Helaena didn't know what to think of the current situation. It's so chaotic that her head is snapping in every direction every time something happens. For Example: Tyrion Lannister is being held captive by Lady Stark. Who gets punished for it? Lord Stark. In punished I mean a spear through your thigh.
Helaena was in Ned Stark's chambers with Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister.
"Your pardon your Grace, I would rise but.." Ned said when he opened his eyes and realized who stood before him.
"Do you know what your wife has done?" Cersei asked.
"She did nothing I did not command." Ned stated.
"Who'd have thought she had it in her?" Robert asked, seemingly having mixed feelings.
"By what right dare you lay hands on my blood?" Cersei was pissed. She considered Tyrion to be a filthy little monster, but her family was all she fiercely cared about. So yes, she was very pissed.
"I am the King's Hand, charged with keeping the King's peace."
"You were the King's hand" Cersei yelled while Ned spoke. "You shall now be held accountable."
"Oh, will both of you shut your damn mouths?!" Robert yelled shutting both of them up, Helaena having been silent the entire time. "Catelyn will release Tyrion and you'll make your peace with Jaime."
"He butchered my men-" Ned started but Cersei chuckled.
"Lord Stark was returning drunk from a brothel when his men attacked Jaime." Cersei explained to Robert who was absolutely not having it.
"Quiet woman."
"Jaime has fled the city." Ned started. "Give me leave to bring him back to justice."
Darkfyre tensed up, becoming alert as she sees how this is escalating quickly.
"I took you for a King." Cersei snarled.
"Hold your tongue."
"He's attacked one of my brothers and abducted the other. I should wear the armor and you the gown."
Not a second after Cersei's said her part, a loud slap was heard. Robert slapped Cersei.
"Don't touch her!" Helaena yelled at Robert, Darkfyre ready to attack, having opened her mouth where Robert could see fire ready to be breathed. Helaena checked on Cersei who's been like a mother to her her whole life. This wasn't the first time he's hit her or the princess, but this time she had a Dragon.
Robert took a step back from Darkfyre, not wanting to end up as her meal.
"I shall wear this as a badge of honor." Cersei grinned sickly at her husband, cheek bloody and bruised.
"Wear it in silence or I shall honor you again." Robert threatened the Queen.
"You will do no such thing." Helaena stood in front of the Lannister woman like a shield. Darkfyre was growing quickly, and soon enough she'd be a young dragon than a drake. She was definitely big enough to burn a whole person alive.
"Come now, my love." Cersei said as she walked out of Lord Stark's chambers followed by the Targaryen princess.
I have to speak to him.
"Thank you for trying to protect me." The Queen said with a small smile.
"You're family." Helaena simply stated, "Family protects each other."
"Helaena?" Cersei asked as the pair walked, "Do you love Joffrey?"
"Of course I do. I agreed to marry him when he becomes King, he was very romantic about it too-"
"That's all I needed to know." Cersei spoke, grin growing as she talks, "The King just so happens to go hunting later. You will marry Joffrey in a fortnight."
"But he isn't King-"
"Yet." Cersei said as they walked towards Lancel. "Make sure your King has more than enough wine."
Helaena's eyes widened upon realization. She plans on murdering him. Quite in a clever way as well actually, it's more suicide than murder.
Helaena left with Daemon, walking to the Throne room where the folk were expressing their troubles and concerns to the Hand. Normally, this is the King's duty, but the King was around this time already out to hunt. Killing clears his head, he says.
"So you and Joffrey will marry in a fortnight?" Daemon asked, recounting the details of her conversation with Cersei.
"Yes, we will." Helaena answered, "I don't know how exactly I feel about it all. It's all so mixed and mushed together."
"What is?" Daemon frowned.
"In a way I'm excited and happy but I'm also nervous." Helaena tried to explain, "Joffrey's very impulsive and sees everyone from the North as his enemy... I guess I simply fear for the Stark's safety."
"That's a valid fear, my princess." Daemon stated with a sigh, "That boy won't be a good King. But you'll be a good Queen, a great one even. You're the only one he really even bothers to listen to anyway."
"You really think that?" Helaena glanced up at Daemon who gave her a soft smile, "of course."
Once they reached the Throne Room, they saw Ned Stark sitting on the Iron Throne, listening to a man's complaints. She felt terrible that he got attacked by Jaime's men, but she desperately needed to speak to him.
Cersei has been watching his every single move since he arrived at the Capital and knows he's been asking questions about Jon Arryn. But what she didn't know was why he was in Lord Baelish's brothel before getting attacked.
"They burned most everything in the Riverlands." A man said, "Our fields, our granaries, our homes. They took our women, then they took 'em again. When they was done, they butchered them as if they was animals. They covered our children in pitch and lit them on fire"
"Brigands, most likely." Maester Pycelle said, almost bored and definitely not pleased.
"They weren't thieves." The man denied, shaking his head, "They didn't steal nothing. They even left something behind, your Grace."
"It's the King's Hand you're addressing, not the King." Pycelle said, upset. "The King is hunting."
"Clearly this man isn't taught who the Lords and Ladies, Princes and Princesses are especially the Hand." Helaena cut in walking to stand beside the Hand with Darkfyre tall and mighty on her shoulder. "Please, continue to express your troubles, kind sir."
The man nodded and a sack was brought forth and the fishes poured out.
The people groaned in disgust.
"Fish. The Sigil of House Tully." Baelish acknowledged, then whispered to the Hand, "Isn't that your Wife's House, Lord Hand? Tully?"
"These men, were they flying a sigil?" Ned asked. Noticing the confused look on the man's face he added, "A Banner?"
"None, your- Hand." The man corrected himself before saying your Grace on accident again, "The one who was leading them, taller by a foot than any man I've ever met. Saw him cut the Blacksmith in two, saw him take the head off a horse, with a single swing of his sword."
"Sounds like someone we know." Helaena whispered. "The Mountain."
"You're describing Ser Gregor Clegane." Ned told the man.
"Why should Ser Gregor turn brigand?" Pycelle asked. "The man is an anointed Knight."
"He's a sore loser." Helaena stated with an eyeroll.
"I've heard him called Tywin Lannister's mad dog. I'm sure you have as well." Little Finger spoke to the Grand Maester. He then whispered to the Hand and the Princess, "Can you think of any reason as to why the Lannisters might possibly have for being angry with your wife?"
"If the Lannisters were to order attacks on villages under the King's protection, it would be-"
Baelish cut the old sack off, "It would be almost as brazen as attacking the Hand of the King in the Streets of the Capital."
"Well." Was all that Pycelle said.
Ned sighed, "I cannot give you back your homes, or restore your dead to life, but perhaps I can give you justice in the name of our King, Robert."
"Lord Berric Dondarrion" Ned called the man forth, "You shall have the command. Assemble 100 men and ride to Ser Gregor's Keep."
"As you command." The Lord said.
Ned Stark stood, with the help of his walking stick. "In the name of King Robert of the House Baratheon the first of his name, the King of the Andals and the first men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, I charge you to bring the King's Justice to the false Knight Gregor Clegane and all those who shared in his crimes. I denounce him and attaint him. I strip him of all ranks and titles, of all lands and holdings, and sentence him to death."
"My Lord." Pycelle now stood, "this.. This is a drastic action. It would be better to wait for King Robert's return."
"Grand Maester Pycelle." Ned stated.
"My Lord." The Maester bowed.
"Send a raven to Casterly Rock." Ned demanded. "Inform Tywin Lannister that he has been summoned to court to answer for the crimes of his Bannermen. He will arrive within the fortnight or be branded an enemy of the Crown and a traitor to the realm."
With a nod of his head, it was dismissed and he carefully made his way down the steps.
"A bold move my Lord, and admirable." Baelish said softly as he and Helaena walked by Ned Stark's side. "But is it wise to yank the lion's tail? Tywin Lannister is the richest man in all the Seven Kingdoms. Gold wins wars, not soldiers."
"Then how come Robert is King and not Tywin Lannister?" Ned asked as he walked off with Helaena.
"You've been meaning to talk to me?" Ned asked the Targaryen.
"I wanted to ask what you found in Baelish's brothel before being attacked." Helaena spoke quietly, making sure no one listened.
"The Queen's been killing Robert's bastards." Ned stated. They shared a look, in which they simply knew the reason to those baby killings. Cersei's sons were Lannister Bastards and Robert's bastards have more claim to the throne than they do.
~Meant to Burn Together~
"You wear your hair like a true southern Lady now." Septa Mordane commented, noticing Sansa's new style. Helaena had to admit, it did suit her.
"Well why shouldn't I, we're in the south." Sansa deadpanned as she continued sewing. Sansa had begged Helaena to stay with her during her lessons with her Septa because she'd be bored to death otherwise. The Princess couldn't blame her though, she's getting rather bored herself.
"It's important to remember where you come from." Septa said, "I'm not sure your mother would like these new styles."
"My mother isn't from the North." Sansa stated, annoyed.
"I'm aware of that." Septa sighed.
"Why do you care?" Sansa asked rudely, "Do you even have hair under there?"
"Yes. I have hair." Mordane replied.
"I've never seen it."
"Would you like to?"
"No. Where are you from anyway? The North or the South?" Sansa asked.
"I come from a very small village in-" Mordane was cut off.
"Oh wait. I just realized, I don't care." Sansa rolled her eyes.
Helaena just shared a look with Darkfyre, feeling awkward.
"Sansa."
"Septa."
"Now you are being rude." Septa said, not pleased at all.
Helaena heard the door open and someone walking in, and that someone was Joffrey.
As soon as they saw Joffrey they stood and bowed to greet him. "My prince."
"My Lady. My Princess." Joffrey greeted.
"I fear I have behaved monstrously the past few weeks." Joffrey apologized to Sansa, holding a necklace, "With your permission?"
Helaena didn't know what that feeling was but she did not like it. Was it perhaps Jealousy? Envy? Why was he being so nice to her all of a sudden after complaining that the North is his enemy.
Sansa blushed and turned around for him, so he could put the necklace on her.
"It's beautiful," Sansa smiled. "like the one your mother wears.
"You'll be Queen someday. It's only fitting you should look the part." Joffrey spoke softly, "Will you forgive me for my rudeness?"
"there's nothing to forgive." Sansa said sweetly.
"You're my Lady. One day we'll be married in the Throne room. Lords and Ladies from all over the Seven Kingdoms will come, from the last hearth in the North, to the Salt Shore in the South, and you will be Queen over all of them."
Helaena and Mordane shared a look. It was very clear in Helaena's violet eyes how hurt she felt, almost like a stab in the heart.
"I'll never disrespect you ever again." Joffrey promised, "I'll never be cruel to you again. Do you understand me?"
Sansa nodded as their bodies got closer.
"You're my Lady now." Joffrey cupped her cheek gently, "From this day until my last."
He leaned in and kissed her. He kissed her. What the fuck is happening right now?!
Helaena felt like she couldn't breathe. Her lungs were screaming at her to get out of there and breathe, so she did. Without another word or glancing in either of their direction, Helaena Targaryen stormed out of that god forsaken room.
She heard someone shout after her, but she didn't listen.
I have to get out of here.
Soon enough Helaena began running as fast as her feet could take her. What felt like hours of running she finally made it outside to the Weirwood tree where Joffrey proposed to her only a few days ago.
The Princess didn't realize she'd been crying until she felt a teardrop land on the top of her hand.
"Laena!" Joffrey came running after her. "Helaena."
"You're a very confusing man, do you know that, Joff?" Helaena said as tears ran down her cheeks, "You tell me one thing but your actions tell me another."
"Mother said it's good to do something nice for the girl every now and then-"
"Mother says this and Mother says that- are you going to do whatever mother says when you're King too?" Helaena snapped, glaring at him.
"No, I will do what I want." Joffrey stated sternly.
"Then what do you want?" Helaena narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you love Sansa? Do you want to marry her and put your babies inside her belly? Do you-"
Joffrey had enough, so he cut her off with a kiss. A Kiss with emotion.. not like the one he shared with Sansa.
"I only want you, my sweet and fierce Princess, do you hear me?" Joffrey said, "I had to be nice to Sansa because we need the North."
"You already have everything you need in your grasp."
Meant to Burn Together