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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character Death
Category:
Gen
Fandoms:
House of the Dragon (TV)Warhammer Fantasy
Characters:
Ikit ClawRhaenyra TargaryenJacaerys VelaryonLucerys Velaryon (Son of Rhaenyra)Baela TargaryenRhaena Targaryen (Daughter of Daemon)Daemon TargaryenCorlys "The Sea Snake" VelaryonHelaena TargaryenAddam VelaryonBackground & Cameo CharactersSilverwing | Alysanne Targaryen's DragonOriginal CharactersJoffrey Velaryon
Additional Tags:
Crack Treated SeriouslyCanon-Typical ViolenceThe Dance of the Dragons | Aegon II Targaryen v. Rhaenyra Targaryen EraAlternate Universe - Canon DivergenceCanonical Character DeathCharacter Turned Into a HumanIkit got isekai'd as Jace's twinSkaven Species (Warhammer Fantasy)Death to all GreensHuman ExperimentationScience ExperimentsIkit is his own warningSilverwing still has shit taste in male ridersPOV MultipleBackground RelationshipsBackground Character Deathshow canon onlyDragon RidersAnimal AbuseIkit is an abusive dragonriderTho he's fairly mellow compared to his SkavenselfGood Parent Rhaenyra TargaryenNo beta we die like LucerysDysfunctional FamilyCannibalismBlood and TortureCanon-Typical BehaviorBAMF Helaena Targaryen
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:2026-02-26Completed:2026-04-22Words:181,492Chapters:55/55Comments:1,270Kudos:749Bookmarks:160Hits:33,683
The Rat Prince of Westeros
SkilledWarriorKiwi
Chapter 45: Addam
Notes:
x
Chapter Text
The coastal city of Oldtown was constructed around the Hightower, the seat of House Hightower upon on Battle Isle within the Whispering Sound. There was also the Citadel, home to maesters and their Conclave along with the Starry Sept with the High Septon of the Faith of the Seven resided. The city was a bustling hub of noise and activity, one of the most powerful and important harbours in the Seven Kingdoms. It was the richest of all the cities and second only to King's Landing in population.
The Hightower was a huge stepped tower, and was the highest tower in all the Seven Kingdoms, and was even higher than the seven-hundred-foot Wall at the North. People of Oldtown could tell the time of day by the position of the shadow of the immense tower.
The beacon atop the tower was supposed to guide ships in to port, yet now it blazed emerald as it called the Hightower banners to war.
Addam's form was tense and ridged atop Seasmoke, the dragon following behind Silverwing's spiked tail at a modest distance. It had been nearly a week since the Second Battle of Tumbleton, but he still felt nauseous and found sleep difficult even after leaving the city behind.
They had spent three days in the town in the aftermath of the battle, even if the first one was mostly Prince Ikit hunting down and executing every single Green he could find, and he was unnervingly good at sniffing them out, and then the next two were him doing horrible things to Prince Daeron and Tessarion's body. Hugh the Betrayer had at least died when Vermithor fell from the sky, half of the Bronze Fury's head missing from the twisted bolt of lightning the machine upon Silverwing's saddle had shot at him, and was crushed beneath the dragon's bulk as it landed back first onto the fields.
Tessarion had died to Seasmoke, even if most of the damage to the young blue dragon had been from a glancing blow of Silverwing's noxious green fire. With a malformed wing it had been easy for the much larger grey dragon to slam Tessarion onto the ground and maul its neck like a hawk with a gosling. Then he had dragged Daeron from the saddle, holding the prince at swordpoint and demanding his surrender. Injured, disorientated, and with a dead dragon, Prince Daeron had agreed with Addam then disarming him and binding his hands.
Then Vermithor had struck the ground in the distance, so hard it made the very earth quake. Silverwing circled above, her call high and shrieking.
Addam had heard about Vermithor and Silverwing, a mated pair since the time of Old King Jaehaerys and Good Queen Alysanne. That even long after their riders deaths, the two dragons had seldom been seen apart.
Now when Silverwing landed, hunkered low to help her rider dismount, she immediately began to tear and devour Vermithor's still-twitching corpse the moment her rider was free.
Seasmoke had remained close to Addam even as Prince Ikit approached them. He looked had looked entirely put together, while Addam was bruised and sweat-soaked with Daeron looking just as well.
"The prisoner is secured," Addam announced. "We can return to King's Landing with the news Vermithor and Tessarion have been subdued, and submit the prince for judgement from the queen."
"We are not taking prisoners-captives," Ikit had just said coldly. "Den mother gave her orders to me."
"Can...he is not be offered the Black?" Addam asked. He disliked the idea of executing a helpless prisoner, especially one of royal blood.
Prince Ikit just gave him a harsh look, "He is liar, oath-breaker. Any word he utter is useless. He will die. But not now. Now, to town-village. See who is dead and who is not."
Tumbleton was in a fairly bad way, the rumours about the savagery of the sack in the aftermath of the first battle not having any falsehood to it. Addam had seen many horrible things, had fished rotted and bloated bodies from the sea and witnessed slavers and their cargo holds, but seeing the pile of butchered children, including babies, throwing carelessly in a ditch like rubbish made him vomit. Prince Ikit didn't mock him for it, which did surprise Addam before he scolded himself for thinking so uncharitably of a prince.
The sight had hardened his heart towards any of the Greens attempting to beg mercy, however and so he stood guard over their prisoner upon Seasmoke as Prince Ikit cleared the town on foot. His halberd, Morskittar, could cleave through weapons and shields and his magics sent the flesh of soldiers burning. He cleared out the town of traitors and while he butchered the surviving smallfolk began to gather where Addam and Seasmoke were.
Addam did nothing to stop them from insulting or screaming at the bound prince, with many growing bold enough to start hurling rocks and rotten food at him. It was only when one woman, her features battered and bruised, attempted to take a knife to the prisoner did Addam intervene. She started crying when he did, insisting the 'Demon Prince' deserved to pay with his life for aiding those who killed her children, killed her husband, and allowed her repeated rapes just like with so many other women survivors, and even with Seasmoke's presence he noticed the almost wild look on the smallfolk of Tumbleton.
They did ease very quickly when Addam reassured them all that Queen Rhaenyra would sentence Prince Daeron to death, just as how the Hightower troops had broken and fled back towards Oldtown would be sentenced to the queen's justice via dragonfire. That reassured them greatly, and afterwards they content themselves with throwing things at the prisoner even if he kept a close watch.
After some time Prince Ikit appeared with Lady Sharis Footly, Lady of Tumbleton and beautiful and bold despite her bruises and black eye. She had been taken as a prize of war by Bold Jon Roxton after he killed her husband during the First Battle of Tumbleton. In one hand Lady Sharis carried the Valyrian steel longsword Orphan-Maker and the other she held Jon Roxton's severed head. Stopping before the bound Prince Daeron, she threw the head at him where it smacked into the side of his face and left his pale hair red. Then she spat on him, with the prince not reacting to her and Addam doing nothing to stop her.
With a swirl of skirts she knelt in the mud in her fine black-and-silver dress, bowing her head as she offered Orphan-Maker to Prince Ikit while saying, "We are grateful for Queen Rhaenyra in aiding us in killing the interlopers, rendering the crown's justice and capturing the traitor prince. Long may she reign."
The watching smallfolk quickly mimicked their lady, bowing and curtsying while murmuring their praise towards Queen Rhaenyra. Prince Daeron remained stone faced at the display, even as blood dripped down his face, while Prince Ikit accepted the sword.
Addam was sent to secure the countryside of any enemies with Silverwing still devouring Vermithor's corpse at Tumbleton. Prince Ikit remained in Tumbleton as Lady Sharis took control and brought back a semblance of civility. Her efforts were focused upon rebuilding much of the damaged town, rebuilding the town walls, burning the countless dead that still littered the township while planting wheat and barley and turnips in the fields where the Hightower camps had been. They stayed well clear of the two great dragons beyond, even if Vermithor was rapidly disappearing down Silverwing's gullet.
The majority of survivors in Tumbleton were women and children, with most men slain by the Greens, but a few men who had been hidden by their family or had returned from fleeing to the nearby forests when the First Battle of Tumbleton occurred like several other groups had returned to help rebuild.
Addam scorched several roaming bands of Hightower soldiers with Seasmoke, even if the majority had retreated back to Oldtown when they knew for certain their cause was lost. He was under strict orders to not approach Oldtown, instead Prince Ikit claimed he had a 'very clever and funny plan yes-yes' for dealing with Oldtown. Addam was unsure what the plan was, considering Oldtown had no dragons to defend it and with Silverwing's size short of a shot like which had felled Meraxes then scorpions would be no threat to her but he obeyed.
When Addam returned to Tumbleton he then ended up witnessing the horrible and prolonged death of Prince Daeron along with the feasting of Tessarion's corpse.
The Blue Queen's body had been placed up within the town square, where Prince Daeron's body had been hung by Prince Ikit. Great bonfires, made from the shattered remnants of shops and homes, were blazing and when night spread across the realm the people of Tumbleton celebrated.
The people of Tumbleton laughed and cheered, Lady Sharis among the most loud. Wine and ale, either from the remaining inns or looted from the abandoned camp, flowed freely. Food had also been taken, spread amongst the celebrating survivors. They had lived, they were rebuilding, and while they deeply mourned their dead and abused, they had survived and would celebrate life while their loved ones could not.
Addam tried to reason it,as they had suffered horrifically under the Greens and the brutal sack of the town. Many women still had wounds from their rapes, or even missing limbs and badly healed or still healing injuries. They were grateful to survive when so many of their friends and family had not.
Tessarion's body had then been dragged in and hoisted up like a hooked shark, with Prince Ikit eating the flesh and organs of the beast along with that of the still-living rider.
The eating of the Blue Queen was a blessing, Prince Ikit had announced to them all watching. She had been bound to a tainted-blooded rider and thus no sin or disloyalty would come from her consumption. She was unworthy of her wings, like her wretched rider.
"Her rider worthless, green-tainted blood flows in his veins," Prince Ikit declared from where he was standing on the make-shift gallows where Prince Daeron hung like a macabre scarecrow. He was still alive, twitching and making low wounded noises that was lost beneath the cheers of the smallfolk. "Traitors to true Targaryens, traitors-betrayers to true queen of the realm. Queen Rhaenyra, she sent me here to kill-kill enemies and save you! Seven Faith worthless-useless, only brought you death and misery. Mother, Father, Smith, Warrior, Crone, Maiden, Stranger, they did not come, they did nothing when you were beaten-abused and kin slaughtered. I come with blessings of the Horned One to save you all, yes-yes, and so I have and after each battle there must be a feast! The weak are meat."
The people cheered and shouted, their forms lit by the bonfires as they jumped excitedly. One group of lesser noble women of Lady Sharis's surviving congregation had even brought forth flutes, a timbrel and a vielle so music swelled as if it was a true celebration.
"Hunger, survival, strife, ruin, decay! These are things Horned One holds in grand esteem," Prince Ikit declared as he stood upon the gallows with everyone focused upon him. He pulled off a chunk of Tessarion's neck, the meat so dark it looked purple, and offered it to the waiting mass. "Gift from queen. Eat the flesh of the enemies, enemies of the true queen. They tried to kill-kill you, yet you survive and take their strength for your own. They are dead-dead and you are here. All things rot-decay yet we survive. I survive. Do you?"
The excitement of the people grew as when Lady Sharis was the first to accept. She ascended the rickety wooden stairs to approach Prince Ikit and, as she had done when presenting Orphan-Maker, settled upon her knees before him.
"I accept this gift," she announced and the air grew warmer, heavier, and the people ever more frenzied and Addam thought he could hear the squeaking of rats. "This blessing from the queen, who freed us of this nightmare. I accept the Horned One and you and our queen."
Addam's body was tense, nervous and sweat-soaked and convinced monsters were filling the shadows around them as the bonfires casting dancing light upon them all.
Prince Ikit pulled forth a flask from his belt, several droplets of green falling onto the chunk of flesh like someone seasoning it. He then offered the morsel to the kneeling Lady Sharis, who opened her mouth and swallowed it without hesitation.
And then before the people, in the bright yellows and oranges of the bonfires, they could see the bruises upon her face and around her neck slowly fade. Her wounds healed, blessed by the Rat Prince, second son of the Realm's Delight, follower of the Horned One.
In the resulting pandemonium Tessario was shredded down, the smallfolk frantically reaching for Prince Ikit's blessing as he fed and healed every one which approached him as long as they knelt. And by the time it was over, all the survivors of Tumbleton had accepted. Mothers even brought forth their surviving children, their infants, to partake and received the blessings.
Festering wounds cleansed, broken bones snapped back into place, weeping gashes sealed shut. Healing freely given, and all the Rat Prince asked in return was to accept his god and queen and the people of Tumbleton, abused and used by the men of Oldtown where the Faith of the Seven bore strong, reached out with eager hands.
There was a madness to the air that frightened Addam, making him cling to Seasmoke for protection. He had to decline the invitation of various townfolk, including Lady Sharis herself, to join in the festivities and instead of sleeping in a tent he instead slept under Seasmoke's wing. Prince Ikit did not demand it, even if he could see those green eyes watching him occasionally from the gallows.
As Tessarion was steadily devoured the dragon's black bones were being gifted to the smallfolk. Gifts from Queen Rhaenyra for their tenacity and loyalty despite the horrors they had faced.
Seen from Tumbleton's boundary even in the darkness of night, Silverwing could be easily spotted with the glowing shine of the green ore upon her body gleaming as bright as the bonfires. She was feasting but she was their protector, just as Prince Ikit had done so in killing Vermithor.
Then once Tessarion was eaten after two days, Prince Daeron, who had been gutted so expertly he had been still alive despite Prince Ikit eating several of his organs before everyone, was dragged down from his post and thrown to the people of Tumbleton. They tore him apart with their bare hands like hounds with a fox, his head going to join the many other Greens set upon spears before Tumbleton's slowly repaired walls.
Once that had been done the two dragonriders finally departed from Tumbleton to Oldtown, with Silverwing having finished devouring Vermithor. How the dragon consumed so much in such a short time, Addam did not know, but he was relieved to be rid of Tumbleton. Despite the constant praise and joy of the survivors, the way they had eaten Tessarion and even parts of Prince Daeron frightened him and he could not shake off the idea the shadows had been staring at him.
But he kept his oath. He was charming to those that approached him, he gracefully accepted Lady Sharis handing them supplies and gifts for their future war even if there was a strange upside triangle now cut upon her left breast. He accepted the praise and gratitude of all the smallfolk and kept his smile as they flew up into the sky and then headed westward to where Oldtown was.
It was here, high above and leaving Tumbleton behind, did the fear crawl through his limbs as his heart hammered and he lost his composure.
I am loyal to the queen, his mental mantra continued, hands so tight upon his saddles handles they would have to be cut off to be released. I am loyal to Queen Rhaenyra, I swore my oaths to her. I am loyal to the queen.
It was what he clung to as they approached Oldtown in a slow steady flight, with Prince Ikit making no attempt to descend to make demands of the city. They flew higher and higher, to fly over the apex of the Hightower itself. Even from so high they could hear the horns, see King Aegon's banner flying despite him being slain, could see the immense green beacon blazing.
They circled the city several times, and then above them all Prince Ikit rang the great bell upon Silverwing's back. Addam hated that thing, it seemed evil in a way he could not describe. Then he thought of the way Tumbleton had been, both in the vicious sack and the aftermath of the survivors, how mad people could become. The squeaking of rats which he couldn't seem to get out of his mind and he forced his breathing to even.
Below the horns had fallen silent, the screaming bell echoing through the air and drawing the entire city to a halt. Thirteen times it rang, and upon the end of the thirteenth when Silverwing was flying directly over the Hightower itself, Prince Ikit pulled at something on his saddle and then one of the great arcane orbs latched to Silverwing's hip was cut loose.
And fell.
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