As the early morning sun lit up the outer courtyard of the Red Keep, the King and Queen wished the Princess goodbye. The heir to the Iron Throne was to journey across the continent in pursuit of a suitable match. House Arryn would be the first to welcome the Princess, housing her for weeks as different lords of the Vale met with her.
Elowen had begun to weep as the wheelhouse carrying Rhaenyra pulled through the open gates. It would take Rhaenyra over a year to tour the realm, leaving Elowen to wonder who she would be when she returned. A sharp pain tore through Elowen's abdomen followed by a deep ache radiating around the base of her spine.
Viserys turned at the sound of air being expelled from Elowen's lungs, using his hands to keep Elowen on her feet. "What is the matter? Is the babe-"
"They're coming, Viserys." Elowen exclaimed through clenched teeth, her fingers sinking into Viserys's forearm like claws.
Servants quickly rushed to their Queen's aid, helping Elowen to her chambers. The world passed in a blur around Elowen, something felt different this labor was unlike her last. By the time Elowen had been settled onto the bed she shared with her husband her dress and jewelry had been removed, leaving her in a shift and nothing else.
Viserys knelt beside the bed, holding one of Elowen's hands in both of his. Worry swam in his warm lavender eyes as he watched Elowen's face tighten in pain. "Where is the maester?" Viserys snapped at the nearby servants before pressing sweet kisses to Elowen's knuckles.
"I'm here, Your Grace." Mellows responded, entering the room in a flurry of gray robes.
"What took you so long, Mellos?" Viserys glared at the old man.
"I apologize, Your Grace, I came as fast as I could." The Grand Maester began to climb onto the bed near Elowen's feet.
"No!" Elowen yelled, pulling her knees upwards in an effort to protect her babe.
"Your Grace-" Mellos began, trying to placate the hysteric Queen.
"I don't want him to touch me," Elowen turned to look at Viserys, her eyes large with fear. "Please Viserys."
The King furrowed his brows as he looked at his wife in confusion. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't want the Grand Maester to care for her, but if she despised the idea so much he wouldn't force her to. "Stand down Mellos," At the maester's protests the King turned to the man with a fiery glare. "You will not touch my wife."
"Your Grace, a maester is needed to ensure a safe delivery."
Viserys merely looked back at his wife, awaiting her choice. "Orwyle," Elowen croaked out. "I want Orwyle."
The Grand Maester huffed, muttering expletives under his breath as he turned from the bed. His apprentice stepped forward, carefully climbing onto the bed as Elowen spread her legs. The hem of her shift was flipped over her knees as Orwyle checked if she was ready.
"It is time to push, Your Grace."
Elowen nodded, tensing her muscles with the next wave of pain. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as her body tried to force out the babe. Several times her body shook with the force of her pushs as Orwyle knelt between her thighs.
"I can see the head, Your Grace!" Orwell smiled at Elowen over the tops of her knees.
"You are doing so well, my love." Viserys cooed, brushing strands of brown hair out of Elowen's eyes.
Elowen groaned as she pushed again, moaning with pain as cries filled the room. A sharp iron taste swept over her tongue, the sting of her tooth piercing her bottom lip was lost in the waves of pain flooding through her body.
"Praise the mother," Orwell whispered as he lifted the babe, handing the small squirming body to Ingrid to be cleaned. Elowen breathed in relief, watching as a cloth was swept over the babe's body.
"You have a daughter, Your Grace." Ingrid answered the unspoken question as she laid the wiggling newborn on Elowen's chest.
A surprised cry left Elowen's lips as she gazed down at her daughter. Her finger traced over the scrunched up face, soothing the stress of entering the world.
"A girl." Elowen sighed in wonder, unable to tear her eyes from the babe in her arms. "I am so happy to meet you."
"I love you." The sound of Viserys's voice caused Elowen to glance up at him. She grinned upon seeing the lovestruck smile on his face as he stared at his new daughter.
"Are you speaking to me or the babe?"
Viserys looked to his wife, his smile growing larger as tears began to prick in his eyes. "I love you," He repeated. "You have given me so much."
"Would you like to hold her?" At Viserys's nod the babe was carefully lifted off of Elowen's chest and cradled in her father's arms.
"She is so small." He breathed out, staring down at the babe in wonder. Smiling at Elowen when she chuckled at the sweet moment between father and daughter.
Elowen's breathy chuckle quickly turned into a groan of pain, as a grimace painted her face.
"Elowen! What is wrong?" Fear tainted the happy moment, as Viserys remembered what had happened to his mother, a fate his first wife had shared. "Orwyle?!"
"Not to worry, Your Grace, it is merely the afterbirth." The color visibly drained from the man's face.
"Orwyle?" Viserys called, a sense of panic rising in his chest. He would not survive if he lost Elowen. She was the light of his life, breathing warmth and love into the Red Keep.
"There is another babe, Your Grace." Orwyle looked up to Elowen, resting one of his hands atop her knee. "You need to push, Your Grace."
Elowen followed the maester's instructions, even though she was completely exhausted. Her muscles screamed in pain and tears ran down her cheeks as once again something was forced from her womb.
The air in the room grew thick as no cry came.
"Orwyle?" Elowen begged. "My babe?"
"I-" The man faltered as he lifted the tiny body off of the mattress. It was too still and growing colder as the warmth Elowen had provided seeped from it. "I'm so sorry, Your Grace."
Elowen shook her head refusing to believe the gods could be so cruel. "No, no. Give them to me, let me hold my babe."
Orwyle quickly passed the stillborn to her mother. "A second girl, Your Grace."
Elowen choked back a sob as she held the babe to her chest. She kissed the crown of the babe's head, crying at the silver locks. "Please," She whispered, beseeching the Mother Above to save her child. "Please, I beg of you."
The air was still as Elowen kissed the babe and rubbed her back. As a second plea left her lips a shaky breath pierced through the silence. The quiet gasp was followed by a loud cry, one that was soon joined by an identical one from her twin sister.
"Thank you," Elowen cried. "Thank you."
Viserys moved closer to his wife, sitting beside her on the mattress so she could lean into him. Her head tilted back, looking up at her husband. She laid one of her hands on his thigh, knowing he had relieved Baelon and Aemma's deaths.
"We are alright," She whispered. "We will be alright."
He merely nodded, leaning down to press a kiss to Elowen's forehead. "I was so scared." He muttered into her hairline.
"I know," She soothed him. "We are still here. I am here."
Viserys relaxed into his wife's touch, comforted by her mere presence and the sound of her voice. He turned to look at the two babes the gods had gifted them with. "They need names."
Elowen hummed, lifting her hand from Viserys's thigh to the babe he held. Her finger stroked over the infant's cheek. "Alyssa," Hazel eyes trailed from the babe to watery lavender eyes. "After your mother."
"If she takes after her namesake we shall be doomed," Viserys's chuckled, smiling down on his wife. "It is only fair that her sister be named after your mother."
"Helena," Elowen looked down at the babe sleeping against her chest. "Does not sound like a Targaryen babe. Perhaps Helaena, like the Conquerors' mother?"
"A beautiful name, my love. Princesses Helaena and Alyssa Targaryen."
The sound of the door opening and soft singing caused Elowen and Viserys to look up. Gretchel entered the chambers holding a sniffling Aegon in her arms.
"Apologies for the intrusion, Your Grace," The blonde handmaid appeared frazzled, stains and spots littered her cream colored robe. Her golden hair had been messily piled atop her head in an attempt to keep the locks out of reach, a strand fell loose between her eyes causing the young woman to squeeze her eyes shut for a moment. "The young Prince has not stopped crying."
"Mama!" Aegon screamed as his eyes landed on his mother.
Elowen chuckled, waving Gretchel closer. "No apologies needed, I am happy to see my son."
Gretchel nodded as she rushed to the unoccupied side of the bed, setting the eldest son down. As soon as he landed on the mattress, Aegon was crawling to his mother's side. His pudgy hand reached out, hovering over the babe Elowen held.
"Gentle, Aegon." Elowen caught his hand in her free one, guiding the toddler to carefully touch his sister. "This is your sister Helaena. Can you say Helaena?"
"Waenya." The boy repeated, a toothy smile lighting up his face.
"And this," Viserys spoke, catching Aegon's attention as he leant forward so he could see his other sister. "Is Alyssa."
"Wyzza" Aegon squawked happily, clapping at the game he thought his parents were playing.
A loud laugh erupted from Viserys's chest at his son's attempts. Elowen's soft giggles quickly joined his, followed by Aegon's squeals of excitement.
AN: Yes I did twins again idc
-ELE