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Alicent had been right when she said the pregnancy would pass quickly.
Her labor became a month early and Daena had barely had time to prepare herself. She knew Shaera and the others still didn't know of her pregnancy, the queen making no intention of updating them on the girl as the years passed.
The ravens stopped coming and Daena preferred it that way. It made it easier to not miss them, to miss her grandmother.
Daena's screams had plagued the castle for hours as her labors continued. It gave many haunting memories of her own birth fourteen years prior.
Aemond found himself standing outside the door, a part of him nervous. Her screams could mean nothing good and it didn't help the girl refused to let anyone get near her.
He recalled the midwives running in to help, only to flee in fear as Daena threatened to stab them if they touched her. The last he had checked in on her, she was kneeling on her blood-stained sheets, tightly grasping a dagger in her right hand.
She was drenched in sweat, fearing to allow anyone to help her. Aemond didn't blame her. Not after what happened to her own mother.
The maester had begged Aemond to allow him to fetch some guards to hold her down but he had refused. It wasn't right.
"I can't do this, I can't do this," Daena panted for breath as she cried in agony, "I need Daemion. Please get me my uncle."
"Princess, Prince Daemion is on Dragonstone. He will not make it in time, even on dragonback," The maester informed and opened the door.
Aemond immediately pushed himself from leaning against the wall. He turned, realizing the maester had approached to speak to him. "My Prince, you must come in," He pleaded, hoping Aemond would be able to convince her to allow someone to help her. The urgency in his tone concerned Aemond, fearing what it could mean.
"Me?" He frowned, a part of him finding the idea to foolish. It would make matters worse.
He flinched at the sounds of Daena's cries from within the chambers. Despite their differences, it pained to hear the girl's agonizing screams. She was clearly terrified, given her mother's difficult birth.
He nodded and walked into the chambers, finding Daena standing. She was bent forward, tightly gripping the foot of the bed. "You must return to the bed, my lady," The maester ordered in an annoyed tone. He grew impatient and frustrared with the girl, given her refusal to listen. She didn't trust him, after all. He was the same maester who had cared for her mother when she gave birth to Daena.
"I will do no such thing," Daena argued, shaking her head at him. She slowly turned to Aemond, a pleading look on her face, "Aemond, please. Tell him to leave me be. He wishes to cut me open!"
