Tale of Two Queens

[046] the living and the dead

Young Helaena, all but seven, hurriedly ran from her mothers quarters as she sprinted to Mera's lessons with her brothers and nephews.

Her blue little shoes clicked in the halls of the red keep as she had lost her septa, freeing herself from that old hag's nagging. Her wild Valyrian hair blew in the breeze as she round the corner with a beaming smile and waited for her friend with a cheerful blush.

Mera promptly stepped out of the tutoring room with her brother and uncles playing roughly with each other as always. They looked princely and regal as much as their circumstance allowed but to Helaena, Mera looked just more...handsome.

Her simple black dress and white lace trim had been perfectly made with her white socks and black shoes glinting in the sunlight. She looked in utter disgust at her brother and uncles as they snorted and laughed, cackling like a fish monger. Of all the hours she had spent with her father, Mera still did not act like a fool well, at least not in public.

She envied their freedom and still despised them for their vulgarity. To have all the freedom in the world and yet they do nothing for the betterment of society, she scoffed at that. 

Ser Eryck stood by her since the entire morning, overseeing all of her accomplishments as Rhaenyra had ordered him next to her daughter to prevent her from being bullied. She knew what boys were like and even worse, Aegon and Aemond would always dress her son up to some antic before having it all blamed on Jace. 

Luke was no more than a babe but Rhaenyra was sure he'd be in the mischief in no time, not that she blamed him, he was just a boy.

Mera whipped her loose braid over her shoulder and bid her maester good day before leaving as Helaena darted after her. 

"Mera!"

She turned around with Helaena finally catching up and hooking her arm in hers, her grip strong and excited. "Mera, oh Mera I must tell you something." She had been out of breath, gasping for air as Mera narrowed her eyes at her.

Ew.

She started walking with Helaena as she composed herself. "I must tell you of a secret but first, you must tell me of your day. Mother told me today that the gods say it is good to self reflect."

Mera hummed, unfazed and somewhat irked by the mention of the faith and her step-grandmother. "I suppose that makes sense," she said to play along.

She took a deep breath before scoffing, "Your dear brother Aemond made his point of my role as a woman perfectly today, stating how I am made to bare children and mother them whilst he and his lot of pigs go hunt and drink."

Helaena sighed, a sweet smile of innocence as she played with the embroidery on her friend's sleeve, "You know my brother. He only parrots what my mother says."

"No kidding."

Helaena then pouted as she tilted her head, "What other jobs would you have? The marriage market is our battle field my mothers says."

"Ha!" Mera loudly exclaimed as she almost rolled her eyes in annoyance with Helaena softly flinching at her volume before Mera lowered it instantly when she saw her face of soft disdain. 

"Having a nice face and pleasant hair is not an accomplishment. Do you know what is an accomplishment? Receiving an education and perhaps being respected as a human and not a broodmare! You know if I were a man I'd have that from the second I was born."

Helaena nodded as she looked around before she pulled her friend a distance away from Ser Eryck. He understood the notion and kept a medium distance between them.

"I have a secret to tell you."

Helaena was never one to keep quiet about gossip. Not especially when her own brother was rumored to have sired a child among a serving maid. But of course, she only over heard it from her mother. Alicent's voice played back into her mind as she knew not to disclose the information of her brother to Mera.