To Take What Is Rightfully Ours

Chapter 39. Dealing with Lost Pins and Magic

To keep her place in the King's bed was even easier than Diane thought it would be. Viserys was happy she was just there and he got to fuck her every three days, and Diane just treated this whole thing like she would have treated a job. Gods know, she had done worse for money. And besides, it was the same schedule as she had when she visited the King for his treatment, just this time around she needed a bath after.

After Valyria, the court life felt somewhat slow or at the very least there were no life-threatening, life-or-death emergencies. Diane got to spend time with her family, watching Rhaenyra grow bigger and bigger by the day.

'I swear to the Gods, as soon as she found out how to use her legs, she decided I'm her personal punch bag,' the princess grumbled, rubbing the side of her stomach. She still felt mostly alright, definitely enduring her pregnancy way better than her mother used to, but it was getting harder to get around and she got tired way faster. The long walks definitely had to wait till this baby was out.

Diane smiled, looking over her book, 'You are so sure it's a "she"?'

'Well, I don't know. I just have a feeling, I guess. And if I'm right, I already have a name picked out,' Rhaenyra smiled.

'And what is it?'

'Visenya.'

'Nice. A good name for a future Queen,' Diane said nonchalantly, turning a page in her book.

Rhaenyra hummed, rubbing her stomach absently. The princess had to give Diane proper credit for bringing such an important issue so casually. She never really thought about it but she apparently had a decision to make. If her firstborn was a girl, would she be her heir or would she be passed on in favor of her younger brother?

Rhaenyra knew that having a son be her heir would probably improve her position in the eyes of more conservative houses but did she really want that? If they managed to change the Widow's Law, the law would be on her side anyway and her father had already set a precedent of naming a first-born girl heir despite having sons after. Should she screw over her own daughter to support her standing?

'Indeed it is,' Rhaenyra made a decision. It was easier than she thought it would be, actually. If they were changing the world anyway, what sense would it be to do it only halfway? They should go all in and see what happens. Fight the battles now so their children won't have to.

The corners of Diane's mouth tugged into a smile. 'You know, I thought that if I ever have a daughter, I'll call her Rhaena. To honor what she was and still is to me. But only if the name has not already been taken. No need to overcomplicate our already complicated family tree,' she added, making the princess chuckle. 'That was before I went to Valyria, of course, but well-'

'There are other ways to have children,' Rhaenyra offered. Diane had told her that she wasn't sad about being barren but the princess wanted to comfort her anyway in case Diane was unhappy about it and just did not want to admit it (to others or even to herself).

'Oh, I know. I have two sons and I have never even been pregnant,' Diane let out a laugh. 'But I don't know... we will see, I suppose. Sometimes the Gods have things in store for us that we can't even imagine.'

***

Diane opened the door and came face to face with her father who immediately pointed a finger at her and exclaimed, 'You!'

Diane blinked, 'Me?'

'You!' Daemon repeated, still pointing at her but not elaborating.

Diane looked at him for a few seconds in pure confusion and then asked, 'Aren't you supposed to be at the Small Council meeting?'