Undo It / Viserys Targaryen / Rieka Stark

5. Green Caterpillar

Rieka knew realistically she shouldnt be the one to tell the children their mother had died. Murdered much like she murdered her step daughter rhaenyra but rieka also felt like they needed a gentle touch when told.

"Hi. Im Rieka Stark... I..." dont know how to say this, Rieka thought as she stared back at the children. They had already witnessed so much death so much violence had experienced it themselves. She didn't know how to say their mother was dead. They lost another person that they loved so dearly.

Aemond loved his mother. Helaena and Aegon very much indifferent about her. The queen had children when she was very young. Too young to be having children in riekas mind. And that put a strain on their relationship.

Aegon and helaena had been constant reminders of the pain and suffering Alicent had been through. She had been queen, but you felt like a prisoner in a castle. Free to move around the suppose shackles all around her.

When Aemond came along, she already knew the drill, and instead of pushing him away, she found comfort in her youngest boy.

But now Alicent was dead.

Rieka leaned back looking them over, she didnt know how to say this. Men were never good at talking to the most important people in their lives it seemed. Rieka's father knew how to talk to her about hunting and training but everything else he gave her a look of panic, he was still one of her favorite people in the world but she understood why viserys couldnt tell his children such things. He didnt know what to say, because how does one say it.

"You have been through a lot recently." Rieka remarked.

"Yes." Aemond agreed. "Whats going on?"

"I'm Rieka Stark..."

"You said that." Aegon agreed.

"Right." She agreed. "I'm here because your father wanted me... I..." this was harder than it seemed. "You are not children... you are young adults in the making, so I'm not going to talk down to you like most would, is that alright?" Rieka questioned. Helaena moved to her side and grabbed her hand.

"The green caterpillar died before it got a chance to become a butterfly." Helaena informed her. Rieka didnt understand. "She's dead." Helaena whispered. "The caterpillar is dead. Always the brightest of greens."

This was this little girls way of coping, riddles and bugs.

"Your mother passed away." Rieka told them bluntly. "I know these past moons have been hard on you, but you have your father still, he is here for you when you need him."

"He's not now." Aegon countered. "You are."

"Because he didnt know how to tell you that she died." Rieka agreed.

"Just like that." Aegon countered. "I dont care." Aegon lied. "She never loved me." Aegon marched off, Rieka glanced his way as the door slammed shut. Helaena moved to the windowsill and yes, there was a green caterpillar, she flung it out the window with a flick of her finger before moving to her needlepoint silently. Weird. Rieka looked to Aemond, tears in his eyes. She sat beside him, wrapping an arm around him.

"She's really gone?" Aemond whimpered.

"I'm so sorry, Aemond." Rieka agreed. "Your mother loved you and your siblings, she really did. But... death is just another part of the circle of life." Rieka offered awkwardly. "But I think the people we love most in the world, stay with us, we get to hold a piece of them in our hearts forever."

"Forever?"

"You won't lose that feeling in your chest, that love you have, it will be forever within you."

"It's because she killed Rhaenyra, right?" Aemond whispered. "She was killed?"

"I dont know what happened." Rieka countered kissing his temple. "Sweetie dont make yourself anxious with this. Your mother wouldnt want you worried or vengeful."

"Those bastards did this?"

"No, they are more children than you. They didnt kill your mother. Please, Aemond... look at me. It was awful what happened to your mother but dont start fights that could get you hurt." Rieka instructed. "Your mother wouldnt want that."

"I can't thank you enough." Viserys remarked. Rieka took the bottle from him and took a long sip.

"You dont need this." Rieka informed him taking a seat.

"You are probably right." Viserys admitted. "How are they?"

"You should talk to them.' Rieka suggested. "Aegon thinks his mother didnt love him, helaena thinks I was talking about a caterpillar I think and Aemond wants to kill Rhaenyra's boys thinking they were the ones that killed his mother... I dont know that I helped."

"Heavens." Viserys declared.

"Yeah." Rieka agreed. "So good luck, I will sit here and drink while you talk with them."

"How about we just stay here together and let them cool off for the night." Viserys suggested. He placed his hand atop hers. "I know I should feel more sad but... I just feel... I just ..."

"What?" Rieka questioned.

"I look at you and its like all the pains of the past moons fade away." Viserys decided.

"You should be a poet, you missed your calling."