Lord of Runestone || Rhaenyra Targaryen

Chapter Three

"How long?" Rhaenyra sat by Aemma's feet.

"I don't need mothering, Rhaenyra."

"Well, here you are, surrounded by attendants, all focused on the babe. Someone has to attend to you."

"You will lie in this bed soon enough, Rhaenyra. This discomfort is how we serve the realm."

"She is so beautiful." said Alicent in a tone only Baelon could hear. "The queen."

"She is." Baelon replied, not taking his eyes off his aunt and cousin.

"I'd rather serve as a knight and ride to battle and glory."

Aemma laughs while both Baelon and Alicent chuckled. "We have royal wombs, you and I. The child bed is our battlefield. We must learn to face it with a stiff lip. Now take a bath. You stink of dragon."

"I will stay with her, Rhaenyra." said Baelon, moving closer to Rhaenyra and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Nonsense, Baleon, I don't need — "

"My beautiful aunt, I will stay with you for a little bit longer. Besides, Rhaenyra is going to be late for the council meeting and Alicent has to study. Let me stay." Baelon kindly smiled at his aunt and Aemma couldn't help but smile and give in to his request. Baelon was a very persuasive man without even trying in the slightest.

"Very well, you may." Aemma uncomfortably shifted on her couch.

It's been a few minutes since Rhaenyra and Alicent left and the time Baelon has spent with Aemma was wonderful — of course, ignoring the obvious factor that was how Aemma could sometimes complain about being uncomfortable. She just wants to meet her babe already.

"What are you going to name the babe?" asked Baelon, taking Aemma's attention in an instant. "If it is a boy."

"Well, Viserys always wanted to name his son Baelon." Aemma slightly chuckled. "Your father beat him to it. You came first."

"I wouldn't mind, if you named him like me. It has a good legacy."

"I'll have that in mind." Aemma smiled. "If is another girl then...I think I have to give in to Rhaenyra's wishes and name her Visenya."

"Rhaenyra is rather fond of that name. Although I completely understand why."

Aemma nodded. "Is your mother coming for the tournament?"

Baelon shook his head. "She will not, however I know some houses from the Vale will be present. I am sure of it." 

"You and Rhaenyra are the best of us." Aemma replied slowly but Baelon saw in her eyes that what she was saying was genuine. She believed that what she was saying was the pure truth and reality.

"I am not a true Targaryen."

Aemma's brows furrowed. "What do you mean about that, love?"

"Well," He cleared his throat, "I just don't feel like a complete Targaryen. I wasn't completely raised here, I wasn't even born on Dragonstone and I certainly don't look like one."

Aemma extended her hand for Baelon to take, in which he did. "You are a Targaryen, my love. Never forget that. You have the blood of the dragon running through your veins and you have a magnificent dragon that is growing more each day. You're my nephew and it doesn't matter where you were born or where you spend most of your time. You are more Targaryen than you know."

Baelon and Aemma were grabbing their hands and rubbing them with their fingers. It was comforting, warm and safe. He could confidently say that Aemma was like his second mother. All the times that he visits the Red Keep it is mandatory for him to spend some time with her. She truly is a once in a lifetime kind of person.