𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 | Summons
{ Malkym }
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𝕸alkym continued to pace back and forth outside, even half a day after Rhaenyra had gone into labour, before finally the call was given that he could enter the room. He jumped from his seat, opening the door with a smile at the sight of his beloved wife in the bed.
Rhaenyra looked worn out, her eyes tired as she struggled to sit upright, her arms trembling.
"Rhae, no." Malkym rushed over, carefully sitting down beside her and smiling as she allowed herself to ease into the pillows around her. She could relax now that Malkym was here to protect their baby and by her side once more. Labouring without him had been horrific. "How are you feeling? Is everything alright?"
"In pain." Rhaenyra got out between pants of breath as she tried to recover, her cheeks flushed with exertion, forehead sweaty and white hair a mess behind her.
"You did so well, my darling dragon." Malkym drew a laugh out of his wife at the nickname, before detangling her white hair, smoothing it off her head and pressing a kiss to her lips softly. Normally, he would have braided it whilst she was in the early stages of labour, but as he was not allowed in the room, he had not, and the handmaids did not know her well enough to do so. "And the babe?"
"He is good." The man's face lit up, eyes going wide at the news. A smile began to grow on his face.
"Another boy?" Malkym grinned as Rhaenyra nodded, before looking for the baby. The midwife was holding onto him, but hurried over to place the baby into Malkym's arms. Malkym's eyes went wide, looking at the tiny being, who was already whimpering and struggling to open his eyes, his little hand flailing as it searched for who was holding onto him.
"A son, my prince." She bowed her head. "As healthy as his mother, and no doubt as strong as his father."
"He is perfect, Rhaenyra. Just like his brothers." Malkym smiled, smoothing the baby's sparse dark hair that was so similar to his own already. "Have you named him?"
Rhaenyra smiled, watching her husband. No matter that this was their third child, Malkym looked at his son with the same amount of adoration as he looked at their first. It had been why she'd never had any doubt that he would be an amazing father.
"Camryn. Camryn Thorne." Rhaenyra sat upright, hissing as Malkym was quick to hurry back to her side, sitting next to her and making sure that the stubborn woman stayed in one place. The warm look in his eyes had Rhaenyra smiling gently. It was the same look that he'd always had for her, full of love and adoration and it never seemed to waiver. Not since they had been betrothed. "He has got the lungs of his father."
Their eldest, Jacaerys, had a Targaryen name, fit for the dragon prince that would one day be the heir to the Iron Throne and sit atop it. Lucerys' name was also Targaryen, though it was more similar to names from the Thorne household. Camryn was a name that had belonged to Malkym's grandfather, who had brought the Thorne household to victory in battles of that time, serving his king well. It was a fitting name.
"Are you still teasing me?"
"You do never shut up." Rhaenyra joked, as Malkym chuckled and pressed another kiss to her head, before leaning his forehead against her. Both took that moment, sitting quietly, both of them breathing calming as they revelled in being back with each other. "Where are the boys? Are they not with you?"
"Outside, with my guards." Malkym wrapped an arm around her shoulders, tracing shapes with his thumb onto her nightgown. He shuffled so that her entire body could lean back into his chest, massaging her back and neck, which were normally tense after she'd given birth. "They are very excited to see you and the babe."
"I cannot wait." Rhaneyra's head thumped against his shoulder, nuzzling closer to the warmth of her husband. The temptation to fall asleep grew with every passing moment, exhaustion rushing through her. "I was cussing you out."
"I heard." Malkym laughed softly. "There was most definitely a threat to burn me alive in there."
"Was not."
"Was too." Malkym drew a giggle from the woman at that. "I have your favour still, you cannot burn me alive. What would you do without your darling husband?"
"Not be confined to a birthing bed."
"How rude." Malkym joked. "I will steal Syrax and run away from your harsh words. They wound me so."
"Do not insult the heir to the Iron Throne, nor her dragon." Rhaenyra slapped the man lightly. "I would have to set you on fire. For treason."
"Treas–" Malkym spluttered. "I love you and care for you for twelve years and you accuse your wonderful husband of treason?"
"I would go with cocky husband." Rhaenyra opened her eyes, looking up at him with a grin, "and yes, absolutely."
"Thank you, for that."
"You're wel—" The door opened and the royal couple stopped, both turning to glare at the attendant who was disrupting their time together.
"Princess. The queen has requested the child be brought to her." Malkym's glare grew darker still. "Immediately."
"Why?" Rhaenyra growled, echoing her husband's sour look.
"Tell me she jests with us?" Malkym continued his wife's statement. "My wife has only just given birth. They need to stop the bleeding first."
The attendant said nothing, as Malkym clung closer to his youngest son. Rhaenyra pushed herself upright, off of her husband's shoulders, shooting Malkym a calming look as the man made to protest.
"I'll take him myself." Rhaenyra reached for Camryn, as Malkym began to shake his head, holding his son further away from her.
"You should remain abed, princess." The midwife seemed to share Malkym's thoughts, both trying to dissuade the stubborn Targaryen from her plan.
"Yes, I should!" Rhaenyra's eyes flashed dangerously, before taking a deep breath. "Help me dress."
"I will hold him." Malkym stepped back once more. "Let me hold him, let them help you."
Rhaenyra seemed like she wished to argue, but Malkym merely stepped away, rocking the little boy as he grew fussy in his father's arms. He winced at every hiss of pain from Rhaenyra, clinging to his son as they dressed his wife. He turned to the guard at the door.
"Take the boys to the nursery. Keep them there, please." They did not need to see this.
"Of course, my prince." Camryn whined again, beginning to splutter and cry as Malkym tried to calm him. He shifted his hold on the boy, before pulling him closer to the centre of his body heat, humming a quiet tune softly.
"There's a good boy." Malkym hushed his son, who immediately calmed. "There's my good boy. You are a good boy for your father, aren't you? Yes."
"Hush, Camryn. I'm alright." Rhaenyra cried out in pain, going against her previous statement. "Ah, it's coming."
"The afterbirth." Malkym winced once more at the sound of his wife straining, giving birth to the afterbirth of the baby. This was often more painful than birth itself, and he turned to face her in an instance, holding his hand out for her to clutch. Her grip was tight, nails digging into his skin as she whimpered. Malkym did not flinch at the pressure, holding her and hushing Camryn with his other hand. Finally, it seemed that it all was over.
She slumped into his side, as Malkym glared at the handmaidens until they disappeared. When they were out of sight, he wrapped his arm around her waist, hauling her further upright and into his arms so that the majority of her weight was against him.
"Are you alright?"
"Are you alright?"
"Give me Camryn. I shall assume that she will want to see me with him." Rhaenyra held her arms out for the baby, and who was Malkym to deny his darling wife? He nodded, before settling one arm around his wife's waist and holding her other hand in his to keep her steady. "Thank you."
"This is precisely the reason we do not come to King's Landing." Malkym muttered. "Not least when you are heavily pregnant. We are not doing this again."
"Malkym-"
"How dare she believe that right after you have given birth she is entitled to see the child? This is not a time for her, it is a time for family."
"She is family, by all accounts."
"She is a meddlesome wretch is what she is." Malkym was smacked swiftly on the arm for that, as he grumbled. "We do not need to go along with this farce. Let us go back to our chambers, have the maesters look at you, show the boys Camryn and leave."
"I am not leaving in this condition." Rhaenyra pointed out, sighing. "She is the queen, we have to oblige her."
"She is as much the queen as I am a dragon." Malkym rolled her eyes. "She is a puppet on a string for her father, as she always has been, and is no doubt listening to the rotten words that he is putting in her ear after he weaselled his way back onto the council..."
"Are you quite done?"
"She is as bad as that no good son of a-"
"Malkym..."
"-steward, Cole." Malkym huffed, his anger flaring once more, before a hand on his cheek had his head tilting back towards his wife. Rhaenyra knew that the anger was a mask for the worry that he was feeling. She knew that, more than anything, Malkym despised being in King's Landing, and that he worried for her and the boys constantly. He was always worried that someone would make an attempt on her life or Alicent would do something like this. "She is trying to make a mockery of you, and I do not like it."
"I know, my love, I know." Rhaenyra placated, running a hand through his hair and pushing the furrow between his eyebrows out. "What does she have to scorn me over? My children, who I love? The fact that I have a family?"
"She is making you walk through the halls of the keep just because she can. She is sadistic." Malkym took a deep breath, before sighing, watching his wife and child carefully. Rhaenyra cooed at her son as Malkym kissed his teeth. "Set Syrax on her."
"We are not plotting the queen's death in the Red Keep. Do it with your brothers at home." Rhaenyra hissed in response. Malkym huffed, before pushing the doors open and taking most of her weight as they wandered towards the sounds of courtiers.
"Was it terribly painful?" She shot him a dark glare as Malkym hummed, realising that it was a stupid question. "Worse than the other two?"
"No, not worse than Jace."
"He is a dragon through and through." Malkym shook his head. Jace, their first born, had been a trying birth. Rhaenyra had only just turned ten and eight, neither she nor Malkym had been prepared for a child and Jace had come as a sort of shock. The birth was long and painful, and Rhaenyra feared that she would give up half way through or die like her mother would. Malkym had refused to leave her side for the day and a half that she had laboured. "I feared, earlier, that he would set a dragon on me when I told him that he had to wait outside. I almost had to pull the favour out and remind him that if you were not allowed to burn me, neither was he."
"That's my boy." Rhaenyra managed a smile at that, chuckling. She might have despised giving birth to Jace, but she adored her son greatly. It had taken her a while to warm up to having a baby, but he had cooed and grabbed a hold of her finger one morning and she had fallen in love. Ever since then, the pair had been inseparable.
"Watch, there are steps here." They had reached the courtiers, and Malkym carefully pulled Camryn's shawl tighter around the baby, hiding him from view as Rhaenyra let out a tiny whimper. There were only a few stairs, but neither of them wanted to traverse the stairs up to where they knew Alicent would be.
"I can see that." Rhaenyra snarked gently, trying not to cry out in pain.
"No need for such sarcasm at this early time." Rhaenyra whimpered, seeming to pause in her steps as Malkym looked down at her, concern growing in his eyes. "What? What is it? What is the matter?"
"Walk." Rhaenyra licked her lips, digging her nails into Malkym's skin as the pain threatened the muscles in her legs. "Walk."
Malkym helped her up the stairs, glaring at anyone who got too close. His mood seemed to worsen at every whimper and groan of pain from Rhaenyra.
"What could she possibly want?" He hissed. "So soon after you have given birth. I thought we were past this childish jealousy. Just because she is miserable, does not mean the rest of us are."
Camryn opened his eyes, dark brown like his father's, as more courtiers began to stop and stare.
"Princess. Lord Malkym." Malkym could only muster a half-glare as Rhaenyra whimpered once more, taking deep breaths. "It is a privilege to be amongst the first to congratulate you."
"Thank you, Lord Caswell."
"If I may be of any service..."
"Your day may yet come, my Lord." Rhaenyra moaned again, leaning forward and swaying from side to side as Malkym clutched onto her.
"We are turning back." He growled. "She can come to us. You are in no state to be climbing so many stairs."
"Unless you wish to carry me down those fucking stairs..."
"Is that an offer? I will take it." Malkym questioned as they continued up the stairs and through the corridors. Rhaenyra's whimpers seemed to only grow. "This is absurd."
He forced a smile at some courtiers, before staring down at his wife.
"Princess." Malkym glared at Ser Criston, not in the mood to see the man who had attempted to kill him. He had evaded punishment, something of Alicent's doing. The knight stepped aside, the doors opening into the royal chamber as they walked towards where Alicent was standing, getting a dress fitted.
"Rhaenyra." The queen looked between the both of them. "You should be resting after your long birth."
It took everything in Malkym's will power to remain neutral, holding onto his wife's waist as she trembled from exertion and a lack of adrenaline.
"I have no doubt we would prefer that, Your Grace."
"You must sit." The barely hidden annoyance and tension was palpable, filling the room. "Talya, you must fetch a cushion for the princess."
"There is no need." Rhaenyra tried to wave it off, and Malkym tightened his grip on his wife.
"Nonsense."
Talya placed the pillow down, as Malkym helped his wife sit, making sure that she was comfortable, that her back was resting against something and her legs were rested.
"What happy news this morning." The pair turned, finding Viserys walking into the chambers, a large grin on his face.
"Indeed, Your Grace." Malkym bowed, keeping a hand on Rhaenyra's shoulders as he attempted to block Alicent off from getting any closer. He did not want that witch anywhere near his son.
"Where is he?" A sharp elbow to his legs had Malkym picking Camryn up from Rhaenyra's arm and turning to the king. "Where is my grandson? There."
Malkym placed the baby into Viserys' arms, keeping a careful eye on them.
"There he is." Viserys rocked his grandson, looking between Rhaenyra and Malkym. "A fine prince. Sturdy. You will make a fearsome knight, like your father and your brothers."
Malkym looked down at Rhaenyra, stepping closer so that she was able to lean into his side, drawing strength from each other's presence.
"The babe have a name yet?"
"Yes." Rhaenyra nodded, looking up at her husband briefly. "Camryn. We named him Camryn."
"That's an unusual name." Alicent looked down at Rhaenyra with a cruel smile, as Malkym barely hid the scowl on his face. "It is not quite Targaryen, like your other two sons."
"No, it is the name of my grandfather." Malkym shot back, struggling to not roll his eyes. "He was a good man, it is an honour for my son to be named after him."
"I do believe he has his father's nose." Viserys turned back around, smiling at them as Malkym chuckled.
"I believe so. Hopefully, my wife's good sense as well." Malkym smiled. "If you do not mind, Your Grace, your daughter has exerted herself heroically and should rest. The boys have been asking for her."
Alicent took Camryn from Viserys' arms, as both Malkym and Rhaenyra paled. Rhaenyra shot a look at her husband, who nodded, following after the queen and his son, his eyes narrowed. Finally, Alicent handed Camryn back to the lord.
Malkym let out a sigh of relief, pulling his son closer, and soothing him gently. The boy had woken up and was looking around at others.
"I do believe that this is the first time a baby of yours has been in the Red Keep." Alicent looked down at the child, before back up at Malkym. Malkym hummed in agreement. He made it his life's purpose to make sure that the boys had never come to King's Landing before they were at least trained to be able to get out of another's grip. He did not trust that someone would not attempt to harm his children, so if they were able to escape someone's grasp, then he felt more safe. "I wonder if there's a reason for that?"
"They benefit from being with my nieces and nephews, who are all similar ages."
"Not with their uncles and aunt?" Malkym wished to tell her that her children had not been raised properly and as such, were a little unhinged. Not to mention, they lived in a pit of snakes.
"They are Thornes just as they are Targaryens and the Thorne family has a different way of training and raising our children. My sons would benefit of those lessons before they begin to train for their roles as heir and princes." Malkym replied, smiling gently. "I would rather my children knew how to handle themselves on the field of battle than I would in court."
"Diplomacy is a useful skill."
"Yet it is often not taught correctly." Malkym smiled at his insinuation, knowing that none of Alicent's children had a shred of diplomacy in their bodies. "Good training and practice leads to better manners, calmer children and less aggression. That is the makings of a good king, or queen."
Alicent bristled at that, sensing the insult aimed at her children. Malkym kept his eyes on her, before holding a hand out to his wife, letting her lean into his side. He bowed his head at the woman, and then the king, before leading Rhaenyra away from them all.
"What a bitch." Malkym hissed, glaring at the door as Rhaenyra leant further into the man.
"Malkym." Rhaenyra could barely muster the strength to glare, wincing with every step she took. "Stop it. She could hear."
"Good."
They continued back to their chambers, as Malkym looked behind him at the trail of blood that they were leaving behind.
"Let us get you back, and to a midwife." He pleaded, as he looked for courtiers. He handed Camryn to his wife, before reaching down to pick the pair up so that they could move quicker throughout the halls. He did not care for the blood covering his hands and armour, merely hoping that his wife was alright.
"I wish to see the boys." Rhaenyra muttered.
"I will get them." Malkym smiled down at her. "Do not worry. They are safe, and cared for. I will get them. Rest first."
"Please."
Hiya,
So, Malkym and Rhaenyra are such cute parents, and I love how Malkym has just given up caring about what Alicent thinks and says. He just knows that he doesn't like her, which is fair enough.
Let me know what you think,
Love Li xx