DARKSIDE // Aemond Targaryen

SEVENTEEN

It had been seven turns of the moon since Princess Visenya had left Kings Landing to return to her family on Dragonstone; although she was far away from the gossip of court and the prying eyes of the Greens, they still managed to find a way to spy on her. The third trimester of the princess's pregnancy was difficult; Visenya could barely find sleep or comfort with how large her belly had grown and how active the babe was inside her.

"How much longer?" Visenya asked the maester and nurses tending to her child.

"Still two moon turns left, Princess," the maester told her while he examined her swollen belly.

She let out a groan of frustration and threw her head back against the many pillows behind her. All she wanted was for this child to come out so she could return to somewhat everyday life. She missed flying Silverwing out to sea or participating in her brothers' training, and once she began to show, she became a prisoner in her home.

"Any news from Kings Landing?" Visenya asked, pulling her dress back down.

The maester placed his medical items on the table and started cleaning up, "only that Queen Alicent sends her best."

That's not what she was asking. Although she had given up waiting sometime ago, Visenya still hoped that Aemond would write to her one day or that he would show up on Dragonstone to welcome their child into the world. There had been no word from Aemond, not even a letter acknowledging her pregnancy, and she had mentioned it many times in her letters–updating her husband was the only thing giving her hope.

Visneya went to stand alone but was rushed by many nurses who helped her to her feet. She was so sick of being treated like this. "I can still do things by myself," she told them, pulling her arms away from the nurses.

"We can't risk anything happening to the babe, Princess," one of the newer nurses told her.

Visneya rolled her eyes. Did anyone care about her?

Suddenly, the doors to her chambers swung open and in the doorway stood Daemon, come to check on her again. "Leave us," he spoke roughly and soon, the room was empty and silent.

Over the past seven months, Daemon had kept a close eye on Visenya as if he were his child. He made sure that a knight was always around her, that food was always present when she needed it, and he always made sure that Visenya had extra pillows and blankets on her bed. He became the father she never had.

"Kepa," Visenya spoke as Daemon crossed the room to her, "what is it now?"

Father. Visenya never intended to start calling Daemon father, although he called her daughter. One day, when she first arrived, Visenya accidentally slipped up on High Valyrian and called him 'father'; however, when Daemon didn't even flinch at the words, she tried it again. A week later, she called him father, and to that, he did not protest. From that day forward, she has taken to calling Daemon father, and he treated her as if she was his.

"How is the child?" he asked, placing a delicate hand on her belly as he did with her mother.

"He's doing fine, still as active," Visenya replied, placing one of her hands protectively over her child.

"A boy?" Daemon questioned, confused at how Visenya knew when not even the maesters could tell until the babe was born.

Visenya shrugged, looking down at her child, feeling his little kicks against her skin, "I believe he is a boy."

Daemon hummed in approval, crouching down to be at eye level with her belly. "You are causing my daughter a lot of discomfort," Daemon spoke softly, then gently rested his forehead against her stomach as if he was trying to communicate with the child.