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King's Landing, 117
(Listen to 'I Bet On Losing Dogs' as you read this chapter. It had me in tears while writing this😭)
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At the end of 116, queen Vhaella fell pregnant once again, by the time spring came around she was nearly five moons along. Queen Vhaella was thirty and two, still young and fertile enough. The pregnancy was going well enough. Tragedy knocked on Vhaella's door in the spring of 117. Her lover, the lady Arianna Tyrell fell ill. Queen Vhaella remained by her side the entirety of her illness. Lady Tyrell died with the love of her life by her side. Vhaella knew it was not a natural death. Arianna had been healthy the weeks prior to her death. "They're plotting against you, Ella" Arianna said in a whisper. "Who?" she asked. "The Hightowers and Lannisters. They want you and your family out of the way. They believed their children should be the next queen and king" Vhaella knew Arianna's time was near.
Vhaella held her hand. "How could I live without you?" she asked her dearest friend. "You who has been my closest and first friend. You who have been by my side for nearly twenty years. We have not been apart since you arrived at King's Landing" Vhaella was crying, as was Arianna who felt that stranger was coming and calling for her. "I have been by your side for nearly twenty years, yes. But, our memories will last you a life time. You shall carry our memories and mine not only in your mind but in your heart too" Arianna squeezed her hand and smiled at her. Even in her last she was smiling at her.
"When I met you, I loved my husband. I wasn't in love with him but I loved him. But you? My sweet and lovely Ella, you are the love of my life. Half of my soul. The better part of me. You show me that love was sweet, kind, softn, affectionate, understanding and real. You gave a reason to keep living. When Alicent betrayed not only you but me, you were there. Your loved never wavered, you didn't hold any ill feeling towards me or my son. You loved me despite the situation. You still love, after all this time" she said with a smile. Vhaella smiled yet the tears didn't stop there.
"My darling Ari" she began as she stopped because the tears would not stop. "I love you. I love you. I love you" she repeated as she held her hand. "I will never, ever stop loving you" she told her. "You hear me?" she stated as she looked at her lover in the eyes. Arianna smiled. Despite her pain and suffering she smiled. She didn't want their last moments to be sad and tragic, their story was tragic as it was. "Promise me something" she told her and she nodded. "Don't you ever, give up. Ever. Do not let them win. It does not matter what they say and do, keep going. You have suffered and lost enough for them to try and take away everything you've worked so hard for" Vhaella nodded between her sobs.
Arianna felt it close. She didn't have enough time. "I love you, Vhaela Targaryen. I will love you forever" she said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I will love you forever too, Ari" and with that, Arianna Tyrell took her last breath. Vhaella saw Arianna's body go limo. "Ari?" she called out. "Arianna" she said as she stood from where she was sitting down near her. "Ari, please" she cried. "Not yet. I am not ready" she told her but Arianna was already gone. The stranger had already come for her. "No, no. no, no. Please no. Not you. Not yet. Please!" Saera Targaryen went in, she found her daughter on the bed, holding Arianna's body close to her. She could hear her sobs echoing in the empty, room, the fire that had been going when Vhaella went in was now gone and the room was cold.
Saera didn't say a word, instead she walked over to the bed and got on it as well. She held her daughter as she mourned the loss of the woman she had come to love. Vhaella gave Arianna a Targaryen funeral. There was not a lot of people involved aside from Arianna's family, the queen and her family. Alicent didn't even bother to show, only her son did. Vhaella Targaryen was dying. She did not eat, she did not sleep, she did not speak. Arianna's death had broke her and Otto Hightower and Jason Lannister knew it would happen. They had her at her weakest.
In her seventh moon of pregnancy, the queen began to eat and sleep. She did not speak, her mother personally took care of her but it was enough. Ser Criston Cole came to her with news. Otto and Jason had Arianna Tyrell poison very slowly for a fortnight. In the twenty second day of the fifth moon of the year 117 Vhaella Targaryen went into labor. Her labors lasted three whole days. The Queen's she dragon, Aethea roared in pain much like her rider. The babe was not coming and the king was force to make a choice but his children threatened to burned the city to the ground if he dared touched their mother.
The queen's personal maester was working hard to help the queen, while the king's maester had told him it was better to cut her open and save the babe but her children would not allow that to happen. In the end, Vhaella kicked everyone out of the room, including her family. Two hours later she gave birth. Her mother and her two eldest daughters walked in minutes before she gave birth. "Let us help you" her mother told her but she shook her head no. "Mother, please. Let us help you" Alyssa said but her mother refused.
Vhaella knew the babe would not live. It was too soon. "Please" Rhaenyra whispered. They watched her give birth on her own. The babe did not cry, as they could see it was born like a dragon. A deform dragon. "Leave" she mutter but they heard. "Please" she added in a whisper. She had named her daughter Arianna. Like her lover. "My sweet baby. My baby. My baby" she cried as she held her daughter. "Why are the gods so cruel?" she asked herself. "Have I not lost enough?" she asked. "I cannot loose anymore. Please" she begged as held her child close to her.
She didn't let the silent sisters prepare her daughter's body, she did it alone, minutes after giving birth. The queen knelt and cried before screaming, Aethea roared as well. Vhaella Targaryen was weakened by the loss of Arianna and her daughter but she did not bend nor did she break. She became stronger but not without the pain and grief. But, pain and grief can changed a better. For the better, or for the worse. Whichever one? That's up to Vhaella to decided. If she wants to become a hero, or a villain.
