Hugh Hammer (ASOIF/SI)

 "He must be desperate, to, to do something like this?" Cole barked

 out with an ironic laugh.

 "Desperate my dear Cole, whatever do you mean?" he asked,

 interested to see what Cole's reasoning was, and to present his own

 counter arguments as necessary.

 "To, to give that bastard his name, to sully the Targaryen name with

 some smallfolk bastard, and on top of everything to marry his own

 daughter to the man!"

 "And you think this is a sign of desperation on Daemon's part?"

 "I do, for what else can it be? The Lords will never accept this,

 never….."

 "The girls grandfather made a fuss apparently but in the end

 acquiesced without too much noise. And maybe the Lords not

 accepting this Hugh fellow is all part of the Rogue Prince's plan, did

 you ever consider that my dear Cole?"

 Confusion washed across Cole's face before something of a

 realization dawned across it "Ah, you think that this is a…..'poisoned

 goblet' then?"

 "Maybe, it could very well be, this bastard Hugh is apparently to be

 given extensive lands, away from Kings Landing you will note. This

 is likely to keep him more than busy and away from the levers of

 power in Kings Landing. He rides the second largest dragon

 available to the Blacks and is a threat to Daemon's power, even if we

 have no reports of the bastard being interested in playing politics.

 The very fact that he is a bastard will mean he will have trouble with

 gaining any following and will likely spend all his time dealing with

truculent vassals. Hugh's line will be tainted by his bastardry and will

 not be a viable competitor to Daemon's sons through Rhaenyra."

 "But he does have a dragon…."

 "So? You cannot use a dragon if a vassal back talks you now can

 you? Well, maybe once or twice, but after that they will resist you in

 more subtle ways. Dragons are superb weapons for winning a war,

 they are not so good at keeping the peace, especially if you confront

 in ways that negate the advantages of dragons. Hell's, we have

 almost totally cancelled out the advantages that the Blacks have in

 dragons, thousands of crossbows and hundreds of scorpions make

 dragons less willing to come in low and thus lessen the effect their

 fries can have. We have not fallen to any 'field of fire' as of yet, and

 nor will we!"

 "Still, wasting his daughter's hand like that, a foolish move by

 Daemon" replied Cole, not fully willing to concede his point.

 "Oh, and speaking of crossbows, the latest shipment for the

 Stromlands from Braavos was intercepted off Massey's Hook by

 Velaryon ships, Lord Borros's forces will lack the required number of

 crossbows versus our forces."

 "We could ship them some of ours?" asked Cole in a somewhat

 hopeful voice.

 "We could, but the advances of the Blacks on the upper Mander has

 closed off the fastest routes to supply Lord Borros's forces, we would

 not be able to get the necessary crossbows to them in time."

 "A pity, let's hope it's not too big a disadvantage….."

 "From what I have heard Lord Borros has been less than active in

 distributing the crossbows he already has among his forces, he and

 a vocal number of his Lords are against the distribution of crossbows

 to their smallfolk levies, preferring to train their Men-at-Arms instead.

So even if we shipped them some of ours, they would likely have no

 use for them."

 "Hrmmm" replied Cole.

 "Anyway, the girl will be wedded and bedded soon to all accounts,

 and as to Daemon's true motives for sullying his daughter so, I don't

 really care one way or the other. Daemon's mind was always

 something I never wished to delve too deeply into, for that way lies

 madness."

 "Can we turn this to our advantage in some way? I would assume

 that we can?"

 "Of course we can, and we will, when the opportunity presents itself.

 'Prince Hugh' will have to be dealt with once we win, as will his pretty

 little wife."

 "Tragic accidents will befall them no doubt?"

 "No doubt" he replied with a tight smile "but I will at least make sure

 that the girl is kept away from Prince Aemond, I can at least see to

 that."

 "Speaking of which…."

 "Yes I know, but he will be on the move soon, he and his mount have

 healed sufficiently, and the mummery with him and Vhagar will come

 to a close, he will fly to Bronzegate and from them to the front lines

 opposite Kings Landing. The moment he arrives is the signal for Lord

 Borros to launch his attack."

 "Hopefully he does not dawdle on his way…."

 "He better fucking not!" he snarled in return "I have impressed upon

 our good Prince the importance of his participation and that he does

 not fuck this up….."

 "For all our sakes…." Sighed Cole.

"Aye, and maybe not for Prince Aemond's sake….."

 "Your still think?"

 "No, I hope more than anything else, but should it become

 necessary we will have to act, if only for our own skins, you know

 that…."

 "And, and afterwards?"

 "Well, depending on how things work out, Aegon is still alive, but the

 lad is crippled and burned, requires milk of the poppy to function at

 all, is barely able to walk and unable to father any more children. It

 would be a mercy should our King pass, a necessary mercy Ser

 Cole…."

 The Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and Hand of the King

 pondered this for a mere second or two before he dipped his head in

 the tiniest of agreements.

 "Prince Maelor will be crowned King after the sad and untimely death

 of both of his elder brother's and a long Regency can be expected,

 long enough for us to consolidate our power and secure things to our

 satisfaction."

 "We are risking a lot you know…."

 "Of course we are, but I am counting on Daemon to act as Daemon,

 and he won't kill his hostages unless things are beyond hope for him.

 And with Vhagar appearing over Kings Landing he will have to

 mount Caraxes to answer the challenge."

 "But Dowager Queen Alicent and her children?"

 "Lord Strong has gained access to the secret passageways under

 the Red Keep, and we have been smuggling in loyal men in small

 numbers via Duskendale into Kings Landing, they will strike to

 secure the Red Keep and the royal family."

"And I assume….?"

 "Yes, sadly Deamon's sons will alas die in the confusion, you know

 how these things can happen, regrettable and all that they are…"

 "And Corlys, what of him in all of this?"

 "The Sea Snake is proving as slippery as his namesake and refusing

 to commit really, he has indicated that he will not support us unless

 his demands are met."

 "And I imagine his demands are, problematical?"

 "You imagine correct, that his granddaughter is not harmed, that one

 Daenaera Velaryon be betrothed to Prince Maelor, that Prince

 Aemond be 'removed' as he put it. Also, that he be allowed to retain

 a seat on the Small Council and that all concessions granted to

 House Velaryon by Queen Rhaenyra be honored."

 "Quite the ask, and in return what have we asked of the Sea

 Snake?"

 "That his men turn their cloak at the appointed time, and that he

 secures his son, sorry I mean his grandson's loyalty to our cause,

 the lad after all has a dragon."

 "So?"

 "As you well know Ser Criston, things can go awry in the best laid of

 plans, people can misinterpret their orders, or flat out disobey them.

 Chaos and confusion can reign, with the best will in the world things

 can go wrong, mistakes can be made…"

 "And, and afterwards, if Lord Corlys has agreed to turn his cloak and

 is still alive?"

 "Lord Corlys is an old man, old men tend to die suddenly all the time,

 they fall down flights of stairs, die in their sleep, for at that age the

 Stranger is soon to call you to his halls."