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CHAPTER THREE.
THE SCREAMS
104 AC
VISENYA was startled awake by a guttural scream echoing through the Red Keep. She laid still, her mind racing, thinking they were under attack by some foe. She heard the patter of feet outside her door and slipped from her bed. She moved toward the door and pressed her ear against it. The shuffling became clear now, including the whispers of the maids.
Visenya flung her door open as another scream ripped through the castle. "What's going on?" She questioned the maids.
"The queen has gone into early labour, Princess," one said before hurrying away with her friend. Visenya turned in the direction of her mother's room. Once there, she saw maids and the Maester speaking with her father.
As she neared, she noticed that Rhaenyra was clung to their father's leg.
"Father... is she alright?" Visenya questioned worriedly.
The Maester glanced at her and then at her father. Viserys nodded quickly, "Yes, she's fine." Just as another scream echoed from the room, the yells clearer now.
Visenya glanced through the closing door that the Maester just went through and caught sight of Aemma on her hands and knees on her bed, blood staining her nightdress. Aemma's dark hair was stringy with sweat and her face was the same as she screamed. The door shut in her face and Visenya looked at her father, "Mother's not going to die is she Father?"
Rhaenyra began to weep and Viserys shook his head adamantly, "Your mother is fine, she's just in a lot of pain."
Visneya felt a presence come up behind her and she glanced back to see Daemon standing there, his face still marred with sleep and his long hair swept into a braid that was falling out. Viserys moved away from the two girls and took his brother aside.
Rhaenyra clung to her sister, "She's going to be alright? Isn't she Enya?" Rhaenyra was young, only of seven, and Visenya knew she was scared.
Though Visenya knew her father was lying, he had no clue if their mother was going to live or not, but Visenya would always lie to protect her sister, "Of course. You heard father." She remembered earlier that day when she'd asked if Aemma was alright. The woman seemed fine. This reinforced her dislike for pregnancy. She was now adamant that she would not have children.
Daemon came to her side, "Come, Senya let's go to the library and give the nurses and Maester some space." He led the two away and into the library. Visenya immediately fell into her usual chair, and Rhaenyra curled on her lap as Daemon sat beside them. And they waited.
Finally, almost an hour later, the screaming stopped. Visenya feared the worst until her father came. He entered the library with a sullen look and spoke, "Aemma is fine. The child is not."
Though it was not very good news, the two girls sighed relief. Rhaenyra hopped off her sister's lap as they hurried to see their mother. They ran down the halls of the Red Keep. If Septa Marlow saw them she'd be appalled, yet the two did not care.
They shoved past the nurses and pushed their way to their mother's bed. She lay there exhausted, sweat still lining her face and causing streaks in her dark hair. She pushed away the nurse who was dabbing the sweat away and the woman bowed before hurrying off. She gave her daughters a weak smile.
"My daughters," she rasped, her voice raw from the screaming.
Tears pooled in Visenya's eyes as she flung herself toward the woman, with no care if she were sweaty and sticky, "I thought I lost you." Aemma was the only mother Visenya had ever known. To lose her would be to lose her mother even if they were in no way related.
Aemma smoothed her light silver hair as Visenya pulled away from her, "You will not lose me. I am not going anywhere. I promise."
Rhaenyra squeezed through the gap and hugged her mother. Aemma gave a gentle laugh as Rhaenyra's small arms curled around her waist, "I'm glad you alright Mother."
A week later, Visenya and Rhaenyra stood side by side, dressed in black. They stared at the funeral pyre in the open field. On top, sat a small body wrapped in white. Fortunately, Aemma had survived her horrible labours but her child did not. A son, she was to have according to the Maester.
Beside them, stood their mother and father. The former sobbed into her husband's arms. Visenya was once again reminded why she did not want children. There was no way she was going to put herself through the grief of losing a child. She'd rather not have any at all.
Rhaenyra was to give the order. She was the only one in their immediate family with a dragon. Usually, it was Daemon and Caraxes, but considering Rhaenyra was old enough to go to funerals now, she had taken over.
This was her first funeral. Aemma had said that she wanted them to be there to help send off their brother. Rhaenyra clutched her sister's hand tightly in fear. She was worried that Syrax would miss the pyre and burn them all. But Visneya knew that would not happen.
The Septon spoke about the dead. His words were mostly about The Mother and The Stranger and his asks of The Father to accept the babe with open arms in death.
Finally, it was time for the order. Syrax, sensing her rider's discomfort, gave a small clicking noise as she moved on the hill beside them. Rhaenyra stepped forward and her command was nervous, "Dracarys."
Visenya was blasted with a hot heat as Syrax opened her jaws and breathed orange fire onto the funeral pyre. Rhaenyra stepped back beside her sister and rest her head against her arm. The onlookers watched as the pyre burned. Aemma's weeps the only sound breaking through the silence.
