Back To December// Cregan Stark / Hope Mikaelson

37. A Debt

Frito curled up beside Hope as she sat by the fire. Cregan kept his distance and Hope didnt really know why. Maybe he wanted her to make the first move after last night. To prove that it wasnt just a one night mistake that she regretted because she certainly didnt regret anything. 

But now, there's no ignoring the signs. Hope couldnt picture anything but Cregan. How the muscles in his back had moved as he walked her room a shirtless God, how his hand felt in hers, how his arms had felt around her, how sure she had been that he wanted to kiss her just as much as she wanted him to when she walked into the room and met his handsome gaze. 

And those little moments were just glimpses, small tastes of the real thing. Of what their life could have been every damn day if she hadnt run. That life, that smile, those lips every damn day. And after last night she wanted more. She wanted so much more and him staring across the room at her was slowly driving her out of her mind.

+

Prince Daemon was at Harrenhal when he got the news of Luke's death, he sent a raven to Rhaenyra, promising that her son's death would be avenged. He went to two trusted men, Blood and Cheese, that he had known in the city watch. With a mission of pain.

"Where is the queen?" Criston asked looking around. "And Princess Helaena? Where are they?"

Alicent was checking on Helaena and the babies, needing to get her mind off of Hope and Daeron being gone for so long, she needed to focus on her children, the ones she could see and hold and hope the houses loyal to them were closing in. Alicent had always been a dutiful wife to Viserys, she tended to him. Rhaenyra had run and fled. Only coming back when she needed Viserys to solve a bastard claims problem. 

Of course when Viserys finally declared that he wanted Aegon to be king Alicent wanted to scream out finally you fool, took you long enough. But now everything was a mess and she didnt know if she was right in listening to Viserys or not because she didnt want war, she didnt want death. She wanted peace and now Luke was dead and Hope and Daeron were still missing in the frozen north. 

So she headed to Helaena and the children when two men on Daemon's command snuck into the Red keep. Alicent pushed open the door to see Tayla strung up and strangled. Her eyes went wide as she moved to scream for help when she was grabbed as well.

Gagged and bound, squirming in her chair as she tried to get help when Helaena came in. Fear coursed through her as she saw her mother's petrified face.

"A debt must me paid." Blood remarked as Cheese grabbed Helaena. "Which son of yours is to die?"

"What?" Helaena whimpered out as Blood dragged his blade from Maelor, her youngest babe, not even a year yet and Jaehaerys. Jaehaera whimpered out looking to her mother for protection, for safety but Helaena could not move. 

"Pick. A debt must me paid." Blood repeated. "Which son will you lose as the Queen has lost her son. So shall you." Helaena couldnt breathe.

"PICK!" Cheese demanded holding the blade to her throat.

"Neither, please, neither!" Helaena begged.

"Both then." Blood told her and Helaena screamed out for him to stop.

"No, please..." she looked to her crying children. Why was no one coming? Why was no one here to save them?

"Pick." Cheese whispered in her ear.

"M-Maelor." she whimpered and a smile curved on Bloods face as he killed Jaehaerys instead. He took his head as Helaena sobbed out. But they left, shoving his head into their beg before heading out leaving Alicent still bound, and Helaena still in tears. Maelor screaming bloody murder as Jaehaerys blood soaked his own pants.

"Alicent!" Elijah declared pulling at her binds before she saw the blood and headless toddler. "Hela..."

"THEY KILLED HIM!" Helaena screamed out as she sobbed into her hands.

"How long?" Elijah asked removing Alicent's gag.

"But a moment.' She whimpered out.

"Klaus-" Elijah began but he was already heading out. 

"Tend to your mother and wife." Elijah instructed as he grabbed Aegon's arm. Aegon looked to them as Helaena screamed out.  "We find them. They have blood on their hands and the prince's head, no doubt as a peace offering for their false queen. We get them all. You stay here."

Blood was seized at the Gate of the Gods, with the head of Prince Jaehaerys hidden in a saddle sack.

Klaus tore him apart.