Of Dragons and Oaths || HOTD FANFIC

Chapter Four: Dragonborn

     Throughout Aemma's pregnancy, her mother had left her in the care of her stepfather, Daemon. He was a stranger to Aemma, as she had only met him once before her mother had become queen, and she found it rather uncomfortable that he was always at her side. It became worse when she was ordered to stay in bed. Aemma was left in a bed, one she did not share with her husband, by order of her mother and the maesters. Rhaenyra was queen, and Alicent had been made the Hand, so there was no one left to look after her, at least no one that Rhaenyra trusted with her daughter. 

"Are you feeling well?" Aegon asks, sitting across from the bed next to where Aemma lay, her back propped against several pillows as Laenor snoozed beside her. The toddler had become restless as of late, constantly crying for his mother and throwing tantrums. Laenor had never been that way, always docile and sweet. Now he was taking out his frustrations on everyone around him. Aegon holds onto her hand, rubbing his thumb over her palm before kissing the skin gently. "Everything is fine, I think my mother is just worried. She suffered the death of my grandmother due to these types of complications. Laenor came easy, this one is just different." She reaches over to smooth her fingers through the toddler's fluffy hair, then moves to trace the freckles that dotted his skin. "I cannot blame her for such worries, I lost my Laena to the same fate," Daemon appears in the doorway, leaning against it whilst crossing his arms. 

Althea, Aemma's handmaiden, walks into the room, handling a tray of food and drink. 

"The queen will join you for dinner shortly," Daemon says, watching closely as Althea sets the food down on a small table. Aegon helps his wife to her feet, moving her to sit at the table. He settles her gently before placing a hand on her swollen belly. "We'll come to see you first thing in the morning, I promise," Aegon says, kissing her lips as she smiles up at him. "Leave Laenor, he'll fuss if you move him." 

When Rhaenyra arrives, she nods at her husband to leave, and he shuts the door behind him. 

"My sweet girl..." Rhaenyra cups Aemma's face in her hands, kissing her forehead softly. "You look like you're in pain, why don't you eat something?" 

By the end of the night Aemma is sleeping in bed, Laenor snuggled against her as her head rests atop Rhaenyra's chest. The princess slept soundly, not having the comfort of her mother for many years. Rhaenyra played with Aemma's braided hair as she lay propped against the headboard, her mind far away. She thinks of her mother, whom she named her daughter after, and the death of her little brother. Rhaenyra remembers how terrified she had been when Aemma and Aegon had confessed to the upcoming baby. She hadn't been there for Laenor's birth, so she had no idea what Aemma's pregnancies were like. This sickness worried her and reminded Rhaenyra of how her mother was bedridden before she had died along with Baelon. Rhaenyra has always feared her daughter being killed similarly. 

She glances over at the toddler, smiling as Laenor nestled himself against his mother's side, his little fingers curling around her nightgown. 

Rhaenyra sighs, straining her neck to blow out the burning candle on the night table. 

┍━━━━━━━ ˗ˏˋ ꒰ ♡ ꒱ ˎˊ˗━━━━━━━┑

     The next several weeks went by without much fuss, and Rhaenyra was glad. She spent most of her days trying to form diplomatic plans with Alicent to combat the sudden resurrection from the Lannister's and other small houses. Leaving her daughter in the care of Rhaena and Helaena during her days, she didn't feel like she needed to worry too much, not when she was being taken care of by those Rhaenyra trusted. Aemma would usually join in on the small council meetings, but due to her restrictions, she had sent her husband in place of her. 

"I still say we burn them to ash now, while we have the upper hand," Daemon grumbles, scoffing at Alicent as she offers Rhaenyra the peace treaty she'd written the night before. "That would be unnecessary." Aegon suddenly speaks, looking at Daemon as the King Consort glares at him. Feeling the eyes of everyone in the room on him, Aegon becomes uncomfortable, fiddling with his fingers, pulling at the skin of his cuticles until they bled. "At least... that is what my Lady Wife believes. She doesn't think that war is necessary, given that we have dragons." Alicent nods. "That sounds like something she would say, Aemma is very intelligent. She knows that war is not in the best interest of the realm." Rhaenyra gazes at the auburn-haired woman, noticing the smile on her lips as she spoke of the princess. Smiling, Rhaenyra agreed.