A/N: Okay, so this is chapter is going to start the schedule for Helaena for the rest of the time I will be continuing this story. The updates will be coming every Sunday, just like the rest of my fics. No sooner, no later. I hope you all enjoy and please R&R, I would love to know what you think!

xoxo

M

Jaime Lannister walked out of his meeting with the Queen with a little more cheer in his step than he did walking in. Helaena's rise to power was quick and her first order of the day had already been the submission of all the Lords to her and the execution of either Oberyn Martell or Gregor Clegane, depending on who won the combat.

It sent a shiver of foreboding down Jaime's back. But her offer of holding a feast, for the service he had done to the Kingdom, that was enough for Jaime to forget about what he had seen. His new Queen was being far more generous and forgiving than her father, who was he to question it and her motives? He had known Helaena for quite a while now, and though they were not close, he knew she was the type of person to keep her promises.

Jaime was quickly cornered by his Father as he left the Queen's room.

"Follow me," Tywin Lannister ordered, leading Jaime up the Tower of the Hand and into what was now Tywin's quarters. In there, Tyrion was already waiting with a glass of wine in his hand and a pitcher in the other, pouring himself another drink as it were.

"What did the Queen want?" the question didn't surprise Jaime, of course his father would want to know what the Queen was saying and doing as opposed to asking Jaime how he was after the Rebellion.

"She thanked me, for stopping her father from burning the city down," Jaime replied in a careless, nonplussed way that made Tywin's eye twitch.

Here was his former heir, before he had joined the blasted Kingsguard, not taking advantage of his private audience with the Queen and not giving a damn either way.

"Is that all?" it was Tyrion who asked the question this time, a knowing look in his eye. The Imp had always been far cleverer than his other siblings and he could predict what the Queen wanted to inform Jaime of, it wasn't that hard to deduce.

Jaime's chest puffed out a bit in pride, his first show of real emotion besides his usual indifference, "She's going to hold a feast in my honor. Tell all the people of my actions,"

"She's going to tell all the people…of what you did…?" Tywin spluttered, "Let everyone know that you are the one who broke his oath and killed her father?"

"Because he was going to burn the city down!" Jaime defended vehemently, "Why else would she throw a feast for me unless it was to reward me?"

"And she said that, exactly word for word, that she was going to hold a feast for you in your honor? Let everyone know the truth about her father?" Tyrion asked, saying the words slowly in order to try and give Jaime time to think.

"I believe those were her words yes," Jaime took a beat, "I mean I don't know if that's word for word exactly what she said,"

Tywin Lannister grit his teeth at the incompetency of his son. Of course he wouldn't have remembered what exactly the Queen said. Too busy with the glory Jaime thought he rightfully deserved. It was leading a lamb to slaughter. Again, the Lord of Casterly Rock cursed the gods' for not giving his eldest half the cleverness of the Imp.

"So in other words, you weren't actually listening to a word she was saying," Tyrion deadpanned, shaking his head at his brother before taking another gulp of wine and pouring himself more.

Jaime wasn't the smartest or cleverest of the Lannister siblings. Neither was he particularly dedicated in study, as the lessons that the children used to have went largely ignored by Jaime who favored hunting and fighting. The eldest Lannister son was built for battles, not to play political games. And being younger than him, Jaime probably thought Helaena as barely a threat. Before the death of her father, the Princess was the most favored child of Aerys. The Mad King had been grooming her to rule even as Rhaegar was still heir.

"I will need to speak words with the Queen…to plan this feast. It will require quite a bit of preparation and gold—don't expect it to be anytime soon Jaime," Tywin informed his son who seemed uncaring, too excited about the prospect of being recognized and making Arthur Dayne proud.

Leaving the room, Tywin left his two sons to their own devices. He needed to stop the Queen now, Tywin had known that extracting a promise of forgiveness out of Helaena had been bold. What he didn't expect was for her to retaliate so quickly and effectively. The Great Lion would need to rethink how he addressed his new Queen given the newfound respect he had for her mind.

Tyrion watched Jaime, noticing the unbridled joy that seemed to be bursting out of his older brother, terribly uncharacteristic of him the Imp observed.

"You should be wary of the Queen Jaime," Tyrion warned, "We don't know what her goals are, or even what game she is attempting to play. Helaena could be just as mad as Aerys for all the Kingdom knows."

Jaime shook his head, "Helaena has a temper yes but she isn't mad," the Kingslayer denied, and he firmly believed the fact too.

Despite all the warning signs through the years, the girl had fire in her blood—she was allowed to lose her temper every now and then. She hadn't, to anyone's knowledge, actually hurt or killed anyone when she lost her temper—Helaena choosing to bar herself in her room instead. Not that the larger public knew about this, it was information Aerys had given only to his Kingsguard at the time.

"You and all the other knights so readily defend her and her temper—why is that Jaime?" Tyrion wondered allowed, his line of inquiry causing Jaime to stiffen in response.

"Most of the knights of Aerys' Kingsguard have known Helaena since she was a babe. I have watched over her for near five years. With the way this court gossips, if Helaena was truly mad, wouldn't everyone know by now?" Jaime deflected, he had already broken one vow, he was not going to break another.

Tyrion shook his head disbelievingly at Jaime's lack of insight. "You must admit though, that she is far cleverer and more devious than she lets on. The Mad King had been grooming her to be a Queen Regent for all her life,"

It was a cause of contention between Rhaella and Aerys and subsequently the former Queen and her daughter. Which is probably why she had both the pregnant Rhaella and Viserys exiled to Essos. Although they were probably fitted with trunks of gold to keep them relatively comfortable, Helaena had to have known that her mother would have completely rejected the idea of her usurping Viserys place if she was here to actually object.

But it was too late now, the Great Houses had sworn their fealty and the former Queen had been exiled with her last remaining son. Everyone knew this, even Robert Baratheon who barely paid any mind to what was going on in the Crownlands must have known this. The only person who was probably as deceived as Jaime was, was Ned Stark who thought his foster sister too honorable and gracious.

Jaime rolled his eyes and shook his head in denial, "Helaena was the favored child, yes, I can admit that. But she was not being groomed to be Queen—she was never a player in these games. It has always been Rhaegar, with Helaena just being dragged along for the ride,"

Tyrion snorted at that thought. Helaena Targaryen dragged around by her twin brother? The same twin brother she had publicly scolded when he crowned Lyanna Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty before subsequently dragging him to her room not to be seen for many more hours? Obviously, Jaime had never really paid a mind to the real power dynamics in that sibling relationship.

…

Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent, and Gerold Hightower all did eventually come back, although reluctantly and two days later, to the Crownlands, to the Red Keep. In that time, Helaena had named Lord Jon of House Arryn her Master of Laws and reinstated Pycelle as Grand Maester. It wasn't a tough decision to make. Jon Arryn had been her foster Father, a level headed man of honor and duty and perfect for the role. Grand Maester Pycelle…well, Helaena knew that if she needed him to, he would do her bidding and be discreet about it as well.

There were several men still vying for the position of Master of Ships. Helaena was leaning toward Balon Greyjoy, but had yet to voice her opinion. The Queen was getting a bit of amusement watching the men fall over their feet to try and sway her favor. However, she wanted to fill it with the men who had participated in the Rebellion, keep her enemies close at hand just in case they decided to act against her once again.

Escorted by Eddard Stark and Howland Redwyne as well as most of the bannermen of the North, the three knights were a frightening sight. The best in all of the Seven Kingdoms. From a top the Iron Throne, Helaena watched their approach with slight trepidation. Without their approval, and acceptance of joining her Queensguard, Helaena could have another battle on her hands. The three knights were also men of three Houses with a significant levy in the games. Although they were not Great Houses, they were still significant and powerful and not to be trifled with if one could help it.

Although no one could tell as from any outsider's prospective how nervous Helaena was. The Queen sat on the throne silent, cold, and unaffected by the sight of the Knights before her, who were sneering at Robert Baratheon from his place by the Queen's side.

No one had yet to question why Robert Baratheon had decided to stay at Helaena's side so vigilantly. No one dared accuse him of trying to win her favor and court her, not when he was still lamenting to anyone who would listen about being reunited with his Lyanna so loudly.

Everyone was also afraid to spark the Queen's anger. Her temper, which had been known to be quite volatile, had yet to be sparked. Helaena was, in a respect, acting like a true Queen. The Lords and Ladies of the court wanted to see if this would be a permanent change, or if someone would finally ignite that temper of hers and end up spending a moon in the Black Cells. The temper, of course, had only been rumors, and no one had yet to see the validation of them in public. But they would surely be enough to find her unfit for the throne should she display any signs of madness.

"Princess Helaena, you allow that Usurper and the Kingslayer to stand beside you? Alive?" Gerold Hightower, former Lord Commander of her Father's Kingsguard, sneered up at the Queen.

"It's Queen now, Ser Gerold—I'll have you addressing me by my proper title or not at all," the reprimand made the former Lord Commander pause for a moment but after taking it into consideration, the man begrudgingly nodded. There would be time to argue this later.

Lifting her chin, and sitting up straighter on the Iron Throne, Helaena mentally prepared herself for this confrontation, "Ser Gerold of House Hightower, the men before me in this hall have all sworn their loyalty. I have asked for their forgiveness after the dishonor my family has done to theirs. Rhaegar and my Father have paid for their crimes in blood. While unfortunate, it was necessary. A Queen rules for her people. As King, my father, should have done the same. Royal blood does not mean one can be held unaccountable for their misdeeds,"

Standing, Helaena scrutinized the three knights, all three of whom she had grown up with. All three who had guarded her and watched her grow up, taught her how to wield a sword when she, herself, once had dreams of becoming a Knight. Instead, now, Helaena was Queen and she would be damned if anyone questioned her actions. At the very least, she was not currently acting like a madman like her Father or without thinking like Rhaegar. How blind could their loyalty be, if they could not see this as well?

"As a benevolent Queen, as the last remaining, true Targaryen in Westeros and therefore with the only rightful claim to the throne, I have forgiven them in return for the horrors they have committed. I want peace in the Seven Kingdoms. Peace that can only be upheld if you, Ser Whent, and Ser Dayne remain within my Queensguard and serve me as you did my father for so many years,"

"Your Father was King, Aerys was King," Arthur Dayne asserted, "It is not the peoples' place nor is it his Kingsguard's place, to question his actions. The deaths of Brandon and Rickard Stark were unfortunate, yes. But they came in here demanding things of the King,"

"Killing two men, two Lords of a Great House of Westeros for coming in and making their concerns known is not a crime Ser. They did not threaten my father's life, only beseeched him to bring back Lyanna and Rhaegar," A stern expression settled upon Helaena's face as she looked down from her dais at each of the three knights before her, "If I were like my father, this inquisition that you are currently subjecting me to would mean that you are committing treason—for questioning your Queen," all three men stiffened at Helaena's statement, knowing she was right but not saying anything. Only awaiting her verdict.

"But I am not my Father. I am not even my brother whom you all so loved. Rhaegar was a great man, but he was also publicly impulsive and reckless. I will not be making the same mistakes as either of them. I want to be a great Queen, but I can only do so with men who are loyal to my House by my side. All three of you have proven to be unwavering, so join me,"

"You understand why we have reservations, don't you…my Queen?" the words seemed difficult for Oswell Whent to utter when not only a few days ago the woman before them had just been a Princess. The Princess, the only one, but a Princess nonetheless. One who had allegedly forgiven the rebels and traitors who had attempted to usurp her family from the throne.

"Of course," walking toward the three knights, Helaena beckoned for them to follow her, "Come, I have something to show you…"

Leaving the throne room, Helaena led the three knights to her chambers, the rest of the Lords being left to their own devices—only to wonder what the Queen could be possibly showing the three knights. Ser Barristan Selmy clambered behind the party, wanting to see what their reaction would be. No doubt the Knights of Aerys' Kingsguard would have less objection once they saw just exactly what she had planned to do with the High-born traitors.

….

"You want to do what?" Balon Greyjoy hissed at his younger brother, pulling him into one of the corridors of the Red Keep so that no one would overhear them.

"We deserve the Iron Islands. Either the Queen gives us independence, or we have her throat slit—what's not to understand Balon?" Euron Greyjoy had always been the reckless sort but this was borderline treasonous and made Balon Greyjoy severely uncomfortable.

"Euron, you are not thinking clearly. If you attempt to start an uprising, all the other Great Houses will align with her. If you try to kill her, you'll end up dead. That woman is surrounded by her Queensguard at all hours of the day—no one can approach her without severe vetting and all her food is tested by three tasters before even getting near her. Your plan is foolhardy,"

Balon, was not unopposed to gaining independence for the Iron Islands, but he was also much more rational than his little brother and knew what a fruitless task it would be to try and challenge Queen Helaena. At this moment she had the support of all the Great Houses and the favor of the people.

Euron scoffed, and shoved away from his brother who had been trying to restrain him from going back out into the hall and declaring his intentions.

"Well we need to do something, I'm not going to be bowing to a woman for much longer. The only reason she is Queen is because Robert Baratheon is a fool and too heartsick over his lost, lady Lyanna," the Greyjoy sneered at the thought.

Shaking his head, Balon grabbed Euron and pulled him back into the empty side corridor, "You do this and she will have your head before you can even finish your sentence and I will not be able to help you. What you are attempting is treason—what you need to do is bargain or blackmail her somehow,"

"Oh? And what do you have in mind dear brother?" Euron questioned mockingly, knowing that his older brother—though a good Lord that had earned his place—had no idea how to correctly play the game.

"There must be something that Queen Helaena Targaryen wants—if we can offer it to her, put it on a silver platter, perhaps she will be merciful enough to give us our independence. If not, at the very least we can gain her trust, then get closer to her,"

"And slit her throat, yeah?" grinning wolfishly, Euron could just think of the events happening in that order. No way would the woman accept any sort of defection by any of the Kingdoms under her rule. They would eventually have to kill her, one way or the other.

Nodding solemnly, Balon reluctantly agreed with his younger brother, "Then, and only then, may we contemplate slitting her throat. But if we cannot find what she wants, then perhaps she is hiding something,"

"Now that, dear Brother, might be easier to find,"

Balon raised his eyebrow at Euron's confident statement, "And just what did you have in mind little brother? The Queen isn't a person to just tell her secrets to anyone,"

"I'll gain her trust, get close to her and before long that little Queen will be singing like a songbird," Euron declared boldly.

Snorting, Balon looked at his brother as if he missing a few parts of his brain, "And just what did you have in mind, little brother?"

A wolfish grin stretched across Euron's face, "Well, I've always been told I've got a certain charm about me—let's see how long our dear Queen can resist it,"

….

Oberyn Martell had dueled the Mountain and had lost. Taunting the monstrous man instead of killing him outright had cost the Dornish "Prince" his life. The Mountain, having been stripped of his knighthood, was sent back to Clegane Keep and was still part of the Lannister bannermen—at least by title. In reality, the House Clegane was forbidden to participate in any Kingdom affairs at all and would only serve the Westerlands as Tywin Lannister saw fit. Leaving was not an option.

Lord Doran had requested the body of his brother but was denied by Queen Helaena, citing rotting flesh as the reason. She had informed the Dornish Lord (though he liked to call himself Prince) that if he wanted the ashes of his brother, he would have to come to King's Landing and retrieve them himself.

Down in the vaults, all the dragon skulls had been moved there. The largest, Balerion, had been placed on a pedestal. It was meant to be a place to honor all the dragons that had been (and eventually would be). Kept supremely clean and well lit, it was a shrine to her family's legacy, despite being below the Red Keep.

It was there in the vaults, in the middle of a circle of dragon skulls, that Helaena was accompanied by Ser Gerold, Ser Oswell, Ser Arthur, and Ser Barristan with the dead body of Oberyn Martell—still warm—and the gold dragon egg.

"Are you sure this will work, my Queen?" Ser Gerold whispered, as if afraid that if he spoke too loudly all the skulls around him would come back to life and a dragon would eat him.

It was truly ridiculous, and Helaena told him so.

"Do try and live up to your reputation Ser Gerold," Helaena admonished, watching as the men placed Oberyn's body down in the middle of a stack of wood and kindling.

"I know what I am doing—I have read and re-read the books written by my ancestors," placing the egg onto the body as well, Helaena watched as the knights before her began to set the pyre on fire.

Flames quickly engulfed Oberyn's dead body and the egg, making more fuel and causing the flames to roar and grow larger. Eventually, Oberyn's body began to burn and turn black. The skin began melting away, revealing a skeleton, and even that began to crumble under the heat and intensity of the fire.

Helaena watched with an almost morbid fascination, walking closer and closer to the fire until she was almost touching it. The four Knights of her Queensguard, once having noticed to how close Helaena was getting to the fire, called out in warning but those did not deter the Queen. Instead, she stepped fully into the fire and was engulfed in flames, barely even flinching at the action. The men shouted in shock but could do nothing but watch as their Queen was surrounded by fire.

On her part, Helaena felt nothing. The fire did absolutely nothing to her and as she looked down she noticed the broken shells of the dragon egg that she had placed on top of Oberyn's body. Getting onto her knees, Helaena searched through the burning wood.

Finally, after brushing away a few of the debris the Queen gasped as she spotted a lizard-like creature curled in on itself sleeping within the fire. The dragon, she realized, had gold scales with flecks of red and when he (as Helaena instinctively knew the baby was a boy) opened one eye lazily in order to see who had come to disturb his sleep, he revealed his equally gold and red eyes.

The dragon, instinctively recognizing his mother, unfurled himself and crawled his way toward Helaena—latching himself onto her and crawling up in order to wrap himself around her neck.

The fire, eventually faded. And the stunned knights, who had thought their Queen to be dead, found her sitting in the ashes completely naked with a gold and red scaled dragon curled sleepily around her neck.

"By the god's," Ser Oswell whispered loudly enough for all the people in the vaults to hear.

Helaena couldn't help but smile cheekily, "I told you so,"

"What will you name it, my Queen?" it was Arthur Dayne this time, who had managed to find his voice.

Petting the dragon's head, Helaena gazed at her child adoringly, "He'll be named Sunfyre, and just like his namesake, he will be as beautiful as he will be deadly,"

The menacing smile that stretched across Helaena's face was enough to chill her Queensguard to the bone, but also prompt them to smile in return as they realized what fate awaited anyone who would dare cross their Queen. The times of old, where dragons and dragon riders ruled, were back and Helaena was going to lead them all into a new era.