My Father's Wife (GXG)

Chapter 2

"I wonder how charming he'll be." Dorcas grinned beside her as they both sit on the grass under the tree once again. "Even Ser Alaric admitted it himself, Ser Julius' son is a charmer!" She said dreamingly.

"Will you quit squealing, Dorcas? I'm trying to read." The princess flipped a page on her book.

The blonde looked at her, the smile not leaving her face, "Forgive me, princess. I'm just excited." She clasped her hands together.

Rhaenyra sighed with a smile as she continues to read, "May I ask why?"

Dorcas' jaw fell and her eyes widened dramatically, "Princess, it's not everyday us women sees a very charming man! Most knights are.. well.."

"Ser Alaric is charming." She smirked and turned her eyes to her friend.

Dorcas' tilted her head and squinted her eyes, "Do you have the feels for Ser Alaric?"

Princess Rhaenyra turned her attention back to the book, she let out a laugh, "The what?"

"The feels. Feelings. Does your heart beat for him? Does he attract you? Do you like him, princess? No- do you love him? A crush, perhaps?" the blonde bombarded Rhaenyra with questions that caused the princess to giggle.

"Slow down, Dorcas. No, my heart does not beat for him. No, he does not attract me. No, I do not like him that way, and definitely no, i do not love him. Not even as an admirer."

Dorcas huffed at the princesses response while rolling her eyes that the princess seemed to notice.
"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" Rhaenyra frowned. This caused Dorcas to sit up straight and her face turned into an innocent one.

"Hmm?" she hummed at the princess as if nothing happened.

Rhaenyra tilted her head a bit as she eyes her friend with eyebrows raised.

Dorcas shook her head innocently, "No- no I did not roll my eyes at you princess. Not at all."

Rhaenyra seemed to find her friend's behavior amusing. She sighed with a smile while shaking her head, "I am not capable of love, Dorcas. I'm not interested in one."

"Well.. I am interested to find love." The blonde said beside her, ripping the grass beside her.

"That you are." Rhaenyra clicked her tongue as she didn't bother to tear her eyes away from the book.

Later that evening inside the chambers of the husband and wife, there Esther laid down on the bed with both of her legs parted and maids surrounding her as her husband holds onto her hand, letting her wife grip onto them as she screamed out in pain.

"We're quite further, my Queen. Please bear it." The maid said with frown as she sits in front of the queen's opened legs, seeing a glimpse of the babe's head. Only a glimpse, not even out yet.

The labor hasn't begun and yet she's already sweating on her white dress.

The door busted open to a Rhaenyra with a very worried and scared look on her face as she sees her mother crying out in pain.

She ran to the other side of the bed, placing her hand on her mother's head. "Mother." She breathed out. She grabbed the other side of Esther's hand and they grip onto each other's.

Rhaenyra couldn't bear the whimpers of her mother, she looked at the maid who will be the one to take the baby out of the queen. "Why are you keeping the queen waiting? We shall do it now!" She scolded in panic.

"J-just a moment, princess." The maid panicked at the princess' reaction. Another servant came running to the one who will be delivering the baby and handed her a steel bowl with hot water and fabric in it.

"My Queen, we shall begin now." She peaked at the queen who gave her a nod. Struggle can be seen on Esther's face as she tries her best to breathe out the heavy pain she's feeling.

Rhaenyra glanced at her father who's also frowning in worry beside the lying Queen. "I thought this was supposed to happen in one more week?" She ranted.

"It seems like she was stressed out, Esther and I had an argument which leads us here." Her father confessed with a worried and panic look on his face. Rhaenyra scowled at him as she felt pure anger for his father, but she didn't let her emotions win, she will talk to her father after the labour, after she sees her mother and sibling breathing and alive.

Rhaenyra looked back to what the maid will be doing. "Can you do it, lady Puma?" She asked while breathing heavily.

The maid didn't tear her eyes away from the queen's folds as she tries to observe it. She nodded, "Yes, princess. But I do not know if the Queen will be able to take it."

"She will take it, she can take it. Right, mother?" She looked down worriedly to Esther and then look back to lady Puma, "She's strong."

After the preparation, lady Puma asked the Queen to squeeze the babe out of her. With that, the queen's terrific scream filled the room until it echoed though the halls and caused and sent shivers to her daughter and husband. Her grips on both sides of her husband and daughter are tightening until it turns into nail digging. Rhaenyra didn't seem to mind it but this caused her to hitch her breath while her eyes remain on the maid. Since she cannot see what's happening in front of the lady, she only awaits in worry.

Esther continued to struggle and sweat as she screams and squeeze out the baby out of her, "A little more, my queen."

The babe is barely out but the Queen seems to be already draining from releasing all the strength and energy of pushing out the child.

Rhaenyra too can sense this, as well as her father. She carrasses her mother's head but unlike her father who seems to be not thinking clearly, he breathed heavily and ordered the maid to cut open the Queen's stomach to get the baby out and stitch her right after.

Rhaenyra's eyes widened at this and her head flashed towards her father on the other side, "What in the bloody hell are you talking about?!" She didn't care if she raised her voice at him or showed disrespect to the king but her only concern is why would the king want to risk the queen of dying just to get the baby.

"Your mother cannot take it, seven hells!" He spatted back. Esther whimpered below them, crying already in pain.

"Esther." He leaned down to his wife, "Esther, we will have to open your stomach to get the babe out, you can barely take it this way. They will stitch you right after. I cannot watch you struggle like this, I cannot hear you scream in pain." He frowns in worry as he spoke beside her.

Esther only fluttered her eyes open, slowly and weakly as sweats run down her face. Rhaenyra watched her mother nod slowly at the king. Her heart best stopped for a moment, "No- no she cannot do it, father. S-she can't." The princess plead

"The decision is made Rhaenyra. Your mother agrees." He leaned to the other side of the bed where Rhaenyra is located. "We will help her, Rhaenyra. That's the least thing we could do."

She gave her father a pleading look. Her lips are quivering and her eyes starts to water, she looks at him while contemplating. Thinking of what is best. She doesn't want it but if her father is right, if they are right then it will lessen the queen's pain and suffering. She only gave her father a forced look as she looks down on her mother. The water that's been threatening to leave her eyes already fell down. Her nose turned pink as tears slowly runs down on her cheek.

The maids nod at the king before doing what Rhaenyra didn't think she would fear the most. To witness them open up her mother.