(Baelon's POV)
"You have not eaten, My Prince." Elinda said as she placed a plate of food in front of me, "The Princesses have grown worried."
I pushed the plate away, "I do not want it." I said as I stared blankly at the wall, "Leave me be."
"I...." She started, "Princess Rhaenyra has grown very worried the past couple of weeks, she asked me to make sure you have eaten...."
"You are not my handmaiden, last I checked." I said, "Go back to your duties."
"B-But..." she started
"I said go." I said simply, "And take the food with you."
"As you wish..." She said
I glanced to the side and watched as she left with the plate in her hand. I then looked over to the side and grabbed the cup of wine that was sitting in the table. Without thinking much about it, I chugged down the contents.
As I set the cup down, I tasted an awfully sweet sensation coming from the wine. The cup was already empty and I had finished the jug.
This was the last of the wine that I would drink that day; Helaena only allowed me to drink one jug as I had taken to the cups too much. I stared at the drops of wine at the bottom of the cup, licking my lips as the sweet taste grew stronger.
"That is strange...." I said with a frown, "It is not supposed to be this sweet...maybe it is in my mind...."
I sighed and stood up, walking over to the window of my chambers, weeing the dark clouds outside. It looked like a storm was on its way and I was sure that Ser Robert was getting ready for that. Knowing the Dragons, they will either be restless or will sleep through it.
I know for certain that Balerion will not be fazed by a mere storm. He will simply sleep through it all unless something happens.
I sighed as the faint and distant sound of thunder was heard, "Hm..."
Ever since it happened, what Rhaenyra and I did, I grew a bit more distant from her. Not just her, but Helaena as well. I could not bring myself to see my wife in the eyes after doing that to her. No matter what she told me, I could not accept that I would do something like that. There was nothing but guilt in my chest, guilt that I would never be able to shake off.
I placed my hands behind my back, wondering if what I did would haunt me for the rest of my life.
I love Helaena, I love her with everything I have. She is bearing my child and I am doing whatever I can to make her comfortable. But to go behind her back and.....
It is not something that I can forgive myself for.
But is that all I am blaming myself for? Is there something else that happened?
The wine was awfully sweet....I wonder what that was.
It was not just Helaena.....but I could not forgive myself for the way I treated Rhaenyra that night. I nearly harmed her, I was contemplating striking her as a response to her slapping me. I held her arms to tightly, pinned her against the wall with borderline dark thoughts.
That is not me. What has gotten in my head?
I looked down, feeling my stomach grumble with hunger.
Elinda, Rhaenyra's maiden, was right; I had not eaten recently. I do not deserve to gorge on things when I have done terrible things.
**************
I walked through Helaena's door, "Did you call for me, love?" I asked, "I-"
I stopped and saw that she was sitting on the couch with Rhaenyra next to her. Rhaenyra was holding her hand with one hand as the other one was on her belly, a warm smile on her face.
"Oh, Baelon." Helaena looked at me, "You've come."
Rhaenyra leaned back and cleared her throat, "I-I..." She started, "I will take my leave, sister. I will check on you later."
She stood up and was about to walk away when Helaena grabbed her hand, "No, stay." She said, "I want to speak with the two of you."
I frowned, "What?"
Rhaenyra looked at me and I avoided making eye-contact with her, my hands behind my back.
"Baelon." Helaena said softly, "First of all, we are worried.....about you."
"There is nothing wrong with me." I said, "You do not need to worry."
"You have not eaten, you rarely sleep." Helaena started, "And you've avoided us the past couple of days. We need to speak about that....and well, about the two of you."
"Sister, we do not..." Rhaenyra said, "I already apologized for you....there is no need to bring it up."
"There is nothing to apologize for." Helaena said, "The two of you....do you not realize that it is fine? You are also his wife, Rhaenyra, it was bound to happen."
I gulped, "It does not make it right."
"Right, wrong, who cares?" Helaena started, "It happened. The King made a decision that was meant to keep the peace and so far, it has worked. Baelon has two wives and it is not right if he neglects one of them.....and eventually both of them."
"Sister..." Rhaenyra started
"No, let me speak." She said, "I had a Dream....that the three of us were to live happily.....it was a beautiful dream, one that I have come to accept. But dreams could be wrong, as it had been proved before...and I do not want this Dream to be wrong, so the two of you, please...please get along....for the sake of the child....for the sake of our son...Baelon..."
I looked at Helaena, "I'm sorry..." I said, my voice cracking, "I do not....I cannot do that again...."
"He does not want it, Helaena..." Rhaenyra said, "He never wanted this. I will not force him to do anything he does not want to do. What happened that night....it was a spur of the moment....It will not happen again."
"Baelon." Helaena said, "Come."
I reluctantly walked over to her and knelt down, placing my hands on her lap, "My love.." I said, "I...."
She patted my cheek, "I do not ask you to do something you do not want to do." She told me, "What I ask you to do is to set everything aside and try to move on.....whatever your doubts are, let them out in the open. We will work them out....you do not have to do that again, just....get along with our sister...show her that you care...that you love her...."
I looked down, "If that is what you desire...."
"I do...." She said, "And please....eat something.....get some rest...I am worried sick about you....."
"I will...." I said with a nod, "I promise."
"Do not break that promise." She said, "Do you hear me? I will not forgive you if you do."
I looked at her, "That is the last thing I want." I said,
"I will see that it is done."