Chapter Seventeen

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Fifteen years had passed since Enora and Viserys had married in a beautiful ceremony. The Small folk whispered how their love was blessed by the Seven. In the fifth year of their marriage Viserys had gifted Enora the crown his grandmother had worn, a thin simple band of yellow gold ornamented with seven gems of different colors representing the Great houses of the realm. The King and Queen had four children between the two of them, and though both had come into the marriage already with children, they loved their step children as if they were their own. 

The years were good to Enora, songs and poems were written of the Queen's beauty and kind nature. Though her body had changed with age and from her pregnancies, the King's love remained steadfast. Her face had lost the fullness of her youth, and her cheekbones were now more prominent, casting shadows across her jaw. While her hair was still a warm brown now strands of silver shone throughout. The skin of her forehead held faint lines from worrying herself over the health of her husband.

His mysterious illness had gotten worse, beginning to take parts from him. On the suggestion of the maesters, Viserys had gone under the knife, removing his rotting arm from his body. It was hoped that this process would slow the rate of decline if not stop it all together. And through it all Enora's love and adoration for her husband had not wavered.

Alicent had been married to Ser Harwin Strong the spring following Rhaenyra's wedding to Ser Laenor, and had welcomed two sons with another on the way. Rhaenyra, unlike her friend, had not welcomed any children into the world. And though the Princess put on a brave face, Enora could see the pain and sadness in her eyes as the years went by and she was not with child.

"My Queen, Princess?"

Enora turned to see a young servant girl standing in the doorway of Alicent's rooms.

"Is she well?" Enora questioned rushing to the door, followed by Rhaenyra.".

"Quite, Your Grace. It is a boy." A sense of joy filled the Queen with those words. Brushing past the servant, Enora rushed into the room.

Auburn hair covered Alicent's face as she held her babe close. A sense of warmth filled Enora as she quickly closed the distance to the bed. Dropping to her knees on the mattress, the Queen took a cool wet cloth from the midwives hand. With one hand she pushed back Alicent's hair and with the other she held the cloth to the flustered mother's forehead.

Rhaenyra joined the sisters on the birthing bed, wrapping her arms around Alicent. Alicent sent her sister a grateful smile, relaxing into the touch and care of the women she was closest to.

"How do you feel, Ali?"

"I am fine, Nora."

"You just gave birth, Alicent. Do not lie?' Rhaenyra teased her friend.

"I am not lying, I have my son, what else could possibly matter?" Alicent looked down lovingly on the boy.

Silence passed as the three women enjoyed the other's company, though it did not last long as they were soon interrupted by Harwin Strong entering the room. The large knight appeared unnerved as he rushed into the room, and pushed through the midwives to reach his wife.

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