Sweeter Than Evil ||| Cregan Stark

fifty-five

Daenyra was the light of Daenys and Cregan's life in Winterfell. She was the reminder of what they had sacrificed their youths for and she was the promise of a brighter future. The baby was perfect in every way and Daenys would have done anything for her child and her heir.

There was always the needling need for a Winterfell heir but Daenys didn't push herself and nor did Cregan. She needed time to fully recover and reclaim her body again after Daenyra was born. Daenys loved her daughter and would change nothing about her but giving birth was an entirely different beast than caring for a baby.

Feeling okay again took time and on the off chance that Daenys was blessed enough to conceive quickly, she chose to wait until she felt mentally prepared to be pregnant again. That only happened when Daenyra was seven months old, crawling around, and blabbering. She had a little bit of independence and was already a... spirited little girl. Daenys needed to make sure they could handle it before adding a second child to their family.

When Daenys finally felt ready for the possibility of her getting pregnant again, she communicated it to her husband while she was on top of him. It was a rushed request, something she uttered in the heat of the moment but something she would never regret.

"Inside," she'd panted, grabbing onto Cregan and ensuring her request became an inevitability. There wasn't much he could do in the way of asking her if she was sure while they were in the middle of it. Like any honourable man, Cregan did as he was commanded by the heir to the Iron Throne and buried himself in his wife.

It was only after, when they were cuddled together in the bed, that there was a more rational discussion held.

"You are certain?" He asked, his hand making soothing circles on her bare skin. "About having another child so soon. If our record holds, it won't be long until you are with child."

Daenys readjusted her head on his chest and rested her chin on him to look at his face. "I am," she said simply. "You need an heir and soon enough Daenyra will grow bored. Our family will grow and I feel no fear when the father of my children loves me so deeply."

Cregan smiled at Daenys and leaned down to kiss her. They weren't going for the record set by Queen Alysanne and King Jaehaerys but when Daenys had a husband beside her who genuinely cared for her wellbeing, there was a desire within her to populate the royal line well.

The future of the Realm deserved to be decided by children raised by loving parents who also loved each other. The Realm had faced enough issues from dysfunction and Daenys would always do her best to ensure her children wouldn't destroy the peace that a war had to be fought for. Allying the North and the Crownlands through blood was a good start.

They wouldn't have to wait long for Cregan's heir. Two months after Daenys was certain she could handle being pregnant again and Daenyra was nine months old, she found herself facing a familiar set of symptoms.

It was those familiar symptoms that took her to Maester Kennet to receive welcome news.

"Congratulations, Princess. You are once again with child," the maester said. "Let us all pray to the Gods for another easy delivery and healthy babe."

Easy wasn't exactly the word Daenys would have used to describe birth but she did not argue with him. She was extremely pleased with the news and thanked the man, smoothing a hand over her stomach which hadn't yet shown the baby within it.

Telling Cregan was simple and without the heaviness she felt the first time. Daenys went to him with Daenyra on her hip, a new spring in her step, and felt her heart warm with how he smiled at them.

"My girls," he said, kissing Daenyra on the side of the head and his wife on the lips in greeting. "How did the meeting with the maester go?"

Daenys sighed and caressed Daenyra's silver hair. "Tell your father that more trouble will be upon us far quicker than we may be ready for it." Daenyra babbled at the two of them, flapping her arms, and Cregan broke into an even wider smile.