𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 | 𝗮𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗿𝘆𝗲𝗻

Chapter 4: babies and passages

119 d.C

Everyone in the Red Keep thought they were back in time at the screams of Rhaenyra's labor. It had been well into the night that she had gone into labor for the fourth time in her life and now, almost half a day later, it looked to be coming to an end.
Even after all these years Rhaenyra still felt unease at the thought of giving birth and only let her first born to be present with her at this stressful time. With one hand on her daughters and the other gripping the sheets as to her remaining strength to not leave her she could hear the midwives attending to her.

"I can see the head your Highness," Elinda said. It was her princess' fourth baby and she had had the honor of being present at all of the births. Now she tried to give her whole attention to the new baby coming and felt elated when realizing the the pains of his lady were soon to end.

"You're doing great muña, just a little more and we will meet him" Shiera encouraged. Although she couldn't do much to help her mother on these occasions, the thought of her presence being enough for her mother made her happy.

"A final push princess," One of the midwives said. If everything went well this would be a day to rejoice. Although the baby would not inherit anything his birth was something to celebrate as a new grandbaby of the king. "The baby is almost here"

With help from her daughter Rhaenyra straightened up and pushed with all her might. And finally the baby came with soft cries and tears in his eyes.

"A healthy boy princess," Elinda informed with happiness. "Kicking like a goat"

"You were right ñuha zaldrītsos" It's not as if she had any doubts about the hunches of her daughter. Her dreams had become a well known topic of discussion in her family. And even at her young age and sightless Shiera had become a quite mischievous and intelligent child.

Taking her child in her arms Rhaenyra guided her daughter's hands to help her take in her new brother.

Just at that moment a servant of the queen entered the birthing chambers with orders from the queen. She wanted to see the baby and she didn't care that he had just been born.
Obviously having just given birth meant nothing to Rhaenyra, who decided to go herself and ordered Shiera to stay in their chambers. Although when she exited herself from the chambers she knew her daughter would not listen to her. There seemed to be more important and demanding things outside waiting for her.

And Shiera, hating being alone and knowing there was someone waiting for her outside the doors, refreshed a little from the sweat and blood of her mother and exited the room.

Leaning against the wall Aemond righted himself and went to her side making sure to make sound so as not to startle her.

"Your mother seems to be a little frail after the birth, is it ok for her to be walking so soon?" He asked as he took her arm in his, leading her to the dragon pit where his brothers were waiting for the lesson to start.

"Your mother wanted to see the baby and muña wanted to go herself" Not seeing but feeling the stares of the nobles she pulled closer to Aemond and whispered intending only him to listen to her. "Could we take the passages? I don't want to talk with them about the birth right now, I'm a little tired"

Not having to ask her to specify what passages Aemond led her towards the closest one to them and, making sure nobody watched them, he directed her towards the disguised entrance.

The floor was damp and slippery so he made sure to keep an eye on her and kept one hand in hers and the free one on her back. Along the walk they talked about the birth and once the subject gave no more of itself they talked about everything they could think of. His sword lessons with their brothers, the loud shriek ser Criston gave when he found a spider on his helmet and the name of her new brother.

"What do you think they will name him?" Aemond was sure it would be a Valyrian name as all his family had and it would no doubt be something his mother would frown upon. She didn't seem to like any of his nephews and made sure to tell him and his siblings not to spend much time with them. No one paid much attention to her but the comments continued to bother him.

"I don't know but I like Brynden," Shiera said with a smile on her face. She could smell the ash of the dragon pit as they neared it and felt the warmth of the dragons. She didn't have a dragon as Aemond but she didn't let it bother her as much as it did to him. "But I know father will give him another one"

"Well, I think it's a beautiful name" He loved everything she loved and if she thought that Brayden was a name worthy of a Targaryen he would make sure she had someone to name Brynden one day.

Finally they reached the dragon pit and exited from one of the disguised doors near the caves where the dragons were kept. They made their way to where his brothers waited for the rest of the Velaryons and updated them on her mothers delivery.