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123 AC, King's Landing
Helaena Targaryen practically skipped as she walked around the Red Keep. She had been doing it since the Great Council finally ended with the best possible outcome. Peace was finally on the horizon, as was a truly united realm, from the North to the Dornish Marches. It had taken a lot of planning to make Aegon the Younger, the heir to the Iron Throne.
Convincing the North had been quite easy after a simple conversation with Cregan. The Lord of the North obviously wished to return home, feeling quite discomforted by the stares that met him in the South for his feats during the Shadowbinder attack, becoming something of a figure of legend, especially given the fact that his silent stoic expression that he wore every day and lack of boasting enhanced the mystery, in a way that made most maidens swoon.
Helaena had almost burst into giggles after she heard many noble maidens speak of tales of being taken by the barbarian Northman and wearing down his frozen heart. It was a surprisingly common fantasy, one that many of the nobles of the North used to their advantage.
The Westerlands had only needed a reminder of the Lannisters' debt to her for returning Brightroar to them, that and Tyland Lannister realising that her scheme might just work. Of course, the Iron Islands came with them, with House Harlaw, the new Lord Paramounts, being all but named vassals of the Lannisters due to the civil war that tore apart much of the Iron Islands, taking with it most of the Ironborn's nobility. The Stormlands and the Vale had been far trickier, where she needed to balance their own interests with the subtle threat of her competence. That had been trickier to pull off, but with this, she had the majority of the realm's lords backing her plan.
Well, it was not actually her plan, but it was the best path, at least, the one where their family would prosper the most, where House Targaryen would not fall to infighting. Helaena had simply followed her visions, the strands that led to prosperity, and realised that she was simply ensuring that her father's scheme would work.
The King and his Hand had planned this since Dragonstone, if what she gathered in her dreams was accurate, likely since her father betrothed young Aegon and Jaehaera, despite their age and the protest from both sides of the family. He had been quite firm with it, though Helaena assumed that he thought that a Great Council would not have occurred in some time, though Rhaenyra's actions had obviously forced his hands.
She had seen her father's actions in convincing the Lords of Crownlands with his plan, and Helaena helped move things along to be much smoother. There would have always been dissenters, those who saw chaos as a ladder to be climbed.
Helaena had targeted High Lords who had a firm grip on their Vassals, firmly the North and the Stormlands. And while the Vale and the Westerlands were not quite as united, most would not dare to openly rebel, not at this moment. That was completely different to the Riverlands, who were completely and utterly divided, and the Reach, who, despite being vassals of House Tyrell, often obeyed her uncle, Ormund Hightower, who would have most certainly done his best to stop young Aegon's appointment as the King's heir.
It also took some efforts on her part to ensure that the plan would not become public, both by arranging for a few men to fall ill, inconveniencing a few spies, ask for certain servants to perform tasks away from conversations. That alone had been harder than actually convincing most of the Lords.
Alas, it was a great victory, and now, she had to deal with its consequences. Most of the realm rejoiced for the succession crisis was averted, almost perfectly. However, many lords of the Reach, headed by Lord Ormund Hightower, protested, having been taken by surprise by the outcome of the Great Council.
After all, the Reach had invested quite heavily in a King with their blood on the throne and were unwilling to settle for a half-Hightower Queen instead. They were planning on working with Helaena's mother, who had barely spoken a word since she had fallen unconscious when she realised that Daemon and Rhaenyra's son would be king.
Unfortunately for them, one of the most dangerous lords of the Reach, Unwin Peake, would fall from his saddle during the joust this day and would cease to become a problem in the future. Most would not realise what had happened or the future that would be averted, but Helaena knew.
He was a dangerous man, one who would, instead of focusing on Aegon to protest the results of the Great Council, attempt to use her son, Jaehaerys, instead. Helaena was many things, but the nightmares that plagued her since her youth had long since stopped her from holding back against people who would endanger her children.
As for Ormund Hightower, he would attempt to do the same, but through her husband, though he would not find success in such an endeavour, not at all. After all, Aegon was overcome with joy at the fact that he had somehow avoided becoming King, that any lord who would try to manipulate him in the hopes of rising in power would find themselves bitterly disappointed, just as their uncle would soon find out.
It was perfect, not just because the next King and Queen would unite both Green and Black claims, with them being chosen by the lords of the realm, not just the will of a single man, but also the man who could be used to oppose them, the possible figurehead to a rebellion, had no wish to do so.
Despite herself, Helaena had found herself relaxing, for the threads had certainly become brighter after the Great Council, as if it had been a momentous occasion, the final proof that a great threat had passed. It was now her duty to ensure that this would remain the case.
Now, if only some of the vipers in Court would stop bothering her about the results of the Great Council, trying to convince her that Jaehaera would be replaced as the future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, things would have been much better for her. Of course, most Lords would not deign to waste their time with her, preferring to bother her husband instead, though the tittering of many ladies of the realm had become quite grating.
They were mostly from houses from the Reach and Riverlands, and so Helaena went to the Godswood, if only to avoid them. She also quite liked the silence there, and most did not know that she liked to frequent it.
Helaena arrived there and was surprised to see the familiar, strangely dressed figure of Harry Potter standing before a small pond in the small forest. She walks right next to him, knowing that the man likely knew that she was there.
His wife was not present, which was odd, though the young Princess supposed that they likely did not spend every moment together and that, given that distance is not exactly an issue for them, they might have just spoken only minutes ago. She learned not to question these things after spending so much time with them.
Still, she smiled at the sorcerer's presence and readied himself to speak with him, only for the man to beat her to it, "You did well, Helaena. Your work with the Great Council, the attack… You have likely achieved in the last few days alone more for your family than even Jaehaerys the Conciliator ever had."
Despite the compliment, the young princess knew that something wasn't quite right. He still looked at the pond, as if waiting for something to happen. He was also oddly subdued, almost solemn. He did not prattle on with strange sayings and nonsensical words, which was utterly unlike the Harry Potter that she knew.
Nevertheless, Helaena answered, still smiling at his compliment, "I could only do that because of you. You gave me hope, back on Dragonstone, and taught me that my dreams were more than a curse. I am proud to have learned under you. To tell you the truth, a part of me doubted that I would ever see you again, that you would disappear just as quickly as you came into our lives."
For the first time, a sad smile appeared on the sorcerer's face, and he shook his head, "I don't think I could have left without at least saying farewell."
"That is a relief to hear, I must admit," she said, "But… Forgive me if this is impudent, but why are you here?"
Helaena did not mean it as an insult, and Lord Harry knew it as well. However, she also knew that it was very rare for him to do something without some sort of purpose in mind, be it important or simply on a whim. Seeing him so utterly still in the Godswood was a strange sight indeed.
Unlike what she expected, the man released a bitter chuckle, a sound that she had never heard from him, "I suppose one could say that I got lost in the path of life."
Helaena knew that the sorcerer's answer was an avoidance at best, and so, she raised an eyebrow, "I have never seen you quite like this, Lord Harry. I must admit that I am… worried."
"Oh, it's nothing serious, nothing that you need to concern yourself with. It's just a question that has been stuck on my mind, one that I haven't thought about in a very long time."
Curious, the young princess leaned forward, "What is it?"
"Am I a good man?"
That question made her still utterly and completely. She had not expected this, and the man obviously knew this, as he turned to her for the first time since their conversation began, and she saw the turmoil brewing in his green eyes, "Well, what do you think, Helaena? Am I a good man?"
Helaena, despite herself, gulped, feeling intimidated by the sorcerer's gaze, and while a part of her, the one who had seen Harry Potter heal her children, save her family, stop a war from decimating the Seven Kingdoms. She had seen him battle monstrosities in Valyria, showing her wonders that she would have never seen possible. Gods, he had even averted a Second Long Night from taking place, all without asking anything in return.
And yet, despite it all, she still remembered when her relatively weaker divination skills managed to pierce what Harry Potter was like fire and ice and rage, like a storm in the heart of the sun, one that changed everything that it touched for good and for ill, for even time and space and death obeyed him. He was wonderful and kind and terrifying. It had simply been too much for her. His presence was not always a good thing, but it was inevitable, in a way, no matter the results.
And so, she looked him in the eyes and answered as honestly as she could, for she knew that the sorcerer would know if she lied, "I do not know."
The man deflated at that answer, though he nodded, accepting the answer, "I thought not. I like to think I was… once upon a time, perhaps when I last asked myself this question. Oh, I was never perfect. I was a bit of a prick, if I'm honest. But I had fought for what was right for me, for Daphne, for my world, against horrors that so utterly outclassed me… I hated every moment of it, but I had purpose, in a way. I never quite considered how travelling the way I did, between worlds, changed me, changed us, and the way we saw the universe. It's funny, isn't it? I never even noticed it, not until now…"
"What happened?" Helaena asked, feeling concerned by the man's unusually personal words. She wouldn't say that the Potters were mysterious, but they were certainly private and careful when they spoke of their personal matters. Helaena thought that she was likely the person who knew them best in Westeros, but that was hardly an achievement.
Thankfully, Lord Harry answered, "We found our third…"
Helaena furrowed her eyebrows, trying to decipher what he meant, only for her eyes to widen in realisation. They had found the third god, the one for their ritual, that would finally allow them to have children. Still, given that he was unhappy, she feared the worst, "Did something happen? Is Lady Daphne well?"
The sorcerer shook his head, "Daph is fine, ecstatic, even. The ritual worked."
"Are you not happy?" the young princess asked, confused.
"I am about this… It is just that I made a mistake. A mistake that I should have seen coming, one that has massive consequences. I hadn't done anything similar since my youth, and I was an idiot back then, stumbling around, hoping for the best. I suppose I never really grew out of it… I… I was so sure, so certain that this was the right thing to do, that I never considered that I might have been wrong. I don't know if you would call it arrogance or hubris, but suddenly, when I saw my mistake for what it really was, I just realised that from the moment I set foot on this realm, nothing I had done was without consequence, especially things that dealt with higher beings."
"What was the mistake that you made?"
The sorcerer grimaced and shook his head, "It doesn't matter what it is. In fact, it's probably better for you not to know."
"Are we in danger?" Helaena asked, anxiety filling inside her.
"No… Our last… sacrifice was secretly a protector of a sort, one whose death would be akin to ringing a giant bell that would bring the attention of great and terrible beings here. I have delayed the ringing as much as I could, but there will always be some idiot who will try to undo my work eventually. I have used some of the remnants of the Outsider that I battled to make the city's ambient magic chaotic to deter any magic user from entering, as well as ensure that my magic would last for as long as possible, but nothing lasts forever. Eventually, something will happen. I might be a hundred, a thousand, or even a million years from now, but it is inevitable, and creation will suffer for it. All because I thought I could take what I needed without consequence."
Helaena slumped despite herself; given the time frame, there was very little that she could do anyway about it anyway. And Harry continued, "I could leave this realm at this moment, and nothing will happen for likely thousands of years at least. No one would know that I was responsible, and hell, this would have probably happened anyway. Religions start and end all the time, and this happened too. God, there are probably thousands of other things that might happen that could cause as much damage as my mistake. But… But everything I did in this realm was so that I would be a father, and what kind of example would I be setting to my future son or daughter, where I could make a mistake like this, and just leave as if nothing had ever happened, no matter if no one would suffer for it for thousands of years."
Helaena turned towards the sorcerer and grabbed his hand in comfort, "You once told me that the future was not set in stone. That every thread shifts when even a single choice is made. If that is true, then perhaps even this… mistake… may change. Perhaps Destiny will find another hero aeons from now, that would save the world from the mistake you have brought, just as it has tried in the past."
Harry shook his head, "I wish I could rely on Fate… I wish I could take back what I had done, but I just can't…"
"Then deal with it," The young princess answered sharply, before her voice softened, "I have seen you commit miracles, battle monsters that defy logic, and treat with the First Dragons, who are far greater than my family's mounts could ever be. I have seen you banish demons and heal a goddess. Are you truly stumped because you made a mistake? Perhaps this mistake was for the better, a reminder of the path that you walk, but it is certainly not a reason to give up so readily. You have dealt with many mistakes in the past, made by gods, demons, and men. Does the fact that this one is yours make it any different? You asked me a question before, if you are a good man. I think… I think that you are trying to be, and that is the point."
The sorcerer's eyes widened, before his eyes lit up and a true smile grew on his face, "Thank you, Helaena."
She gave him a confused look, which made him laugh all the more, "I think I know now why I was urged to come here. I think I needed to hear this. It has been some time since I felt like this… And I think that it's a good thing, considering… And you've certainly given me a bit of an idea. Thank you, Helaena."
Helaena allowed herself a small, relieved smile. "Then… are you terribly busy at the moment? Or must you rush to attempt this idea immediately?"
Harry blinked, taken off guard by the question, "No. Not now. I will need some time to plan things through. It wouldn't do to start another mess, would it? Why do you ask?"
"Because Rhaena misses you," she said simply. "Quite terribly, actually. She tries to hide it, but she does."
"I… suppose I have not spent as much time with them lately as I should have," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Too caught up in everything… And I didn't really feel the need to travel in Westeros too much, and I promised her grandparents that I would not take her or her sister on adventures on other continents."
"You can come, if you'd like. I know that she will be happy to see you."
The man's eyes softened, and he smiled at her, "Very well. Lead the way, Princess Helaena."
Helaena inclined her head, hiding her satisfaction as she turned ahead of him. After all, she was looking forward to seeing the expression on his face when Rhaena would show him her Fire Magic.
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AN: I'm not really sure about this chapter. I thought it would have been good to showcase Harry dealing with what he did in the previous chapter, especially if anyone realises that the fragment of light is up for grabs, war will break out between gods and even outsiders, which would cause another Great Cataclysm, something that he can't exactly fight head-on. I also thought that Helaena would have been perfect for Harry to talk with about this, but I don't think it came out exactly like I wanted it to.
Also, I know that I left a few things unexplained about the fragment of light, but I couldn't fit it here in a way that made sense, so it should be clearer in a future chapter. Also, sorry about not adding a historical section near the end. I had one planned, but I got a pretty cool idea to do something for the next chapter. As usual, please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
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If you want to support me, check out my patréon at https://www.patréon.com/athassprkr
I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions on them, so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.