✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧
𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘙𝘰𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘰 - 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘺
✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: ✧･ﾟ: - :･ﾟ✧:･ﾟ✧

"Beloved parents, beloved siblings,

Only a few days have passed since our separation and I miss you all terribly.
The days have been long and without much happening. But I had the pleasure of looking around Red Keep and especially the beautiful gardens.
I was especially taken with the Beautiful Iris flower, which uncharacteristically grows so far here in the country.
I was also lucky enough to get to know the princes better, but the decision is extremely difficult for me, as I'm sure you can understand.

Please also pack me a bulb of my beloved crocus flowers. I would love to try to grow them here. I hope you are well and I will see you soon.

Forever in love,
your daughter and sister Edith."

Several days had passed since her incident with Aemond in the library. Somehow she had managed to avoid him and his brothers or she ignored the princes. Edith was not ready to talk to them, especially not to Aegon who was still haunting her mind.

It had taken her some thought to find the right words for her letter, because she knew it would be read beforehand, but she thought she had coded everything well. Each flower had a meaning, as well as the colors of the blossoms, and Aruna had tried to explain as much as possible about them to her daughter. The iris, for example, was a sign of the ultimate loyalty she felt towards her family. Whereas the crocus expressed the desire for more time to make a decision, which was more than fitting.

Edith did not know how much more time she could stall, as the king's health was not improving and the girl knew from Helaena that her mother the queen was getting impatient. Of course, because a wedding would reconnect the house and could prevent bloodshed.

In the garden she had the most joy here, especially because there were no princes to annoy her. Mostly she read a book leaning against a tree or walked through the fragrant flowers and bushes. Sometimes she was even accompanied by the princess, as she was today.

Helaena had become a good friend here because she didn't question anything and she didn't seem interested in her family's power struggles, and the distraction did Edith good. But every time she looked at the princess, she felt guilty because she had kissed her husband.

The two of them had made themselves comfortable on the grass under a big tree with tea and cookies, barely stopping to talk. The girls were both so different, but they got along very well. Edith thought she had never laughed so much as with Helaena.

"What about Daeron?" asked Helaena cautiously. Edith had just told her about her encounter with Aemond in the library, and slowly she couldn't shake the feeling that Helaena was desperate to marry her off to one of her brothers, because she had always brought up the subject when they were alone. "You two were alone in the city at night, after all."

"Yeeess... but no. He's nice, but no." Murmured Edith as usual. For her the topic was rather unpleasant and she tried to avoid it as much as she could. Helaena chastised her with a reproving look. "I know how you feel, but things could be worse..." the princess then said gently and regretfully. Edith knew at once that she was speaking of her own husband.

"Why don't you look for love in another person? I mean... he does, doesn't he?" Asked the girl with brownish hair without a guilty conscience. Such a thing was not something you asked, especially when you were outside and didn't know if you were being overheard or watched, but she asked more out of pity. Somehow she wanted to help her new friend.

Wide-eyed, the silver-haired girl looked at her and sat up. Until just now, they had been lying side by side in the grass. "Edith!"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked!" she apologized immediately and reached for Helaena's hand as if automatically. Only when she felt the warm skin of the other, she took her hand away again when she remembered how much Helaena disliked physical contact. One thing Edith had learned in the last days, even in this they were totally different.

But amazingly, Helaena now reached for Edith's hand and held it tightly in her hands. "I think it's okay." She said thoughtfully and lightly squeezed Edith's hand, whereupon the young lady could only smile. "Is it okay with you?"

"Of course! I mean... yes?" replied Edith carefully, getting red cheeks while she was still talking, she didn't even know why, but she enjoyed this light touch and it meant a lot to her that Helaena meant so much to her already.

"I've never been a fan of physical contact, as you may know..." Helaena murmured softly and it sounded like she was very ashamed of it. Incomprehensibly, Edith shook her head slightly and carefully placed a finger under the princess' chin, making her look at her. "No need to make you feel that way. I can see how you feel about it." Edith said, smiling encouragingly.

Helaena didn't flinch away at Edith's finger and even tried to smile slightly. You could see how much strength it must cost her and yet she did her best. "Every touch always felt so cold and I felt so empty afterwards... but your Edith... Edith yours is completely warm." Admitted the princess and looked dreamily at the sky. Edith, on the other hand, lay down on her side and looked at the beautiful girl with silver hair, resting her head on her hand.

She didn't know if Helaena was just saying it that way or if it was even meant to be a compliment, but for Edith it was the nicest compliment she had ever received - whether meant seriously or not.

"I just find it hard to imagine how you must feel about that..." She looked pityingly at the other girl and had to stop herself from hugging her, after all she didn't want to scare her off. "And you're married anyway."

"Yes." Answered Helaena, playing with her long hair and still looking at the sky. "But since the children are born, he ignores me, which is good, because we have done our duty and he takes other women."

Helaena was married to her own brother Aegon when she was still a young girl, and only a little later she gave birth to two children. Edith did not want to change places with the poor girl, precisely because Helaena was younger when she gave birth to her twins than Edith was now, and that shocked her the most. She had never been lucky enough to enjoy her childhood and youth, she had never been able to try herself out and test boundaries the way Edith could.

"I'm not entirely sure he really does." Edith then said quietly after a long pause for thought. She had no reason to defend Aegon, but deep inside she felt the urge to do so. "I have to... tell you something I'm really afraid of, Helaena." Maybe Edith was just making a very big mistake and risking everything, but she didn't want to keep hiding something from her and live with a secret.

Interested and curious, Helaena now detached her gaze from the blue sky and looked instead into the blue-violet eyes of her new friend. "Don't be afraid."

Edith took a deep breath before she began to tell. "A few days ago, when I was in town with Daeron, we had a drink..." Uncharacteristically, Edith was interrupted by Helaena, who now had shining eyes. "Did you kiss? Do you love him?" she wanted to know excitedly and now also turned to her side so she could look at Edith better.

"No... Why do you want this so badly?" At first she shook her head and then remained petrified at her own question. She couldn't imagine why Helaena would want to marry her off to one of her brothers so badly.

"A marriage means a connection." Helaena stated the obvious, but immediately continued talking when she realized Edith didn't understand her enigmatic words. "With a connection like this, you would stay here. In the capital with me."

Edith's heart warmed and she had to smile, touched. Helaena often talked in riddles, but she always found the right words. Moreover, the princess was a very clever young woman with an inner gift.

"You want me here?" asked Edith again anyway. Nor had she heard anything like it, so she was eager to hear it again. Slowly Helaena took Edith's hand and held it lightly so that their skin barely touched and yet it felt so nice. "Of course I want you here! I never really had a friend before you." Replied the princess with silver hair.

Edith didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it felt so good to finally hear such words. And yet she knew that she would not be here forever. Someday she would return to Dragonstone to her family. At the latest when she had to take her inheritance as Lady of Dragonstone, when King Viserys died.

"I can't promise to stay here forever, but I'll do everything I can to take you with me should I leave, Helaena." She whispered to her very softly and lowered her head to gently and very lightly breathe a kiss on her hand. "I will fight for this friendship."

Helaena gave the other girl her best smile at her words and she didn't flinch away from the kiss on her hand either. No, because somehow she had actually enjoyed it and wanted to feel it again. "I know how well you can fight." Smirked she, amused. "I trust your word."

Confidently, Edith nodded at her and smiled encouragingly. She would do anything for the young woman already and it was an incredible feeling. They had known each other since they were children, but only really for a few days and yet the bond between them was already so strong and firm.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. Please go on." Helaena asked her immediately as she remembered the actual conversation again. Edith had also been repressing it, had been repressing Aegon. Only with difficulty could she stifle a sigh. "In my drunken state I got the idea to look for Aegon. Daeron knew immediately where his brother was."

"In a bordel." Helaena answered Edith's indirect question, not looking even slightly hurt or disgusted. It was obvious that she had come to terms with it and was happy about it.

"Yes... And we went there." Added the girl with the brownish hair, playing with the green grass between her fingers. "When I found Aegon, he was all alone. Hidden behind many sheets in the back of the house. There was no other woman there. Just him and a mug of beer."

With a questioning look, Helaena listened to her. She could not yet imagine in what direction this conversation was going, and she found it very strange that Edith and Aegon had been alone, although they did not like each other. But Helaena remained silent and let Edith finish.

"I think that was my first real conversation with him? But I was also very tipsy and I only remember the evening in a blur, but I remember one thing very clearly and I can't keep it from you any longer... We kissed." Edith's voice became more and more quiet and uncertain. She felt sick at Helaena's reaction. No emotions or no feelings: Aegon was still her husband... and brother.

"He kissed you? I can't believe he did that." Helaena said in horror, and only her voice showed her inner rage. Her face remained loose, as it usually does.

"Honestly, it was me. I kissed him." Answered the lady honestly, trying to avoid looking at the other. She didn't want to be looked at with despise or disappointment by those beautiful violet eyes. "I've thought about it for a long time, and I still don't know why I did it, Helaena."

"But you don't even like each other..." Thoughtfully, the princess turned on her back again and looked uncomprehendingly at the sky. The sight alone hurt the younger girl in an inexplicable way. "We don't! Helaena... it was a mistake. Please be mad, please yell at me, but please don't hate me now. I won't do it again." She promised her without batting an eye, Edith sitting up and meaning every word as she said it.

And Helaena believed her every word, for she was a believer. Nevertheless, this one-time kiss annoyed her very much. "Does he love you?" she then suddenly wanted to know, after it had become quiet between them again for a while. "Of course he loves you."

"But Aegon's love is only for himself, and even if it is, I don't care." Again the truth from Edith's mouth, even if she had enjoyed the kiss very much and she saw him a little differently by now. Since she had seen him so alone and drunk in the brothel, she also had some pity for him, as he was also forced to many things in his life just like Helaena and the other siblings. " The friendship with you is more important to me." Without thinking, Edith then put a hand to Helaena's cheek, leaning over her slightly. "Please believe me, Helaena."

"I do, Edith." Answered the silver-haired one also honestly, and then put her hand on Edith's, but not to push her away, but to hold her tight. " Only reluctantly do I want to share you."

"You're a good friend, you really are." Smiled the lady, and her heavy heart lightened at the thought that the princess was not angry. Helaena only gladly returned the other girl's smile and then did something uncharacteristic for her again, she raised her head and for just a few seconds the lips of the two young women touched. Startled, Edith blinked, thinking she had imagined it, but Helaena's innocent smile said otherwise.

It had been a big step for the silver-haired Targaryen and Edith felt more than honored that Helaena had chosen her of all people and trusted her so much.

"I'm sorry." Laughed Helaena then with wide eyes and put her hand in front of her mouth. Her laughter was contagious and Edith had to laugh too and loosened up again. She hadn't realized how tense she had been all this time. "Don't be. I enjoyed it." She quickly reassured the other.

She didn't want to cross a line, so Edith sat down sensibly and looked around for a distraction instead. Fortunately, she couldn't see anyone who could have been watching the two. Helaena now sat up as well and followed her friend's gaze tensely. Still a slight smile could be seen on her lips. "Do you feel like bothering someone?"

~~~

Every second Edith discovered a new side of Helaena and she couldn't wait for more. Helaena could be so calm and innocent and the next second she was kissing her and suggesting to annoy someone. Edith was surprised, but her heart was beating way too fast with excitement right now. She had imagined many things, but not what Helaena was doing to her now.

Edith stood on a rise in Helaena's chamber dressed only in a lace undergarment and now did not understand the silver-haired woman at all. "I am almost naked, Helaena! Now tell me finally why..."

It hadn't taken the princess much persuasion, since the lady did everything she said. Helaena had helped her take off her dress and then had spread some of her own clothes around the room. "We're just trying on some dresses."

Edith stood on the platform with her arms folded and could only watch her. "And how are we going to bother anyone in the process?" she wanted to know. She wasn't ashamed of her body and under the undergarment you couldn't see much. It was tighter than normal, but luckily the fabric was thick and you couldn't see through it.

"With your feminine charms." Answered Helaena again, as if it was obvious, but it wasn't. Besides, she too had enjoyed looking at the girl, but she would never admit that. "Aegon should be here any moment."

"Aegon?! Helaena I'm almost naked!" she repeated, already reaching for a dress which she held in front of her body. Her cheeks immediately flushed red and she could only shake her head at her new friend.

"Listen to me first please... I know Aemond will be with him like always on this weekday, that's when they meet to train." Explained the silver haired one then, looking at her innocently with her violet eyes. "I want to see how much Aegon really likes you and I want Aemond to fall in love with you."

"Why?! I don't want Aemond to love me!" Edith now completely doubted Helaena's sanity. Did Helaena perhaps love Aegon after all, and was now jealous because of the kiss between him and Edith?

"So that he will marry you and you will stay here! I trust your word, but I want to help myself..." Helaena's almost desperate look on the floor and her ulterior motives were almost sweet, but Edith didn't feel comfortable with it. She wanted everything, but not Aemon's love and especially not to become his wife! Edith didn't want to end up as broken as Helaena... or like her own mother in her first marriage to Brandon Stark.

With slow steps, Helaena approached the girl with the brownish hair and placed her hands on Edith's, which still held the dress. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't let you go." The silver-haired woman's voice sounded almost threatening. Never before had she spoken with such seriousness.

Edith's heart felt as if it would break at any moment. She had also found a good friend in the other girl, but she couldn't stay here. She decided not to say anything, because they had already had this conversation today in the garden and she didn't want to give Helaena false hopes. Maybe it was more or less luck when, as already expected, the door opened and two young men with silver hair came in.

Of course, their eyes immediately fell on the lightly dressed girl. Edith immediately held the dress closer to her body and tried to hide as much as she could, but then she saw the pleading look from the other girl and she softened. At the same moment she knew that Helaena could be her death someday, because she was ready to do anything for her.

"What is this?" wanted Aegon to know from the two women. His brother Aemond stood behind him with an annoyed look, avoiding looking at Helaena and Edith.

Helaena still held Edith's hands, which she now squeezed lightly. "We're trying on dresses." She answered her husband and her brother in a bored tone. The same tone with which she always spoke to Aegon.

Edith looked only at Helaena, but she could literally feel Aegon's eyes burning hotly into her skin and somehow she even liked it. Helaena's hands and Aegon's muster strangely restored her confidence and she laid the dress spread out on the sofa. "I don't think this is my color." She pondered and stroked her hair behind her shoulder in a playful thoughtful way, so that her shoulder bones could be seen.

Behind her she could hear footsteps and then a rustling at a cabinet. She didn't have to turn around to see that it was Aegon. After a brief exchange of glances with Helaena, who was observing the situation, Edith put on one of the princess's robes, which she demonstratively left open, then went to the serving table in the room. Aegon's gaze fell again on the young girl and now Aemond also eyed her as she turned her back to him.

"Would anyone else like some?" asked Edith innocently as she poured herself wine and filled three more goblets. No one answered her, so she turned around and immediately caught the three siblings eyeing the girl in her undergarment and robe.

Edith picked up a second goblet and walked the few steps to the tall Targaryen to give it to him. Instinctively, she would much rather have gone to Aegon or to Helaena than to Aemond. "Peace?" She looked at him pleadingly with her big eyes. It was hard for her to pretend to like Aemond all of a sudden, because she still hated him. He was not a good person and never would be.

In disbelief, Aemond looked at the smaller girl, but took the goblet from her to smell the wine. "I don't trust you." He only replied and wanted to give her the goblet back, but she didn't take it. "I don't trust you either, but we should try." Edith answered him, looking briefly at Helaena, then she drank her wine with one draught. Aemond followed her gaze and when he saw his sister's encouraging and hopeful smile, he took a small sip and then a bigger one when he realized Edith wasn't going to poison him.

A rattling sound made the three of them turn around and immediately they turned their attention to the oldest one in the room. Aegon had also taken a prepared goblet and immediately drank it down, as well as the last one, which had actually been for Helaena. The silver-haired man looked frustrated into the second goblet when it was also empty and then put it loudly back on the table and left the room without waiting for Aemond.

No one really knew how to deal with Aegon's reactions and even with this one everyone in the room was stumped, except Helaena who immediately understood why he reacted that way. Apparently he had taken a liking to Edith after all and was against her standing so lightly dressed in front of his brother and drinking wine with him.

Edith looked after him and then looked to the cabinet. Several things were on the floor and it seemed as if he had been looking for something before he had finished the goblets and left the room. Then she looked back at Aemond only to find that he had been watching her the whole time.

"I have no idea what you're up to yet, but I'm warning you. Stop it." Aemond warned the younger one, now setting his goblet back down on the table as well. "And you too." He added, addressing Helaena, and then left the room as well.

***
Jealousy, jealousy...

I just love Edith and Helaena together!
So different and so adorable:)

How do you like the new chapter?

Have a nice day/ a good night♡