I Think He Knows // Viserys Targaryen

23. Little Nugget

"Your grace, you're 7 centimeters dilated, 100% effaced. How long ago did your water break?"

"What? I was freaking out you honestly think I was paying attention to the time!" Alisha spat back. She was level headed and calm but not when it came to delivering babies, all hell broke loose.

"About an hour, hour and-" Viserys remarked and Alisha groaned out rubbing a hand over her stomach. "The sun was just above the ridge this morning, I think. But Ali is not a morning person when she is pregnant. She said it would wait for her." Viserys chuckled.

"This baby is coming out sideways." Alisha decided. "The little nugget."

" No, it just feels like that. Your fetus is facing up instead of down." The maester remarked.

"Seven hells." Alisha muttered. "Something's wrong? That's what that means?"

"No. Baby's just moving around, letting us know that it is time to come out." ALisha's jaw chattered anxiously.

"Something doesnt feel right." ALisha kept murmuring and Viserys held tight to her hand. "You know I think I changed my mind, I'm fine with keeping this kid hostage in me forever. Lets just-" Alisha groaned out. "-tell the kid no and I'm not really ready yet."

"You are ready."

"I dont feel ready." ALisha corrected. Viserys held tight to her. "Viserys, something isnt right. I feel it, something isnt right."

"I get it. It's a big day. You know, a lot of new experiences all happening at once. But, your grace, this is not new for me. I have been here many, many times, and I know exactly how to help you and your husband get through this." the maester reminded her. "This is not your first child, this is easy as can be." he added.

"Thank you...  but just... tell it to wait. Just to fucking wait until I'm ready." Alisha begged. "Somethings not right," She whimpered her vision blurry.

"I can't do that."

"Then get it out of me." Alisha demanded.

"I can't do that either. Your body is not ready-"

"I thought you just said it was!" Alisha sobbed out. "Why does it hurt so much, I kept this little shit safe for moons and this is how it repays me?"

"My love, deep breaths." Viserys instructed.

"I think it's stuck." Alisha groaned out.

"No, just a big head." The maester offered.

"Oh? Just a big head? That's all." Alisha groaned out. "Oh, my God. Is the babe gonna fit?"

"Yes, the babe will. We just need to open up the birth canal a bit wider."

"That sounds... unpleasant." Alisha murmured.

"Your grace, we're going to adjust you to a new position, OK? It makes it easier for the baby to come out."

"Okay, sure... I guess." Alisha agreed breathlessly. Viserys held tight to his hand.

"I'm right here." Viserys whispered.

"All right, my king. Why don't you let one of my nurses take over for you, OK?" Viserys glanced to them curiously.

"I will be right here." Viserys agreed taking a step back as Alisha's bed and pillows were adjusting and hands were pushing on her stomach.

"And I can use some pressure... Yep. I'm right here...."

"Right where?" Alisha grumbled. "Up my whoo ha? Yeah, I feel that." she agreed.

"OK, now on your next contraction, I want you to give me everything you've got. Everything."

"OK.... OK...." Alisha looked to Viserys and he offered her a small reassuring smile.

"You got this." Viserys assured.

"I can do this." Alisha agreed half heartedly.

"Yes, you can. You got this." Viserys declared.

"I got this. I got this. OK. Oh. Fucking.... Kay." Alisha rasped before she was yelling with a giant push. "Somethings... not right." She whispered again.

"I've got the head... the Shoulder...."

"Somethings not right!" Alisha demanded through groans of pain before she heard cries of a baby. "Thank the Gods." Alisha murmured.

"I've got her. I got her. She's here. She's here."

"She?" Alisha whispered.

"It's a girl your grace." Alisha looked to Viserys.

"A little girl." He whispered moving to her and kissing her sweaty forehead.

Labor was excruciating unlike pain Alisha had ever felt before. This one was harder than Aemond was, she never wanted to go through this again she decided. Four children were enough. she didn't care how good sex was she didn't wanna deal with pushing another being out of her body.

Finally she could hear the screams a child and she could breathe but no one looked happy. Her smile fell. She knew it was a girl and that was it, what was happening?

'What's wrong? What has happened? what's the matter?' Alisha asked reaching out for her baby but no one moved.

'It's a girl your grace' one of the wet nurses said still no smile. this was a happy moment. A happy fucking moment!

"Yes a girl, a little girl!' Alisha agreed, she was so happy, she smiled at the thought still reaching for her child but not one moved.

'I'm sorry your grace I'm so sorry' another wet nurse said looking to the king.

'Sorry why are you apologizing? what's wrong? what's wrong with her is she OK?' Alisha didn't understand what weren't they telling her?

'She is... she is...' it was as if no one wanted to say it, no one want to say what was wrong with her daughter.

'Tell me!' she demanded 'tell me now!'

'She's a dwarf.' One finally yelled out above the silence.

'Give her to me' Alisha demanded. The wet nurse handed the child off and ALisha looked down into her eyes and the baby stopped crying.