dancing with our hands tied | r. targaryen

xxx.

126 A.C.
KING'S LANDING
•••

ALAYNE LOOKS AT THE SPIDER CRAWLING ACROSS THE PALM OF HER NIECE'S HAND. Helaena had been rambling on about the spider, and how it would bite but was not venomous, so it was harmless. She'd listen to her niece's every word though she only truly understood half of what she was saying. Helaena looked up at Alayne, a sad look on her face.

"Must you go?"

Helaena was speaking on Alayne's journey to Dorne with Beric to meet with Prince Qoren Martell. She had spoken of ending the warring in the Dornish Marches, but she told no one outside of her family of her plans to arrange a marriage. She had a feeling they would not view the alliance keenly. Especially not her sister who had been giving her the cold shoulder as of late.

"I'll be back soon," Alayne says, "Perhaps I can bring a scorpion for you to study?"

Helaena shakes her head, "It would be too complicated to catch one because of their pinchers. You may also get stung."

Alayne smiles at her niece, "I would willingly get stung for the sake of expanding your knowledge."

Helaena smiles back at her, "You could potentially die from a scorpion sting."

Alayne's smile slips away, "Oh, then maybe it's best you stick with spiders."

Helaena giggles as she holds her hand out to Alayne, the spider crawling freely over it. Alayne holds her hand out and the spider crawls into her own hand. Helaena smiles as she looks up at her aunt.

"It tickles," Alayne informs her niece with a smile.

"I know," Helaena says, "Rhaena says she doesn't like the way it feels when they walk across her hand. I quite like it."

"It does kind of grow on you," Alayne says as she observes the spider.

"Mother doesn't like them," Helaena says, her eyes steadily watching the spider. Alayne looks over at her niece, "She doesn't like me either. She thinks I'm unaware, but I know she wishes I were different."

"Helaena," Alayne says softly, "Your mother loves you."

"You can love someone without liking them," Helaena says as she meets her aunt's gaze, "Father loves us, but I do not think he quite likes us either."

"Your parents love you," Alayne says, "I think the situation is complicated. Your mother was young when she became a mother. She didn't know what to do and she was robbed of much of her youth. And your father, he was married before and he loved her dearly."

"So they didn't want to marry each other?" Helaena wonders.

Alayne takes a breath wondering how she could explain this to her twelve-year-old niece, "No, but duty required them to. However, that doesn't mean that they don't love you. Because they do."

"How is that possible when my brothers and I are a constant reminder of what they both lost?" Helaena wonders.

Alayne holds her hand out and Helaena accepts the spider back within her hand.

"May I?" Alayne asks and Helaena nods her head. Alayne wraps an arm around the young girl's shoulder, and she leans into her aunt's embrace. In recent years Helaena shied away when people tried to touch her. Most notably she'd pull away from her mother, never hugging her, not even allowing Alicent to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"I do not want you to go," Helaena whispers.

"I'll return," Alayne promises.

"I know," Helaena says, "But things are bad when you're not here."