Do Not Presume to Know The Damned (Jacaerys x Helaena)

Helaena I

Helaena Targaryen knew she was an oddity. It was evident in every strained smile from her mother and nestled in each one of Aegon's cruel insults. It positively radiated from all the prospective playmates she managed to scare off over the years.

Noble houses throughout the realm sent their maiden daughters to King's Landing. They all prayed their girl would be the chosen confidant of the young princess. They were sorely disappointed.

Every hopeful companion sent her way ended the same. Two little Lannister girls went screaming from the garden, blonde ringlets streaming behind them as they called for their uncle, Lord Tyland, to save them from "The Freak". She had only shown them a wasp nest. An empty, abandoned one at that. However, the girls were terrified by the spectre of the long dead wasps still. The Master of Ships tried to convince them to return. But they cried in fear when Helaena attempted to display her newest catch in a stoppered jar. That had been the end of that. Nothing short of a royal decree would coerce them to remain in The Keep and Helaena doubted Viserys was even aware of their presence.

Lady Cassandra Baratheon, two years her junior, was less like to spook. She named Helaena "Dull and Dim" behind her back to all with a willing ear, much to the amusement of Prince Aegon. The young Baratheon heiress was far more interested in Helaena's elder siblings, badgering them to let her atop Sunfyre or Syrax. Helaena's nephews were spared the lady's attentions. Though it was due more so to the rumours surrounding their parentage than the fact their dragons were far too small to bear themselves aloft, let alone the tall and lanky Cassandra. Aegon soon grew tired of her constant hovering and clumsy attempts at flirting. She was called back to Storm's End upon the birth of her third sister, Ellyn. Their mother, Lady Elenda, remained abed after the birth. The maesters feared she would bear no more children, leaving Lady Cassandra as presumptive heir to The Stormlands.

Helaena had been relieved.

One final attempt was made by Queen Alicent via her late mother's Redwyne family. Orange haired Lady Patricia Redwyne - with all of five years behind her - declared within a day of disembarking from her ship and meeting the princess that she would rather "face a thousand reaving Ironmen" before being subjected to Helaena's company. It might have been more cutting if the little girl did not immediately recant her statement upon learning she must sail again - back to The Arbor.

It marked an end to hopeful lords sending their daughters to make friends with King Viserys' younger daughter.

Queen Alicent despaired at her daughter's lack of friends. She never said it, but Helaena knew. She attempted to show her mother she was happy with the various beasties in The Keep and gardens, but this only distressed the queen more.

The only one she could count as a friend was her younger brother, Aemond. And, truth be told, she did not think it true friendship like other girls her age shared with one another. Aemond was kind to Helaena and patient, but he did not understand her.

She oft considered what he would do if Aegon woke upon the morrow and ceased his teasing of their younger brother. Would Aemond cast her aside once accepted by Aegon? She wished for her siblings to reconcile, but would that mean the end to Helaena and Aemond's amicability? She could not see Aegon accepting her in the way he might Aemond if their younger brother successfully claimed his much-wanted dragon.

All the other children in their family had dragons. It was only they two who lacked mounts of their own as their eggs had grown cold in their cradles, much to their mother's annoyance. For Aemond, this was the great tragedy of his life. He consumed old dragon books and scrolls like they were water in a barren desert. He practised High Valyrian as if his very life depended upon it. Most dragon knowledge was tucked away in dusty High Valyrian tomes left untranslated by the maesters. Aemond's dedication to devouring every available text left him miles ahead of his siblings when it came to the language of The Freehold.