Epiphany // Alicent Hightower

85. Emma The Great

Lila Rose was quite possibly the cutest baby in all the world. Taelon declared it and Aislynn shook her head. 

"I'm the cutest baby in the world."

"My little love you are not a baby anymore." Taelon corrected and AIslynn thought on that. 

"But I was." she offered. 

"You were." Taelon agreed. 

"Why doesnt she have hair like me and mama?" Aislynn questioned when Taelon held her up. 

"I was hoping for another little girl like you." Taelon remarked. "But there can only be one Aislynn." 

"Thats right." Aislynn agreed. "Am I the first Aislynn Targaryen?"

"You are my love." Taelon agreed. 

"Thats really cool." Aislynn declared. "Hi, Lila. Hi. I'm your big sister!" Lila stared up at them her cries silenced as she stared up at her big sister.

"She likes you." Taelon decided.

"I'm going to be the best big sister ever." AIslynn assured. 

"You had good role models." Emma agreed as she smiling back at LIla. "Lila... thats pretty."

"We checked the pits with uncle Tommen again and there are no new eggs." Avalon added with a sigh. 

"Thats okay." Taelon assured. "Right Alicent? She doesnt need an egg just yet." Taelon looked to a sad little Aislynn. Her egg hadnt hatched yet either though. She wanted a dragon as much as Aemond did. Taelon understood. He loved his dragon, he never felt more connected with his ancestors then when he was flying through the clouds. 

"What does Lila mean mum?" Avalon questioned. 

"Lila means you are mine or night love." Alicent remarked. 

"And my name?" Avalon pondered. 

Avalon. Avalon is a paradise. Avalon is a sanctuary. Avalon is a place of magic. Avalon is where King Arthur's sword Excalibur was made and later where Arthur was taken to recover from being gravely wounded in battle. Avalon's eyes went wide, her name really was greatness. 

"Avalon is also the name of a very wonderful Targaryen." Alicent added. "Taelon's great, great, great something great grandmother."

"Emma is after my grandmother." Emma recalled. "Grandmother Aemma." 

"Emma is my universe." Taelon informed her and she smiled widely back at him. "Emma is greatness."

"Emma the great!" She declared confidently. "I am now to be called Emma the great!" Alicent laughed out. 

"What about Aislynn?" she questioned staring back at them. 

"AIslynn is a dream, Aislynn is a vision." 

+

Lila never cried, never fussed, never made a peep. She stared up at them, quiet as a mouse. She drank her milk and sat, observing quietly in Maekars lap as he did his studies. He would point out some of the illustrations and LIla would stare up at him. Big beautiful eyes and a little smile. She already had their hearts.

"Stop boring her!" Aegon declared picking up Lila from Maekar's lap.

"Aegon, she was happy!" Maekar countered. The twins although loved the thrill of a fight, training had little else in common as they grew up. Maekar leaned towards studies, lessons while Aegon was already hoping to find a woman for himself, or dragon riding with Thorin.  

"She was not." Aegon mused and Lila stared back at Aegon silently as he hugged her to him. "She was bored out of her mind." Aegon informed him and Maekar rolled his eyes. "Werent you my little angel?" Aegon coed leading her outside.

"Where are you going?" Aemond questioned, he held to Aislynn's hand as they walked the halls.

"For a ride." Aegon remarked.

"With Lila?" Aislynn countered. 

"Yep." Aegon agreed. 

"Father wont like that." Aislynn corrected honestly. 

"He took us all riding." Aegon corrected. 

"Aegon, not with Lila!" Maekar declared chasing after him.

"Yes with Lila." Aegon countered.

"Aegon stop!" Maekar demanded. 

"What's going on?" Thorin questioned hearing a commotion. 

"Aegon is not listening he wants to take Lila for a ride." Aemond informed him. 

"Give me Lila." Thorin corrected reaching out for her. Lila stared back at them all, silently, observing. "When father is not here, I'm in charge." Thorin declared. 

"Father took us riding." Aegon reminded him. "Why can't I take Lila?"

"Because you are not as skilled as father." Maekar offered.

"I'm great. I'm awesome." Aegon countered.

"I say no." Thorin decided and reached out for Lila. she looked between them her head tipping back unable to hold it up. Thorin grabbed her holding her correctly. "You dont even know how to hold her, her head it going to snap right off!" Thorin warned and Aegon and Maekar's eyes went wide.

"WHAT!" He shouted taking a step back. "I didnt know they could do that?" Aegon looked to Maekar. "Did you know that?"

"No. I would have told you if I knew you were going to snap her head off!" Maekar declared. Thorin chuckled cradling Lila to him. 

"If you hold her wrong." Aemond remarked. "She isnt strong enough yet." 

"How do you know that?" aegon countered. 

"I helped when Loki was born." Aemond reminded them. "And Em and Avalon told me." He admitted.  

"Fine." Aegon agreed. "When she is bigger." Aegon told him as he walked off. Thorin chucked, rolling his eyes as he brought Lila to the pits. 

"I thought you just said-" Aislynn began. 

"I'm skilled." Thorin reminded them. "Right Erebor?"  Lila slapped her lips together and Thorin sighed heading back inside. "Get mum, Lila's hungry." Thorin remarked.