Chapter Text
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ALICENT VIII
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123 AC -
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The recent events have been tough to Alicent.
She tought that her family's relations would get better after the war in the Stepstones ended, but she was wrong.
The tourney came and her eldest son suffered a bitter defeat at the hand of Laenor Velaryon.
It shattered the fragile peace that they were living in.
But, after some days, Aegon seemly returned to his former saracastic self.
And, as much as Alicent have a problem with his personality, at least he was recovering from his horrible mood.
Until Daemon decided to finally talk about the arrangement with their children.
She never expected it to got that badly.
Aegon was furious with the idea, because he was being forced at something and because he was marring Helaena.
His words towards Helaena managed to hurt Alicent's heart like a arrow.
But, hearing him was not near as painful as looking at Helaena's reaction while he said those words.
The sadness and shock on her daughter's face made the foundations of Alicent's soul tremble, like a castle about to collapse.
Every words of comfort and act of affection that Alicent could give to Helaena seemed to be too little to deal with the damage.
Her fragile flower was stepped on like a ant would.
And the fact that the one that did it was her son made things worse for Alicent.
The mother could only watch as Helaena left the room in a hurry to talk with her brother. To get in friendly terms with him.
And then, afterwards, Alicent found her daughter in the middle of a hallway in the Red Keep, crying her heart's content.
Helaena refused to give any answers. She could only cry and demand to get in her bedroom. Alicent was once more devastated.
What should she do?
That was the question moving in her head as she walked to her own bedroom after bringing Helaena to her own.
Exhausted, Alicent arrived in her bedroom, still empty as Daemon was dealing with some things.
She sighed as she changed clothes and put her gown on.
The princess lays on her bed, struggling to find a moment of peace that would allow her to fall asleep.
And then, the door opens.
Moving her tired eyes to the door, she sees Daemon entering the bedroom, his expression being covered by the darkness. Alicent sighs as she seats on the bed.
"Aegon broke her heart with his words even further. She was crying and would not tell me what he said. I can only imagine the worst of the worst right now. I don't know what to do, Daemon..." The princess says to her husband, stroking her hands in her face. Daemon snorts as he starts changing his clothes.
"It is pointless to talk about it right now. It is too late and things need to calm down before we make a move. Right now, you need to recover your temper." The Rogue Prince says in a dry tone, putting his light clothes on. Alicent sighs, looking at the ground.
"That is easier said than done, Daemon. How could i sleep properly when my daughter is miserable because of my son?" The princess point out, disheartened as a pair of rears roll down her eyes.
And then, Daemon presses his lips on her own lips almost aggressively. Surprised, she stops thinking.
When the kiss ends, Daemon looks at her with a frown.
"Now, can you please shut up? Tomorrow will be a long day, so i need a good rest beforehand." The Rogue Prince says in a dry tone as he lays in the bed and pulls Alicent on his direction.
Alicent lays by his side and frowns, her stress becoming a confusion of emotions. She sighs.
Maybe the mother that kept trying to comfort her children need comfort the most.
She gers closer to her busband, moving her arms around him and resting her head on his chest.
Soon, his chest start moving up and down as he breaths under his sleep.
Alicent closes her eyes and hears the beat of her husband's heart.
His heart moves in a rhythm that finally gives her some peace.
She quickly fall asleep, missing when Daemon pulled her body closer to his.
---
In the next day, Alicent decided to bring some food to Helaena in the morning.
The mother never did that before, but she thinks that it would help cheer up her daughter.
Standing in front of the door with a plate of sweet bread, Alicent knocks on the door.
No response. She sighs.
"Dear, it is your mother... i brought some food. Can we talk?" The woman asks in a soft tone. After some time, the door opens.
Helaena's hair was always quite messy, but now it is even worse. Her expression is tired and sad, with clear dark circles on her eyes. Alicent frowns, worried.
"By the gods... did you even get some sleep last night?" The mother asks, getting a bit nervous. Helaena sighs, demotivated.
"Not much, to be honest. It was... tough to get some sleep." The young princess proclaims in a low tone of voice.
Alicent sighs and walk inside the bedroom. The mother seats in the bed and taps on a free space on her side.
Looking down, Helaena closes the door and seats on the bed as well.
Alicent smiles to her daughter, extending the plate to her.
"Come on, take one. I know you love them. You must eat something." The mother says in a gentle tone. Helaena hesitates, but grab a bread and slowly starts eating it.
Alicent sighs in relief and hold the free hand of Helaena on her own hand.
"What happened last night?" The mother asks in a worried tone. The daughter looks at her, surprised. Almost terrified.
"What do you mean?" The young princess asks in a nervoys tone. Alicent sighs, holding Helaena's hand more firmly.
"A maid told me that she heard you quietly crying in the early morning when she came to wake you up. She went to me imediatly." The lady in red declares. Her daughter sighs, looking at the bread in her hands as her lips start to tremble.
"I... i talked with Aegon last night. He was certainly... not in a good mood. He said some things to me and..." The princess struggles to say, stopping in the middle of a phrase as her eyes start tearing up and she covers her mouth to stop her hiccups.
Alicent quickluy moves a arm around Helaena, getting her into a side hug as she moves her hand up and down her arm on the other side.
Seeing Helaena cry is the same thing to her to see a newborn cry. Such innocence and purity being violated by tears of sadness should be a big sin.
But, she can't feel anger against the person that caused it. Not when that person is her own son. She can only feel her heart shatter like glass.
Yet, Alicent knows that she need to be strong here. For her family.
As a mother, keeping her family united is her duty. And she refuses to give up.
"Your brother has more problems than we can possibly imagine, dear. But, you need to remember that he is still your brother. He is still your family. And our family must stay together as one, otherwise the world will tear us apart." The mother proclaims. Helaena looks at her mother with a hurt expression on her red face, full of tears.
"You expect me to just accept this? Is that your solution?"
If that words were spelled of anyone else, they would certainly be filled with anger and revolt.
But, that words coming from Helaena were filled by sadness and hopelessness.
Another arrow on the already injured heart of a mother.
Alicent holds Helaena's face with her hands, looking at her in the eyes with conviction.
"No. I don't want you to accept it. I want you to help, Helaena. I want you to extend a hand to your brother, and help your brother walk away from the abyss he walked himself in. I can't trust this duty to anyone else." The mother proclaims in a tone full of emotion. Helaena looks more calm, but confused.
"Why... me? From anyone else in this world, why am i the one that must do that? He don't even like to be around me!" The princess proclaims, moving the plate away from her and getting up, turning her back to her mother.
Alicent gets up too and look at her daughter's back as Helaena tries to fight the hiccups. The mother sighs.
"I am asking you to do that because i know you, Helaena. Your kind spirit and honesty is what your brother needs to be around more. Snakes in form of charming women are everywhere, but you are special. As Aegon's mother, i could not wish for a better bride for him than you." The princess says in a completely honest tone. Helaena sniffs as she calms down. She looks at her mother from the corner of her eye.
"You think that i can help Aegon? How am i suposed to that? I am not one of the prettiest women around, and even less one of the most charismatic... why would someone ever want me?" The princess points out in a sad tone, looking away as she makes her last question in a low tone.
Alicent walks to her daughter, taking her hand and moving her around. Their eyes met. The will of a mother and the sadness of a daughter fight in a inglorious battle of glances.
"You are much more than you give yourself credit for, my dear. What you lack is confidence, and that is exactly what your brother lacks as well. You two can climb that mountain together. Even if this marriage does not work out in the end, i need you two to be in good terms. So, my love, will you help your brother?" The mother asks in a emotional tone, holding both of Helaena's hands. The young princess take a deep breath and opens a melancholic smile to her mother.
"I will try, but he needs to open himself to the possibilities, and that seems unlikely." The princess proclaims in a honest tone. Alicent holds her daughter's face once more, smiling.
"Believe me, he will. You just need to keep being the bright star and extend a hand to him. Now, smile, my child. We need more of it in our family." The mother proclaims and both mother and daughter exchange large smiles before hugging with a laugh.
As they hug, Alicent strokes Helaena's hair with her hand. The mother frowns.
"Your hair desperately needs some care. How about we spend the whole morning together working on it with the handmaids? We could use some feminine bonding, don't you think?" The mother proposes with a gentle smile as they break the hug. Helaena frowns, looking uncertain.
"I don't know... the handmaids talks mostly about the lives of others. That is quite... mean." The young princess proclaims. Alicent laughs as the two walk to the dkkr.
"Oh dear, that is just how some women behave. Just don't believe everything they say. You know how much they can makes things seem worse than they really are just for the sake of making a boring life more interesting." The mother proclaims and they laugh together, leaving the bedroom.
Hearing the laugh of her daughter once again makes Alicent's day a little brighter
---
As the morning ends and the afternoon comes, Alicent has to face the otherside of the coin.
The mother of five get out of her carriage, landing her feet in the rough terrain in the open part of the Dragonpit.
The whole place is crowded due to the festivities of the tournament still happening.
Guards come up and separate the people visiting the Dragonpit from the princess in red.
The people on the crowd keep looking at the sky, expecting something to happen and whispering about it.
Alicent herself look at the sky, searching for something, or rather, someone. Seeing nothing, she looks at Ser Criston, who is by her side.
"Where did he go? I told him to not fly out of King's Landing." The princess proclaims with a frown. Ser Criston smirks.
"He did not leave the city, my princess. He is still around, just higher than you imagine." The Lord Commander says, looking back at the sky.
Alicent frowns and look once more in the same direction, and then, she sees something descending from the Sky.
With a powerful roar that could be heard around the entirity of King's Landing, the bright figure of Sunfyre flys around the Dragonpit.
The crowd cheers in celebration for the arrival of the dragon.
The princess in red sighs in relief, but keeps her serious posture while the dragon finds the right place to land. She and the Lord Commander quickly make their way there.
Alicent observes as Sunfyre lands and bows himself to let his rider get out of his back.
In all 16 years of Aegon's life, Alicent never managed to find her eldest son more happy than after he lands from a flight on Sunfyre.
The honest smile on his facr and the shine on his eyes is a vision to behold for her, as his mother.
She sweared to the gods that she would do her best to see this expression more often, and she will keep that promise.
However, the smile of Aegon quickly becomes a cocky one as he assumes a prideful posture and waves a hand to the crowd, separated from him by the guards in a safe distance.
The crowd cheers and the loud sound seems to bother the most visible being in the area.
Sunfyre let out a strong growl between his grinded teeth towards the crown, that lose some voice and retreat, some scared and some impressed.
Aegon moves to his dragon, scratching a certain point under his huge chin.
"Gīda ilagon, valītsos... (Calm down, boy...)" The prince says with a smirk. Sunfyre snort hot air before retreating himself a bit, closing his jaws, but still gazing at the crowd.
With a sign from Ser Criston, the guards guide the crowd away from the are, causing disappointment as they leave
Alicent gets closer to her child and his dragon, walking in the composed posture that she is used to.
Sunfyre turns his head to Alicent and Aegon rises his hand in the dragon's scaly neck.
However, before he could tell the golden beast to calm down once more, Alicent already stands in front of Sunfyre, confident. She opens a smooth smile.
"Kesā daor ōdrikagon se ondos bona gaomagon naejot tepagon ao havor, paktot? (You will not hurt the hand that used to give you food, right?)" The princess says to the dragon in High Valyrian, extending her hand.
Aegon's surprised face almost makes her laugh, but she keep looking at the terrifing eyes of Sunfyre.
The golden beast's head gets closer to her hand and hid large nostrils take on her smell.
Sunfyre snorts warm air and let her hand touch his scaly snout. Alicent smiles, relieved in the inside.
"Sȳz valītsos... (Good boy...)" The princess says as she strokes his snout slowly. Sunfyre looks calmer now.
Aegon smirks to his mother, still looking at her hand like it is some kind of aberration.
"I forgot that you knew High Valyrian. Why don't you use that more?" The prince asks, curious. Alicent snorts, looking at her son.
"It is not a language that resonates with the origin of my blood. I just learned it to be a proper wife of a Targaryen prince and mother of several more." The princess proclaims, smiling a bit to him. Aegon crosses his arms and rise a eyebrow.
"Are you sure of your first statement? Sunfyre is usually agressive to non-Valyrians. You might have some blood of the dragon in you, at the end of the day." The prince says with a smirk. Alicent sighs and then laughs a bit.
"Believe me, it is not the case. You are just losing the more logical explanation here. Sunfyre grew up with you. I know him his whole life, and, like i said, i used to give him some food with my own hand. It does not matter if it is a dog, a elephant, or a dragon, they can remember well what is a enemy and what is not." The princess says, looking back at Sunfyre, who let out another snort. Aegon nods, looking toughtful.
Alicent retreats her hand and Sunfyre starts moving.
The golden dragon moves his large body towards one of the carvenous entrances of the Dragonpit, searching for his lair.
Aegon laughs a bit and Alicent looks at him.
"What is so funny?" The mother asks, curious. Aegon looks at her with a smirk.
"I just find that whole situation quite hilarious. I can feel what Sunfyre feels through our bond. It is funny to see him react with more emotions than anger, hunger and excitement." The prince explains. Alicent is even more intrigued now.
"What was he feeling?" The princess asks. Aegon suddenly frowns, his smile almost fading away.
"He was rather confused about what to feel, but he got relaxed when you touched him. Yet, That was wierd." The prince explains. Alicent laughs a bit.
"That was cute, specially coming from a bloodthirsty beast like Sunfyre." The princess says with a smile.
And then, the rest of Aegon's smile fades a he looks at her in the eyes, frowning.
"What do you want with me, mother? Why did you came here?" The prince asks, suddenly defensive. Alicent can see that he has a idea about what it is. She sighs, looking at him with a serious gaze.
"I came here to hear what you have to say." The princess proclaims. Aegon frowns.
"I have nothing to say to you." The prince says, taking a step to move away, but being stop by his mother moving to stand on his way. She relax her frown.
"You can't hide from your actions forever, Aegon. I just want to hear what you have to say about last night. Just that." The princess says in a softer tone. Aegon grunts.
"It does not matter what i say to you now. Helaena certainly told you her version of how much of a terrible person i am." The prince proclaims, skeptic. Alicent looks at him with a almost sad gaze.
"Do you really think that low of your sister, Aegon? That is how you honestly expect Helaena to act?" The moster asks in a low tone of voice. Aegon takes a step back with that.
After seconds of silence, he sighs, looking away.
"No. I don't." The prince says in a more composed tone. Alicent sighs, relieving some tension before getting closer to Aegon.
"Look at me, Aegon." The princess demands in a gentle tone.
Her eldest son hesitates, but Aegon eventualy looks at her. And she can see all the different kinds of emotions behind his handsome purple eyes.
He is lost.
As his mother, she feels a heartache just from looking at his eyes. Her brown eyes look at him with sadness.
"Your sister is a pure soul and you know that. She was never wicked to anyone or anything in this world. So, i have to ask you. Why did you treat her the way you did?" The princess asks, trying to be as open as possible with him. Aegon looks at her for a few more seconds of silence before he frowns.
"I had a humiliating defeat in the first round of a tourney that i did not want to be a part of, and then right after i manage to move on from it, i am informed by my father that i will be forced to marry Helaena. A girl that i don't find attractive. A girl that i dont find interesting. A girl that i barely talked in my whole life depiste being my sister. I just wanted to choose a girl liked the most from a list of options. Is that too much to ask for?" The prince proclaims with a bitter tone.
Alicent stares at Aegon with soft eyes, making him calm down. Bit by bit. She takes a deep breath.
"I know very well how it can be frustrating, Aegon. But, i want you to remember that Helaena is not a random girl that we are marring you with. She is your sister. Your blood. You can voice your disagreement, but i expect you to treat Helaena with the respect that she deserves from her bother. I know you, Aegon. You are not a bad person at heart. And you certainly know that whatever you said to her was wrong. I just want you to compensate your mistakes. To make things right. Can you do that for me?" The princess asks in a kind and hopeful tone.
Aegon's eyes get softer and expression shows clear conflict. And finally, he sighs.
"Fine. I will play that game of yours. But don't expect me to suddenly enjoy her company." The prince proclaims in a dry tone. Alicent smiles.
"That is fair. And you will apologize to her, right?" The mother asks, being more serious once more. Aegon grunts.
"I will." He says, to the relief of his mother. Alicent opens a large smile.
And then, she hugs her son.
Alicent is surprise how stiff Aegon gets under her embrace, but she keeps her hold on him and lays her head on his shoulder.
She has to enjoy this moments, as he eldest son will soon be to tall for her to be able to do that.
"I know that it can be tough to accept the mistakes we make, Aegon. And that is why i am proud of you." The princess says in a honest tone. Aegon does not react in anyway.
When she let go of him, she can see his face. The surprise and confusion in his expression makes her blood run cold.
Is the distance between them so large that her own son can't react properly to her touch?
And, as if reading her mind, Aegon turn around and moves towards the carriage. No words.
Alicent sighs, feeling demotivated once again. Then, she feels a hand on her shoulder. She looks to the side and see Ser Criston smiling to her.
"Don't be sad about how he acts, princess. It is just a matter of time until he realises how important he truly is to you." The white knight says with confidence. Alicent smiles to him and them looks at the carriage.
"I hope so, Ser Criston. I hope so." The princess says and moves towards the carriage, with the Lord Commander following her.
In her way to the carriage, Alicent closes her eyes a make a silent prayer to the Crone.
She asks for wisdom.
Wisdom to herself and wisdom to her family.
---
The night cames, and another silent family dinner ends.
This time, it is just a dinner between Alicent, her husband, and their kids. That makes things easier.
As they get up to live, Alicent observes her husband turn to Aemond.
"Take Daeron to his bedroom and go to yours as well. We will stay here to exchange some words." The Rogue Prince demands in a serious tone. Aemond grunts.
"As you wish. I have no interest in listening to another conversation like the one from yesterday." The second son proclaims, walking out, pulling Daeron with him by his arm. The younger brother protests, but Aemond does not care as the two leave the dinner room.
The silence reigns in the room as the last four members in the room stand in front of the table.
Aegon and Helaena stand in front of their parents, side by side. They avoid all eye contacts with each other. Daemon frowns to them, crossing his arms.
"First, we need to solve the mistakes that were made yesterday. Aegon, look into the eyes of your sister and say what you have to say." The Rogue Prince proclaims in a dry tone.
Aegon sighs and look at Helaena, who struggles for sometime before finally managing to keeo eye contact with him.
Alicent feels a imaginary pain on her heart when she sees Helaena poking the skin under her nails.
Of everything that her only daughter could have inherited from her, she had to inherit her harmful habit that she does when she is under stress.
Poor girl.
Aegon takes a deep breath and take a step forwards, getting closer to Helaena, who gets more anxious than before.
"Helaena... i am really sorry about what i said to you. I acted like a idiot and managed to hurt my own sister that had nothing to do with the whole situation. I hope that you can find some kindness left in your heart to forgive me." The prince says in a low tone of voice. And Alicent can see that he is trying his best to keel the eye contact with Helaena.
The young princess opens a short smile, taking away the weight that was over her mother's shoulders.
Helaena struggles with words, but takes a deep breath and starts to speak, looking down.
"It is all in the past now. I hope that we can search for a brighter future together. I forgive you, Egg." The princess proclaims, extending her hand.
Aegon gently takes her hand and shake it with care.
The total opposite of the irritated frown on his face.
"Don't call me that." The prince proclaims under his breath. Helaena nods, but she has a short smile.
Alicent holds her laugh and look at her husband. He is still stern.
"So, Aegon, are you going to finally accept the marriage or not?" The father asks in a dry tone. Aegon let Helaena's hand go and frown to his father.
"Not yet. You said that there was something that would happen before that. What was that?" The son asks the father with a curious expression. Daemon snorts, almost getting a smirk on his face. The father looks to his two elder children and slowly walks around them.
"You are coming of age, Aegon. And there is something that some nobles do to celebrate that. Can you remember what your cousin did?" The Rogue Prince asks, stimulating his son to think. Aegon frowns, trying to remember.
"I was only six, but i think she... travelled around the realm. Is that your idea?" The prince asks, very surprised. Helaena looks at her father with hesitation. Daemon keeps his frown.
"It is not a excuse for you to make a fool of yourself in feasts, Aegon. Remember that." The Rogue Prince proclaims in a very rispid tone. Aegon still looks interested in the proposition.
And then, he just smirks.
"So, we will travel around Westeros, participating in feasts, free from pressure and the constant study and training that we do here? I was not born yesterday, father. What is the catch?" The prince asks, skeptic. Daemon give a look to Alicent.
The mother takes a step forward, stealing the attention of her two children.
"The main reason for that journey is for you two to get closer and solidify a future marriage. But, that journey is also a diplomatic move. Despite you two being just nephew and niece of the King, you are still members of House Targaryen. That is why we want reports from you." The princess explains. Helaena frowns.
"Reports? What will be written in those reports?" The princess asks in a curious tone. Daemon snorts, taking their attention back to him as he keeps walking around them.
"When you two arrived in a place. When you two left a place. What you two did during a feast. We want to know this sort of thing." The Rogue Prince explains. Aegon grunts.
"So, you want us to travel around the Seven Kingdoms, but still wants to be in control. What is the point of that, then?" The prince asks, getting irritated. Alicent takes another step forward.
"It is not about control, Aegon. It is a normal diplomatic act. Communication is very important when you are away from home. For the future, we need to be sure that both of you are able to communicate properly with us through letters." The princess explains. Aegon seems to understand, but he keeps a frown. Daemon grunts and stop walking around, clearly impatient.
"I had enough of that drama. I will be direct now. You two will travel around the main castles of Westeros. Highgarden, Casterly Rock, Storm's End, Riverrun, the Eyrie and Winterfell." The Rogue Prince points out. Helaena frowns.
"What about the Iron Islands?" The princess asks. Daemon frowns to her.
"I don't trust the ironborn, and neither should you." The Rogue Prince says with a dry tone. Helaena slowly nods and Aegon takes a step towards his father.
"I still don't get the whole report thing." The young prince points out. Daemon sighs, getting closer to him. Their eyes meet.
From behind Aegon, Alicent can see the mortal gaze that her husband is giving to their son.
"You don't get it, boy? Let me tell you, then. The future will be really, really dangerous to our family. We will need connections in Westeros. You two will make that connections happen and i need to have all the informations that we can. Do you get it now, boy?" The Rogue Prince asks in a smooth whisper filled with a aggressive tone. Aegon looks surprised, but he nods.
Daemon snorts and walk back. Aegon composes himself again, but the silence reigns until Alicent breaks it.
"Anymore questions?" The mother asks. Aegon turns to her.
"Can we go to Storm's End first? Lord Borros and i have a good relationship. It would be a nice place to start." The prince points out. Alicent finds that proposition pretty good, but she looks at her husband. Daemon shrugs his shoulders.
"Fine. You two can make the plans however you want, as long as you tell use beforehand so we can confirm things with the lords. Don't try to make any surprise, boy." The Rogue Prince proclaims with a serious tone. Aegon nods. Helaena looks at her mother.
"We will... sleep in different bedrooms, right?" The princess asks, shy. Aegon frowns to her and them to their mother. Alicent nods with conviction.
"It would be very inappopriate to let you two sleep in the same bed before the marriage and i know very well that the situation between you two is not that good either. The bedrooms will certainly be separated." The princess in red proclaims. Helaena sighs in relief. Aegon snorts and look at both of his parents.
"Is that all?" The prince asks, anxious to leave the room. Daemon crosses his arms once again.
"You can leave, but we have to say one more thing to Helaena." The Rogue Prince says. Aegon nods and leaves the room, not looking behind.
Helaena looks at her parents, nervous.
"Did i do something wrong?" The young princess asks in a low tone of voice. Alicent smiles to her.
"No, sweetie. We just need to talk about new... habits that you might want to develop." The mother says. Helaena frowns.
"Habits?" She asks, looking at her father in a search for answers. Daemon gets closer to her.
"We need this marriage plan to succeed, Helaena. It would be very important if you did some effort of your own to help." The Rogue Prince explains as he stops right in front of her. Helaena still looks confused and uncertain.
"And what i need to do?" The princess asks, more hesitant than curious. Alicent looks at her with a soft gaze behind her serious expression.
"We need you to take more care of yourself, Helaena. We need you to develop in beauty, confidence and safety. In beauty, we need you to care more about how you look and about what you dress. You are beautiful, dear. You just need to accept that and let that grow on you. Once it grows, you will also develop the confidence that you need to get out of your shell. I am certain of that." The mother proclaims with a gentle smile, holding Helaena's face on her hands. Helaena smiles to her mother and then frowns, getting away for a bit and looking to both of her parents.
"What do you mean with safety, however?" The young princess asks. Daemon snorts.
"You will not always be protected by someone else. You need to be able to defend by yourself. While i think that larger weapons are too much for you, i also think that you could give some practice with a knife or a bow." The Rogue Prince suggests. Helaena looks concerned.
Alicent can see the hesitation on her daughter. Helaena always tried to be the most far away from violence. Even looking at blood could make her go pale from time to time.
The girl looks at her father, scared.
"I am s-sorry father, but i-i can't." The princess says, crossing her arms, not in act of revolt, but in a instinct of protecting herself. Daemon sighs.
"Listen to me, Helaena. You can't escape from conflict forever. Nobody can. And specially not us. When you get attacked in the middle of the night with no help around, what will you do?" The Rogue Prince asks in a softer tone. Helaena's lips trembles, but she don't answer.
Before Daemon can continue his confrontation, Alicent takes the word.
"You don't need to do everything, Hel. You just need to learn the basics, like how to manage a dagger and how to shoot a arrow. You can do that, right?" The mother asks in a gentle tone. Helaena takes a deep breath and then nods.
"I think so..." The princess says in a distant tone. Alicent smiles and Daemon sighs.
"Good. Your practice will start after the fesitivities ends and will stop when the travels begin in the next year. Do you understand?" The Rogue Prince asks. Helaena nods, looking down.
Daemin waves his hand and Helaena quickly walks away from the room.
As the door closes, Alicent looks at her husband, concerned.
"I think we should have told her about the most important part, Daemon. She will need to get used to it too." The princess proclaims. Daemon snorts.
"She will, in time. She needs to develop herself before she can go to that part. But, in the end, she will learn how important it will be. It does not matter how she feels about it now. She is my daughter. Blood of my blood." The Rogue Prince proclaims in a confident tone.
Alicent nods, seating on top of the wooden table and looking around the place.
"This room gives me some memories. This is the same place that we had our first dinner together." The princess says in a distant tone. Daemon smirks.
"The first i kiss i stole from you, too." The Rogue Prince points out with a provocative tone. Alicent blushes a bit, but also smirks. She walks towards him.
"We danced for the first time together that night. Just two idiots dancing to no music at all." The princess remembers and laughs. Daemon snorts.
"I was testing your will to compete. I would have no use for a wife that lacks wit." The Rogue Prince points out. Alicent smirks, getting closer to him.
"Did i pass?" She asks, standing right in front of him. Daemon gets his face closer to her own face.
"Barely." The Rogue Prince points out before getting distance and laughing. Alicent snorts.
"You laugh now, Daemon Targaryen, but i doubt that this aged joints of yours can keep the same pace that you once did." The princess in red provokes. Daemon frowns to her.
He approaches his wife, extending a hand and smirking.
"Want to test that blasphemous theory of yours, my lady?" The Rogue Prince asks with his typical sarcastic smile.
Alicent smiles at him, a sarcastic smile on the outside, and a honest one on the inside.
Maybe she is living a marriage of lies for almost two decades, but her heart prefers to never find out.
"I would love to, my lord." She says, holding his hand firmly. Daemon smirks and make the first move.
As they dance in the silent room and fill it laughs and provocations, Alicent feels young once again.
But, as the dance goes, she could see that Daemon was getting more and more tired, even if he was trying to hide it.
Age.
The relentless passage of time that destroys everything in it's way.
The sad end of a beautiful song.
As her blood red dres moves around with each movement of their meaningless dance, she mourns the inevitable end of it.
But, with a sigh, she opens a smile.
Right now, all she can do is enjoy the song while it is still being played in her ears.
And be grateful that she was there to hear it.
---