Forget Me Not

🍁 Chapter 1 🍁

Queen Alicent was walking swiftly towards the chambers of Princess Rhaenyra. Ser Criston Cole followed her. She said, "What do you think, Cole? Will this be another bastard like the previous one? Considering her husband's tastes and her depravity, most likely it will be a bastard. Moreover, siring bastards and breaking vows isn't a great deal for the likes of Harwin. I mean, who doesn't know about Ser Lucamore Strong of the Kingsguard? Harwin shares his blood with Lucamore, doesn't he?"

Ser Criston said to the queen, "Aye! 'Lucamore the Lusty', they called him. The knights of the Kingsguard vow to practice celibacy for the rest of their lives. Ser Lucamore sired not just one, but sixteen children on three wives."

Soon, they reached the princess's chambers. Ser Criston stood at the door while the queen entered the chambers. Rhaenyra was sitting on the bed with the newborn in her arms. Laenor was standing at the edge of the bed and looking at the baby. They greeted Alicent with smiles on their faces. Alicent said, "I heard about the baby just a few moments ago." She took the baby from Rhaenyra to have a look at her. The tiny girl neither had the looks of the Valyrian dragonlords, nor did she have the pug nose and brown hair of Harwin. She had black hair and blue eyes. This was not something which Alicent had expected.

Laenor said to her, grinning, "She looks like my mother and grandmother." Alicent realised that he was right. The girl had black hair just like Princess Rhaenys and her mother Jocelyn Baratheon. And her eyes were blue just like the other Baratheons. This could only mean one thing - the girl is a trueborn daughter of Laenor and Rhaenyra.

(The seed is strong. ~ Jon Arryn)

She was rocking the baby in her arms when King Viserys arrived. He rushed towards his daughter and kissed her forehead. "Are you fine, my dear?", he said. Rhaenyra nodded her head in response.

He walked towards Alicent and said, "Now, my Queen, let me have a look at my granddaughter." He looked at the baby and said,"Aah! A little Rhaenys."

Laenor was looking at his goodfather and his daughter. He never admitted it. But the Gods knew that he had wanted children of his own. He loved Jacaerys more than himself. There was no doubt in that. But this was different. This girl was his own blood. She was a part of himself. He knew that he had to treasure her.

"What will you name her?" Viserys asked smiling. Rhaenyra looked at Laenor who said, "Naerys! Her name will be Naerys. Naerys Velaryon!"

Alicent remarked, "That is a lovely name for a child."

Alicent and Viserys took their leave. Rhaenyra was tired after the long hours of labour and fell asleep. Laenor was sitting on the couch with Naerys in his arms when thought, "Naerys might start crying and wake her up." So, he took her to another chamber where Jacaerys was playing with his nursemaid. The princeling had celebrated his first nameday, just six months ago. Laenor showed him the baby and said, "Jace, look at her. She is your sister. Her name is Naerys." The little boy touched the baby's nose with his finger and giggled.

Just then, Laenor sensed someone's presence at the door. He turned around to see Aegon, Helaena and Aemond standing at the door. Helaena said, "We have come to see your new baby."

Laenor called them inside. They stood beside Laenor who had the baby in his arms. They looked at her curiously. Aegon said, "She looks better than Daeron and Jace."

Helaena said, "Yes, girls are adorable."

Aemond was looking at the baby quietly. He hesitated for a while but then said to Laenor, "Goodbrother, can I hold the baby? I promise that I will hold her properly and not let her fall."

Laenor looked at his face. A little boy he was. His hands were little just like him. And yet, there was something in him that forbade Laenor from denying his request. He said to Aemond, "Well, My Prince, I can allow you to hold her. But you need to be very careful." He made Aemond sit on the bed and placed the baby on his lap carefully.

Aemond held his newborn niece with his little hands. He kissed her forehead and said, "Baby niece, look at me. I am your uncle Aemond." The baby looked at him and blinked her eyes. Then, she smiled. Did the baby really understand what he had said? Did his acts amuse her? Or did the baby sense the blood that she shared with him? Or did the baby foresee something else which made her smile?

Laenor chuckled. He said, "The baby likes you, My Prince." Aemond kissed both of her cheeks and caressed her head.

Just then, a woman entered the chambers and curtsied. She was a young woman named Glenys who was sent by Laenor's mother from Driftmark. She had also nursed the children of his cousins.

Glenys looked at Aemond and Naerys. She touched his shoulder and said, "My Prince, it is time to feed your niece. She is so little. She must be very hungry. Can I take her?" Aemond nodded his head and let Glenys take hold of the baby. He whispered in the baby's ears, "I will come to see you later."

Glenys took the baby. When Laenor had left, she revealed her bosom and placed the nipple on the baby's mouth. Just like a calf sucking milk from its mother, the baby started sucking milk from her nursemaid. Calves of cows and the calves of humans aren't very different, are they?

Glenys patted the baby's back lightly and started singing a song :

The winds of the sea are blowing,
The sails are flying high.
The sails are flying high, my child
The sails are flying high.

Your father will be gone,
He will sail across the sea.
He will be gone from here,
In a count of one, two, three.
My child, O' my child.

Your father will bring for you,
Many gifts from lands so far,
So far, so far and so far...
Pearls and sapphires,
Rubies and emeralds,
Diamonds and amethyst,
Jade and embers too...
My child, O' my child.

The winds of the sea are blowing,
The sails are flying high.
The sails are flying high, my child
The sails are flying high.