The Death of War

Chapter 26

Helaena and Jace talk and she tells him some trues he was not expecting. Daemon and Aemond return to Dragonstone. I hope you guys like it. 🥰

Jace was still a bit annoyed that his mother had tried to give herself up. What annoyed him the most was how confusing it was, because he had truly believed she would give him up to save his sister. He was a bastard, after all, with no rights to anything, while Visenya was in direct line to the throne. She had taken him by surprise when she had refused Arryk's offer to exchange him for Visenya. His heart had squeezed in his chest at her attempt to protect him. Since being declared a bastard things had changed, while the knights and servants in Dragonstone treated him the same as before, others looked at him differently. Even Baela who had been his betrothed had stopped looking at him as her equal.

Jace had written to Baela twice since she left for Driftmark, just inquiring how she was and how her studies were going. She had never answered and Jace had stopped writing, he would not impose himself on someone who did not want him. His mother and Daemon had not broken his and Baela's engagement, but Jace knew Rhaenys and Corlys were not happy about it. He heard the two of them were pushing for Baela to wed someone else. Even while he had been considered a Velaryon and a Targaryen his supposed grandmother had never liked him, she had always been cold to him and his brothers.

"Those must be some very deep thoughts." His face broke into a smile at the sound of Helaena's voice. She stood near him and gestured to the empty spot on the bench. "May I sit?"

"Of course," Jace scooted over to give her a bit more room. "You do realize that you are a princess and I am a bastard? You can just order me to leave you the bench and go."

"I would not do that." She shrugged. "I do not care what your name is."

"You are one of the few ones who does not."

"Well, I am glad you are a bastard." Jace's eyes widened and he gave her a disbelieving look. He was hurt that she was pleased his name had been taken away. "If you were not then you would be dead."

"You cannot know that for certain."

"Yes, I can." The look in her eyes was older than her years and he felt a chill run down his spine. "Just like I knew Aemond would lose an eye as payment for claiming a dragon."

"Why would you say that?" His anger was replaced by curiosity.

"Because I have seen it; the many different outcomes the gods had planned for you." Her smile was pained this time. "The throne was never meant to be yours Jace, it was always going to belong a one of Daemon and Rhaenyra's children. Their blood, together, is needed to stop the long night." Now he was even more confused, he did not know what she was talking about. "The gods are cruel, especially when something stands in the way of their plans. Your destiny was not pleasant and they all culminated in your death until your mother named you a bastard and removed you from the line of succession."

He had always known his aunt was not like other people, not even like other Targaryens. She had always seemed to have a faraway look and known things that should not have been possible for her to know. Helaena was also not a liar, she had always told the truth even when people made fun of her. He knew she was not lying or telling him what she thought he wanted to hear, she was being honest with him.

"It is strange, to spend your entire life being told one thing, expecting certain things, and have that taken away in a matter of seconds." Now he just felt lost, with nowhere to go, no clear path to follow. "If I am not a Targaryen or a Velaryon, then what am I?"

"Free, you are free." Helaena's hand covered his and she looked him straight in the eye. "You can do anything you want, be anyone you want, go anywhere you want. You might not see it now, but you will one day."