HELAENA
She found him in his chambers.
The maesters had finished their work—fresh bandages on his arm, poultices applied to the bruises mottling his torso. He sat on the edge of his bed, stripped to the waist, staring at nothing.
"The rat," she breathed. "The beast with two heads."
He looked up. Those eyes—exhausted, bloodshot, but alive.
"Both heads are dead now."
She crossed the room. Knelt before him.
"You knew. You knew what was coming."
"I suspected. Your dreams told me where to look."
"My dreams are..." She struggled for words. "Fragments. Broken pieces. How did you make sense of them?"
"I've had practice interpreting impossible things."
Always these half-answers. These hints of depths she couldn't fathom.
She took his hands. Careful of the bandages.
"They were coming to kill my children."
"Yes."
"And you stopped them."
"Yes."
"How many nights did you watch? How many hours in the darkness?"
"Enough."
She was crying. When had that started?
"I dream terrible things. Every night. Every day, sometimes. And I can never stop them. I see the fire coming and I can't put it out. I see the blood spreading and I can't hold it back." Her voice broke. "But you did. You stopped this one."
"I'll stop all of them. Every threat. Every assassin. Whatever comes."
"How can you promise that?"
"Because I refuse to do otherwise."
LATER
She brought the children.
Scandalous. Inappropriate. The queen escorting the heir and his siblings to a bastard guard's chambers.
She didn't care.
Jaehaerys entered first. Serious. Watchful. Already too old for his six years.
He looked at Ulf's bandages. At the bruises visible above the fresh wrappings.
"You fell," he said. Not a question.
"I fell."
"Mother says you protect us."
"I do."
"Thank you."
Two words. Simple. Sincere.
Ulf's composure cracked. Just slightly. Just for a moment.
"You're welcome, Your Grace."
Jaehaera followed her brother. Four years old. Quiet. Those violet eyes too knowing for a child.
She carried something in her hand—a ribbon. Light blue.
"I made you another one," she said. "The old one got lost."
The ribbon from before—the one she'd given him before Rook's Rest. He'd told her he lost it in the battle. Technically true.
He accepted the new one. Tied it around his wrist.
"I won't lose this one."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Maelor, barely two, toddled in last. He didn't understand what was happening—just saw people he knew, a room with interesting things. He made for a chair, tried to climb it, failed, tried again.
Innocent. All of them. And someone wanted them dead.
Helaena gathered her children. Kissed each forehead.
"Go with Septa Marya now. Mother will visit soon."
The septa collected them. The door closed.
Silence.
Then Helaena collapsed against Ulf's chest, sobbing.
He held her. Careful of his wounds. Steady despite the pain.
"I see so many terrible things," she whispered into his shoulder. "So many futures where everything burns. Where my children—" She couldn't finish.
"Those futures won't happen. I won't let them."
"You can't control the future."
"Watch me try."
She laughed. Wet. Broken. But real.
"My impossible man. My monster who kills monsters."
"Yours," he agreed. "Whatever else I am."
She pulled back. Met his eyes.
"I am yours. Completely. Whatever anyone says. Whatever consequences come." Her voice hardened. "Aegon doesn't want me. Never has. My mother uses me as a political piece. My father-in-law sees me as breeding stock. But you—"
"I see you."
"Yes." Fresh tears. "You see me. All of me. The madness and the visions and the broken pieces. And you stay."
"I'll always stay."
She kissed him. Deep. Hungry.
When she pulled back, both were breathing hard.
"I should go," she whispered. "The servants talk enough already."
"Let them talk."
"They will. Regardless." She touched his face. Traced the new scar on his jaw from Blood's blade. "Rest. Heal. I'll come back tonight."
"You don't have to—"
"I want to. I want to fall asleep knowing you're beside me. Knowing the nightmares can't reach me when you're there."
He caught her hand. Kissed her palm.
"Then come back. I'll be waiting."
THAT NIGHT
Helaena returned after the children slept.
She wore a simple nightgown, covered by a plain robe. No jewelry. No pretense.
Ulf lay on his bed, wounds cleaned and re-bandaged. Still exhausted. Still healing.
She slid under the blankets beside him. Carefully. Avoiding his injuries.
"Just this," she murmured. "Just being here. Is that enough?"
"It's everything."
She curled against his uninjured side. Her head on his shoulder. Her hand on his chest.
"I haven't slept peacefully in years," she admitted. "The dreams come every night. Fire and blood and screaming."
"What do you dream about when it's not nightmares?"
"I don't remember. It's been so long since I had good dreams."
"Then let's make new ones."
She smiled against his skin.
"How?"
"Close your eyes. Think about tomorrow. The children playing. The sun shining. No assassins. No war. Just... peace."
"Is that possible?"
"Tonight it is."
Her breathing slowed. Deepened. Sleep claimed her.
Ulf lay awake longer. Watching. Guarding.
But tonight, Helaena slept without nightmares.
Tonight, that was enough.
Note:
Please give good reviews and power stones itrings more people and more people means more chapters?
My Patreon is all about exploring 'What If' timelines, and you can get instant access to chapters far ahead of the public release.
Choose your journey:
Timeline Viewer ($6): Get 10 chapters of early access + 5 new chapters weekly.
Timeline Explorer ($9): Jump 15-20 chapters ahead of everyone.
Timeline Keeper ($15): Get Instant Access to chapters the moment I finish writing them. No more waiting.
Read the raw, unfiltered story as it unfolds. Your support makes this possible!
👉 Find it all at patreon.com/Whatif0