DEVILS TONGUE, aemond targaryen

thirty seven

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
❪ devils tongue ! ❫

By the time the city watch found Aenemera outside the dragonpit, her face was as pale as the white sand in essos and covered in sweat from the beating sun. She had spots of smoke and ash covering her cheek and under her chin, revealing she had just been in battle.

It wasn't until she was seated on the horse did she realize one of the men happened to be Gareth.

He spent the entire time looking for the princess in case she needed him. Once he watched Baeselyx fly away from the dragonpit, he knew that's where he would find her.

Aenemera was brought into the castle in Gareth's arms bridal style and led towards her chambers. "Where the fuck is the prince?!"

Handmaidens were running after Gareth with blankets and large bowls full of water. Lyra was the first to arrive at her door when she caught wind that the princess was giving birth. She shoved past all of the other maids to get to Aenemera just as Gareth gently placed her onto the bed.

The princess started to painfully grip at the bed sheets while she tiredly grunted. "W — where is my husband? Where is Aemond?"

Lyra was in the middle of trying to undress the princess down to her undergarments when she gazed up at Gareth. "The prince is still handling the battle — they made it into the city." She whispered to the knight.

Gareth's eyes were piercing through Lyra's before he gave a curt nod and turned to Aenemera. "He'll be here soon." He then turned away and viciously shouted at the maids. "Where the seven hells is the maester?"

"He's coming as we speak!"

Another shock of pain shot down Aenemera's spine and her back arched with her teeth clenching together to keep herself from shouting.

"Lyla," the princess whispered. "I can't do this. I can't."

The maid quickly shook her head and started using damp towels that were given from the other maids, and started lathering her forehead to keep her cool. "Yes you can, princess. You're going to be an excellent mother. You're going to make your family proud."

Flash's of stories from her grandmother Aemma's death flowed through her mind. Tears started collecting on her waterline as she remembered the look her mother gave her when she first told the story. Aenemera's name was special for a reason. To honor or grandmother that lost her life giving birth to the uncle she'll never know. How it absolutely destroyed her grandfather and left Rhaenyra heartbroken for years.

But then she started to remember how much pain her mother was in while giving birth to her sister, Visenya.

The midwives started gathering around Aenemera's bed as they tried to make her the most comfortable. The maester was with them now and Gareth excused himself to waiting outside the door.

"Princess, we'll need you to start pushing."

Aenemera shook her head roughly and latched onto Lyra's hand with her own. "No, no, no. Not without Aemond, please — "

"My Lady you cannot wait much longer," one of the midwives spoke. "The babe is coming."

Aenemera spoke to Lyra with pleading eyes. "I need him, I can't do this without him."