The she-wolf and the lion

Chapter 186 - Naella Lannister, first of her name

2 years later.

Daemon and Eleyna are nervously awaiting the arrival of their next child. Eleyna walks around the castle with help from Lyra and Cerelle, with Daemon, Jaime and Bronn nervously waiting around their women for the new baby to arrive.

Bronn is equally nervous as his master even though neither of their wives are the ones laying in the birthing bed this time, but rather his master's heir, a young man Bronn saw born all those years ago, when the lord and lady of Casterly Rock were but 19 and 21 years old respectively.
"Jaime, I believe it is time for us to meet our new granddaughter, call for maester Craylen and the earth mother", Lyra says. "And Daemon, call for the servants to bring hot water and clean linen."
"I believe so, and I think our son should call on the maester and the earth mother himself, it's his responsibility not mine since it's his lady wife about to give birth, not mine, if he's old enough to give us grandchildren, he's old enough to make the necessary arrangements during his wife's delivery", Jaime says with a gentle smile but a stern voice and an equally stern look.
"You're right, my love", Lyra says, turning to her firstborn with a stern look. "What are you waiting for? Your father and I to make all the decisions and arrangements for you? You heard your father, it's your responsibility as the father of the child to be born, to call on the maester, the earth mother and the necessary things for your wife."
"Yes, mother", Daemon says, getting up to tell the servants to get the maester and the earth mother for his wife as well as hot water and clean linen. "Bring hot water and clean linen, and get maester Craylen and the earth mother for my wife, our child is about to be born."
"Yes, lord Daemon", the servants say, scattering to do the young lord's bidding.
"See, that wasn't so hard", Jaime says lightly. "You gotta remember that one day you will be their lord and master, and when that day comes, you are the one to give all the orders around here, and no, I'm not dying quite yet so don't look so scared, there's still a lot of fire and fight left in this old lion, not to mention, your mother would never allow it while I can still get it to stand on attention for her."
"Father! In my wife's birthing bed?! Is this really the right place for you to speak of such things?" Daemon says, shocked at hearing his father speak so openly about his potency. "You, stop gawking like a fool and get my wife something for her pains."
"Ah, it worked, didn't it? It got you to think about something other than yourself and reminded you of your duties, which right now are to support your lady wife through what is hopefully an easy childbirth", Jaime says smugly.

Daemon moves to the side of his wife and holds on to her hands as she's ripped with her birthing pains.
"You're doing so well, my love", Daemon says sweetly.
"I can see the head", the earth mother says, glancing down between the young noble woman's legs.
"Push, my love, the child is almost out", Daemon says, holding on to his wife's hands as she pushes the baby out.
"A daughter, lord Daemon, lady Eleyna", maester Craylen says.
"Forgive me, Daemon, I will do better", Eleyna says, feeling like she failed her young husband.
"You have no need to ask my forgiveness, my love, a daughter is as dear to me as a son, you did so well, our daughter is beautiful, as beautiful as you", Daemon says, planting a kiss on his wife's damp forehead.
"What name have you chosen for your daughter, m'lord, m'lady?" maester Craylen asks.
"My daughter shall bear the name Naella Lannister, the ice lion's pride", Daemon says proudly.
"Such a beautiful granddaughter you have both given us", Jaime says proudly, looking at the little baby girl.
"Naella Lannister, first of her name, daughter of Daemon and Eleyna Lannister, daughter of the ice lion and the ice lion's lady, granddaughter of the golden lion and the she wolf of the rock", maester Craylen says, writing first in the family book of house Lannister laying opened before him, a book brought out whenever there's a birth or death in the family and well used with all the children and grandchildren born to lord Jaime and lady Lyra, and then he writes the letters to their families in Lannisport, Winterfell and King's Landing.
"Thank you, maester", Daemon says with a gentle smile so much like his father's.
"Daemon, could you ask the servant to bring me some food?" Eleyna asks.
"Of course, my beloved, what would you like?" Daemon asks.
"Some chicken soup, bread, butter, white wine, fruit and cheese", Eleyna says.
"At once, beloved", Daemon says, getting up from his seat and tell the servants to bring food for his lady wife. "Bring food for my wife, chicken soup, bread, butter, cheese, fruit and white wine."
"Yes, lord Daemon", the servants say, going to get food and wine for his wife.

Jaime and Lyra stand back and watch their firstborn boy with his wife and baby daughter.
"We'll excuse ourselves to let you enjoy some alone time with your daughter", Jaime says with a gentle smile, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist and leaving the room with her, Bronn and Cerelle following behind them.

The two couples leave the chambers just as the servants show up with food and drink for Daemon and Eleyna. Jaime orders that food and drink is brought to him, Lyra, Bronn and Cerelle in the master's chambers.

They spend time together talking and toasting the new baby and the next flower spurted on the fruitful family tree of lord Jaime of house Lannister and lady Lyra of houses Lannister and Stark.

Eleyna, with help from Daemon, pumps the milk from her breasts, into bottles so that Daemon can feed their daughter too.
"There, now you can feed our little girl too", Eleyna says when four bottles are filled. "Then you can lay her down in the cot."
"To think that cot held lord Tywin's and lady Joanna's three children when we were little, and all our children and grandchildren born here in the castle", Jaime says, reminiscing about the first time he laid a child of his own blood and seed, down in the old cot.
"I remember the first time I saw you lay Daemon in that cot so many years ago when we were still young and our love was new", Lyra says.
"My love for you is as strong now as it was when I laid our firstborn down in this cot for the first time", Jaime says.
"As is my love for you", Lyra says with a gentle smile.
"Are we too old for one last baby?" Jaime asks.
"You aren't because you can get someone pregnant all your life basically, but I might be too old, Craylen warned me when he examined me a few days ago that another child might be out of the question for us, both because I may not be able to get pregnant again and because it might be too risky", Lyra says. "You've been warned by him before too that another childbirth might mean my death, Jaime."
"I know, you know that I would never want to risk your health and safety because I may want to try for another baby", Jaime says.
"I know you would never do anything to risk my life", Lyra says. "Let's summon the maester and ask his opinion."
"I'll summon him back for us, to our rooms", Jaime says, getting up and open the door. "Get maester Craylen for us, lady Lyra and I wish to have a word with him, tell him that we will attend him in our rooms."
"Yes, lord Jaime", the servant says, going to retrieve the maester.
"We'll excuse ourselves and let you enjoy some alone time with your little girl", Lyra tells her son before she and Jaime go to their own rooms.

Jaime and Lyra get in to their rooms and just as they've sat down, maester Craylen comes in to the room.
"You asked to see me", maester Craylen says.
"Yes, we would like to ask your opinion on something", Jaime says.
"What's that, m'lord?" maester Craylen asks.
"We have been discussing the possibility of trying for another baby, I know what you told Jaime, that another child birth would have the potential to kill me", Lyra says.
"Yes, that's what I told lord Lannister, because your last child birth was a difficult one", maester Craylen says. "But I think, if you're able to get pregnant against, it is the will of the seven, we can monitor it closely and if there's anything that seems wrong with it, I will give you something to abort the child."