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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
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Published:2026-02-26Completed:2026-04-22Words:181,492Chapters:55/55Comments:1,270Kudos:749Bookmarks:160Hits:33,669
The Rat Prince of Westeros
SkilledWarriorKiwi
Chapter 27: Helaena
Chapter Text
The humming followed her constantly.
At first she was afraid of it, seeing shadows twitch and reach for her, seeing twisted faces peer at her within the windows, within her mirror, within her soup. It had all begun that day she woke screaming years ago, the pain of her dislocated arm and torn face not even enough to distract her from the thing she witnessed.
Yet when Helaena was seen to by Maester Orwyle, sitting in a warm bath as the man massaged thick paste into her aching joint after he had pulled her shoulder back into place as her mother fretted from the corner, she realized she didn't even remember what she had seen. What had terrorized her so.
Instead all she could remember was the feeling of that she had witnessed.
It was something powerful and terrible yet the root of all knowledge. Every single piece of knowledge, no matter how benign or horrific, like it had all been trying to cram itself into her head and nigh exploded her skull in a gory mass. Something so awful and wonderfully, seductive and horrific, and something had noticed.
She wondered how afraid the first Valyrian dragonrider had been. If they felt sure in their approach of a dragon or if they wanted to die or were so enamored with the chance even their own life meant nothing compared to the chance. Just wanting to see the awful glory of a dragon, to touch it with gentleness, before flames embraced them.
Yet in that feeling it hadn't been the great horned rat demon she had seen, the one that had nearly caught her and brought Ikit's interest upon her. It was something else, close but not too close.
When she finally regained her senses she felt bruised and sore, a sponginess in the soft tissue of her brain as if fingers had been stabbing into it. It left her tender, movements awkward and careful as if recovering from wounds.
And after that the whispers and mutters followed her relentlessly. It was nothing new to Helaena as she had been dogged by ghostly mutters, even from maids and lords who thought her addled, but these one felt more heated. As if they could burn her if she listened too hard yet she never could get rid of them.
They just held a thick quality to them she didn't understand. Attempting to speak of them to her mother just got her taken to Maester Orwyle. He wasn't much help either beyond giving her several different tonics and rubs for her sleep. She took them anyway. At the least they smelled nice.
Marriage did not change the whispers. Instead she just kept thinking about digging her fingers into Aegon's eyes until she decided to think of nothing of all when they shared a marriage bed. At least he disliked her and so left her alone more oft than nothing.
There were also vicious thoughts that slithered through her mind, pressing at her lips, urged upon by the mutterings. She wanted to ask her mother if she felt happy, trapping Helaena in a horrible marriage like her own. She wanted to ask her grandfather if he cared about anything beyond his ambition. She wanted to ask Aemond if he still dreamed of Ikit biting his eye out, feeling the hot blood and yielding flesh.
She thought of that great horned rat and then that burning twisting sky and the feel of the air. She thought of Balerion's fangs tearing open Quicksilver's hide.
She didn't understand anything, as she couldn't even guess when they happened- the things she wanted to say or what she thought of. Her emotions grew more unsteady as she aged, until she was heavily withdrawn to try and not let them leak forth.
When she learned Aegon had been caught putting a rat in Aemond's chamber pot, on the year 'anniversary' of the Driftmark incident, she found herself laughing uncontrollably. When she read of Maegor the Cruel's death she was dissolved into tears. When she saw a spider get eaten by a bird she felt a flush of arousal. When she looked about her room and found herself surrounded by green and Seven symbols she felt despair.
Helaena had the maids put in Targaryen red for her room. It felt better. Alicent kept trying to replace them and Helaena woke the next day with the green banners in tatters on the floor. It kept happening, over and over, until her mother gave up.
The arrival of her twins forced the whispers back and she felt ever more grateful. She didn't care about Aegon, he never liked her and being his wife didn't change that, but she felt grateful he gave her two children. Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, both betrothed to each other at birth. So little and helpless, cute and growing.
She ignored the mutters and whispers, some within her mind and others hateful rumours of the Red Keep, and spent as much time as she could with her children.
But while her children were a balm to her waking moments, nothing could protect her dreams.
Even Dreamfyre could not help, as if anything the dragon bolstered her violent intrusive thoughts. Dragons were predators, vicious and savage. Being close to Dreamfyre made the mutters louder and louder until it was a vivid heartbeat throbbing through her the entire time they were in flight.
Her mother couldn't help either so instead Helaena went to her father.
He thought her stupid like everyone else, but at the very least he was kind about it. He didn't actively call her a moron like Aegon or treat her like a child like Alicent did half the time. When she asked him about what he knew about Old Valyria, the magics and twisted things within, he let her access his private works provided she not remove the books from the room.
She read about the scant remaining texts of Old Valyria yet most were an outsider's speculations instead of personal accounts. At least there were a few flickers of truth. Most were in the same, how the magic of Old Valyria was drenched in fire and blood, just like the dragons, and with how strong the Freehold was they were never without bodies to slice open. For people to drown in flames.
"Sundered Flesh..." she muttered, reading about the great slave sacrifices. The images of great agony and slaughter, blood and crimson and red, red, red.
She learned of the glass candles they used to communicate across vast distances, the kind they still had at the Citadel. But it was also said the Valyrians could even enter ones dreams and give them visions. Dragon dreams were another. Daenys the Dreamer saved the Targaryens with her vision, as her father was wise enough to heed her words and left just over a decade before the fourteen volcanoes upon the peninsula exploded and heralded the Doom which swallowed everything.
Fourteen? It should be thirteen. Or seventeen, she thought viciously then blinked, as she couldn't understand why. The Seven itself did not seem enough and why she didn't like the royal sept. It needed more numbers, it was so bland and lifeless as it was.
But the book did not answer her, not truly, about what was slithering through her thoughts. Beyond that her mind being filled with whispers simply being a trait of the blood of Old Valyria. But they did not help her like Daenys had done for her family, hers just lashed at her with vague violent visions and urges, thinking of what would happen if she shoved her mother down the stairs or if she had Dreamfyre attack Sunfyre in the Dragonpit. Horrible impulsive thoughts she ignored and whenever she used her embroidery it just came out bloody and red red red.
As her children grew she continued to distract herself, reading more about the various gods in the world between playing with her children. Aegon didn't care about it- besides one morning where he stormed up to her and inspected her hand for some reason, before yelling at why she wasn't injured and how she was insane. He then ignored her for a month straight and she just shrugged and let him do it.
Helaena ended up reading about the Faceless Men in her pursuit of answers, a guild of assassins established in the Free City of Braavos. Descendants of the slaves of Old Valryia, who fled the Freehold.
"Master of a Thousand Faces," she said at a dinner. "The Many-Faced God, also known as Him of Many Faces."
"What are you talking about?" Aemond asked.
"As many faces as there are stars in the sky."
Alicent sighed and then offered her some more of the roasted lamb which she happily took.
The dreams came and went, and most she forgot the following morning beyond feeling ashamed, frightened, exhilarated, aroused, or a complicated mix of them all. In these times Aegon would actively avoid her and call her names if she tried to sit with him. Even Alicent's and Otto's scolding did nothing when he was in such a mood.
And that was how she lived her life for some time, drifting through the Red Keep surrounded by ghosts and the living while feeling something ooze into her mind. More and more but never threatening. She didn't know. She didn't know how to know.
The morning of when things took a sharp turn she had her clearest dream that she could ever remember. Helaena walked naked through a city made of black stone, twisted and ancient and skill beyond compare, to be more akin to Dragonstone and its ancient alien make. Blood stained the streets, the walls, the doorways and arches, filling the air with the stench. The sky was dark and purpled like a bruise as the full moon struggled to shine through the clouds.
She walked up stairs that were slick with spilled entrails, torn corpses flung everywhere as if in a frenzy. High above a dragon flew past and briefly blocked the full moon, calling out in a shriek.
As she climbed the stairs she passed more and more bodies, until she was having to climb up them. Her hands, her limbs, were stained in crimson, her hair tangled with gore. As she rose higher the humming grew louder until she could feel someone caressing her bare shoulders, brushing her hair back into place, stroking her sides. Intimate, like a lover. Firm and unyielding, in a way her husband never was.
When she finally reached the zenith of the stairs she found an altar, open to the air. Tattered banners fluttered in the warm blood-drunk breeze, and around the altar was hundreds of severed heads.
A woman who looked exactly like Helaena was sprawled out upon the altar, naked with flesh torn and slashed as if she'd been whipped a hundred times before she had been laid bare.
"We give our bodies, we pledge our souls," the woman muttered as she writhed in an exquisite mixture of ecstasy and agony.
Raising one hand she then plunged it into her breast and tore out her own beating heart.
"He hungers, he hungers," the woman moaned, biting at her heart which continued to throb. "I will feed him, every inch of me. My lover, my father, my child."
Helaena woke up then, covered in a cold sweat with her moon's blood staining her thighs. She sat in the blood until her maids appeared, thinking of that other self she saw. The mad dreamer, a priestess. The Fourteen gods, what were their names? She didn't know, she was never allowed to learn it. Why hadn't she read about them in the king's library? Half the dragons in her House were named for the gods yet she knew nothing.
Fire and blood.
She kept muttering her family words under her breath as she was led to a bath and cleaned, kept thinking of the joyous agony on her other self face as she mutilated herself. Would that be her fate, if she had been born before the Doom? A grand priestess, the prize of her House. Dying in blood and fire yet reaching her arms out to it. Instead of languishing in a cold keep, all alone.
Helaena wondered how Ikit was doing. She was afraid of him but wanted to be him in a strange way. A violent realization but once done she could think of nothing else. He was strange, his family did not understand him, but they loved him. They awaited his return with great glee. If she took Dreamfyre and left she doubted her family would care beyond duty. She should take her children. Got to Qarth and eat their marvelous cakes, walk through the broken remains of the Undying and show her children the Three walls.
She found herself ravenous, letting the maids dress her in gold- she wanted red and black, where was it -and hurried to breakfast. She ate and ate until she felt near to vomiting, ignoring the concerned looks from the maid. She suddenly wanted nothing else but to stab the woman in the eye with her fork. Instead she went and saw to her children, noting that Dyana was not present. Hm. Another one. She felt like she should care but it was hard some days.
Helaena was made to go to court with her brothers and mother, even if she only finally realized her sister was in King's Landing while in the throne room. She blinked, trying to shake off the doze her mind tried to ensnare her as she gazed at the Iron Throne, imaging Maegor's bloodied body pierced upon it.
Her grandfather was sitting upon the Iron Throne and Helaena kept thinking of what warped blade would punctured his eye if he fell down the steps. She couldn't focus on the words despite trying so hard. Rhaenyra was there, beautiful and in red with black. Daemon was behind her, as were her children. Lucerys and Jacaerys. The cousins as well. Where was Ikit? He should be there. She wanted to see his green eyes, ask him about what was stroking her brain.
He had dismissed her years ago, calling her broken and useless. He wasn't wrong. She didn't even know what she was talking about, just muttered words and whispers and now something was following her. Little wonder he was sick of her the moment he met her. Yet still, he might understand.
She blinked, suddenly thrown into full awareness as if someone had clapped in her ear.
What was happening?
Vaemond was speaking. What was he doing here? Greed lingered on him like smoke, she almost wished Dreamfyre was nearby so she could eat him. Rhaenyra had cut in at one point, sharp and biting but Alicent scolded her silent. Helaena grimaced, toying with the sleeve of her dress as she eyed the floor. In the throne room with its looming ceiling she almost felt like something vast was looking down at her.
Prince Ikit was then mentioned, drawing Helaena's ear. Oh. The things he was doing in Essos. Witch. Demon worshiper. Cannibal. Madman. All things used by Vaemond, as apparently Corlys hadn't sought the Iron Throne's permission when changing the heir of Driftmark to Lucerys from Ikit. And now with the Sea Snake maimed at sea and in blood fever, Vaemon was stupidly overreaching his hand. The Iron Throne did not dedicate the affairs of an individual House so the petition was ridiculous in the first place yet Otto and Alicent were entertaining it for some reason.
"I have spent my entire life on Driftmark defending my brother's seat. I am Lord Corlys's closest kin, his own blood, his brother," Vaemond was still talking. "Prince Ikit had flouted his duty and abandoned Westeros near a decade ago. Horrific rumours have followed his wake. Some may say it is simple talk yet the majority speak of his sins. It could be forgiven, even condoned, as he has kept these crimes to Essos and not brought them here. So I bear the boy no ill will, as he remains in Essos and not taken his sins to his homeland. Let him act as he sees fit across the narrow sea. Yet near a decade he has gone and my brother never formally expelled him to name Lucerys as heir."
The court watched intently, low mumbles running about the nobles, lords and ladies watching. Alicent was nodding, expression more sad than anything.
"The blood of dragonriders has proven to be flighty," Vaemond said, voice ringing through the hall. "Lord Laenor spurned his status for years and now he has passed, never having learned to be Lord of the Tides. Prince Ikit has spurned his status for years, never remaining here to learn to be Lord of the Tides. Prince Lucerys is young and never formally placed in his position to inherit Driftmark. It is a grave oversight that must be amended."
Helaena watched him, curious and rather confused. The Sea Snake wasn't dying. Was he? That felt wrong to her. She heard a raven came, words saying Corlys was in a stricken fever and was being sailed back to Driftmark. Princess Rhaenys had arrived at King's Landing that morn bearing the news, but as Helaena looked about suddenly realizing the Queen Who Never Was was absent. Either way, it felt wrong.
"I place the continuation of the survival of my house and my line above all," Vaemond continued, as Otto nodded from the Iron Throne. "Dragonriders have proven unsuitable as Lord of the Tides. They belong to the sky, as befitting their status. Velaryons, however, belong to the sea. We have seen that folly in the last two successors Corlys has chosen. He loved his son, loves his grandsons. I do not fault him for that. Yet they have proven unfit for the Driftwood throne. Prince Lucerys can of course still be an honoured part of House Velaryon. His dragon can be used to aid our ships in journeys and voyages, to reach trades across the narrow sea to bolster our wealth. Just as Lady Rhaena. Yet dragonriders have proven they will not learn, truly, the way of the sea. As such I humbly put myself before you as my brother's successor, the Lord of Driftmark and Lord of the Tides."
"Thank you, Ser Vaemond," Otto said quietly. "Princess Rhaenyra you may now speak for your son, Lucerys Velaryon."
Her sister stepped forward, her face as calm and blank as a porcelain mask. Her voice was strong as she said, "If I am to grace this farce with some answer, I will start by reminding the court that Lucerys had spent many years in the company of his grandfather, Lord Corlys, being groomed for his position as-"
Then King Viserys appeared.
Helaena, much like everyone else, was transfixed at the sight of the dying king upon his feet. All the whispers, the bloodied hand caressing her nape, it all disappeared as she watched her father walk pass and settle upon the throne.
Instead she just felt a film of tears fill her eyes. Would her mother make a walk like that for her? She had made peace with Rhaenyra being the beloved of Viserys, she had long since done so. But Alicent still reached out. Yet Helaena did not know if her mother would suffer like that. In how King Viserys was wheezing, body near rotted, yet forced himself upon the chair all to be there for his most beloved child. Was she Alicent's favourite? She didn't think she was anyone's favourite.
But you could be, a voice hissed into her mind.
King Viserys looked down at them from the Iron Throne, the golden mask obscuring half his face. Finally he managed to say, "I must admit my confusion. I do not understand why petitions are being heard over a settled succession. The only one present who might offer keener insight into Lord Corlys's wishes is the Princess Rhaenys."
A long silence before Otto cleared his throat, "Your Grace, Princess Rhaenys is currently absent."
Viserys squinted at him, "She was here this morn, was she not? Is she not in attendance? This is her grandson we speak of."
"Indeed Your Grace, but it seems-"
Their words halted as the doors of the hall opened yet again, this time the herald calling for the Queen Who Never Was entering. The woman walked with long strides, back straight, and ignored them all, including Vaemond, until she reached the foot of the throne.
"Forgive my rude and abrupt entrance, my king," Rhaenys inclined her head. "I apologize for my tardiness, yet I was to receive an urgent raven from Driftmark that called me away."
King Viserys shifted forward slightly, even as everyone grew more tense as he asked, "News of Lord Corlys? Has he...passed?"
Rhaenys smiled then, "No, Your Grace. From the raven it would seem my husband has fully healed from his injury and is awake and aware. Even now he is traveling back to Driftmark. It would seem the second raven correcting the first, which informed us of Lord Corlys's injury and blood fever, ran afoul of some lingering pirates and thus we were spared this grand news before we all reached King's Landing. As of now the Stepstones are back in control of the Iron Throne and my husband is fully recovered. I will ask this petition is cast aside to await the Sea Snake's arrival back to his keep, as no doubt he will sign whatever conveniently found new records to reaffirm Lucerys as his successor."
That last part was said directly at Vaemond, Princess Rhaenys having turned to glare at her good-brother. Vaemond himself was clenching his fists so tightly the skin looked near splitting.
"I heard my brother suffered from blood fever, I have never known a man to recover from such in the span of only a day," Vaemond managed to say.
Rhaenys gave a soft laugh, "It would seem my grandson, Prince Ikit, amidst all the debauchery of Essos has also learned the healing arts of the higher mysterious. He aided his fellow Velaryons in destroying the remnants of the corsair ships and then used his skills to bring my husband back to full health in the span of a morning."
Rhaenyra immediately stepped forward, eyes shining as she clutched her belly, "Prince Ikit? Is my son returning home, is he with his grandfather as of now?"
"Alas Princess Rhaenyra, I believe this was only a temporary stop in the Stepstones as he returned quickly back to Essos. Yet my husband knows more as he spoke with his grandson and will tell you personally of it as soon as he returns to Driftmark."
Rhaenyra's face fell, with Jace stepping forward to take her hand. Lucerys also looked upset.
Rhaenys meanwhile turned back to King Viserys, "And so again I ask this petition be removed. My husband is recovered and will answer it himself the moment he makes landfall. I will also leave to Driftmark to await him once this is done."
King Viserys nodded, "So it is settled. Lord Corlys can formally sign...whatever it is he needs, to recognize him legally placing Lucerys as his heir. Lord Vaemond, you should speak to the Sea Snake directly about your grievances. Brother to brother. Yet for now there is nothing more to discuss before the throne. This matter is settled."
Helaena almost felt disappointed. For some reason she kept seeing Vaemond's head being cleaved in two by Dark Sister, yet here he kept his head. He was angry, thwarted in his ambition, but with Corlys fully mended and sailing back home he had no choice but to run back to Driftmark with his tail between his legs. The look Princess Rhaenys gave him before she left made it clear Corlys would know everything.
She thought that over the rest of the day, wondering about brothers. Vaemond and Corlys, Viserys and Daemon. Aegon didn't like her but neither did he overly bother her. Aemond was more focused on sparring than anything. Daeron...she couldn't even remember him even if she occasionally got letters.
Dinner was nice enough, even if she had no idea how to behave. At the very least this time everyone seemed much the same. Awkward as the king was brought in as everyone just sat in silence. Helaena kept thinking about the voice, which was back to humming in her mind. She swayed to and fro, wondering what the tune was. Maybe she should learn an instrument and play it.
Rhaenyra made a toast in the aftermath of King Viserys's words, speaking to Alicent and thanking her for her care to the king. Alicent replied in kind. The words stilted and awkward yet holding an earnestness that made Otto side-eye his daughter.
Then Jacaerys made a toast, even as Aegon continued to bother him. She didn't mind he forgot about her, only speaking of Aegon and Aemond. At least she wasn't Daeron.
Once Jace was done Helaena got to her feet. Everyone looked at her as Helaena said, cup raised high, "I would like to toast to my nephew Prince Ikit, who is absent and has been for many years. When he returns to Westeros I hope he won't eat me or my children."
Silence followed her toast. King Viserys squinted at her from across the table.
Helaena looked around, seeing only baffled and blank looks so decided to explain her joke, "Because they say he eats babies and women a lot in Essos. They say it's his favourite. Like me with candied fruit which I sometimes eat too much of. I hope he doesn't devour too many babies, as the brain and liver makes you sick and kill you if you eat too much."
More silence until Rhaenyra cleared her throat, saying in an overly light tone, "Well, when my son returns I will make it clear to him you and your children are off the menu."
Helaena giggled, raising her cup higher before sitting back down happily. Aegon grimaced next to her but she didn't care, instead starting to pile her plate with food. She was suddenly ravenous.
"Let us have some music," King Viserys mumbled.
Light music filled the air as the musicians began to play. Helaena felt like there should be more screaming. At one point a whole suckling pig got put before Aemond but before the servants had even stepped away from the table she was reaching for it. Aemond gave her a sideways look as she set the piglet before her and simply started to eat it as if it was her own dish. Even Aegon glanced at her with a pinched brow as he drained yet another goblet.
At one point the king was taken away, the pain too much, and Helaena continued to happily eat the sucking pig.
"Sister, are you quite alright?" Aemond finally asked her when she had eaten half of it.
"Do you know humans flesh is called 'long pig' in some places? And tattooists and piercers use pig skin as it's so similar to a human," she said, hacking off a chunk of the piglet's shoulder.
"Helaena, you don't have to eat so much. You'll make yourself sick, please pace yourself," Alicent's voice was concerned. Everyone else had stopped what they were doing and were also watching her, even Daemon had a pinched look on his face.
"Do you think your eye tasted like pig flesh when Ikit ate it?" she asked Aemond.
Her brother flinched as if she had slapped him while Aegon choked on his wine next to her. Daemon's eyebrows shot up.
"Helaena!" Alicent's voice was shocked.
She blinked, looking over at her mother in confusion. Alicent looked equal parts angry and confused. Then Helaena looked at the suckling pig, noting how nearly two thirds of it was gone, her swollen stomach suddenly aching and her vision blurred as red tinted it.
Then she threw up, vomiting partially digested food and chunks of pork all over the table.
Aegon swore and shoved himself away from the table even as Aemond recoiled. Everyone else followed suit even as Helaena gagged and retched. Bile coated her mouth, vomit staining her chin and splattering down her golden dress.
"Helaena!" Alicent looked more panicked, all but running around the table. Helaena shoved her away, coughing before spitting more bile across the table.
Rhaenyra and her children looked more concerned than anything as they watched Helaena hack and wheeze. Again Alicent tried to grip her shoulders and again Helaena shoved her away. She suddenly couldn't bear her mother's touch.
"It's alright," Otto's voice was gentle, in a way he only ever was with her or his great-grandchildren. She didn't shove him away as he used a handkerchief to wipe her mouth as tears dribbled down her face.
"I'm sorry," she gasped, her stomach aching.
"Can you not be a disgusting freak!" Aegon shouted at her.
"Don't talk to her like that," Alicent snapped, turning around to glare at Aegon.
"Water," the Lord Hand ordered sharply, voice cutting over them both.
A servant quickly come forward, with more hurrying to clear the spoiled table. At his prompting Helaena managed to take a few sips, slowly removing the taste of bile from her mouth.
Behind them Rhaenyra quickly dismissed her children to their quarters, with Alicent doing the same for her sons. Aegon just looked angry as he left while Aemond seemed more concerned for Helaena who was crying and dry heaving between the water Otto was managing to get her to drink.
"It's best, I think, if we go back to Dragonstone," Rhaenyra said quietly. "To be there for Lord Corlys and hear his meeting with my son."
Alicent wrung her hands, managing to look away from a crying Helaena to say, "You've only just arrived. Helaena- she just got over-excited. She meant no offense. It was not a slight against you."
"I take none. But...let me see the children home and see Corlys. Then I'll return on dragonback."
"I would like that, as would the king. Now I must see to Helaena."
Helaena could hear them, distantly as if underwater. Again the humming was in her ear, her brain. She wanted to scratch her skull open. Instead she drained the last of the water and let her grandfather put it aside.
"We should get you cleaned up, a nice bath and a change of clothes," Otto said quietly. "And I'll fetch Maester Orwyle while the maids see to you. You may have picked up one of the stomach bugs that have gone through the Keep before."
Helaena was still sobbing quietly even as her grandfather took her by the shoulders and led her away from the room, "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that. I'm sorry. I ruined the dinner. I'm sorry."
Alicent fell in step with them, this time Halaena not shrugging her off her as mother gently gripped her arm, "It's quite alright. It was just a pig."
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