The King had been summoned by the Grand Maester, given the fact that the babe was breech, and when Viserys arrived, Clarysse was sitting on sitting beside Aemma on the bed, holding her hands and aiding her as she attempted to birth the still breech babe.
"What's happening?" Viserys questioned, his body rigid and his face showing fright for his wife's situation.
A Maester rushed to the king, there was little blood on his hands, blood that had spilled from the Queen and stained the bed. "The babe is in breech, your Grace." The Measter explained, glancing back at the struggling Queen and the ever present Baratheon Lady. "All attempts to turn the babe have failed."
"Do something for her!" the King ordered, hating the pain screams that came from his Lady Wife.
"We've given her as much Milk of the Poppy as we can without risking risking the child, or making the mother beyond tired to push." The Maester countered, "Your Queen is a strong woman. She is fighting with all her might, but it may not be enough."
The wetnurses and midwives all shared a look, one that Claryse did not know, nor had she seen it on their faces during any other pregnancy. It was a look that frightened Clarysse, a look she hoped to never see during her lifetime again.
Only after the Maester talked to him that the King rushed to his wife's side, the side in which he could kneel on the floor. Viserys caught Clarysse's eyes, noting how fill with emotion they were, he knew that Clarysse was extremely attached to the Queen, and he could see how much it pained her to see his wife in pain.
"Viserys... help me.... it hurts...." Aemma cried, turning her face to her husband, her lavender eyes shinning brightly with pain and tears, "I don't want to do this!" Aemma whimpered, turning from her husband to the young girl that had been by her side since her labour began.
The midwife ordered Aemma to try and push again only to have Clarysse turn her eyes on her angrily and snap "Are you blind that you cannot see that the Queen cannot push, she's weak and tired!" her voice and tone showed her anger, and the way tha sh leaned closer to the Queen showed that she was willing to fight the midwife.
Queen Aemma mumbled incoherently, her chest falling and rising slowly with each bout of labour pain.
As the King undestood that nothing was working, despite having been told, he turned to the Grand Maester and upon seeing him gathered with other Maesters, Viserys called out to him. The Grand Maester replied by summoning the King to him, away from the Queen as he had something to tell him without the Queen, or Lady Baratheon, hearing it.
Viserys kissed his Lady Wife's hand and slowly got up, giving Clarysse a small nod as she continued to clean the sweat off Aemma's face. Clarysse nodded back, and followed the King's movements with her eyes.
"During a difficult birth, it sometimes becomes necessary for the father to make an impossible choice." Grand Maester Mellos started, his tone low and careful, not wanting his words to cost him his tongue.
"Well, speak it." Viserys ordered, his tone matching the Grand Maester's, but with a hint of authority.
"To sacrifice one or to lose them both." Mellos replied, calmly as if they were not speaking of potentially allowing the Queen to die. "There is a chance that we can save the child. A techique is taught at the Citadel which involves cutting directly into the womb to free the babe."
Viserys looked away from the Maester and to his tired wife, watching how gentle Clarisse was with the Queen, wipping her face and aiding her in drinking water.
"But the resulting blood loss.."
"Seven Hells, Mellos." The King interrupted, looking back at the Maester in disbelief.
YOU ARE READING
momento amoris (a. hightower)
Fanfiction❝Lady Clarysse Baratheon of Storm's End, was a Lady that loved with all her being, she was the kindest person to have graced the Halls of the Red Keep since the passing of the Good Queen, Alyssane Targaryen. She loved the Royal Family with respectfu...
