ETHEREAL | house of the dragon

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✧✦ PART ONE ✦✧

⤷ ZERO; preface ⤶

97 AC; RED KEEP

PROVEN TO BE THE GODS LEAST FAVOURITE AND MOST UNFORTUNATE, after twenty four moons the young princess Aemma Arryn was blessed. Finally able to carry her babe full term, not realising the harsh pain that she had to endure just to provide an heir for her Prince Lord Husband. No man would handle the pains that all maidens of the realm had to go through just to bare their husbands a heir.

The princess Aemma Arryn was no different even at the young age of ten and three, her destiny was chosen for her the moment she married her husband who was also the heir of the seven kingdoms. Having to push out his children so no one would overthrow his house.

A dragon like roar left the princess as she screamed in agony, it was as if she was being torn apart slowly. The feeling of being ripped from below was unbearable and excruciating, how her grand mother was able to endure such pain thirteen times.

In the halls outside of the princess's birthing chambers was her husband, prince viserys and the realms king, Jaehaerys. Both incessantly pacing back and forth nervously as their little princess screamed in pain from the other side of the door. Even as the kings favourite grandchild, there was nothing he could do, not even hold her hand after all it was unseemly for a man to witness such a feminine battle.

The royal court alongside the servants listened in worry as Aemmas screams echoed the grande castle walls, watching as their king in his old aching bones struggled to keep the same stride as his grandson, who was ten and eight name days.

A final scream left Aemma as she pushed her babe from her, feeling the gush of blood from her. The painful ache from her lower region still a harsh reminder of what she had to endure, only when she realised how unusually quiet the room was that she pushed away the pain. "Is he okay? Why is he not crying?" 

Shaking their heads with small smiles "Quiet babe she is but perfect." The babe was indeed beautiful unlike any she had ever seen, with her silver golden hair and porcelain skin. "Kicking like a goat."

In awe as her child opened her eyes, her own blue meeting the softest lilac. Cooing as their eyes locked, aemma gently trailed her finger across the small tuff of her babes hair. Even covered in small specks of blood, her babe was enchanting.

━━━ ASTONISHMENT WAS ETCHED on her Lord Husbands face as well as her Grandsires as they stared at the two laying on the bed, the sun shining on the two making aemma look as if she were a fallen angel. Not realising that they had even entered the room too enraptured by her babe. 

A stray tear left Prince Viserys eyes as he gazed upon the ones he loved most. "Vis, my love. Come meet our daughter." 

Shocked in the revelation as he gazed over his sweaty and bloody wife who had endure pain that he never could survive before a content and beaming smile appeared on his lips. "She is beautiful my love." His purple eyes looked into his daughters eyes, surprised to see that she had the same soft colour of his grandsires. "You have done magnificently, my love."

In seconds the babe was placed in his arms only for her to fuss, fearful and confused as he looked down at the babe. Looking for help only to see his grandsire comforting his wife who began to wince uncomfortably. 

The freshly born babe began to cry out for the first time as her mother began to groan in pain once more, the cramping hitting aemma harshly as she gripped her grandsires hand tightly. "What is happening?"

"Perhaps the afterbirth?" the youngest of the group questioned only to be shushed as the eldest checked the princess once again, her look of amazement shocking the king. "The Princess seems to have another babe." Aemma cried out in pain as she felt herself being ripped apart once more.

"I cannot do this." Whispered Aemma as she began to cry in anguish. "I cannot bare this. Not anymore."

The midwives stared at the sobbing princess in sadness "You must princess, the babe has to leave you at once for fear you both may not survive otherwise." With an exhausted and panicked struggle just moments later a loud and shrill came from the pink and bloodied babe. A happy chuckling leaving Prince Viserys, for this was his second chance. To have an heir.

"A boy?" grinned Viserys whose eyes locked onto the new babe, rocking his first born in his arms. Her cries coming to a halt when her sibling entered the world. His disappointment was slightly visible for a moment as he looked down at the babe who was revealed to be another princess.

A laugh left Aemma who was surprised to have been able survive such to pain just to receive her babes who she fondly gazed upon. Looking over at her husband noticing the small frown that was etched on his face, her joy almost leaving her. "Im sorry, my love."

Noticing his wife's disappointment Viserys mustered up a beaming smile "Nonsense my love. You have given me two joys to live for." Holding the second born babe as her grandsire took his first born in his arms. "You shall be Rhaenyra first of her name." The prince boasted looking into the purple eyes of his daughter, nose and eyes like his own.

A dimmed smile appeared on the worn out princess' face as she stared lovingly at her husband who rocked their babe gently, her body begging to sleep. The child cooing at the feeling of being in her fathers arms.

"And what of she. What shall her name be?" The king asked, smiled softly at the quiet babe in his arms. A feeling of rejuvenation washing over the old king as he sighed in content. Staring into the eyes of the babe, lilac meeting lilac not realising that both eyes were glazed over.

"Husband what do you wish to name her?" The prince smiled at his wife but before he could respond the kings commanding voice echoed the room.

"Daenys Targaryen, second of her name." An airy feeling entered the room as the couple stared at their grandsire who stared knowingly at their daughter with fond eyes. The king knowing that the child was born and nothing could change the way of the future but her.