskirts, away from any prying eyes or ears. Originally they had to be extremely careful when they first arrived back from Dorne, and Addam had made sure that only his most trusted knights were aware of what he and his serjeant brought back to the Step stones.

It was almost dark when he finally approached the small tent and as soon as he made his presence known Humfrey Strickland came out of the tent, sword in hand and with a look that would send many a man running scared. He visible relaxed once he saw Addam's face.

"Bout time you got here, I've been getting bored stiff and that woman you hired isn't much for conversation." He had a lopsided grin as he spoke and Addam wondered if he had been trying to bed the woman. Ser Humfrey was a pudgy man, with a rounded face and small beady eyes and he was prone to whoring, but he was a good man in his way and when he and Addam had discovered the secret that lived in the Hightower ship he was the first to agree with Addam's mad plan.

"Well you won't have to wait around for much longer, I intend to send them off to Lys on the morrow, both of them."

Surprisingly Humfrey looked disheartened at that. "Tomorrow, but wouldn't that be too early? We can't rush these things."

"Surely you haven't grown attached to the woman?" asked Addam with a laugh.

Humfrey's eyes flicked away in embarrassment. "No not the woman…"

There it is, thought Addam. The man has grown fond of our little captive. "You know it's for the best Humfrey, if he stays here he'll only be put in danger…..he has family in Lys and he'll be safe there from the king."

Strickland nodded sadly before giving the tent a final forlorn look. "You're right, as usual. I suppose I'll go and grab some supper with the men, you best not linger too long either Ser, a Kingsguard should be with his king."

Addam watched the man walk off and once he saw that the man was out of sight he entered into the small tent. The woman he had hired was tending to something when he walked and gave a bow when she saw. She was a pretty thing, with straight black hair and golden skin, a camp follower who had been with the Gold Company since they had begun their slow march west. It had taken little to convince her to come into his service, a handful of gold, a promise of pleasant lodgings in a foreign land and all she had to do is provide milk for a newborn.

He could still remember when Humfrey had desperately called out for him once they boarded the Hightower ship, blood was everywhere and his own men were struggling to wrestle control of the ship away from the Serpent's men. It was the woman's scream that would stay with him the most, the absolute cry for help.

They had found the woman bloodied on the floor of the captain's cabin with four of the pirate bastards standing over her with the screaming child. He barked at the men to give the child over to Humfrey and then cut them down to size. Would that I could kill them again, the thought of it made a fire rise in his belly.

Addam looked over at the sleeping child now lying on a bundle made up of old cloaks, he had his father's Valyrian features, that much was readily apparent. And that is why I must send him away, reflected Addam sadly. Maelys will only see you as foe sweet child, but in Lys you will be safe with your father's cousins…

"You look very tired Milord." said the wet nurse from his side.

He absently stroked the sleeping child's head and smiled sadly. "Aye," he whispered, so as to not wake the babe. "Tired from all the death and fighting."

The woman frowned. "War is an evil thing."

"Aye, and I've lived a lifetime of evil, the gods were kind enough to give me this one chance to do something good."