𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗧𝗙𝗨𝗟

𝗢𝗡𝗘

𝗢𝗡𝗘: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗘𝗡'𝗦 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗬

QUEEN AEMMA ARRYN had never enjoyed pregnancy. Although, she desperately wanted to. She wanted to feel comfortable, to feel as if her babe wasn't trying to escape from her womb using its own bare hands. She wished that she wasn't made to consummate her marriage when she was so young, forcing her into becoming pregnant when she was one-and-ten name days old, resulting in pregnancy issues that lasted till this very day. She wished that her husband cared enough to allow her time to fully rest and heal from each failed pregnancy before, as he put it; "trying again for my heir".

To Aemma, Viserys already had his heir. Rhaenyra was their firstborn child— and their only living child. She was dubbed, "The Realms Delight," yet because she bore no cock between her legs, she would always be seen as second towards a man. If Aemma were to finally grant Viserys a son, the Realm would have no use for Rhaenyra other than to marry her off to some Lord who only wished for his bloodline to bare Valyrian blood; to have dragons. Aemma desperately tried to make Viserys see sense, to make him name Rhaenyra as his heir, as Aemma knew she would be the right fit for the Throne one day, perhaps even more than Viserys himself.

However, Viserys was beginning to sound like his Grandsire Jaehaerys. The Old King had also refused to name his eldest daughter at the time, Daenerys, as his Heir. Even when she passed, and son after son followed her, Jaehaerys refused to name a woman who would rule after his death. Aemma tried to make Viserys see sense, but the King only laughed and placed his hand upon her swollen stomach.

"When our son is born, he shall sit upon my Throne and become the greatest ruler the Seven Kingdoms ever saw. Have faith, my love."

Have faith, Aemma scoffed bitterly. How was this possible when she lay in this very familiar bed once again, with a pregnancy that felt as if she were a day closer to the Stranger coming for her? Her face was coated with a sheen of sweat, a fan in her hand and an open window being the only source of coolness the Queen had to offer. She wore a dress, already having to look regal before her servants, and midwives... and the Maesters. Aemma hated them the most. When Maester Mellos checked over her growing stomach, he never once directed his attention towards her. Instead, all observations were given to Viserys or were written down by the Maester's apprentice, the words unable to be deciphered by the Queen. The only way she knew about her pregnancy was from the knowledge of her midwives, who Aemma believed knew more on the matter of childbirth than the Maester.

Aemma gritted her teeth as the babe moved inside of her, providing its own mother discomfort in trying to find its own comfort.

"Your babe is a lively one, Your Grace."

A young midwife by the name of Elaera, was one of Aemma's closest friends at this point. Since her first pregnancy, Elaera had been by her side but not as a midwife at that time— Elaera had been a maid in the Red Keep, a bastard, Aemma believed. Yet, the young brunette was incredibly kind, and Aemma found comfort when she was around. Having seen this, it was Baelorr who took Elaera to the side and gave her some coin; "For an education," he said, "Lady Aemma finds comfort in you. Gain knowledge as a midwife and continue to be a constant help." The amount of coin placed in her hand was more than enough for her family to get by whilst she gained an education from a very good teacher, becoming one of the best for Queen Aemma.