Castles Crumbling / Helaena Targaryen/ Taelon Targaryen

16. Competition

It had been five moons since Laena's funeral and Otto had been pressuring Alicent to speak to the king about Helaena and Taelon. Aegon was just happy that he really didnt have to marry Helaena.

Taelon had started eating more and training harder. He was looking like his old self. His shirts no longer loose but filled in muscles tugging at the hems.

Helaena had never been interested in watching the men train until taelon and he was training the twins for their upcoming fourth name day. She could watch him for hours while pretending to read or just cheering him in from the sidelines

"You look good Tael." Tommen remarked

"You saying I looked bad before?" Taelon countered. Tommen chuckled

"Absolutely hideous." He agreed.

" you know, I never- I dont think I ever said I was sorry... for not coming to the funeral."

"You apologized a million times," tommen countered. "And don't worry yourself about it, brother. Just smoke and ash." Tommen assured.

"Smoke and ash." Taelon agreed with a heavy breath.

"Again!" Elio demanded. Taelon chuckled glancing back at his boys as they tried to knock down a much bigger guard. "Come on. How will i ever learn?" Barton looked to taelon for confirmation

"Go easy on him Elio. Bartons an old man." Taelon called out

"And better with a bow and arrow!" Tommen added. " does he even know hand-to-hand combat? What does a hawk do on the ground? Get back up into your nest."

"Careful boy your son's life is in my hands." Clint countered.

"Not my boy." Tommen countered. " but as Godfather I suppose he is.... Don't break the baby."

"Im not a baby!" Elio shouted.

"Helaena," corey said pulling on her dress.

"Yes my sweet boy?" The boys were identical the more they grew the more they looked alike but helaena could tell them apart.

"What are you making?"

Making? Oh right today she was pretending to sew while she watched taelon and the boys. She flipped it around for him.

"A flower." Corey answered.

"Spiders wort." Helaena agreed.

"Icky name."

"But a beautiful flower."

"Why is it names after a spider?" Corey questioned pulling himself into her lap.

"Because when it blooms it looks like a spiders web i suppose." Helaena answered. Helaena put her sewing aside and kissed his cheek.

"Daddy said mama liked flowers." Corey informed her softly. Big violet eyes with a tinge of green stared up at her. As if he wanted her to say she was his mother.

"Corey!" Elio shouted. "Stop flirting and move your butt." Taelon laughed out as coreys face puckered.

"Im not flirting im with Helaena!" He shouted back. "She doesnt yell at me."

"I dont yell at you!" Elio yelled back. "Come on! Train with me!"

"You are yelling right now butthead!" Corey retorted.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are tooooo!" Corey shrieked.

"Only because you dont listen!"

"I listen!" Corey shouted back.

"What did I say?"

"What did I say?" Corey answered.

"Argh!"

Corey smirked victoriously up at helaena.

"Alright boys lets get some food." Taelon suggested. Corey slid off Helaena lap and she watched taelon move effortlessly to Elio picking him up and putting little elio on his shoulders.

"Helaena you want to join us?" Taelon questioned. Corey grabbed her hand pleading with her. 

"I would love to." Helaena agreed easily.

"Yes!" Corey declared.

"Talk to him." Otto demanded

"You are hand you talk to him." Alicent corrected

"Hes your husband." Otto countered

"Hes your friend." Alicent deemed. "And he cares for you more than he has ever cared for me."

"Alicent-"

"I like Taelon. He is a sweet man. Honorable   I would love helaena and him together but he grieves his wife. The love of his life."

"He has moved on. Its been years and he spends every day with helaena. Now is the time to strike before another- what is that?" Otto demanded glaring out the window. "Suitors." He tsked. "They will flock to taelon like ants to honey."

"Hes a man and helaena is a girl."

"A woman grown."

"I would hardly call 13 a woman grown." Alicent countered

"He adores her. I will get rid of the competition you speak to your husband." Otto commanded marching off.

"Do I have to?" Alicent whined.

"Im stuffed." Corey declared patting his stomach. He jumped into helaenas lap smiling up at her. "Can we play Helaena?"

"I would love that." Helaena agreed. The way taelon looked at her she didnt know he if saw her as his niece, a babysitter or something more.