Forgiveness

XXIV

"You look marvelous, my lady!"

A maid gasped seeing Hellen dressed in her wedding gown. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and seen a young woman whom she did not recognize. A young woman with exceedingly long blonde hair dressed in a deep red wedding gown with gold speckles throughout the pattern.

Hellen frowned smoothing out her dress.

"I don't feel marvelous."

She replied causing the maid to frown looking at her mistress. Hellen glanced at the maid and waved her off, not feeling like explaining anything to the young woman. The seamstress chuckled a bit as she pulled out the gown a bit.

"Your royal wedding is in a week and you're saying that your ladyship doesn't feel how she looks?"

Hellen looked at the old woman. She was old enough to be Hellen's own mother or maybe an older aunt. Regardless, the woman was old enough to have seen a few weddings in her day.

"I don't feel marvelous because I shouldn't."

Hellen explained. The seamstress gave a slight chuckle as she pinned a fabric piece together around her hips. She looked at Hellen in the reflection of the mirror.

"Every bride should feel marvelous in their gown. Tell me if you do not -- "

"It's not the gown. The gown is beyond beautiful and I thank you for it."

Hellen said rubbing her hands together in a worried manner. The seamstress halted her work and looked up at Hellen.

"What troubles you child?"

She asked although Hellen just kept her gaze at her reflection in the mirror.

"The future of my family."

Hellen hurried down the hallway to the dinning hall where Tywin had requested her presences. When she arrived she had not expected to see the guests that were here.

"Lady Hellen, my daughter Cersei and her husband Loras Tyrell."

Tywin introduced the three of them.

"Cersei, Loras, my bride to be Hellen of Tarth."

Loras smiled warmly and approached Hellen. He reached out and gave her a kiss on the hand unexpectedly. Hellen couldn't help but blush from the unexpected action. Loras seen this and showed her a cheeky smirk.

"Lovely to meet you, Lady Hellen."

"Likewise Lord Loras."

She replied with a small curtsy. It was then Hellen was approached by Cersei. The woman looked at Hellen as if she were an enemy. As if Hellen had taken her spot as Queen, but that had been Margaery who had done so prior, not Hellen.

"Lady Hellen."

"Lady Cersei."

Cersei gave a slight chuckle. This wasn't their first meeting. Their first had been when Cersei had personally thanked her and her sister for bringing her brother back home to her and the family. That was during Joffery's wedding.

"Tell me, how does someone like yourself catch my father's eye?"

She mused quietly just enough for Hellen to hear. The woman looked at Cersei knowing full and well that she had never liked her from the start. Hellen just gave a small smile.

"With my money of course."

Hellen said giving a small curtsy as she walked around a very stunned Cersei. Hellen could see Tywin sitting at the head of the table arching his brow as he watched Hellen make her way toward him. She sat beside him to his left just as the other family entered the room.