A/N: On a scale from 1 to Aerys II, how mad do you think Helaena is? LOL let me know if that opinion changes after reading this. Also, hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: Unfortunately none of these characters except Helaena belongs to me, but I lover her so it doesn't really matter.
It had been a moon, since Aerys and Rhaegar Targaryen had died and the Princess Helaena had risen to take the throne. Having sent her younger brother and her pregnant mother into exile, Helaena was not expecting any correspondence any time soon. Helaena could still remember, in her mind's eye, how Viserys had cried and clung to her dress as she escorted them to a ship that would bring what was left of the Targaryen family to Essos.
Thus, when Jaime Lannister knocked on her door and entered her chambers, Helaena was surprised to find a letter in his hand from her lady mother.
"For you, my Queen," Jaime placed the letter on the table, watching as Helaena walked toward him from her window. No one had been allowed to hand anything to the Queen directly, and she would not eat food or drink wine nor water unless three tasters had tried the meal first.
The paranoia was not surprising, considering that Helaena had surrounded herself with enemies, Robert and Ned having chosen to leave now that the fighting was done. Her dear foster brothers, who she had spent two years with in the Vale being parented by Jon Arryn.
Ned, with a baby in his arms, was going back to Winterfell—the only place he had wanted to be and the place he was now Lord Paramount of since Brandon Stark died. No doubt there would be another baby on the way soon as the Northern Lord would need a true heir. He had declined when Helaena had offered to legitimize Jon Snow, and at the anguished look in his eyes, the Queen did not press further.
Robert Baratheon, in his grief over the death of Lyanna, decided he wanted to drink and whore his way through the Crownlands and eventually through the Stormlands as well. Helaena had offered him a position, any position he wanted, but the Baratheon had declined. Playing the Great Game, Robert had scoffed, was not what he was meant for. The man loved to hunt and drink and perhaps fuck in-between or at the same time. The matters of court were not something he wanted to invest his time into.
Helaena had hugged both of them goodbye, secretly thankful that they were leaving. At least this way it would look less like she was aligning herself with the leaders of the rebels and traitors who a tried to take the capital, no matter how grateful she was that they had killed her biggest obstacles and bent the knee.
"What could my mother possibly want?" Helaena asked, sitting down and pouring herself a glass of wine from a pitcher that had already been tested.
She poured Jaime a glass as well and slid the cup over to him. The metal dragging across the wood table, making a scratching noise, before coming to a stop before the letter.
Jaime picked up the wine and took a sip, pushing the letter forward to Helaena who lightly picked it up with her fingers. Taking a knife that was concealed on her thigh, Helaena broke open the seal—the location of said knife caused Jaime to raise an eyebrow but he did not comment about his Queen's decision to hide a knife on herself. It was prudent, particularly paranoid, but prudent of her given the circumstances.
"Perhaps to see how your fare?" Jaime suggested, but by the look on Helaena's face it was anything but that.
Rolling her eyes at the contents of the letter, Helaena stood and walked over to the hearth and threw the later into the fire.
"It seems I have a new baby sister, Daenerys 'Stormborn' Targaryen," Helaena smiled ruefully before taking her wine cup and drinking what was left inside and pouring herself another.
Jaime bowed his head, "Congratulations my Queen, this is good news is it not?" the sentiment, insincere as it was, made Helaena's eye twitch.
Whatever happened to the Jaime Lannister who didn't care what he said because he didn't care what people thought? Who was this person before her? The same man who, at just five and ten, visiting the Crownlands in the time before he joined her Father's Kingsguard, had laughed when she, only ten at the time, had fallen off her horse while riding back from the woods?
"Good god Kingslayer, I remember you as decidedly less boring!" Helaena exclaimed, startling Jaime who also flinched at the much hated moniker.
"When did you become a person who simpered to royalty? What happened to all the snarky little comments you used to make? What did you used to call me?" Helaena asked but obviously by the way her eyes lit up she remembered, "Ah yes, Princess Underfoot, because I was always getting under everyone's feet. Never in the place I was supposed to be and always causing trouble—you said it would be the death of me,"
"That was before..." the resounding smack of Helaena slamming her cup down onto the table caused Jaime to stop speaking.
"Before what?" Helaena exclaimed hotly, "Before you killed my father? Before I became Queen? You've never been the most proper person and now it's all 'Yes, my Queen', 'As you wish, my Queen', are you overcompensating now? Because you broke your oath?" there it was, the infamous temper of Helaena Targaryen.
Most of the Knights of the Queensguard wondered where it had gone once Helaena took the throne, she was acting much too calm in comparison to her usual self by far, Jaime (although furious) was somewhat glad to see that the former Princess had not changed at all.
At each declaration, Jaime Lannister flinched but he could also feel his anger rise. It was all her fault, Helaena had said that she was going to tell the whole city what he had done. And now one moon later and still no announcement had been made and none of the rest of the members of the Queensguard were speaking to him. Ser Arthur Dayne wouldn't even look at him.
"You said you would tell people the truth! You said there would be a feast in my honor! And now, now no one will even look at me without disdain or sneering at my very presence as I walk into the room," remembering himself, the Kingslayer turned a hot red at having realized he just yelled at a Queen.
Helaena, for her part, remained silent and merely watched the man before her become more and more embarrassed at his outburst. How out of character, for Jaime Lannister to be embarrassed about anything. But perhaps, given the events of the past few days he had wanted to turn a leaf and having failed at that caused him severe shame. Obviously everyone was going to continue to look at him as if he was the most despicable person on Earth unless someone else intervened.
"I can remove you from the Queensguard," the statement so nonchalantly commented, once fully registered to Jaime, made him turn white. "You would be the next Lord Paramount of the Westerlands and Casterly Rock—there would be no more sneering, no more 'Kingslayer' as the only title people address you as," the offer, to Helaena, was a reasonable one.
It was also offered jokingly, as she knew that the Kingslayer would never accept, unless she could somehow convince him. It made the atmosphere between them lighter, Jaime knowing now that Helaena was not going to lose her temper over his outburst. Helaena finding joy, for the first time in a while, at teasing someone who didn't mind sassing back.
Jaime spluttered a bit but composed himself, before taking on his signature smirk, "And fulfill all my father's dreams? What would you take me for, my Queen?"
What Jaime didn't know, was that Tywin Lannister had come in earlier and negotiated for the Queen not to hold the feast—or at the very least not even mention Jaime's name. In return, he would set up a betrothal between his house and hers and thereby making the Lannister gold available to her.
Now that she had learned that the unborn child that her mother carried was a girl, Helaena could see her plans coming together. Brand new baby Daenerys would marry either Tyrion or Jaime—depending on if the Kingslayer accepted her offer. It would tie their family together, secure their loyalty or at the very least afford Helaena a reliable spy within the Lannister family.
If Jaime was heir again, Danaerys would marry him and at the very least she wouldn't have the unfortunate future of marrying an Imp. Jaime, after all, was renowned for his beauty was he not?
And Viserys, well Viserys would have to secure one of the houses in the Crownlands. Helaena had yet to reward them for their loyalty, but it was on the top of her list of agendas. Perhaps one of them would have an extra daughter they were willing to sacrifice to Essos and be Viserys' wife.
"Think of all the people who called you Kingslayer—you can have their heads up on spikes for even looking at you wrongly," amusement flashed across the Queen's face but the cold look in Helaena's eyes showed to Jaime just how serious the Queen was.
Shaking his head warily, Jaime could not think of a worse fate. The Kingsguard, although at first an avenue to be closer to Cersei, was his life now. There had been no greater honor to him than the day Arthur Dayne had wrapped him in his Kingsguard cloak.
"I'd rather not deal with all the ladies of the court who want to fulfill their fantasies of finding a handsome Lord to marry," Jaime joked, but was also very serious. There was only one woman he had eyes on and she wasn't going to ever be available to him in the eyes of the public.
"Don't you want a family? A lady wife and heirs for Casterly Rock? I know it's something your father has always dreamed for you…to give it to Tyrion instead—that must bruise the Great Lion's pride very much," the observation was not far off.
Queen Helaena had witnessed first hand quite a few times, during their visits, to just how much disdain Tywin Lannister felt for his youngest son. Not only because of his Imp nature but because of how much potential he was wasting (much like Robert, really) with all his drinking and whoring.
"Maybe once, a long time ago," Jaime admitted, not sure why he was confessing himself to Helaena, only thinking that it felt right at the moment, "But I'm not a green boy anymore, I know exactly what I want,"
Helaena rolled her eyes and scoffed, "You've only been alive a little over two decades and you already know what you want for the rest of your days?"
"Aren't you the same?" countering quickly, Jaime stood and approached the Queen so that he was standing and looking down at Helaena from her seated position, "You're the Queen now, it is what you will be doing for all of your days and the rest of your days. Isn't that what you wanted?"
The borderline playful air that had been between them quickly turned as Helaena's features shuttered into a cold mask, matching her eyes. Previously, at the very least, her face had belied a certain amusement in the conversation though her eyes remained dead to the world. Now, both aspects matched each other and Jaime knew he had probably stepped over some invisible line that no one had known about.
"Don't presume to know what I wanted, Kingslayer," Helaena spat out the name in a hiss, "My father and twin are dead. My mother and my living siblings are exiled. The last Targaryen in Westeros, stuck in the Red Keep surrounded by a group of traitors who would rather see me burned," a cruel smile graced Helaena's face now as she stood up causing Jaime to take a step back. "But I am the blood of the dragon, and fire does not burn dragons,"
Scanning the Queen's face, Jaime could tell she was nearing the peak of one of her rage-fueled moments, where the tangents got longer and her words started slurring together—no doubt soon she would begin throwing things at walls and breaking the objects in her room.
The Kingslayer had only been witnessed to it a couple of times, the other Knights in the Queensguard more so when Helaena was still growing up. Her temper was legendary, yes. But the word around the Keep, around the Crownlands really, didn't do it justice as her Father (when he was still in the right mind) had sworn all the men in his Kingsguard to secrecy and had only allowed his daughter a few trusted ladies in waiting who he knew wouldn't report Helaena's…condition…to anyone.
Fire is in my daughter's blood, it has kissed her soul, more than any of my other children. Helaena is truly a dragon, and a dragon is not to be tempered with. The words the Mad King had spoken rang in Jaime's ears now as he watched rage consume Helaena.
The Queen was closer to madness than any of the men in the Queensguard would like to admit or even were aware of really. The only one really privy to how far gone Helaena was, was perhaps herself. Which is why she was taking such great pains in public to not seem so, to be reasonable and kind. Nothing like her Father, or any of her stark, raving mad relatives. She needed to be great. She had the most potential to be great. But, she could not let the rage of the fire consume her.
People only thought her temper was bad, but manageable. She had never done anything unreasonable as punishment to anyone—only threatening it sometimes. Helaena was seen as hot-headed by the public and yet they adored her still for all the charity work she would do with the poor. She was kind and a fierce defender of them and so Helaena had their love.
However, in the privacy of her own room, with no one but Jaime Lannister who had slain her father (but didn't she want him gone? The question made Helaena's head fuzzy and she shook the thought out) Helaena found no reason to temper herself.
Jaime began backing away, as Helaena turned and was looking for the sharpest object to throw at him, and the Kingslayer quickly made his exit—leaving Helaena to her anger as he and the rest of the men were ordered to do by the Mad King.
Leave her to herself, let the fire burn bright and when she settles, speak nothing of it to anyone. The King had loved his daughter, dearly. And had only wanted to protect her. Protect her, by isolating her.
As Jaime exited the room, he ran into Ser Oswell Whent, who was undoubtedly here for his shift and was about to enter the Queen's chambers. Taking Oswell's arm, Jaime shook his head, and the Knight (though still disdainful of the Kingslayer) understood full well what was going on and planted himself outside the room instead of entering. No one, not even Oswell who had known the Queen since she was a babe, would enter the room—knowing it would likely mean serious injury or their death.
"I'll have Grand Maester Pycelle bring in some milk of poppy. She'll want to rest," Jaime informed Oswell, who merely nodded. Casting one last glance at the door of the Queen's chambers, which were thankfully reinforced with Valyrian steel and thus unable to allow sound through, Jaime left and started making his way to find the Grand Maester.
Those were the only words to pass between the Knights. No one spoke of Helaena's moments and no one outside of the Queensguard and her ladies knew now. And that's just how Helaena and Aerys had wanted it to stay.
…
Helaena opened her eyes, blinking blearily until they were no longer stuck together. Staring up at the ceiling above her bed, Helaena rolled over and pressed her face against the pillows beneath her in an effort to drown out the light that was pouring in and causing her headache to worsen. Exhaustion had settled into her bones; weeks had passed but Lord Doran had yet to reply nor had he deigned to let anyone know if he was heading to King's Landing or not. Just a few days ago Olenna Tyrell had arrived and now Helaena had to deal constantly with her and her machinations.
What Helaena needed, reluctantly, was her family. But, her family was scattered to the edges of the globe. That, however, was her own doing. The conflicting thoughts warred in Helaena's head and made her see red once again. But the Queen quickly pressed herself further into her bed and breathed deeply, urging her body and mind to calm. A good, benevolent Queen could not succumb to fits of rage. A good, benevolent Queen needed to be cold and calculating in order to achieve what she wanted.
Taking a deep breath, Helaena stood up and walked to her wardrobe, preparing to dress herself in a new gown. She had dismissed her ladies in waiting for the mornings, knowing that if anyone were to attempt to speak to her before she was fully awake, would most likely end up with them occupying the Black Cells for a moon or two.
After pulling on the dress and tying her laces, Helaena dropped down to her knees and rummaged through the back of her wardrobe to pull out a wicker basket that lay in front of the chest that held the remaining two dragon eggs. Inside the wicker basket was Sunfyre, fast asleep and curled in the blankets that Helaena had ordered her ladies in waiting bring up. She was surprised that the dragon had been asleep for so long, but he was only technically an infant and thus probably required more sleep.
Running a finger down his spine, Helaena followed the trail of gold scales down Sunfyre's back, causing the little thing to shiver a bit and curl in on itself further. He would undoubtedly be waking up soon, which means he would want lots of meat and water to fill his stomach. At this point, Sunfyre was the size of a small cat, which was promising. Helaena wondered how large Sunfyre could possibly grow, considering that dragons never stopped growing.
The eggs, had been a gift, from Helaena's father. Given to her many, many moons ago—before the voices had completely taken over his mind. Aerys had always told Helaena that her soul was kissed by fire and that she was more dragon than any of her other siblings, thus she should be able to do what all recent Targaryens had failed to do: hatch dragon eggs. They had been locked in the King's personal vault, along with a store of petrified dragon eggs and a few other heirlooms passed down from the Targaryen dynasty. Swords and armor, jewels and books—all used and worn by previous Targaryens as far back as Aegon the Conqueror. No one knew of their existence during this era except for Aerys and Helaena, eventually, when her father had deemed to show her.
It seemed that for once, the Mad King was right. Helaena was the real dragon in the family and now she had a dragon son to prove her point. Moving to the door, Helaena beckoned one of her ladies in waiting to come near and ordered the woman to bring season less, seared meat and water. Without question, the woman merely curtsied and made her way to the kitchens.
Moving back to her wardrobe, and bending down to pick Sunfyre up from the wicker basket, Helaena moved toward the window and placed him down gently on the sill so that the dragon could bask in the sun. A knock on the door signaled to Helaena that her lady in waiting was back. And so Helaena quickly retrieved the food before closing the door firmly shut and locking it.
Placing the plate and goblet by Sunfyre, Helaena rubbed the dragon patiently, waiting for him to wake up. Eventually, Sunfyre did wake. Slowly, he blinked his eyes lazily opened and revealed his red eyes that were adorned with specks of gold.
"Hello my little love," holding out a piece of meat to Sunfyre, Helaena waited for him to grab it from her hand, "I've got you some food,"
Sunfyre immediately snatched the piece of meat from Helaena's hand and devoured it quickly. The gold dragon nuzzled Helaena's hand for more, and the Queen quickly picked up another small slice from the tray and fed it to Sunfyre. Helaena watched the small beast fondly, wondering when it would be prudent to let everyone know she had a dragon in her possession. Eventually, Sunfyre would be too large to hide and he would need to start feeding on larger, more alive pieces of meat.
It would be essential, to have somewhere spacious that all three dragons could live in and rest, be safe. And maybe, once Helaena did some more research, she could find a way to reanimate the petrified dragon eggs and really restore the Targaryen Dynasty to what it once had been.
A knock on the door interrupts Helaena's thoughts and she quickly grabs Sunfyre. Placing him gently in the wicker basket, Helaena encouraged her dragon son to stay quiet before placing him in the back of the wardrobe and closing the doors.
"Enter," Helaena called as she stood and smoothed out her dress, approaching the doors to her room to see who it was.
Euron Greyjoy swaggered in, the over-confident pep in his step that Helaena had become used to seeing. The man had been stalking her for the greater part of seven days and the Queen had yet to find a way to deter him. Even with threats of disembowelment the man stuck around to pester the Queen.
"My Queen," Euron bowed lowly, "You are looking as beautiful as ever," the sugar in the Greyjoy's voice made Helaena's toothache but the Queen merely grimaced and nodded in thanks for the compliment.
"Is there something I can assist you with, Lord Greyjoy?"
"Please my Queen, call me Euron," the Greyjoy flashed what Helaena supposed he thought was a charming smile, "I wanted to see if you were open to a turn about the gardens with me," arm outstretched, Euron waited for the Queen to take it.
Helaena's eyes narrowed a fraction before a saccharine smile spread across her lips and she placed a delicate on Euron's arm—her fingers meeting the soft black leather that composed his outer shirt.
"I'm afraid I must meet with my Small Council but you are welcome to walk with me there…Euron," the name was said rather reluctantly and Helaena internally rolled her eyes at the delighted smile that stretched across Euron's face.
The man was all too erratic, even for the likes of her, and Helaena couldn't wait until he left back for the Iron Islands. Now that Balon had been named Master of Ships, Euron would have to leave soon in order to rule in his place.
"Of course my Queen, I would be honored," inclining his head just a tad in deference, the younger Greyjoy brother began to lead the Queen out into the hall.
The pair walked past Ser Jonothor Darry who had finally recovered from the Battle of the Trident. Though the Knight still walked with a slight limp from his healing leg, Ser Darry had insisted that he was once again fit to serve the Queensguard. Once Helaena and Euron exited her chambers, the Knight quickly stood and followed after the pair.
Helaena walked rather uncomfortably through the Keep, heading toward the meeting room with Euron Greyjoy, who was no doubt blathering about something or another. Probably about the number of whores he'd bedded, uncouth as Euron Greyjoy was known to be it wouldn't have surprised Helaena. The Targaryen Queen didn't really bother to pay much mind. She was just anxious to get back to Sunfyre.
Once the pair arrived, Helaena quickly slipped her hand from the crook of Euron's arm and made her way in without so much as a farewell. The action did not put off Euron who quickly called a farewell to his Queen before bowing rather exaggeratedly.
Entering the meeting room of her Small Council, Helaena was the last to arrive. All the Masters had already taken seats and were being poured pitchers of wine by their cup bearers. The head of the table was empty, as they were no doubt waiting for her. The Lords chattered amongst themselves. It was Olenna Tyrell, who Helaena had named her Royal Advisor (in order to reward House Tyrell for their loyalty) only a few days ago, that noticed the Queen entered first.
The Tyrell Matriarch cleared her throat and when all attention was on her, Olenna nodded toward the door. There Helaena waited, in a rare show of patience and as all the Lords finally took note of her presence, they abruptly stood up and bowed—muttering their profuse apologies for not having noticed her initially.
"Sit. We have much to discuss," Helaena ordered, taking a seat for herself but declining the glass of wine a cupbearer tried to hand her.
"What is it my Queen, that you wanted to inform your Small Council of?" Lord Varys inquired, genuinely curious, as the Queen had been particularly tightlipped of any and all plans she wanted to pursue in favor of seeking counsel with only herself thus far.
"Someone will need to oversee Dragonstone, my family's seat, until such time in which I have an heir," the news was quite a shock to the men around the table, who had yet to hear their Queen discuss anything of Dragonstone or the mere mention of having an heir.
Immediately, all were alert, as whoever the Queen married would be the Prince Consort and thus father to the future King of the Seven Kingdoms. Any subsequent children would undoubtedly inherit Dragonstone and become the Lord Paramount there. Nearly all the men in the room had sons, only some of which were old enough for the Queen to marry and the idea of seating their grandsons on the throne was enough to make most men in the room salivate.
"I have decided to name Falyse of House Stokeworth," the announcement was met with an uproarious reaction but Helaena continued to speak over the arguing voices, "Until the time in which a second son or daughter is born to inherit Dragonstone. House Stokeworth was loyal to my family, up until the very end and as one of the Houses in the Crownlands I have deemed it necessary to reward them,"
"Falyse is the heir to House Stokeworth and a renown lush. How exactly do you expect her to rule over Dragonstone?" Olenna Tyrell's voice, with her tongue sharp as ever, cut through the swath of other voices and caused all the other men to be silenced.
"Her mother is alive, isn't she?" Helaena raised an eyebrow, "You know as well as I that despite her propensity to be in her cups quite often, that Falyse has a shrewd mind. Furthermore, she has no love for Castle Stokeworth. Unlike her younger sister Lollys who I am sure will not mind taking over the minding of the Castle with her mother until her older sister can come back,"
"But my Queen," Balon Greyjoy interrupted, "Surely there are better options,"
"Oh, please let me know who Balon. And if you suggest your brother I might just have to have your cut tongue," the Queen hissed, narrowing her eyes as Balon stuttered to come up with a response.
"That would not be wise, your Majesty. How is Euron Greyjoy to govern the Iron Islands without a tongue?" Tywin Lannister quipped, attempting to diffuse the situation between the Queen and her Master of Ships.
"Well if he knew his letters, I would say through written instruction. But that's a talent rather lacked by all who come from the Iron Islands," the Queen muttered under her breath only loud enough so that her and her Hand could hear, causing the Great Lion to chuckle under his breath as well.
"Summerhall and the Dragon pit will be restored. The taxes and tariffs levied upon goods and trade will be increased by 5% from it's original 5% and all the Houses in the Seven Kingdoms will be paying now 20% instead of 15% in order to pay for the construction. Think of it as war reparations…despite swearing your loyalty you all need to put some…skin into the game," Helaena drawled slowly and the news brought a new outrage to the Lords that none were willing to voice as they were wary of antagonizing the Queen and make it seem like they were unwilling to pay for their parts in the rebellion.
"My Queen, the commoners are already paying heftily in taxes—any more and there will be more on the streets than there are now," Varys reasoned, ever the champion for the people.
"I can see your worry Lord Varys," Helaena soothed, "And that is why the condition I am placing on the increases is that half of that percentage increase must be paid by the Great Houses directly—to disobey is to participate in fraudulent transactions and results in a sentence of 3 moons in the Black Cells. Whether you are a Lord or a Lady of a Great House or one of the minor houses. It doesn't matter,"
"My Queen, perhaps this isn't the…most prudent of ideas," Mace Tyrell objected, the rest of the Lords at the table subtly nodding along with him. None of them wanted to pay more taxes than they already were.
"And how would you like to pay for the damage that has been done throughout the Kingdoms Lord Tyrell? Damage done by your armies, by all your armies?" Helaena looked around the room at the Lords who would no longer look her in the eye, knowing that she was right.
"Summerhall and the Dragon pit aren't the only structures in need of restoration. Part of King's Landing is still in pieces because of the Rebellion. With the added money from the taxes, the people who work on the reconstruction can be paid, causing them to gain more money that they will more than likely spend and thus will land in the pockets of vendors and in the end be back in your overly large pockets anyway," Helaena rolled her eyes at the ignorance of it all.
These were the richest men in the Seven Kingdoms, afraid to give up a few hundred gold coins each month when Helaena knew for a fact they had millions. It was spare change to these men and yet they were griping and would rather tempt a peasant rebellion and leave the Seven Kingdoms war torn.
"You forget that these Seven Kingdoms are composed mostly of the commoners and without them there would be no work so unless you wish to reconstruct Summerhall yourself I suggest you open up the Tyrell Treasury and spare a couple hundred gold coins that I know you won't miss anyway,"
"It is not unreasonable my Queen, especially if these increases only last until all the damage from the Rebellion is restored and the reconstruction ends. As long as it does not extend any further, I see no reason as to why there should be any objection," the gods' bless Jon Arryn who had decided to defend his foster daughter. Helaena was eternally grateful to the man.
"Of course," Helaena nodded, "Just until the reconstruction is done. Then everything can return to normal. I do not want to overextend any of the Houses or cause them great stress. But we must do something in order to repair the Seven Kingdoms. And you all forget, technically I am also the Lady of Dragonstone and thus will also be paying war reparations as well. Do not think I would let you all do this without having to endure the same. This matter is important to me and I want to see it come to fruition,"
"I do not see why it cannot be done," Olenna Tyrell assented, glaring at her soon for daring to voice his opposition earlier, "It sounds reasonable and as long as these are the only demands to come of the Great Houses for their part in reparations I do not see it as something to panic over,"
"There is the matter…of an heir," interrupting the agreeable atmosphere that was starting to settle in the room, Lord Tywin managed to pull out the elephant in the room for everyone to see, "You have yet to find a proper Consort, my Queen,"
"We should hold a tourney! In order to find a proper suitor," Mace Tyrell eagerly suggested but was quickly shot down by his mother.
"The Seven Kingdoms and the Crown are trying to pay for war reparations and you want to hold a tourney?"
"It would not be prudent to spend money in more frivolous matters such as a tourney," Lord Tywin sniffed as if he had smelled something foul, "Perhaps we should simply present you with all the suitable bachelors then my Queen and you can pick out of the lot,"
"But who shall see the Queen first?"
"How many sons does each family get to present?"
"Only the eldest son should be presented"
"But then one of the Houses would be left without an heir if they were the only male!"
And on and on did the Lords debate the option. Olenna Tyrell cast a shrewd glance around the room before her eyes rested on the quiet Queen Helaena. The woman looked to be barely holding in her temper, fists clenched at her side but hid slightly behind her back. Lips thinned and pressed together. Purple eyes filled with a flashing flame that would not settle. Obviously the Queen did not appreciate the spectacle that the men were creating now.
"That is enough," the Queen barked once her patience finally wore thin, startling all the men quiet. "I will pick a Consort when I deem it an appropriate time. Until then, let us only worry about the state of the Seven Kingdoms," the pronouncement did nothing to lesson the weight that all the Lords suddenly felt to promote their sons as best they could to the Queen.
But none voiced their concerns further, choosing to instead focus on the task the Queen had given them for fear of invoking her wrath.
…
"You'll need to find yourself alone with her, get close to her. You're clever Willas, and charming. Far cleverer and more charming than your father. I have faith that you can win her," in the middle of the rose gardens, Olenna Tyrell sat under a canopy with a view of the ocean behind her.
Willas Tyrell stood nervously before his grandmother, who had been plotting and scheming the moment that they had informed her Helaena Targaryen had a crown placed on her head. The eldest Tyrell son shifted his weight onto his good leg. While he had never been very bitter over it or with Oberyn Martell, Willas couldn't help be very conscious of it now. Especially if he was supposed to win over the Queen.
"Grandmother, Queen Helaena is far too perceptive to not seen past what we will be trying to do. I'll be lucky if she doesn't laugh me away when I ask for a turn about the gardens and hobble the entire time," for the first time, shame burned through Willas at his predicament and his face flushed red with embarrassment at the thought of the Queen laughing at him.
"Her father was mad and her family inbred. I believe the last thing Queen Helaena would complain about is one slightly crippled leg. It has no baring on your ability to sire heirs," the Queen of Thorns informed her grandson bluntly—causing Willas to stutter as if he was a green boy.
And he was, Willas had never been particularly inclined to the slightly freer and promiscuous lifestyle that his younger sister and brother practiced. At eight and ten, Willas Tyrell was a proper Lord that any Lady would be lucky to have, save for his leg. At five and ten, and the same age as the Queen, Margery already had much more experience than her elder brother.
"Grandmother, she is the Queen. She will have Lords from all of the Seven Kingdoms vying for her hand," the protest fell onto deaf ears as the Queen of Thorns simply reprimanded her grandson for thinking so negatively.
"You are a Tyrell. The future Lord Paramount of the Reach and the Heir to Highgarden. The only person who could possibly outshine you would be Jaime Lannister but he has sworn Kingsguard vows and will never be able to marry or have children,"
"Except the Queen released Ser Barristan Selmy from his vows of celibacy," Willas pointed out, happy to win a point against his grandmother, "The Knight is now courting Ashara Dayne and is likely to propose any day now. Who's to say that the Queen doesn't release Jaime Lannister from his vows and chooses him as her Consort instead?"
Olenna shook her head, "He would still not inherit the Westerlands and Casterly Rock. Willas you have the unfortunate inclination to think that this marriage would be about love and attraction. The Queen needs a politically advantageous marriage," the Tyrell matriarch informed her grandson, "Marriage with someone like Jaime Lannister would result in nothing. He is heir to nothing. When Tywin Lannister dies, so does the prestige of the Westerlands or do you really think the Imp can carry out the job as successfully?"
"You never know grandmother, perhaps Tyrion Lannister will surprise us all," Willas's statement causes the Queen of Thorns to laugh and the Heir to Highgarden is momentarily offended.
"Perhaps he will but someone like Tyrion Lannister is not competition. With the way he makes his way through whores, the Queen would have so many bastards to contend with the very thought of it is a political nightmare," Olenna sighed, tired of her grandson's obtuse tendencies.
"We need not even consider the Lannisters, Willas. The gods' be willing Helaena will be blind to the way that the Kingslayer stares at her and she will pick you and you will put a son in her and that son will be King of the Seven Kingdoms,"
"The Kingslayer stares at her?"
Olenna Tyrell groaned at the incompetence of the men around her.
…
"We will need to get contractors and architects hired in order to begin the reconstruction work," Tywin sat by his Queen's side as she was still sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room, even after all the other people in the Small Council had left.
"Hire them from Pentos, Tyrosh, Braavos if you must but I would rather not go anywhere near the Iron Bank," Helaena answered carelessly, staring listlessly in front of her.
"You want to invite foreigners in to design everything?"
"I want Valyria in the Seven Kingdoms. It is, after all, the home of my ancestors," Helaena commented wistfully, Tywin noticing how her eyes gained a far-off look about them.
Clearing his throat, Tywin watched as the Queen's eyes lazily moved over to him, "My Queen, there is still the matter of your Consort,"
"Trying to push your sons on me Tywin?" Helaena deadpanned, "Taking advantage of your place as Hand in order to try and shape my leanings?"
While the Queen was merely teasing, Tywin Lannister, who did not know his Queen all too well, did not know that and was thus silent and attempting to articulately answer his way through so that it would not make his motivation seem so obvious.
"I am joking Tywin, please wherever did your sense of humor go?" Helaena asked, although she already knew the answer.
A piece of Tywin Lannister had died the day Tyrion was born and Joanna died. Everyone knew that. Helaena wasn't sure if she would have preferred him as her father or her own, considering they both had their faults. One perhaps a little bloodier than the other.
"It is a serious matter my Queen," the deflection was noted by Helaena but she did not point it out, "An heir is essential to securing your legacy and your rule,"
"Is it? And here I thought it was my efforts in trying to contain my urge to behead all the rebels and be a good, benevolent Queen that would win me a fine legacy. I never knew that I would need an heir in order to continue my name," Helaena quipped sarcastically though she wished the former was true. She wished she alone was enough, but as a Queen with no King she needed an heir.
"Think on it. All the Great Houses will be sending their sons in order to try and win your favor. Whether you have a tourney or not is up to your digression but the Lords will be coming and they will be looking to become your Consort," Tywin stopped and considered a moment before voicing his thought, "Unless you wish to marry your brother? I understand it is a well practiced Targaryen tradition,"
Helaena barked out a laugh, "Marry my little brother? Little, icky Viserys Targaryen who cries when he doesn't get an extra tart for dessert? Perhaps you do still have some humor left in your Tywin Lannister. Please, tell me another one of your fine jokes,"
"I would like your permission to bring my daughter Cersei to King's Landing,"
Frowning, Helaena leaned back and away from her Hand and crossed her arms across her chest, "That was not an amusing joke. You'll have to work on that," the Queen reprimanded.
Tywin bowed his head mockingly, "Of course my Queen,"
"As for Cersei," Helaena sighed, "Well she's what age? Twenty and not married yet? Fuck bringing her to King's Landing, let's have her betrothed," a wicked gleam entered the Queen's eye, "I know, let's have her marry Viserys,"
"My Queen—" Tywin stuttered but was swiftly cut off by Helaena once again.
"I am not actually serious Tywin. Fine, have Cersei come to King's Landing. Let's see if we can find her a proper husband first before we begin speaking of my predicament. She is after all, much older than I," the command, although phrased subtly, was met by a short and brisk nod from Tywin.
"Of course my Queen,"
…
Grand Maester Pycelle inspected the body that was brought to him, looking at the stone-like flesh of the dead man before him. Guards had brought the man from the outer gates of King's Landing, after he had tried to ambush them. The guards had immediately killed him and brought him to the Grand Maester, unsure of what kind of disease the man had and whether or not it could infect other people.
Stone-like skin. The Grand Maester had only ever read about it, never having seen it personally nor during his time as a Maester. The creatures that had this type of affliction were known to mainly inhabit Essos, and thus the Grand Maester was curious as to how someone with this disease could get so far West.
Peeling back the stone area, the Grand Maester was not surprised to find actual flesh, as the books he had read said he would. Obviously before the illness had afflicted him, the man had been truly human just a few short months ago. Otherwise, the stone would have permeated to his bones should he have been left alone long enough.
"Should we tell the Queen, Grand Maester?" Pycelle's apprentice asked, standing some ways away from his mentor and the dead body, feeling queasy at the sight before him.
Pycelle shook his head, "Not just yet. We don't know if this is a one-time occurrence or not. To do so before we know would mean to worry the Queen unnecessarily,"
"How did it get here?"
"Probably stowed itself on one of the trading ships from Essos," Pycelle explained, "This sickness is characteristic of some of the rivers there. Nothing like this has been seen in Westeros before,"
"What if it infected other people before the guards managed to kill it?" the apprentice moved toward Pycelle, becoming curious and wanting to see the body himself.
"Then that would be an outbreak and would be deadly for the Seven Kingdoms if it is not contained," Pycelle observed, taking the piece of flesh off the body and placing it in a metal tin to examine later, "We'll just have to make sure it doesn't get to that point,"
The apprentice glanced doubtfully between Pycelle and the stone body for a brief moment before returning to his duties.
…
Cersei Lannister had wanted to marry Rhaegar Targaryen once upon a time. The dream of becoming Queen of the Seven Kingdoms arresting her as a young Lady and even now. But now, there was a Queen on the throne and a Queen had no use for a high-born lady.
Queen Helaena was even known not to take any companions amongst the high-born ladies, always being handled by the same ladies in waiting that her father had assigned to her when she was a babe and only ever in the company of her Queensguard.
Thus, Cersei Lannister walked into King's Landing not expecting to become close friends with the Queen. She had, after all, ignored her in favor of lavishing attention on Rhaegar when the Prince was still very much alive. The best case scenario Cersei envisioned for herself was that she got to see Jaime for a brief time before finding a tolerable, high-born husband from a rich house.
And despite all her indifferences to the Queen and having dismissed Helaena when she was still a Princess, Cersei still felt a shiver of trepidation as she walked into the Red Keep and up the length of the throne room to curtsey in front of Helaena.
The Queen had chosen to wear her house colors today. The Crown sat delicately on top of her head, gold and glistening from Cersei's point of view. Helaena's gown was distinctly Southern in style, tight with a plunging neckline and little to no back. A swirl of black myrish lace and a red sash tied so that it ran across her chest, the Queen looked incredibly regal. In her traditional Lannister gown, for the first time, Cersei felt incredibly small. There was an aura about Helaena Targaryen that commanded respect and also made others take a step back, even when sitting completely calm upon the Iron Throne.
"May I present my only daughter Cersei, my Queen," Tywin Lannister indicated with a wave of a hand and Cersei curtsied once again.
Helaena stared down at Cersei who was still holding her curtsy and waiting to be acknowledged. This woman would have married Rhaegar, had it not been for Elia Martell. She would have had the same fate as Helaena's good sister though, and all thanks to Lyanna Stark the Queen sneered internally. However, that did not make Helaena forget all the time Cersei had snubbed her when the Queen was but a young Princess, in favor of following Rhaegar.
"Cersei Lannister. Rise," at the Queen's command, Cersei rose, "Welcome to King's Landing. A room has been prepared for you, it runs adjacent with your father's in the Tower of the Hand. I hope when you see it, it is to your liking,"
"I thank you, your Majesty, for your kindness," Cersei simpered, although inside the lioness was pacing about her cage waiting for an attack and impatient with the process of things.
Cersei firmly believed it should have been her sitting on the Iron Throne with Rhaegar by her side, at the very least. Alone would have been preferable but that was not the way the cards had been dealt for the only Lannister daughter.
"Right. Well, go on your way Cersei Lannister. That is all for now," Helaena dismissed and immediately began addressing the concerns of the next people in line who were to speak to her.
Cersei bowed quickly and got out of the way, fading into the crowds to watch the proceedings as she was not ready to leave for her rooms just yet.
Looking up, Cersei finally spotted Jaime, who was standing in a line with the other Queensguard in front of the dais. Her brother looked like a stately Lion, decked in his Queensguard cloak and armor. She tried catching his eye, but Jaime had his eyes firmly cast forward—every now and then looking to his Queen when she would address him directly. It irked Cersei to see Jaime pay no attention to her at all but instead direct all his notice toward the Queen.
A group of guards dragged two men and threw them to their knees in front of the Queen in front of the whole court. The men were obviously high-born from the way that they were dressed and everyone listened with rapt attention as the guards began telling the Queen of the plot against her life that they had discovered. Cersei leaned forward, listening with rapt interest.
"My Queen, these two men were seen trying to take the wildfire they unquestionably stolen and plant it under the Red Keep," one guard spoke, he was the son of one of the vassal houses, and for the life of Helaena should could not remember his name.
The two men stayed on their knees, not looking toward their Queen whose eyes were boring them down. Silence loomed across the throne room, no one speaking in order to try and determine what the Queen's verdict would be to a pair of would-be traitors.
"Well, you have heard the crimes pitted against you—do you have anything to say to defend yourself House Rosby?" the Queen was reclined into her chair, tapping her fingers against the arms of the Iron Throne. Helaena waited impatiently for the men before her to answer.
The elder man, Gyles Rosby, seemed to find his bravery and got up from his knees and stood tall. A look of defiance spread across his face as he spat at the Queen, causing her to raise an eyebrow.
"You're nothing," the declaration stuns many of the Lords and Ladies present as no one would dare speak to the Queen in such a way. Helaena for her part has yet to respond to the insult and everyone waited with great anticipation to see how Gyles Rosby would dig his grave further.
"Aerys was our King, Rhaegar was his heir! And here you let the man who stabbed your father in the back to stand beside you as your Queensguard! The dishonor upon your family! You shame the Targaryen name!" at each declaration, Gyles Rosby's face became more and more red no doubt because of his rising anger. Still, Helaena did not look overly fazed.
"I shame the Targaryen name?" Helaena laughed coldly, "And who do you think you are to determine something like this? Please, Lord Rosby tell me who you suppose to judge and condemn for shaming her own House,"
Lord Gyles began a long tirade, naming her crimes against Helaena's own house and essentially defending why he thought it was appropriate to try and get rid of her. The man wouldn't stop once he started and Helaena made no move to try and stop him. His son, however, looked extremely uncomfortable to be caught in this position which Helaena noticed.
"And do you think the same way as your Father, Lord Alton?" at this point Helaena looked particularly bored with the proceedings and Cersei watched the Queen's face with fascination. Here was a threat to her rule and Queen Helaena looked barely fazed. Men had attempted an assassination of her life and yet she didn't seem angered at all.
Lord Alton Rosby, the eldest son of Gyles Rosby, looked reluctant to answer. He looked reluctant to be there really, so much so that almost everyone in the room could tell except his father who was still spitting vitriol at Helaena.
"I must do as my Father bid…my Queen," the supplication is enough, Helaena seems to have come to a decision in her mind.
Rising from the throne, Helaena stands fully upright and casts her eyes throughout the court and arrests the attention of all the Lords and Ladies as well as all the servants flitting about. It shut all the whispers, as those who were speaking waited for Helaena's verdict, even Lord Gyles who still had some semblance of respect for the Crown stopped his tirade.
"My Father, during his prime, was a great man and a good King. My brother an even greater man and he would have been a brilliant King. There is no denying that," Helaena spoke in a casual tone softly, so much so that people had to lean in to hear her.
"However, they committed atrocious crimes, as all men are capable of, against the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms. And they were punished accordingly. As I have said before, royal blood does not make one exempt from punishment when speaking of life and death," waiting a moment, Helaena let the statement sink in amongst the crowd before continuing.
"However, their punishment was cast because my father killed two Lords of House Stark with no just reason and my brother dishonored House Baratheon and lost the duel against Robert Baratheon in turn. What you have presented me with Lord Gyles is treason, in its purest form and the obvious punishment would be death to you, your son, and the extinction of your House," the blasé tone in which Helaena delivered her verdict still sent both father and son completely white. Immediately the hall broke out in furious whispers that were silenced as Helaena began to speak again.
"However, I am merciful. And I am not so stupid to not realize who truly perpetrated the crime. Therefore," walking down, Helaena's gown swished at her feet as she approached Alton Rosby, her Queensguard standing at attention and waiting for some kind of false movement.
"Submit to me Alton Rosby and you will be the new Lord of House Rosby. I will not punish you for your father's crimes and you will be loyal to the Crown, to me," Lord Gyles sputtered at what he perceived to be Helaena's audacity, immediately rejecting the idea for his son and spitting more vitriol at the Queen-causing several members of her Queensguard to approach him and attempt to silence him.
Jaime Lannister got there first and was about to hit Lord Gyles over the head but a look from Queen Helaena stops him. Pleased to see that Jaime would not pursue injuring Lord Gyles, Helaena directed her attentions back to Lord Alton. Cersei was stunned at the interaction. First, at how fast Jaime had moved in order to protect Queen Helaena. But then at the Queen, who seemed to be able to arrest Jaime's attention and control him without even speaking a word.
"Lord Alton?" it took a mere conflicted moment of looking from his furious father to the calm Queen for Lord Alton Rosby to decide his fate and the fate of his house. Bending down on one knee, Lord Alton Rosby swore fealty and everlasting loyalty toward Queen Helaena Targaryen.
Helaena's face remained carefully blank and she turned all her attentions now toward the elder Lord Rosby. "For crimes against the Crown and attempted treason I sentence you to be strung along the walls of King's Landing by your toes. And when your body finally becomes a corpse, you will be beheaded and your head displayed on a spike for all to see what exactly happens to real traitors of the Crown and House Targaryen," turning away, Helaena walked back to the Iron Throne as all the guards swarmed Lord Rosby and began dragging him screaming from the hall to fulfill his punishment.
Helaena sat unaffected and unperturbed on the Iron Throne, eyes watching blankly as Lord Gyles Rosby was dragged out of the hall screaming while his son stayed on his knees, eyes cast onto the ground and unwilling to watch his father be treated in such a way.
From her place amongst the Lords and Ladies, Cersei's eyes widened and she turned back to look at Queen Helaena who still seemed to be so unfazed. Never had she seen such indifference. In the few times that Cersei been to court, when something of this nature was presented to Aerys the King had either gone into a pique of anger and indignation and later on before he was killed, he had laughed as bodies burned. But in comparison, Queen Helaena looked practically uninterested. Cersei couldn't decide which was more unsettling.
Lord Commander Barristan Selmy approached his Queen and whispered in her ear. A brisk nod was all that was needed to signal Helaena's attentions and send Selmy running to fulfill his task.
Watching the face of every Lord and Lady in the hall, Helaena sat back in the throne and smiled for the first time, "Who's next?