Nightmare

Chapter 9

The Red Keep, King's Landing, 116 AC

The 13th year of King Viserys the Peaceful's rule

_

The castle was quiet.

It was not oft this way. In fact, she couldn't remember it being quiet in the years before she married, for Daemon had always been coming and going, filling it with turmoil. Now, she wasn't sure when she would see her brother again. As expected, a single raven had come from who-knew-where to congratulate her on the birth of little Gemma.

Yet, that had been a year ago. The castle had not been filled with the familiar snickers of Daemon, nor had the Dragonpit been graced with Caraxes's incessant trilling. In fact, the castle hadn't even received the squalling of a new babe. Daenys had yet to become pregnant a fourth time (though Rolf insisted to anyone who asked that they were trying 'very hard') and, to her great pleasure, neither had Alicent. It seemed that Viserys was heeding her advice about not siring any further children. He had his two spares, should anything happen to Rhaenyra. He needn't bed poor Alicent anymore. It was painfully obvious that the girl did not enjoy it; why would she?

"Gods, how they've grown," said Alicent, the two seated together under a garden pavilion. Aegon and Helaena's wetnurse sat over a blanket with the children, who spread themselves around the pavilion with guards on either side. The castle had been quiet without Rhaenyra, who'd been sent by Viserys for a tour of the realm, wherein she was expected to find a husband that suited her.

Words had been had– Daenys had heard them thundering through the walls. Viserys had told Rhaenyra about Laenor, but she'd not preferred to indulge in it. Even so, she'd gone kicking and screaming with Ser Criston and her assigned guard to carry out said tour to find a husband. She'd not been allowed to take Syrax, a great crime in her poor niece's eyes. At any rate, it put distance between Viserys and Rhaenyra, so the tension might die down. Daenys hoped that Rhaenyra might find someone to her liking, should a suitable boy be lingering around out there.

She glanced down at her twins, three-year-olds who could never stop talking. They were deep in conversation with Aegon regarding a spider that Helaena refused to stop playing with– ever so often, the slightly younger Aegon would slip into an incoherent word, but Alyssa and Aenar had no trouble understanding him. The wetnurse was beside herself with worry, but Cliff seemed to share Helaena's fascination and kept digging around beneath the plants attempting to locate another for her.

Gemma was the only one not partaking, nestled against Daenys's breast deep in sleep. She had only ever used wetnurses within the first week of giving birth, while she gave her body time to recover. In all other instances, she'd given her children milk of her own breasts. She wondered if this was why they were always so comfortable around her. Alicent's own did not often seem to want to be held by her.

"They do grow fast," agreed Daenys. It was becoming rare for her to see Alicent so relaxed. She saw her face scrunch up with anguish each time she was handed a fussy Helaena or meant to reprimand Aegon. Daenys didn't much think Alicent enjoying motherhood. She didn't entirely expect her to, but worried that it would not bode well for any involved if the children continued to have a mother who resented them. Helaena might've been Alicent's favorite, but she was the one who drove her most mad.

Alicent cleared her throat. "It is nice outside. I am glad the children can play together this way. Surely it is much better than being cooped up indoors. Perhaps Rhaenyra will wish to engage with them out here."

Daenys did not say that Rhaenyra spent much of her time playing with Daenys's own children, her dear cousins. Rhaenyra did not despise her half-siblings, but preferred to be seen with them when Alicent was not present– which happened to be most of the day. "Perhaps," she agreed quietly. "I keep mine inside more oft than not, because, well, you can see Cliff up to all sorts of mischief. The twins, Rolf has to chase around constantly. It is easier to do so with walls around than with bushes and weeds. I imagine Aenar and Alyssa would vanish into a thicket faster than Rolf could see."