Helaena POV
The dragon princess felt her heart beating louder than ever before. The air in her lungs constricting. The dread that invaded her senses kept getting worse and worse with every step she took towards the Maester's rooms.
She hadn't the smallest clue what Cregan had gone off to after they finished their training session that morning. She didn't think it was anything dangerous or worth worrying about so she let it out of her mind.
If only she looked closer. Questioned he and her brother Aemond leaving with a small force out into the city with such haste. Surely any criminal element could wait after her marriage took place. It was time for celebration not vendetta.
But she didn't connect the dots then. Not until they returned with her brother Aegon's near unconsious form and headed straight to Orwyle's quarters.
Her face lost all color after looking at his torn up shirt with dry blood sticking to his back.
He was hurt. Brutalized. And she had no idea.
How could this happen. What use was her foresight if it can't warn of such a perversion.
It's a travesty. A mockery of the Gods.
A horrifying testament to the true limit of her mortal vessel.
Finally overcoming her self-pity and resisting the bile of scorn and hatred at her suden blindness, she gathers her courage and knocks on the Grandmaester's door.
She entered the room and glances to her brother's bare back. Once a pale milky white. Now sullied with screaming red gashes.
They're stitched shut and covered at the moment with bandages galore, but she glimpsed through the cracks in his tunic when he first arrived.
The image is seared into her mind.
Aegon isn't lying down on the bed. She doesn't expect him to be putting any strain on his wounds for days lest he reopen them accidentally. But his eyes are clearly signaling his fatigue.
Her mother is hovering next to Orwyle who's administrating some milk of the puppy into her brother's system.
She's picking at her fingers and the red glint appears all the way to where Helaena's awkwardly standing at the entrance.
Afraid that crossing the threshold will somehow make everything ten times more real. More tangible.
Here in the barrier separating the horrific scene from the outside world, she can pretend, even if just in her mind, that it's nothing but a dream.
Dreams are her specialty. She'll wake soon enough. She'll warn her siblings and mother. And the world will be as it should.
She inhales and exhales without any rhythm or reason.
This is very real.
Her legs give out in an instant. Mountains could weigh lighter than the heavy burden that was just forced upon her shoulders.
Her mother cries in suprise and rushes to her side. The Grandmaester also pauses his treatment to notice the princess' state.
She's certain mother's trying to calm her. Whispering soft words and gently squeezing her hand. Comforting her without being suffocating and overwhelming. But Helaena feels as if she can't get her head above water.
There's something that she needs but she can't tell what. It's on the tip of her tongue. Her subconscious is aware of it even if her waking self hasn't caught up.
Aegon gets up too quickly. Coming to her aid no doubt. Despite being the one actually harmed. By some unknown enemy. By her own lack of visions.
The action proves to be unwise and an acolyte helps him back to his seat. Her brother protests and pushes him away. It's as endearing as it is depressing.
Her eyes are still clouding with tracks of tears and she can't distinguish up from from down when he squats near her body.
"What is it little spider?" His voice is too kind. She curses the pain that made him turn so. She'd rather he remained an arrogant wanker and unblemished.
"I didn't ... I didn't see .." The few words she managed to utter came out as a shriveled meaningless mess.
He understood her intention anyhow. Clever bastard.
Clever truborn son she means.
"So you didn't forsee some minor detail. What happened to me had nothing to do with you." It was fiery conviction. And Aegon was rarely interested in something to fake his opinion.
Her mother gasped. Whether at her daughter's guilt or her son suspecting that to be her issue and addressing it immediately is another matter.
"Darling, surely you can't imagine you caused this. It's not in anyway or form your fault. Do you understand me Helaena?" Her mother's warm honey eyes pleaded that she absolve herself of any culpability.
That would be sweet.
Within seconds Heleana felt something flare within her. That obscure lingering sensation came to the forefront. In the moment she knew what she had been seeking.
Ragnar sprung forth to the room uncaring about her mother and the Maester's shrieks or Aegon's laughter and claimed the space around her as his own undisputable territory.
She hugged him and breathed in the scent of his pristine snow coat. It didn't make sense how she longed for his presence. Summoned him to her without even a conscious thought.
What's important is that he's here. Heleana drew strength from his quiet power. She traced her hand over his fur again and again. Each time it brought a little more calm. She relaxed with abnormal speed.
"He was supposed to be in the kennels. Who let him out? He could've hurt someone."
"Puppy would never do that. He's a gentle soul mother. And I'm the one who brought him here." The dragon princess rested her neck on Ragnar's snout and closed her eyes. If only her other wolf was here. It'd make this moment even more perfect.
"What do you mean you brought him here?"
"Read between the lines mother. The dragons are like the direwolves. The old bugger heard her call." Aegon's lack of tact was one of his defining qualities.
She's so happy that he hasn't lost it. She doesn't think she will be mad at him for at least a couple of weeks.
"Language. And get back your seat so the Grandmaester may finish his work." She knew mother wasn't truly upset with him. Merely concerned. Aegon has won some goodwill and leeway for the foreseeable future with the whole family.
"Fuck. My back burns even more."
How he chooses to squander it is his own prerogative.
"Aegon."
Her brother sits and allows Orwyle to examine him again. The Maesters check on his bandages to make sure they're still in good condition and mother reverts back to picking at her fingers. It was a nervous habit she didn't really fall into for years. But that makes a reappearing act once a while.
**
Another knock draws her attention from the spectacle in front of her and her direwolf, previously with his head down, looks in that direction.
Preparing for confrontation. Readying to assert dominance. Or more likely welcoming his other partner.
"Cregan come in."
The Warden of the North enters with his brows furrowed in confusion. That is until he notices Heleana with Ragnar in her lap.
She swears she actually witnessed his heart melt. Good. Her vital organ is nothing but mushy substance in his vicinity.
Cregan bows to her royal mother and Aegon as custom dictates before addressing the latter.
"I've come to look in on you my prince. May the Gods favor you with a speedy recovery."
Aegon nodds imperceptibly but mother responds on his behalf.
"The Seven will surely bless my son so. Thank you for your visit Lord Stark."
If Cregan had any misgivings on which deities would help her brother's healing he kept them to himself and approaches Helaena.
"Princess, would you do me the honor of escorting me to the Godswood?"
"Of course, my lord." She stands too hurriedly for any of mother's polite refusals to form and takes her wolf's hand. Ragnar trots behind them languidly but she knows his slow-pace is annoyance.
Seven's sake what is she to do with these two.
**
"What is that you meant to talk about?"
She has some theories on why he's brought here. The memories of their interrupted escapades that very day are still vivid and burgeoning.
But she can't voice them aloud. She isn't wanton or lustful. She isn't.
Maybe just a bit.
Cregan looked at her with unfathomable softness. She can't decide between loving this side of him more or the passionate frozen fire underneath.
"I sensed you earlier in my mind. Calling for me. I didn't want to believe in a false hope. It seemed to good to be true. But somehow our mutual link to Ragnar has bound us to each other."
Well that's ... something.
"Does that mean we can hear each other's thoughts?"
It was a tight rope they must tread. Too much closeness could tear them apart instead of bringing them together.
"I believe it's more like we can sense the other's emotions in very specific situations. Intense feelings will bleed away to our direwolf as they always do. Then reach us."
Dreamfyre picks up on her slightest change in temperament. So this is much the same. She could live with that.
And speaking about her other half.
"We're going to the Dragon pit. Come on."
She latched on to his arm and walked resolutely attempting to drag him behind her.
"Right now? It's dark outside."
"Even better. Riding under the fool moon is the most enchanting experience. Hurry up."
"As my lady commands."
He knew when he was bested. Good.