Castles Crumbling / Helaena Targaryen/ Taelon Targaryen

14. Moonlight

Full Bloom / Alicent hightower out now!

"Dragonstone?" Taelon questioned.

"I need an escape uncle Taelon, please." Rhaenyra begged. Taelon nodded.

"Dont take advantage of your boys." Taelon instructed.

"I won't." Rhaenyra agreed hugging him. "Thank you."

"I'm not using it." Taelon countered with a gentle shrug of his shoulders. "I'm sticking around the capital, my brother needs me." 

"You will be a good heir, Taelon." Rhaenyra assured. Taelon gave a sad smile. 

"I hope so. But your father is still in good health, I dont think I could handle the crown right now." 

"You will find someone," Rhaenyra offered. "Someone special, someone that loves you as much as Calla did." 

"I dont need anyone." Taelon corrected. There was a misconception that you needed a counterpart to be happy in life. Taelon lost his counterpart, his better half, he didnt need to replace her. He wasnt looking to replace Calla. The boys however, especially since returning to the capital Taelon could tell they were missing a woman's touch the way they clung to helaena. 

''A word?''

''I take it he's gone.''

''We're finished here. We're leaving.'' Rhaenyra demanded

''What of your offer? Jace and Helaena?'' Laenor countered

''I have been undermined... and made a spectacle. They whisper about me in the corridors. Well, I leave them to it.'' Rhaenyra hissed. "Taelon said we could stay at dragonstone for a while." Rhaenyra added. 

''To Dragonstone then?'' Laenor agreed.

''We should've left years ago.'' Rhaenyra admitted sparing Taelon and his boys a glance. 

''What of your position?'' Laenor countered 'You've always said if you were absent from court, she would pour her honey in your father's ear."

"The wise sailor flees the storm as it gathers.'' Rhaenyra offered she glanced back at Qarl. ''Laenor... bring him. We'll need every sword we can muster.''

XXX

"You dont have to go." Viserys remarked when word came of Laena's death.

"Rhaenys is our cousin, Laena her daughter, it is the right thing to do." Taelon countered. "besides Daemon needs us."

"Does he?" Viserys countered.

"We havent been the best of brothers, mayhaps we change that." Taelon decided.

"Daemon is Daemon, you had a reason for running." Viserys countered.

"And now his wife is dead... again." Taelon offered even though they both knew that Rhea Royce's death didnt effect Daemon in the slightest. "We know that feeling. We have to be there for him." 

"He is one to move on easily." Viserys countered. "I wondered at times if our brother has a heart." 

"He does." Taelon answered. "it's a bit blackened but he has a heart." 

"You are probably right about that."  

Taelon stood on the ship deck for the majority of the trip, he watched the waves roll in. Corey was playing with Daeron, Elio was making faces at Aemond and Aegon was starting his drinking early. Helaena moved to Taelon's side and Otto noticed. Otto watched Helaena smiled up at him, watched her hand slide into his.  Taelon tipped his head over resting his head on top of hers. 

"Dolphin." Taelon whispered using their interwoven fingers to point to the bumps in the water, the peaks of fin poking out. But Helaena's focus was on her charming uncle Taelon.