Breakbones and the Dragonrider

Chapter 26

The hidden fresco door opened as it did most nights, and Harwin stepped through quietly. He looked around Rhaenyra's quarters. She wasn't in her bed, as she was most nights. He removed his belt and propped his sword against a nearby chair, and left her bedchamber, and walked to the next room, her bath.

Harwin found her in the tub, up to her neck in water. Rhaenyra's eyes were closed, and her head rested on folded linens draped over the side of the tub. When she heard the light scuff of boots on the stone floor, she opened her eyes. She smiled as she saw him.

"There you are," Harwin said, coming to the side of the tub. He knelt before it, bracing his arms on the rim of it.

Rhaenyra blinked sleepily. "The Maesters had my chambermaids draw me a bath to ease my back ache."

"Is everything alright?" Harwin asked, concerned.

Rhaenyra nodded. "No one said this would be comfortable," she said with sad humor. She sighed. "Although it's not much help. The Maesters wouldn't allow the water to be too hot..."

Harwin placed his hand in the water, which was tepid. He wondered how long Rhaenyra had been laying in it, trying to draw comfort from it as it cooled.

"It's gone cold," he said, giving her a look of empathy. "Come, let's get you warm."

Rhaenyra sighed as she watched Harwin grab the thick, linen towel folded on a nearby table. He draped it over his arm, and held his hand out for Rhaenyra. Reluctantly she took it, and allowed him to help her up. When she stood, he wrapped the towel around her, and he held his arms out to help Rhaenyra step out of the tub.

Rhaenyra held onto Harwin's forearms as she stepped out. "From riding dragons to being helped out of a tub," Rhaenyra said as she took her first step onto the stone floor.

Harwin hummed in amusement and stifled a smile, but said nothing. Rhaenyra gave him a look, and shook her head as he helped into her dressing gown.

Harwin led Rhaenyra from her bathing room to her bedchamber, and pulled the bed linens back. Rhaenyra sat in bed, laying against the row of pillows at the top, and watched as Harwin undressed for bed. Harwin slid into bed beside Rhaenyra, and placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Lean forward," he said, running his hand firmly over her back. Rhaenyra did as he said, and Harwin his hands over her back, using his thumbs to apply pressure, hoping to provide a little relief.

Rhaenyra's head hung forward as Harwin provided her even the smallest amount of reprieve from the ache in her back.

Harwin had seen pregnancy and labor enough times in his life—first with Larys, then with Lyssa, and finally Lyla. He knew there was very little that could be done now to ease Rhaenyra's discomfort, but he still had to try.

"It won't be like this forever," Harwin said.

Rhaenyra shook her head. She let Harwin rub her back a while longer before she spoke.

"If my labor is difficult and I..." Rhaenyra started. Harwin moved one hand from her back to her chin, and gently turned her face to him.

"Don't talk like that," he said resolutely. "Don't," he said, almost a whisper. Rhaenyra nodded in understanding.

After a while, Harwin helped Rhaenyra place pillows in all the places that had helped her these past few weeks in achieving even the slightest bit of sleep. Harwin blew out the candles in the room, leaving only the moon and low burning fire to light the room.

Rhaenyra was able to fall asleep eventually, but awoke only a few hours later when the pain in her back seemed to spread, and change. It felt much like her moon cycle did. After a moment, the pain passed, and Rhaenyra looked back at Harwin, sleeping soundly. The bed linens were wrapped around his hips, and he had one arm draped over his midsection. His skin appeared almost blue in the moonlight, and Rhaenyra watched as his bare chest rose and fell gently.