"No... I made a friend." Helaena corrected and Aemond smiled through the pain.
"What kind of friend?" Aemond questioned. He knew Helaena's usual friends were less human and more creatures that she talked to but this seemed different.
"His name is Peter." Helaena answered and Aemond saw her blush.
"A boy."
"Yes a boy." helaena agreed. "What did you think I meant by friend?"
''What would you have me do?'' Viserys questioned incredulously.
''There is a debt to be paid. I shall have one of her son's eyes in return.'' Alicent declared
''My dear wife.'' Viserys said, annoyed thoroughly.
''He is your son, Viserys. Your blood.''
''Do not... allow your temper to guide your judgment.'' Viserys warned as the onlookers started to murmur.
''If the King will not seek justice, the Queen will. Ser Criston... bring me the eye of Lucerys Velaryon.'' Alicent demanded and Helaena looked to her mother before looking at Aemond.
''Mother!'' Luke shouted nervously.
''Alicent.'' Viserys warned
''He can choose which eye to keep, a privilege he did not grant my son.'' Alicent said confidently Criston stared down at her.
''You will do no such thing. Stay your hand.'' Viserys told Criston
''No, you are sworn to me!'' Alicent shouted
''As your protector, my Queen.'' Criston reminded her, he was not about to take the boys eye.
''Alicent, this matter... is finished. Do you understand?'' Viserys hissed as he started to walk away ''And let it be known, anyone whose tongue dares to question the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's sons should have it removed.''
''Thank you, Father.'' Rhaenyra said hopefully but Alicent grabbed a knife charging at Rhaenyra and her sons, it all happened so fast. '' No!'' Rhaenyra shouted grabbing Alicent and keeping her back.
''Stay your hand, Cole!'' Harrold warned as Criston was her protector but the women both looked murderous.
"Mother wouldnt... would she?" helaena whispered gripping to Aemond's hand, her eyes wide as Alicent held fury like no other.
''You've gone too far.'' Rhaenyra warned
''I? What have I done but what was expected of me? Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law. While you flout all to do as you please.'' Alicent spat, Rhaenyra held tight to Alicents arm, the blade gripped tight in Alicent's hand
''Alicent, let her go!'' Viserys warned
''Where is duty? Where is sacrifice?'' Alicent questioned her anger pushing Rhaenyra back
''It's trampled under your pretty foot again.'' Rhaenyra hissed.
''Release the blade, Alicent.''
''And now you take my son's eye, and to even that, you feel entitled.'' Alicent cried out.
''Exhausting, wasn't it? Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness.'' Rhaenyra countered smugly. ''But now they see you as you are.'' Rhaenyra remarked and Alicent sliced down Rhaenyra's arm, blood dripped on the ground as Alicent let the blade fall.
''Do not mourn me, Mother. It was a fair exchange. I may have lost an eye... but I gained a dragon.'' Aemond said stepping forward.
''This proceeding is at an end.'' Viserys warned.
"You got a dragon?" Helaena questioned.
"Were you not listening?" Aemond countered.
"I had other things on my mind." Helaena admitted.
"Peter." Aemond agreed. "When are you going to see him again?"
"I invited him to my name day celebration next moon." HElaena informed him. "He said he would come."
"I'm glad you made a friend Helaena."
"I dont want to wait a full moon to see him." Helaena countered softly.
+
The ride home was awful. Peter felt sick, he sweat up a storm, soaking his clothes, he had the strangest dreams.
It was two days on the ship, but they stopped off at ports along the way with other shipments and picking up and dropping off workers. When Peter finally got home he felt different.
His aunt asked him how it went and Peter stared back at her confused, as if in a daze. May smiled back at him cautiously.
"Peter?" May questioned bringing a hand to his forehead. "Oh honey, you are burning up." May declared.
"I'm okay." peter corrected. He pulled his bag off his shoulder only to remember that he ate all the food he had brought back. He didnt remember being so hungry but now his stomach growled like a dragon.
"Sit, I will make you some stew." May offered.
"No I'm okay just need some sleep." Peter offered putting his coin on the table. "I'm sorry I didnt bring any food back." Peter remarked distantly. "I got so hungry on the ride back."
"Nonsense, you worked hard." May assured him. "Get some rest. I have some bread baking, I will get started on the stew."
"Thanks aunt may." Peter agreed as he headed to bed. What was happening to him? He felt so strange, maybe he did caught a bug in driftmark. "Oh, Aunt may?"
"Yeah?" She turned to face him a smile on her delicate face.
"I met the princess." Peter remarked and Mays hands went to her heart as though she understood Peter's smile now. "Helaena, shes really brilliant, we talked for a while."
"Oh honey!"
"And pretty and we talked and... she invited me to her name day celebration. The both of us." Peter recalled.
"Oh honey she did like you! Thats so sweet." May declared. May picked up the coin peter had earned and put it in his clammy hands. "You get yourself a nice shirt with this money."
"We need it to pay for the room." Peter corrected.
"And you need it to the princess doesnt see you in your uncles old rags."
"She's engaged, its not like that." Peter reminded her.
"Yet you want to look nice for her." May countered, Peter nodded sheepishly.
"But a roof over our heads is better than a shirt to try and..." Peter sighed handing back the coin. "I dont even think I'm going to go."
"You are. Yes you are Peter Parker!" May declared. "If nothing else, just as her friend." Peter nodded smiling softly.
"I'm going to go to bed." Peter countered.
"Dream of your princess!"
YOU ARE READING
Better Man // Helaena Targaryen // Peter Parker
FanfictionHelaena's obsession with insects leads her towards a better man. He was the opposite of Aegon and treated her right but he was a low born commoner and they could never be. 🕸 "I gave you my best and we both know you cant say that." 🕷 Most charact...
