Consummating a marriage at that age was not the norm. Thirteen. Even Jaehaerys didn’t touch Alysanne at that age, saying she was “too young”. And yet Alicent — the same woman who consistently goes on and on about honor, decency, and duty — would throw her own daughter under the bus for a crumb of power? She would have the same terrible thing that happened to her, to Aemma, to Daella before her, to happen to her baby girl too?

Helaena deserved better. All of Alicent’s kids did. Viserys played his part in their upbringing with his blatant neglect, but Alicent was the final nail in the coffin. She created her own self-fulfilling prophecy, deluding herself for years that her line would die horribly by Rhaenyra’s hand — and they all would, indirectly, one way or another, all because of a usurpation SHE initiated.

It’s no wonder why Helaena seems averse to her. Imagine living with your mother knowing that one day her actions would cause the deaths of everyone you know and love, including your own. It’s beautiful and tragic and entirely unfair.