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In the dimly lit barracks, the energetic seven-year-old Addam Baratheon sprinted across the worn floor, struggling to keep his oversized helmet in place. The ill-fitting headgear obscured his vision, adding an extra element of challenge to his reckless dash.

The mail was heavy, and so was his shield and stick, which he named Wood-Rod.

The little silver-haired lord hurried to the main gate, where his father was getting ready to go to The Fury, his father's flagship.

His cousin, Monford, laughed with his half-brother, Aurane Waters. "Looks like the doe wants to follow the stag to war." Yes, he is.

Allard, who is Ser Davos' second eldest son, said that the Greyjoys had rebelled against his uncle Robert. He also mentioned that one of Lord Balon's brothers took action by attacking and razing the Lannisport fleet.

Father noticed and stopped him by placing his arms on his shoulders, "I already said no, Addam."

"But Father, I can help. See?" the excitable heir to Dragonstone shouted with a smile.

He tried to set an example for the troops by getting into a position, but he tripped on his cloak and humiliatingly fell backward. He was thankful his helmet covered his face as he heard thunderous laughter from around the outer yard.

Father looked upset when he finally revealed his blue eyes. He helped him to his feet and removed his helmet and shield, handing them to

"You cannot come and are far too young to squire."

The fleet and his father will be gone for months, maybe a year or two if the Ironborn put up a fight.

Addam obviously doesn't think so, and no one can stop his father. "After the war, can I come to the victory feast?"

"If Robert deigns to have one organized." his father turned to Axell, then to Addam's stepmother and his wife, "You will obey your mother and not slack in your lessons, and no, not just your martial ones."

"Yes, Father."

Addam thought it was unfair, but he'd like to think he was a good son, so he listened and didn't fight his father's orders.

The fact was that he rarely saw his father. The Master of Ships spends a great deal of time back at King's Landing, attending to his duties to his uncle Robert.

He remembers little of when he was in the Red Keep, thinking perhaps he would return when he was older and a knight, riding in tourneys or working closer with his father.

The day after his father and cousins left for war, he played Hide-the-Treasure with Ser Davos' sons, Matthos and Maric. They were older than him by a few years or more.

Some of the other servant's children joined in, playing around Aegon's Garden and dancing around one another with play swords. Their laughter filled the garden as they ran, chasing one another, looking for a rock he painted red. He called it a lost dragon egg, even if it wasn't.

Dragonstone was a gloomy place in the dark, or when it was storming, he once thought it was a scary place until Shireen was born.

He became an older brother, and older siblings cannot be afraid even if he feels it.

When she nearly died two years ago, he was so afraid and blamed himself, even if he didn't know how she contracted it. Addam prayed to every god he knew about, from the Father to the Old Gods, but it was Cressen... It was man who saved his sister from certain death.

So he would pray to no God or Gods, he cursed them.

Soon the days turned into weeks, and then moons started to come and go; he heard tell of the Battle of Fair Isle and the Siege of Seagard; each fight was a crippling defeat for House Greyjoy.

Addam was eating his supper and smiling at his sister, who was playing with her porridge. "Finish your food, Addam. Cressen wants you to attend your lessons early on the morrow."

"I wanted to ride my pony tomorrow- "

Selyse slammed her hand on the table, stunning Addam into silence. He could feel her eyes on him and sense her anger, yet he didn't understand why she was so angry.

Cressen described his real mother as a bright light in Storm's End and said she was the one who made his father laugh and smile.

At night, he dreamt of her with silver hair and lilac eyes. He was young but could recall a woman singing to him as he slept. He imagined her smiling at his antics.

Then he would wake, and he would have to suffer his stepmother, who seemed not to like him, and neither did Ser Axel Florent.

Selyse's face softened then, "Just do as your mother says, Addam."

Stannis ducked an ironborn ax then cut open the belly of a reaver.

The capture of Great Wyk was swift and straightforward; the island had already lost most, if not all, of its fighting men after the battles of Seagard and Fair Isle.

After returning from those battles, many of the men were either too exhausted to face the possibility of their castles being torn down or simply unwilling to witness the destruction of their Houses.

The surrender of House Goodbrother cemented the taking of Great Wyk.

"Lord Stannis!" Aurane ran from the camps at the beach. "A raven from the King."

Stannis stuck his sword into the ground and took the message from his brother, rolling it open and reading that Balon Greyjoy was defeated and had bent the knee to him.

The war was over, then, good.

He readied hostages and brought them to Pyke. There, they swore allegiance to Robert and his heirs from then on forever.

Watching them kneel bothered Stannis somewhat. These traitors should be put on a ship and sent to the Night's Watch, and their heirs kept as hostages to ensure a rebellion like this never happened again.

The Iron Island may as well be a barren waste of fishing villages with no Lords ruling them.

Stannis was also reminded how infectious Robert is around people. He makes friends with the enemies he defeated, drinking with them atop their fallen banners, which had been in rebellion for the better half of the year.

Once, the Lords of the Iron Islands were allowed to return to their homes, with the exception of a few hostages who were taken to the mainland to be wards. The heir to Pyke, Theon, was given to Eddard Stark, and a young Baelor Blacktyde was given to the Hightowers in Oldtown.

Robert declared that their tournament would be a triumphant one, following their victory at Lannisport.

As for himself, he chose not to attend such frivolous events and returned home to see his children. It was a sentiment shared with the Warden of the North.

"Come now, brother, come with us," Robert said as he was readying his ship for leave. "How are my nephew?"

Stannis never wanted to throttle his brother before now, "First, you bid me send him away because of his Velaryon features, then you ask after him?"

"I didn't mean what I said, damn it! I could never be so cruel to my sister's memory... I simply wanted to ask after the lad, is that so bad? I heard he is an excitable boy. I wish Joffrey was like that, but he barely leaves Cersei's skirts."

Joffrey reminds him much of Robert, to Stannis' dismay.

The Crown Prince is loud, spoiled, and entitled. He is three—nearly four times as old as his daughter—but even Stannis was sure the boy was fated to be an arrogant King when Robert died due to his brother's distance and the Queen's coddling.

"Addam is a worthy son, but he is still a boy." Stannis finally said in response, and Robert chuckled, scratching the side of his face. "What?"

"I want the lad back at court. Who else should rear Joffrey from the teat other than his cousin?"

"No." His response was quick and very final. He would have his son back at his side, but not if he was to be saddled as Joffrey's caretaker.

Robert looked at him with some annoyance, fed up with his stubborn wall. "Why not?"

Stannis angrily ground his teeth, "I'll not have my son raise and watch over your heir, Robert." he watched his brother throw up his hands and stomp away while making some off-hand curses towards him and his stubborn wall.

It shocked Stannis more as his lips curved a little, forming the smallest of smiles as he turned to watch the crew of The Fury finish loading up the last of the cargo before boarding and commanding his first mate to set sail.

Selyse smiled as her husband arrived, if only for a few nights before returning to King's Landing and resuming his duties on the Small Council.

Joy was ever in her mind when word came of the war's end and that he would be returning home a hero, "Robert will have to acknowledge his heroism and restore his rightful position as Lord of Storm's End." She preached to her family at supper when Cressen brought to them the raven scroll.

She hates Robert for that, he was a terrible King and his boy is a devil from what her uncle Colin said upon riding in Joffrey's last name day.

"Welcome home, my Lord Husband." She went in to embrace him but he held her at a distance, then immediately went into asking Cressen and Axell to report on the happenings of the Castle in his absence.

After that, he mentioned desiring a bath and wanting to eat pork for supper... Selyse held back tears from the humiliation and made sure it was done.

He came to her bed after supper, it surprised her but it was a good surprise. She missed the ache of his seed spilling into her womb and if the gods do so will it, a boy should come and she can be even more joyous despite her daughter's hideous scars.

She had scorned her uncle for his ill-done plot to dispose of her stepson, the greyscale toy happened to appear in Shireen's hands while playing on the floor of where Addam left it.

The Lady turned right and saw her husband turned away, from her on the bed, she reached over to gently hold him but he shrugged her touch away.

She was inflamed with anger, "We should go again, it will quicken the process of giving you a son."

"I have a son, Selyse, I am but fulfilling my duty to our marriage." Yes, she is aware and that it is one time per year frustrates her.

She's a devoted woman of the Seven Gods, she would sooner curse herself with a barren womb than search outside of the marriage bed for what she desires and she was glad that Stannis is as devoted, so easy it is for a man to go looking for a cunt to fuck as His Grace does.

Stannis left her chamber a few hours into the night, and it was such a cold night.

By morn, she was joined by Shireen, Septa Dalla, Uncle Axell, Addam, and her Lord husband for breakfast. "Father! Tell us about the battle of Fair Isle?" Addam asked his sire who was deep into his food to pay much attention.

"It was hell, more so for Victarion Greyjoy. Now finish your food." Addam took no offense to the short answer and scarfed down a piece of bacon.

Selyse wondered often how the boy didn't let this place dim his joy, he loved playing in the garden, adventuring throughout the keep or even going outside and traversing along the island where the dragons once lived.

He likes to do what he wants, but more than a few times she forbade him and his recklessness.

"He still Velaryon, Niece, it will be hard to rear him." Axell once said when he came back from Dragonmont, covered from head to toe in soot.

She could tell Stannis but out of everyone in his life, her husband would always be soft but no less critical to his blooded son. The son of Alyssa Velaryon, Selyse thought with a bit of envy and malice.

Her hand went to her belly, she would pray for a stronger, better son than the mutt of that woman who lives eternally within her husband's memory.

Over the next few days she tried to bring her husband to their bed, but it was futile as he was rather intent on spending time with his son and seeing to his education, it caused her to become distant and plot to find a way to wedge away Addam from Dragonstone.

Fostering with his relatives at Driftmark or Claw Isle or further, so all Stannis's attention could be towards her.