The Fire That Burns Within US - Aemond Targaryen

The Dragon Dreamer

138 - The Red Keep

King's Landing hasn't been the same since the Death of King Viserys, more so since the coronation of Aegon in the Dragonpit. Word had spread like wildfire through the city streets, words of how the House of the Dragon was unfit to rule and that another fraction was rising up through the ashes.

But when news of the murder of prince Jaehaerys came out, no commoner could stomach the thought of a child murderer sitting on the throne. Gone is the name of the realm's delight and replaced with the whore of Dragonstone and Maegor with teats. The Greens had been thinking the common folk would rally behind them, to feel their grief, but they didn't. Instead, they did not stop their calls for a Queen but changed from Black to Red.

But the former Queen Alicent, there is a bigger problem than the fact they don't have the support of the common folk.

Her daughter. The new Queen Helaena.

Helaena had become a shell of a human since the murder of Prince Jaehaerys, blaming herself for his murder and the fact that she had chosen Maelor for death. She couldn't be in the same room as any of her children, not when she has failed them.

So Helaena often spent her time alone, neglecting her newfound duties as Queen. Not even the company of her bugs could lighten her mood. Helaena couldn't help but wonder if the presence of a certain knight that could always make her smile and never judge her would lighten her mood.

The relationship between Helaena and Ben had gone further than just a friendship.

It had been Helaena who sparked the new area of their relationship. They had been walking in the gardens, Visenya and Aemond away on a dragon ride, and the princess wanted to spend some time with Visenya's new friend. The kindness that Ben had shown her was not something she was used to from people outside of her family, and the truth was that Helaena wanted someone to love her the same way Aemond and Visenya love each other.

Ben had shown her more love than Aegon had in his entire life. The way her stomach would flip once she caught sight of his tall frame and how he would intently listen to her every word. If Aegon could have his whores then so could she. Though she would never call Ben her whore.

Alicent and Otto stand in the doorway of Helaena's room, watching her and waiting to see if she will acknowledge them but once the queen makes no move, Alicent sighs and walks into the room. Alicent has always known that Helaena is different, but now she is starting to worry her. Alicent has already lost her favourite child, and the shell is damned if she also lost Helaena.

"Helaena, you need to get up," Alicent tells Helaena as she kneels in front of her, hoping to catch her eye, but Helaena just stares blankly in front of her.

"The Hour of Red and Wolf," Helaena mumbles to herself, and Alicent has no energy to try and figure out the meaning behind her words.

Alicent grabs Helaenas hands, squeezing them and hoping that it snaps Helaena out of her trance, but it doesn't.

"Your daughter is asking for you," Alicent tells her, and again Helaena ignores her mother.

"Blood of the Dragon and Raven," Helaena says, and Alicent starts to feel the anger bubble inside of her.

"Helaena," Alicent says rather loudly, loud enough for Otto to move towards the mother and daughter.

"Alicent, it is of no use," Otto tells Alicent as he rests his hand on Alicent's shoulder.

Alicent waits a moment, staring at Helaena and waiting for her to snap back or look at her magically, but she doesn't. Alicent nods as she stands, flattening out her dress before allowing her father to guide her away from Helaena. Otto doesn't stop as Alicent starts to pick at the skin around her nails.

"Maybe this was a mistake," Alicent tells Otto, looking around the room as if someone else would hear her. "We should have put Aemond on the throne, and then maybe Visenya-"

"We can not change what has happened, only what we can do," Otto cuts her off.

"And what should we do!?" Alicent asks, her anger finally getting the better of her. She doesn't care that Viserys wanted Aegon on the throne, she should have put Aemond on it, and then the blacks would have been more likely to back down since Visenya would be Queen, but now they have to deal with two angry sides with more dragons than them.

"Lord Robert Tully has sent word to us again," Otto tells Alicent calmly, hoping that his words might bring peace to her mind.

Rob had been sending letters to both Blacks and Greens, telling them that they still had a chance at surrendering and keeping their lives, but Otto had burned every single letter after reading them.

The Greens need Helaena; with Tessarion dead and Sunfyre badly wounded, Dreamfyre is the only dragon they have left besides the hatchlings.

Princess Jaehaera's dragon is too small and young to be used in battle and is essential to the princess. Jaehaera had named her dragon after her favourite aunt, Morghul, Death in low Valyrian.

"We should listen to them," Alicent tells her father. "Aemond may be able to sway them into saving us,"

"Or he may help swing their sword," Otto argues with Alicent. He knows that if it came to a fight, Aemond would help Visenya in any way he could, including killing off the rest of his Kin and solidifying his new nickname.

"I am his mother," Alicent reminds him, hoping that it still matters to Aemond, but she can't be sure it does.

"That doesn't matter to him anymore," Otto tells Alicent, moving her out of the room. "Our only hope is that Visenya still has mercy in that cold heart of hers,"