Ashes In The Castle ||| Aemond Targaryen

four

"And then he saw a big, scary dragon!"

Luke was in the middle of telling a fairytale when the doors to the room opened. And though Ser Harwin had seemed engaged, he stood the second he heard the doors creak.

The children looked up and found their parents. Rhaenyra looked incredibly exhausted and sweaty, she held a hand to her stomach as she entered. Her hair was wavy, the state it found itself in when it was unkept.

"Mother," Naerys stated, standing and following her brothers across the room to the simmering pot.

"Look."

Jace did the honours and looked up at his mother as he removed the lid to reveal the dragon egg. Luke expended great effort choosing it. They wanted to make her proud.

"We chose an egg for the baby," Luke said proudly, looking from his siblings to his mother. He wanted to make sure she was happy with them, that they'd done the right thing.

"Ah." Rhaenyra expended air, in somewhat of a laugh, between pained groans. Ser Harwin helped her onto the couch as Laenor rocked the baby.

"That looks like the perfect one." Her tone was somewhat exaggerated for the younger boy, she wanted him to know she was happy but it was a bit hard to be genuine when she was in so much pain.

"Naerys let us choose." Jace looked at his sister, he didn't want her to be left out.

"Thank you, Naerys," Luke remembered he'd forgotten to thank her sister at the pit. He'd been too excited at the prospect of it all.

"Not every day an egg leaves the Dragonpit, Princess. I thought it best to escort the lads and lady." Harwin walked around the couch as Jace and Luke took care of the egg; Naerys helped them put the lid back on.

"Another boy, I heard." Harwin looked over at the babe before he grunted softly.

"What a fine knight you're going to make, eh?" Laenor cooed at the child in his arms, rocking the baby just the slightest.

"Might I?"

Harwin looked to Rhaenyra for permission, not Laenor. The woman smiled and looked up at her husband.

"Ser Harwin wishes to be introduced to Joffrey."

Joffrey. It was a strange name for a Targaryen or a Velaryon. Naerys noted it but didn't think much of it.

Laenor looked up as if he had been deaf a moment earlier. "Of course."

Carefully, Laenor handed the child to Harwin.

"Joffrey, is it?"

"Mhm."

Despite not having any children himself, Harwin seemed like a natural. He began rocking the babe immediately, staring down at the boy with affection that could only be called paternal.

Regardless, the older boys didn't pick up on it. Instead, Luke tried to reach up towards the baby.

"Father, may I hold Joffrey?" He was already reaching before he asked. Luke wanted to see his brother.