A Place in This World // Helaena Targaryen

7. Purified

Meanwhile at the Red Queens Castle

A long hall was lined with frog footman with a fish butler, all impeccably dressed. The RED QUEEN'S angry scream came from behind closed doors. The doors banged open to reveal Iracebeth and the Red Queen. She had a huge oversized head, extremely large features, and bright red hair.

'Someone stole three of my tarts!" The red queen shouted marching down the hall. She leaned into the face of a frog. A threatening glare on her oversized head. ''Did you steal them?''

''No, your Majesty.'' the frog footman told her nervously. She walked the row, studying the face of each frog. At the end, she whirls to leer into the face of one terrified frog.

''Did you steal my tarts?'' she demanded

'No, Your Majesty.' he croaked out. She wiped a telltale bit of jam from the side of its mouth. She held her finger up and sniffed the juice.

''Squimberry juice.' she declared.

''I was so hungry!'' he told her nervously.

''OFF WITH HIS HEAD!' She screamed out and the Red Knights converged on the guilty Frog.

''No! Please! I have little ones to look after!' the frog footman declared. The Knights dragged him out. The Queen turned to the Fish Butler.

''Go to his house and collect the little ones. I love tadpoles on toast points almost as much as I love caviar." The red Queen instructed wickedly. The Fish butler suppressed his revulsion and anger as he nodded.

''Majesty?'' Knave of hearts spoke up and the Queen's face lit up to see him. Her wicked glares gone and replaced with her best flirty smile.

"Ilosovic Knave...you my handsome knave, where have you been lurking?" The red queen asked as she held out her hand. He kissed it, barely. She sighed happily though, batting her eyelashes.

''Majesty, I found the Oraculum." Knave remarked. He lay it on a table and rolls it out before them.

"That? It looks so ordinary for an oracle." The red queen countered incredulously.

''Look here. On the Frabjous Day.'' Knave told her. He pointed to the illustration of Helaena in the scroll.

''I'd know that tangled mess of disgusting silver hair anywhere. Is it Helaena?" The red queen asked.

''I believe it is.' Knave agreed

''What is she doing with my darling Jabberwocky?' The red queen declared a hand over her heart.

''She appears to be slaying it.''

''She killed my Jabber-babywocky!'' The red queen shrieked.

''Not yet. But it will happen if we don't stop her.''

''Find Helaena, Knave. Find her!'' The red queen screamed out.

''I will bring her head and lay it at your feet.' Knave assured

''No. Bring the whole girl. I want to do it myself.''

'Find the scent of human girl and earn your freedom." Knave instructed. The bloodhound looked up to him unconvinced.

"For my wife and pups as well?'' the bloodhound asked.

''Everyone goes home.'' Knave agreed. He put his nose to the ground and lead the Knights off. Knave stroked his horse's neck.

''Dogs will believe anything." knaves horse told him with a chuckle.

+

''It looks like you ran afoul of something with wicked claws."" Cheshire cat remarked. Helaena faltered back as she saw the disembodied head of a cat hovering midair.

''And I'm still dreaming!'' Helaena remarked but her arm stung to touch.

''What did that to you?'' Cheshire asked.

''Banner or Bander... I don't remember." Helaena admitted touching her arm. It really hurt, she didnt understand, did things always hurt this much in dreams?

''The Bandersnatch? I'd better have a look.'' Cheshire remarked and he disappeared only to reappear as a whole cat. Cheshire was all calm, casual sensuality with a seductive grin as he inspected the wound, then tries to lick it. Helaena pulled her arm back confused.

''What are you doing?' Helaena declared laughing out.

''It needs to be purified by someone with evaporating skills or it will fester and putrefy.'' Cheshire informed her as though it was obvious.

''I'll be fine as soon as I wake up.'' Helaena informed him. "It will go away when I wake." Cheshire chuckled. "Thank you for the... strange licking offer though." she added awkwardly. 

''At least let me bind it for you.'' he offered and Helaena nodded as she allowed him to use his handkerchief to bind the wound. "What do you call yourself?"

"Helaena."

"The Helaena?" Cheshire said happily.

''I'm not going into that again!'' Helaena told him stiffly. "The fucking flowers gave me hell for it."

''I never get involved in politics anyways, and don't talk to the flowers they are high on the poppy." Cheshire laughed out. Helaena stared back at him.

"OH!" Helaena laughed. "Because they are flowers." she realized, ''poppy, when I wake up I'm going to tell that one to my brother. Aemond, not Aegon." She clarified. "He will think thats funny." Cheshire smiled back at her.

"I suppose it wasn't a good joke if you had to think it through." Cheshire remarked. ''Well... You'd best be on your way.''

''What way?" Helaena countered. She pointed between the confusing signs. "I dont even know where I'm supposed to be going."

"No one told you, those damn rabbits." Cheshire remarked.

""Where are we going?" Helaena questioned. "Anywhere is better than seeing Aegon."

"Aegon?" Cheshire asked turning to stare back at her. "Don't know any Aegon's, such a strange name."

"Says the talking and floating cat." Helaena countered sweetly.

"Clever girl you are, I always knew the Helaena would be bright." Cheshire informed her, Helaena offered him a small smile. "we are seeing the mad hatter."

"Mad hatter?" Helaena countered. "Is he mad... like mad?" Cheshire laughed out. 

"You are going to love him."