Familiarity ||| Jacaerys Velaryon

forty-seven

Daemon was pacing as they waited for news from the birthing chamber. They'd been told she was pushing but that could've taken hours. Pushing was where the trouble always seemed to happen. And despite assurances the babe was in the right position and descending nicely, he worried.

Rhaenyra was also worried. Alyssa was very dear to her and she couldn't imagine how devastating it would be to lose her. But she had faith in that girl; her age and body maturity already put her leagues ahead of others who wed and birthed young.

They waited together for an hour, more. No one wanted to attend duties while the princess was labouring. There was too much at stake.

But finally, after almost two hours since that bit of news, a maid knocked on the door and was permitted entry. She bowed to both the King and the Queen.

"The princess has delivered a healthy pair of girls, Your Grace. She is also healthy and now rests with her daughters and the prince."

At first, Daemon was extremely relieved to hear that both his daughter and his granddaughters were safe. But then his mind caught up with him.

Both Rhaenyra and Daemon gave the woman a look.

"Did you say a "pair"?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Oh, my apologies, Your Grace," she said, feeling silly. "It was discovered while the princess was pushing that she was carrying twins. Two girls."

Daemon thought his heart was going to give out. His little girl had to deliver two. Same as Laena. And he remembered how difficult it had been for her. Why they waited so many years between children.

"Thank you," Rhaenyra said, feeling elated at the prospect of having two granddaughters to spoil. A future Queen and she'd secured her future.

Immediately Daemon moved to go see his daughter. But Rhaenyra grabbed his arm. "Wait," she said. He gave her a look. "Let them have time to themselves. They'll send for us when they're ready."

***

Alyssa and Jace were still blissed out together. Alternating their daughters and letting them sleep in their arms and cradles. The ladies had to prepare another and bring it in.

They'd just returned after Jace helped Alyssa to the bathroom; he was fluffing her pillows when their silver-haired daughter began to cry.

Jace was quick to grab her from her cradle and carefully hand her to Alyssa. She began to soothe the child just as the other girl began to cry. Again, he was quick to grab her and begin to try and soothe her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

When they were calm again, Alyssa simply looked at Jace for a moment. He was already such a caring father; her daughters would be very well cared for. That was something she knew right away.

"They haven't been by yet," she said after her little moment of silence. Jace knew she was talking about their parents; it had been hours since Alyssa gave birth. Usually, people were crowding the birthing chambers.

"When mother gave birth to Joff, that whore of a Queen made her parade through the halls of the Holdfast. Minutes after birth, she was still bleeding. Just so the Queen could call him a bastard."