Inviolable Bindings | Aemond & Aegon II Targaryen

Chapter 33

"If you leave him, he will burn." Helaena interrupted, her voice firm.

Perplexed, she searched the Queen's eyes for some clarity, but she only repeated the phrase with a growing sense of urgency.

"If you leave him, he will burn."

The memory flashed through her mind when she and Aemond had visited her after little Jaehaerys's death. The echo of the same ominous phrase came back as if it had just happened. She had vowed that she would not fail them. Desperately, she tried to reassure Helaena that it had not been a mistake to leave him there, but found that she was now unsure of her own decision.

They both looked into eachothers faces, gripping the others' arms. Viserra now bore an equal amount of concern and panic as she tried to find reason and reassurance somewhere in her mind. The tension had brought so much anxiety that she did not even hear the doors open behind her and the footsteps rushing into the room.

Alicent had come to her daughter's side, her presence suddenly commanding attention. Seeing Helaena's anguish, she immediately began to try and comfort the girl, tearing her from Viserra's arms and surrounding her in her own embrace.

A sense of helplessness settled over as she watched Helaena retract back into mind despite her mother's attempts at consoling her. Alicent's gaze shifted to Viserra for a moment, her eyes demanding an explanation for the distress that had come upon her daughter.

"What happened here?" She questioned.

"I-I do not know." Viserra stuttered, trying to regain her own composure.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, Viserra felt the weight of uncertainty pressed down on her. Unable to provide the dowager queen with a satisfactory answer, she turned and fled the room.

The corridors of Maegor's Holdfast offered little solace and in turn they felt suffocating. Without a clear destination in mind, she found herself instinctively drawn to the Keep's library. The scent of old books and the quietness that held the space gave her room to find both her breath and her thoughts.

Finding a place in front of the stained glass window, she looked into the colors while trying to process what had just happened. How could she have forgotten Helaena's words? She knew that something did not feel right with a great distance between them all, but it had become difficult to discern what feelings were rational or what was just lust and longing.

Viserra leaned her body weight on the window sill while forcing her breathing to slow. It was not as if she had a choice in the matter. She reassured herself just how impossible it would have been to try and defy the plans put in place without her input. Even Aemond had seemed to know more than she did, most likely stemming from his close relationship with the Hand.

The thought crossed her mind that it was only a few hours on dragonback to Rook's Rest. She could fly back and explain to him Helaena's words and their need to remain close to one another. However, the challenge remained of convincing Cole her actions were not an attempt to undermine him. She knew the man harbored distrust for her and would not respond well to any deviation from the plans.

Part of her questioned her own sanity for placing such gravity on Helaena's words. Yet, every piece of doubt was forcefully pushed back down as she recalled the instances where they had undeniably come to pass. She did not understand how the girls' dreams had been ignored for so long, even by her own mother who was determined to protect her so fiercely.

For the first time, Viserra felt wildly out of control. She felt hot tears forming in the corners of her eyes but she fought them back and reigned it in before more than a few could escape. Over the passing moments alone, she pulled herself together, the anxiety and fear turning into anger at those far away on Dragonstone.