The Rogue Prince and the Direwolf's daughter

Chapter 19 - "Maelor Targaryen, the little dragon"

Seven months later, Princess Jaehaera is heavy with child, she is walking around her rooms with help from her mother queen Daena, her brother husband prince Jaehaerys and some of the princess's ladies while king Daemon is sitting on the Iron Throne with his and Daena's second son, prince Aemond, at his side.
"Jaehaerys, call for the maester and the midwife", princess Jaehaera begs her brother husband.
"Right away, my love", prince Jaehaerys says, opening the door and shouting at a servant to bring the maester for the princess. "Get the maester for princess Jaehaera and bring hot water, clean linen and whatever else is needed, princess Jaehaera is about to give birth".
"Yes, my prince", the servants say, going to do his bidding.

Grand maester Mellos arrives together with the midwife and servants with the things that prince Jaehaerys told the servants to bring.

Jaehaera goes into labor just as they arrive.
"Jaehaerys, it hurts", Jaehaera sighs.
"I know, my love", Jaehaerys says.

Jaehaerys helps his sister wife lay down on the daybed as the child is about to be born. The twins, without seeming to even notice the other people in the room with them, take charge of the situation together, while holding on to his hands, Jaehaera births a large lusty perfect baby boy with dew of silver blonde hair on his head.
"A baby boy, my love, a perfect baby boy", Jaehaerys says, holding the little boy in his arms for a moment before handing him to the midwife.
"Maelor", Jaehaera says, completely spent after birthing her son.
"Maelor," Jaehaerys agrees with a nod. "You did amazingly, my love"
"Can you show him to his uncle and grandfather?" Jaehaera asks.
"Of course, my sweet", Jaehaerys says and waits while the women clean and wrap the little prince so that he is ready to be shown to the king. "Come, Maelor, let's show you to your uncle and grandfather".

The crown prince takes the wrapped newborn prince in his arms and carry him to be presented to his grandfather the king in the throne room. Jaehaerys enters the throne room and approaches the Iron Throne where his father is sitting.
"Father, may I present my son, prince Maelor of house Targaryen", Jaehaerys says.
"Maelor, now that's a suitable name for a prince" Daemon says with emotion. "Such a beautiful boy"

A few days after the birth of prince Maelor to princess Jaehaera and prince Jaehaerys, tragedy strikes the Red Keep in the early hours of the morning when the king and queen are woken by prince Jaime's wet nurse Melara.
"P...prince Jaime is...is" Melara stutters, struggling to get words out.
"What happened to my son?" Queen Daena asks. "What happened to prince Jaime, speak, child"
"The little prince is dead, your grace" Melara says.

Daena slowly sinks to the floor but Daemon catches her and holds her in his arms.
"Show us to him and send for Mellos", Daemon says, unable to take in the news that his son, his little boy, is no more.

Melara does as her king commands and shows the royal couple to the room where their baby boy lays dead, claimed by the Stranger before his time was due, Daemon ends up having to carry his grief stricken queen to where their son is laying.
"It's the sweating sickness that shortened the young prince's life so drastically", grand maester Mellos concludes after a brief examination of the dead child.
"He was a beautiful child", Daena says.
"How do you wish him to be buried?" grand maester Mellos asks.
"He was a Targaryen, a dragon, his father is the fiercest and finest warrior and dragon rider in the Seven Kingdoms, our beloved son shall burn, Caraxes' and Winter's flames are to claim the prince, in two days", Daena says.
"Yes, my queen", grand maester Mellos says.
"His ashes are to be handed over to us, we will take our dragons and fly to the place where he was created and we will spread his ashes there", Daemon says. "He was created on a set of cliffs near Dragonstone, that's where he will rest."
"Yes, my king", grand maester Mellos says.
"Ready the prince's body, bring it to us and we shall carry him to his burial ourselves in two days" Daemon says. "Wrap him in his Targaryen blanket and bring him to us"
"Yes, my king", grand maester Mellos says.
"And Mellos", Daemon says sharply. "Tell no one or I will serve you your tongue at the prince's funeral feast"
"Yes, my king", grand maester Mellos says.

Daena and Daemon excuse themselves with the order to bring the prince's body to them as soon as he has been prepared for the burial. Half an hour later, there's a knock on the door and grand maester Mellos stands in the doorway with a little bundle wrapped in Targaryen red and black.

He hands the bundle to Daemon without a word.
"Send for Jaehaerys, Jaehaera and Aemond", Daemon says calmly, holding the bundle that only hours ago was his living breathing three year old son, prince Jaime of houses Targaryen and Stark.

Prince Jaehaerys with princess Jaehaera on his arm and prince Aemond behind them show up after just a few minutes.
"What happened? Mellos wouldn't say, he just said we had been summoned", prince Jaehaerys says.
"What are you holding, father?" Prince Aemond asks.
"Your little brother, prince Jaime" Daemon says.
"Is he?" Princess Jaehaera asks, understanding why her little brother might be wrapped up like that in her father's arms.
"Yes, sadly he is", Daemon says, understanding his daughter's silent question.
"How?" Prince Jaehaerys asks.
"The grand maester says it was the sweating sickness that claimed him", Daena says.
"Oh no", prince Aemond says.
"He will be buried in two days, in the tradition of our house, well, of house Targaryen, he will be burned by dragon fire, it has been decided by your father and I that Caraxes will light your brother's pyre, and that his ashes will be scattered from the cliffs where you were all made", Daena says.
"We will hold a ceremony for him here at King's Landing first and he will be burned here, but as soon as his ashes are gathered up in an urn, your mother and I will fly alone to the cliffs and scatter the ashes", Daemon says.
"Yes, father" prince Jaehaerys says.

They hold a ceremony for the little prince in the courtyard of the Red Keep, Caraxes supplies the flame that lights the boy's funeral pyre. Jaehaera hides her face against her brother husband's shoulder and Daena does the same against Daemon while the flames from his dragon eats wood, wool and flesh.

When the pyre dies down, the ashes are gathered up in to an urn that grand maester Mellos himself hands to Daemon.
"Thank you, grand maester", Daemon says. "Caraxes"

The red beast swoops down and lands a few feet away from his master. Daemon helps Daena up in the saddle and gets up behind her, leaving the chains to rattle on the sides of his mount.
"We're going to cliffs where he was made", Daemon tells the dragon who seems to understand every word and takes flight without even needing a command or directions.

Caraxes takes them to the cliffs near Dragonstone, lands smoothly, like he is concerned about damaging the urn that Daena holds.

Daemon lifts Daena off the back of his dragon and together they open the lid of the urn holding their son's ashes. They let ashes scatter in the wind, Daemon bends his head and says a prayer in High Valyrian, begging his ancestors to care for his boy before shattering the urn against the rocks with scream of desperation and sadness.

Caraxes lets out a sad desperate cry, echoing the pain of his master and somehow seeming to understand exactly why his master and his master's lady are so sad.

After holding each other for what feels like an eternity, Daemon lifts Daena back on to Caraxes and gets up behind her in the saddle, he gives the dragon a command and he turns in the air and flies back to King's Landing.

Caraxes lands softly in the Dragonpit and waits as Daemon and Daena dismounts and go inside the castle before he lets the dragon keepers near him. He is saddened for the sake of his master and seeks comfort with his own mate, Daena's she dragon Winter and the two dragon coil up together.