⎯SUN AND FLAME
☀︎☀︎☀︎
Shrieks of pain and whimpers of discomfort were heard as Nyferia walked around her room, pushing away the hands of the midwives who were trying to aid her, or the Maester who told her to lay on the bed so they could check the babe.
"No!" she cried as she pushed them off. "It's not time, my child is fine" she cried as she held her belly, she had not felt movement since the pain started, but the pain had gotten only worse. "I want Aegon" she cried. "My Lady it's not proper" the midwife tried to explain. "I do not care what is fucking proper, I want my husband" she snapped, knowing she would regret it later. One of the midwives quickly went to find the Prince, but she didn't have to search long as he stood right behind the door.
"The Princess needs to let the Maester examine her, but she won't listen my Prince" the midwife said, thinking her husband might speak the right words for her to listen. Aegon entered the room, rushing to his wife as he placed one hand on her lower back and one on her belly. "my Sun" Aegon said, his voice was sad, and Nyferia knew she should listen. "It's too soon, Aegon" she said, and his heart ached when she didn't use their usual nicknames. "He won't survive if he's born now" Nyferia cried, but Aegon tried to give her words of comfort. "You won't know unless you bring him to the world, to us" Aegon said and placed one hand on her cheek as tears streamed down both their faces.
"Away" Nyferia said, breathing through another shoot of pain through her body. "I want them away" she said looking at the midwives and Maester. "They'll need to help you, after" Aegon tried but she shook her head. "I will be fine, we'll be fine" she said, and she wasn't sure if she was reassuring Aegon or herself. Aegon nodded and gave them a nod to wait outside as Nyferia grabbed the post of the end of their bed, breathing in and out deeply before she lowered herself to her knees.
"Tell me what to do" Aegon said and looked at his wife. She closed her eyes as she focused on her body, silently pushing as she held onto the bed. "Catch the babe" she said. "Don't let him drop to the floor" she said and Aegon did as he was told, bunching her shift up to see more, and he had never held as much respect for his wife as he did now. "I'm ready" Aegon said and Nyferia groaned out in pain again when Aegon saw the head already appearing, holding his hands closer until the babe slid into his arms. He quickly placing the newborn into his tunic.
The babe was silent, which terrified Nyferia as she held on to the bed as she sat down, readying herself for the afterbirth. "Rub the chest softly" she instructed; she had seen midwives do that. Aegon did as he was told. "Come on, you have the fire of the dragon, my son, I know you can do this" Aegon said and Nyferia made a note to be happy about her son later, when he cried.
And he did.
The newborn babe cried in his father's arms who let out a breath of relief as he called in a midwife to help Nyferia with the afterbirth as he cut the cord carefully with his dagger. Aegon held the babe in his arms as Nyferia regained her strength. "You'll be fine, my Lady" the midwives said as they helped her to get clean, just as another tried to guide the babe towards the clean water to rid him of the blood which was staining the Prince's tunic. Aegon didn't let anyone touch his son, cleaning him, himself, as he kept another eye on Nyferia who soon laid on the bed holding her arms out for her son.
Her son, which she had already mentally named in her head, was placed in her arms, and while he was small, he had a strong cry and his father's nose. "Vaegon" Nyferia said looking at Aegon. "I wish to name him Vaegon" and Aegon smiled at the name. "It's perfect" he said before the Queen walked in, holding her breath until she saw Aegon and Nyferia, with a small bundle between them.
"The children are asking for you" she said as she walked closer. "Vaegon" Aegon said as he looked at his mother. "Vaegon" she said, a breath of relief, knowing her father would urge for Aegon to have at least two sons, an Heir and a Spare. "Send the children, Your Grace, they deserve to meet their baby brother" Nyferia said, and Alicent admired the Martell Princess. She had been fierce and strong and did the duty Alicent had expected of her. And now, Aegon was officially Heir to the Iron Throne.
While Nyferia had been giving birth to Vaegon, Otto had all the Lords present at court pledge to Aegon as Heir and send ravens to those who were not there. Neither cared much what the Hand had been up to, as they were solely focusing on the bliss of their new babe. Soon the small tapping sound of the feet of their other children were heard, and Aegon quickly jumped off the bed, catching both of them in his arms as they giggled. He held them under his arms and spun them around. "Who dares come disturb the Princess" Aegon said, his voice slightly deepening as he was playing a character.
"Her children!" Aenar giggled as his father let him hang upside down. "Tell me your name, rank, and purpose" Aegon said looking at Aenar. "Aenar, Prince, the new sibling!" he shouted and Nyferia smiled at the sight, the happy squeals of her children filled the room, something Vaegon seemed happy to sleep through in his mother's arms. "Come, meet your new brother" Nyferia said looking at her children as Aegon finally placed them back to the ground as they rushed over, yet still gently.
"What's his name?" Aenar asked. "Vaegon" Nyferia told her son who smiled brightly. "That's a good name muña" he said as he smiled at the babe, who had tuffs of silver hair on his head. A son after her liking, and a son after Aegon's. "Queen Grandmother wishes for us to join dinner with Prince Joffrey" Aenar said as he looked at his mother, they were the youngest children in the Keep right now, and Alicent did her best to keep everything civil. "While I am resting, I wish you'd listen to your grandmother, she only means well" Nyferia said kissing her son's cheek. He nodded. "And keep an eye on your sister" Nyferia said, in a slight warning tone.
"I promise muña" he said and watched Eraella as she climbed next to Nyferia on the bed, Aegon standing at the end to watch the scene play before him. His children, and the love of his life. "I want a sister" Eraella said and Nyferia laughed a little. "Muña needs to rest first" Nyferia said as she looked at Aegon, he would not mind another, he loved all of his children, the more the merrier. Eraella excepted her mother's answer before she gently placed a kiss on Vaegon's forehead. "Rest well" she told the babe before the nanny came to take them to dinner, it had been the only time someone else looked after their children; the first day of the birth of a new babe.
She had done the same when Eraella was born, and she didn't doubt she'd do it again when the next would be born, unless that didn't happen, or the children were grown enough.
"Shall I find an egg for the babe?" Aegon asked as he joined his wife again on their bed, but Nyferia shook her head. "if you do not mind, I would like us both to find the perfect egg" she said looking at her husband who smiled. "Perfect idea" Aegon said, his mind forgetting everything unimportant in the world, including the dinner the King had wanted, which had started the debate of succession.
The King had sighed as Rhaenyra had tried to petition for her own succession again; it had been 20 years would it be smart to change it now" she had asked and Viserys had refused to speak as Daemon and Rhaenyra came with reasons to keep her.
"We could do these two ways" the King croaked out as Rhaenyra looked at him. "You will accept your new title of Lady of Dragonstone, granted and gifted to you by your brother, or you will have to find somewhere else to spend your time" the King said, he had enough of the bickering of succession. He had never planned to gift it to Daemon, and he had refused the proposal from Daemon to Rhaenyra for that very reason, yet she went behind his wishes and wed her Uncle anyways.
He had been happy she was happy, but he had not been happy she had abandoned her duties, which she had never upheld once. The only duty she ever did was give herself heirs, and even that had been a pain in Viserys life, as much as he loved his grandchildren.
"I love you, Rhaenyra, you are my first born and I want to see you content, but if you do not obey your duties, and uphold your King's wishes, then you leave me no other choice" Viserys said, and Rhaenyra held her tongue. "What about my children" Rhaenyra said snapping her head towards her father, until the door opened to reveal Aegon—who had been reminded of the dinner by Rhaenys—as he walked in.
"Your children will have Dragonstone and pass it to their children" Aegon said. "We will find somewhere else for the Heir to live, somewhere closer perhaps. Dragonstone is a fortress and an island which isolates the heir too much from their duty" Aegon said. "Well said, my boy" Viserys said. "Dragonstone is our last piece of Old Valyria, take care of it, uphold our culture there" Viserys said. "You have both always done so, why not continue it" Viserys said.
Rhaenyra huffed slightly. not wanting to admit her father's words had accuracy. But then she wondered why Aegon had come, why he had not been with his wife. She looked up and as if Aegon understood her thoughts he turned towards everyone. "I wish to announce who I'd like to name my Hand, if I do happen to succeed to the Iron Throne" Aegon said and Viserys nodded, glad his son had thought about this.
Otto held himself high, expecting it to be him, again, but Aegon looked around the room and then turned to Aemond. "I wish to name my brother, no one has studied as well as he has, and I'd trust no other to protect the Realm and House Targaryen" Aegon said and Aemond was slightly shocked. "I also wish to reinstate Lord Corlys Velaryon as Master of Ships. House Velaryon has been Master of Ship for decades, and it would be the smallest token we can give after everything Lord Corlys has done for the Realm, as well as apology what the Crown has cost him; his son, his daughter, and now his brother" Aegon said, side-eying Daemon and Rhaenyra.
"Well spoken, my boy, I will have it written by the Small Council in the morrow" King Viserys said, not knowing he'd not see the morrow, for Rhaenyra would take her children and flee back to Dragonstone, and while Nyferia slept with Vaegon is his cradle by her bed, and Aegon besides her, none knew the King took his final breath.
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yes, i changed the name to Aenar, thought it would be better to have the first child to start with same letter as his father.