eternity • Brandon Stark

chapter 40

"that can't be" meera spouted as she paces back and forth outside the cave with valeria staring in a daze infront of her.

"Are you really sure? Maybe you just didn't notice-"

"Come on meera, we're smarter than that" valeria groans.

Meera sighs exasperatedly. "You're right. Moons had already passed and we didn't even notice that you haven't bled— it's been three moons!" She frantically whispered shouted at the younger girl.

Valeria felt her eyes water as a feeling rose inside her, she sniffs. "A-are you mad at me?" She teared up.

Meera's face fall. "I- no no! valeria, i could never" she immediately hushed her as she hugged the crying girl.

Now they're both sure she's pregnant.

"I- im pregnant" she whispers as she sniffs.

Somehow saying it out loud makes it all the more real.

She could feel herself scoff in happiness as she smiles in her crying state, emotions spiking everywhere .

Meera leaned away a little to see her face, and seeing her tear stricken but smiling face made her chuckle as she also smiled.

"Congratulations" she whispers back to her friend, happily.

Both their hands reached to touched her belly, it's only now that they've notice the small bump that was actually showing.

"It's almost nearing full moon— which means she's actually four months" meera said with a small chuckle.

Valeria giggled at her words. "You mean he?" She corrects her.

Meera thought for a while. "Yeah no my meera senses are telling me that it's a she" she joked making valeria laugh.

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Valeria was buzzing as she awaited for bran to wake up from his training, she already told hodor and he was ecstatic.

He kept hodoring the entire time.

"Valeria! I got you some meat" meera excitedly said as he enters the cave.

She immediately feed it to the girl and valeria could only laugh at meera's continous spoiling of her.

She wouldn't even let her raise a finger earlier. "Meera atleast let me make the fire" she said.

Meera immediately shook her head. "No. You must rest, you need it" she sternly said.

Valeria could only sigh but at the same time she was happy at meera's spoiling care for her.

She turned to bran as soon as she heard him gasping. He seemed annoyed as usual, probably because the raven pulled him out again.

But his eyes immediately turned to Valeria's excited face, she was practically buzzing.

It made him remember about the time when the royal family visited winterfell, she was also buzzing in excitement that day.

He wondered what made her so excited.

"What is it love?" He asked curiously, but he couldn't stop the smile that rose from her adorableness.

"I. I uh. I have a surprise" she nervously said.

She suddenly didn't know how to say it.

Bran's eyes furrowed at her words. "Well. Where is it?" He slowly asked with a sheepish smile.

Only to furrow in confusion when she slowly and softly takes his hand, leading it until it reach her belly.

Her swollen belly.

His heart stopped for a while. Something in him knew what this meant. But the doubt in his heart made him almost tear up at the thought.

"Y- your belly is— it's swollen" he whispers as his voice cracks, eyes meeting her excited ones.

His heart started to race as he breathes steeply, "Are you. Are you pregnant?" He softly asks.

As soon as her head nods, his eyes closed shut, tears escaping them as he lets out a breath, his other hand reached to stop his mouth from letting out cries of joy.

His other hand softly caress Valeria's belly in delight as he almost stooped low just to place his head on it, peppering it with kisses.

Valeria fondly stared at him, as did meera.

She may have lost her brother, but she guess it's worth it to be able to see these two go on.

Valeria ruffles her husband's hair. She knows how much happiness this gave him.

She can remember the words he said before when he woke up to find he was crippled...

"I'll protect myself— i don't care if you're crippled i would still marry you" she said as her heart sank slowly.

"i should be the one protecting you!" He argued

"i don't care about me! i care about you"

"How could you? If it's t-true then i won't even be able to give you children" he whispered knowing how much she loves the idea.

He was most devastated about the fact that he wouldn't be able to give her the children she wanted— probably more than the fact that he won't be able to walk anymore.

And now they've done it. They were having a child.

And he or she would have the blood of the dragon within them, they would carry the stark's name for the next generations to come.

"osha would be so happy when she sees you" she heard bran say to her belly

valeria's eyes teared up as she remembers osha and rickon, how she misses them so much.

"great! you made her cry!" meera whined as she approaches the two giving her friend a piece of cloth.

"i miss osha" valeria cried.

bran could only laugh at their current chaos, patting her hands in comfort as he still lays his head near her belly.

"i hope we can leave before you grow bigger little one" bran whispers to their child.

it'll be harder to travel with valeria now pregnant..