Dance of The Dragons

Surprise!! (Prologue)

"It seems you are with child my lady" the maester said as he looked at Rhaenys with a blank stare.

Rhaenys just sat in shock. Pregnant? "I'm well past my child bearing years, how is this possible?" Rhaenys asked in a small voice.

"It's actually very possible my lady, it's not common but it does happen" The maester told her, getting up to pack up his supplies.

"Good day my lady" He bowed and quickly left the room leaving Rhaenys alone in her thoughts. She got up to stand infront of the window overlooking the courtyard. She watched as Corlys and Laenor were looking out at the sea, talking and laughing, and watched as Laena was running around chasing a butterfly.

Her hand unconsciously moved to her lower abdomen, where a small bump could be felt. She thought about her elder children's reactions, and she thought about Corlys's reaction. How would he react? Would be be happy? Angry? Surprised? Upset that they had let this happen?

She didn't know how long she'd been standing there lost in thought when she suddenly heard the bedroom door open. She turned around the see Corlys, wearing a worried expression.

"Is everything alright my dear?" Corlys asked, getting closer to her. "I saw the maester leaving, and he didn't even look at me"

She didn't know how the tell him, he could feel the anxiety coming off of her in waves.

"I'm pregnant" She said quietly, she wasn't even sure if he had heard her, but she heard him take a sharp inhale.

She had her gaze focused on the floor when he finally said something

"You're pregnant?" He asked, shocked.

She gave a small nod, still not looking at him. He cupped her face gently and made it so she would look him in the eyes. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and that made his heart ache that she would be crying over this, at least not happy tears anyways.

Slowly, a smile spread across his face as he hugged her and kissed her. Rhaenys was confused. She hadn't been expecting this type of reaction.

"You're not upset about this?" She asked, confused.

"No" he laughed "quite the opposite, I'm delighted!"

Those words let her finally release the tenseness in her shoulders and she let out a teary breath.

"We're having another baby" Corlys said, trying get past the shock.

"Another baby" Rhaenys said softly

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That night when the two were laying in bed, Corlys placed a hand on her stomach. She looked at him and smiled, placing her hand over his, both feeling the small bump where their baby was.

"Are you scared? Considering what happened last time" Corlys asked, because he knew that he was scared.

"A little, but I think it'll be all right" Rhaenys told him.

"You almost died last time, what if you do this time? Or what if the child does? Or what if both of you do?" Corlys asked, finally letting his fears out.

"We'll be fine Corlys, I promise." She said, a reassuring smile on her face.

"Of course, of course." He said, his anxiety going down.

And that was how they fell asleep that night, hands protectively over their unborn child, wrapped in each others arms.

They had no idea what the future held for them.