King of my Heart // Ned Stark // Jorah Mormont

22. Joy or Pain

"Congratulations your grace, it's a boy."

''A boy. A baby boy.'' Maeve didnt know her tears were ones of joy or pain now. Robert had a targaryen heir he didnt need her. He could, he would kill her. She glanced back nervously at jorah he didnt let her go.

''You did so well Maeve,' he whispered kissing her cheek again.

'It's a boy.'' she whimpered and he understood they had talked about this before.

''What shall you name him?'' Jorah questioned peering down at him little tuffs of silver hair sprouted on his head.

''I have a name in mind.'' Marve admitted ''but robert wont like it,' she whispered

''What?'' Jorah requested as she leaned into him.

''Rhaegar.' Jorah smiled sadly at her. There was a knock at the door.

''Her grace is in no shape for company.'' The wet nurse declared

''Its lord stark,'' Ned called through the door. ''I just wanted to make sure the queen was alright.'' Ned informed them kindly.

''The queen and babe are fine. She is in not proper state for visitation-'

''Its fine.' maeve told her

''Your grace you are not dressed proper!'

''It is fine.'' Maeve told her. ''Let him in.'' Ned turned to the door as it opened.

''Be quick about it.'' The wet nurse spat closing the door as soon as ned stepped in.

''Your grace.'' he whispered and she smiled a pained smile as he approached.

''A boy.'' Jorah told him still not letting maeve go.

''A boy,'' Ned repeated sensing the weight in that statement. ''What shall you name him?''

''The king will probably want that right.'' Maeve admitted

''He is your child too.'' Ned reminded her. ''More yours than his."

''Rhaegar.'' She whispered. ''Rhaegar Aegon Targaryen. I could call him RJ.'' maeve said through a sob. ''He could... sing. Like rhaegar. Or perhaps like the stars. Or perhaps wield a sword like I used to.'' Maeve whimpered

''A fine name.' Ned told her holding onto her hand thinking of jon. His own Aegon.

''He can be that to me.'' Maeve told them. ''It will have to be enough.''

''Jon and him will be good friends. I see it now.'' Ned told her

''I would like that.'' Maeve admitted. His cousin ned thought sadly.

''Please the both of you. The queen needs her rest.'' But maeve leaned back into jorah and didnt let go of Neds hand.

''I think we can tend to the queen and her babe''. Ned remarked looking to jorah

''This is no fit state for men to be seeing the queen in!''

''It's going to be a lot of bleeding and a lot of discharge best leave now,'' another wet nurse agreed but maeve trusted jorah and ned more than these strangers. They cut the umbilical cord and tied it off re-bundling the baby in maeve arms. She didnt speak to object or request them stay but she didn't release Neds hand and kept jorah trapped behind her.

''Fine fine let them stay. But if the king-''

''He wouldn't give a damn.'' Maeve informed her as she kiss little Rhaegar's head.

+

Maeve fell asleep rather quickly the wet nurses cleared out while ned and jorah stayed. Ned held little Rhaegar while jorah ran a hand down maeves side as she slept her body still sore from the labor but she was exhausted.

''You know robert is going to try to...' Ned couldn't say it but jorah knew what he meant.

''I wont let him.'' Jorah said confidently

''She's a sweet woman. But he keeps stealing her fire. A son means-''

''Every child needs a mother.'' Jorah told him. ''I wont let robert deprive rhaegar of that.''

''You know- maeve knows that robert will never agree to that name. He is going to see that he is a son and the next time maeve speaks up or robert gets drunk he is going to go too far...'' Ned warned. 'I don't want to see him hurt her again.''

''I already asked her to run. Told her I would keep her safe. She said she didn't want to be hunted.'' Jorah relayed.

''We can't just sit here and wait for him to hurt her!'' Ned countered

''What would you have me do? Steal her in the night? She doesn't want to be hunted down by Robert. She knows when he found her he would kill her for sure." Jorah reminded him in hushed voices.

''But staying will get her killed,'' Ned said softly as he looked down at Rhaegar. Maeve kept her eyes closed as she listened. They truly did care about her. Loved her.