#Alyra and Heleana are bffs

[feyhunter78]

Moonflowers (1/16)

Description: Dreams of love have always haunted her, and now Halaena finds herself reunited with Jacaerys, the sweet boy who always listened. Now he is older, bolder, and she finds herself thinking that maybe it would be alright if those dreams came true.

Sometimes time ran differently for Heleana, weeks would fly by in the blink of an eye, then hours would drag as long as years, and she had no way of telling which would happen when. At three and ten she was set to marry her brother, a boy of six and ten who made no move to hide his distaste for her. A year later she would give birth to her twins, that year flew by, but each night Aegon came to lay with her drunk and angry, those hours would drag on for years and years.

She noticed how her mind fluttered from topic to topic, how she would wake up in tears over the dreams she’d been cursed with, but most of all she noticed how her mind quieted in the presence of Jacaerys. He’d been ten when she’d married Aegon, still a boy with fluffy brown hair that clung to his mother’s leg. But he’d grown since then. No longer did he cling to his mother’s leg, but he stood beside her, tall and proud.

He'd seek her out, bring her bugs he’d found on Dragonstone, trinkets he’d collected from the markets, and listened to her talk. She liked that the most, that Jacaerys listened. No sighs of annoyance or grimaces, he would listen patiently, and ask questions that made her think. She found herself wandering to the training grounds under the excuse of watching her brothers, but her eyes were always drawn to Jacaerys.

His hair had grown and smoothed itself out. His face once childlike and rounded was now chiseled and strong. He swung his sword with confidence, and his kindness shown through in the way he would stop and help his brother correct his stance. Or how he would collect water for her brothers even though he knew they would refuse it.

When he spotted her, he would wave, and she couldn’t stop herself from waving back. Each time, he would trot over and engage her in a quick conversation, before Aegon and Aemond would intervene. Then she would be sent inside, and he would give her an apologetic smile. She didn’t blame him though, for all the anger her mother tried to instill in her, she could never blame Jacaerys.

The tourney was in celebration of the twins’ fourth name day. Heleana was seated up in the stands with her lady-in-waiting Alyra beside her. Heleana had confided in Alyra since they were children, but the further development of strange feelings for Jacaerys she’d kept to herself. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, or a trick, but she’d grown closer to Jacaerys since his family had returned to King’s Landing, and she wondered if he felt the same strange way she did.

“Jace is up next.” She told Alyra excitedly, leaning forward to catch a glimpse of the brown-haired man. He stood next to his father, sword at his hip, as they watched the duelers. As if sensing her gaze, Jacaerys looked towards her and tossed her a quick smile.

“Jace? I didn’t know you and the prince were so comfortable.” Alyra teased, leaning into Heleana as she spoke.

Heleana looked down at her lap. “We are family after all.”

“Yes, but only through the crown princess, so it’s not as bad as a direct relation.” Alyra crinkled her nose.

Heleana was aware her companion was unnerved by the “unholy” relations the Targaryens participated in. It was something Alyra and the queen had in common. Heleana herself couldn’t say either way, but when pressed, she confessed to Alyra that she wished she’d been allowed to marry for love.

“Oh hush.” Heleana said, swatting Alyra’s hand as Jacaerys came closer, his lance pointed towards Heleana.

“Princess, if I might request your favor?”

Heleana nodded and wrapped her embroidered ribbon around his weapon. “I wish you luck.”

“With this, I don’t need luck, princess, your beauty and kindness shall see me through.”

Alyra bit back a smile as Heleana let out a barely audible squeal.

“He’s very charming, is he not?” Alyra commented, a teasing smile on her face.

“A few words of flattery and you two are giggling like children.” Aemond sat beside Alyra nodding to them both.

Alyra tensed and bowed her head towards Aemond. She in turn had confessed her own strange feelings towards Heleana’s brother, but she like Heleana was not given the chance at love.

Alyra gathered her skirts, suddenly quite pale. “I’m afraid I may have left a candle burning in my chambers, I must go check, please excuse me.” She rose quickly and headed back towards the castle, ignoring Heleana and Aemond’s calls.

“She runs away quite often, doesn’t she.” Aemond commented, a hint of a laugh in his voice, his eye following Alyra.

“Perhaps from you, as you are the one who follows her day and night. The one who nearly ruined her chances at a successful betrothal.” Heleana said simply, her eyes watching as Jacaerys fought his opponent. She flinched when the other man slashed his arm, but Jacaerys pushed back.

“Shall I go after her then? Give her my sincerest apologies?” Aemond asked, trying to be coy, but she could see he was halfway out of his seat already.

“I don’t truly trust her betrothed, will you—” Aemond was already gone. She rolled her eyes at her brother’s impatience and turned back to the match. A roar came up from the crowd and Jacaerys’ opponent hit the ground, Jacaerys standing above him, lance in hand. Nausea bubbled up in her stomach and she fled the stands.

She hid herself in the dragonpit, stroking Dreamfyre’s scales as she whispered to her. Being with her dragon calmed her, her girl seemed to know what plagued her before Heleana herself did. Tucked against Dreamfyre’s side, drawing symbols in the dirt, was where Jacaerys found her. He was coming to visit his own dragon, the bond between him and Vermax was something to be admired, it was as if they were one, reading each other’s minds with just one look. It reminded Heleana of the way she and Alyra could communicate without a single word; a twitch of a hand or tilt of a head, and they knew exactly what the other was saying.

“Princess Heleana, my apologies, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Jacaerys’ voice was deeper than it had been when they were children, and it wrapped around Heleana like a warm blanket.

She shook her head and stood, still keeping one hand on Dreamfyre’s scales. “No need for apologies, you have a right to the dragonpit as much as I do.”

Jacaerys smiled at her, a small smile, but one that felt genuine, nonetheless. “I appreciate your kind words princess; I know there have been tensions between our families as of late, but I have always held you in high regard.”

Heleana ducked her head to hide her blush, his words were so simple, and yet they stirred something in her that even Aegon’s best attempts couldn’t.

“I won the match.” He continued, stepping closer to her, something resting in his hand. “It was my first without my mother there.” He paused, and she glanced up to see an embarrassed smile on his face. “I must admit I felt a bit lost without her support, but your favor saw me through.”

She’d forgotten that her half-sister had brought a new maester to try and heal their father. Rhaenyra had been by their father’s side for days on end, and obviously had not been able to make it to the match.

Heleana raised her head, “you are a skilled swordsman, Prince Jacaerys, I cannot claim any part of your victory.”

Jacaerys shook his head and gently reached for her hand, unfurling her fingers and placing a silver bracelet in her open palm. “You do yourself a disservice, princess, it was your belief in me that gave me my victory.”

Heleana held the bracelet up to the torchlight, it glimmered, and her breath caught in her chest as she saw the charms dangling from the chain.

“I saw the chain in a marketplace back when father and I were in Harrenhal, then I’ve been collecting the charms as I’ve found them.” He pointed at each one, “this one, as I’m sure you can tell is a butterfly, then the next I had made into a dragon. The other I was told is supposed to represent an embroidery hoop, and of course I had the letter H added for your name, then this last one…” His words died off as she fingered the shield charm, in the very center hidden among the design was the letter J.

“J? For my children?” She asked. Part of her hoped he would correct her, tell her that it was for him. That he would drop down on one knee and swear to protect her, to become her sworn shield, much like his father was to his mother. She knew it was wishful thinking, but she’d gone so long unloved by Aegon, and she couldn’t help but long for the love she’d heard in songs. The love his parents shared, the love she felt they themselves would share.

Jacaerys nodded slowly, his hand moving to clasp the bracelet around her delicate wrist. “Yes, for your children.” He gave her a teasing smile, “luckily for me, they both have J names, so I only had to procure one charm.” His hand lingered after he’d close the clasp, and she felt warm tingles where his calloused fingers trailed over her skin.

“What would you name your children?” She said, her voice hushed as she glanced up at him through her long eyelashes.

Jacaerys was playing with the shield charm, his touch gentle, “if I had a son, I would want to name him Baelon after my mother’s grandfather, he was heralded as brave and loyal.”

“That sounds like a wonderful name.”

He smiled up at her, “and if I was blessed with a daughter, I would name her Daenys, after the savior of our house.”

Daenys the dreamer, Heleana had done her research on the woman who saved the Targaryen name, the woman who Heleana shared her prophetic gift with.

“That is of course if my wife had no objections to either name. It is the women who do the hard work, they should get a say in the name of their child.”

Heleana thought about how Aegon had missed the birth of their children, how her mother had suggested names for the twins.

“It is clear you have thought often about children.” She remarked as casually as she could.

Jacaerys’ hand slid away from her bracelet, his fingers brushing down her hand before he crossed his arms behind his back. “I have been outside the door for all my siblings’ births, it gives one time to think.” He looked towards Dreamfyre then back to her, “have you thought about having any other children, princess?”

With you? Nightly. She banished that thought, and shook her head, “no, Aegon has been busy as of late.”

In a surprising act of boldness, she’d never seen from him, Jacaerys reached out and cupped her cheek, his calloused hand rough against her skin, but she didn’t mind it. The callouses were proof of the hard work he put in, so unlike the soft clammy hands of Aegon.

When she leaned into his touch, he spoke again, his voice a whisper, even though they were alone. “If you ever wish to have another, one that will come about not through drunken gropes but through pleasure and devotion, do not hesitate to call upon me.” He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her unclaimed cheek. “I am no stranger to keeping secrets.” Then he pulled away and bowed before turning down the tunnel that would lead him to Vermax.

Heleana stood frozen, her heart pounding. She remembered Alyra’s words from years ago, Didn’t King Aegon have two wives? Why can’t you have two husbands?

Chapter Two Here!!!!