Alaesys concerns never lied with politics or war, she was always a simple girl, daydreaming. Rumored to be the daughter of Daemon, she suffered countless insults for being born out of wedlock. She only knew of her duty and the stories she read in bo...
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"Maybe we could make an effort to understand the different phases of her."
Aemond looked to his first-born son cradled in his lap. He was so small yet so strong. When Aemond stroked his cheek the babe turned his head in the same direction. "Smart boy." Aemond chuckled. Daemon rapped his knuckles against the bedroom doorway. Aemond beckoned him inside with his head alone. Daemon walked carefully as to not disturb the newborn. This would be the first time that Daemond would look upon the face of his grandson.
When his eyes caught sight of the small babe, Aemond could hear the older man sniffle. "My word, how small he is." Aemond laughed alongside the man. Aemond carefully cradled his sons head, cupping the boy to his chest as he stood.
"Would you like to hold him?" Aemond smiled and looked down at his son and then to Daemon. Daemon stuttered on his words as Aemond passed the child off to him. It had not been long since he held a child but holding his first grandchild did something to him he did not expect. His heart felt weak and his stomach was twisted in all sorts of knots. He had not been around for Alaesys birth and it was one of his greatest regrets.
He had not been around for one of his other children's births as well.
Daemon's hands shook when he held the baby. The infant squirmed around at first but eventually settled against his warm skin. "Does he have a name yet?" Before Aemond could answer, the second boy cried out from his crib. Aemond folded both hands behind his back while he approached the second boy, smiling down into the crib.
"Good morning, ñuha tresy." His son. It felt overwhelming being able to say that now. Aemond lifted the boy into his arms and kissed the wolf tuffs of hair on his head. Daemon's eyes went wide at the mere size of the second boy. Targaryen children were know to be born small, petite. Even the boys. But this boy was double, maybe triple the size of his older brother.
"I believe he stole all of the nutrients from his older brother." Daemon chuckled. Aemond poked his sons nose, laughing when his face wrinkled from the contact. "Aemond, I have some things to say to you." The younger man looked up with a confused expression. Daemon rocked the older boy in his arms carefully. "We have no seen eye to eye. We may never, see eye to eye. But Rhaenyra spoke of how courageous and caring you were for our daughter during labor."
"I deserve no praise for such a thing. When I took your daughter as my wife those were my unspoken vows." Aemond looked between his two sons. "My boys are included in those unspoken vows."
Aemond smiled and gave the man a knowing nod. "Good lad. Now about those names-"
The doors to the bedroom opened and on came Rhaenyra and Luke. On their arms was a limping Alaesys who was bickering about being able to walk on her own. "No Luke, I cannot name one of them after you. We have already decided on them." Luke pouted.
"Then have another boy."
"I would rather walk through Flea Bottom naked."
Aemond smiled at the tiny rose colored blanket in his wife's arms. He met her at the door way, giving her his arm instead as she stumbled down the small stairs. "Our Birdy has eaten as much as a baby dragon I fear. She spit most of it up but it's progress." Luke rolled his eyes.
"Birdy? Is that the name you have picked for her? Lucerys for a girl would not be so bad." Luke insisted. Alaesys looked behind her and glared playfully. "What?"
"It is just her nickname. I think we have picked the perfect name for her." Alaesys winced as Aemond helped her to bed. He stroked her cheek while she settled back against the pillows. Rhaenyra crawled in alongside her and the girl was eager to rest her head in her mothers lap. Rhaenyra combed through her long hair with her fingers and smiled when her daughters eyes grew heavy. Luke also piled in and eagerly sat straight up.
"I think I am old enough to hold them. Right mother?" Luke's eyes were beaming with anticipation. Rhaenyra laughed and looked to Aemond.
"Only if your sister and uncle allow it." Lucerys looked up at Aemond with a small smile.
"Please?"
Aemond beckoned the boy to stand next to him with two fingers. Like moved so fast that the bed shook and Alaesys clung tighter to her daughter. Lucerys stood stiff with arms outstretched. Aemond passed his son to Luke, making sure his arms were bent the right way and that he supported the head properly. "This is Daemond."
Daemon's face lit up from the fireplace. Alaesys looked to her father with a large grin. "Oh, do not cry father. I would not dream of taking the exact same name from you." Daemon chuckled and looked down to the ground, being quick to wipe his eyes. "It is a mix between your name and their father. I think it fits him quite nicely."
Lucerys carefully held the hefty boy against his chest and smiles at the chubby faced boy. "I cannot wait to take you riding on Arrax! I think he'll love you." Aemond grew lightheaded at the thought of Lucerys taking his newborn on a crash course flight. Daemon walked to his family with the first born still tucked into his arm.
"That is Laenys. I did not think my two fathers should have children named exactly the same after them. Because they are the original and nothing is ever better than the original." Alaesys heart throbbed. Oh how she wished Laenor could be there to see her children. He would be so proud. Rhaenyra touched the head of the youngest babe.
"And this baby girl? Oh how pretty is she?" Alaesys might have just been biased but she truly had never seen a daughter quite this lovely. The youngest had the rosiest cheeks and the prettiest blue eyes she had ever seen. But oh she was so small. She was a couple of weeks grown now and still, it was very hard to catch up to her two elder brothers.
"Well, we were thinking, if it was alright with you, Mother," Alaesys sat tall and passed her daughter to her mother. "Aemma. After your own mother." Rhaenyra instantly perked up. Alaesys could see the tears welling in her eyes but Rhaenyra just kissed the babe on top of her head as confirmation. "I do not know much of the afterlife, but I truly believe Aemma is the one who saved our little Birdie."
She would have loved you. All of you." Rhaenyra was fighting back her own emotion, only reaching over to push Alaesys hair from her shoulder. Aemond and Lucerys stood side by side. Like was ever enthralled with his first nephew. "Where is your brother, Luke?"
"I think he-"
As if on perfect timing, Jacerys came waltzing in with three dragon eggs, each of the same coloration. Baela assisted him, making sure he did not drop any of the precious eggs. "I thought Cesyja was going to burn me alive for taking these from her." Jace sat an egg in each crib, carefully maneuvering them so they were tucked nice and firm against the edges of the cribs.
Aemond assisted Alaesys in standing. She gathered her daughter in her arms and Aemond gathered each boy in the crook of his elbows. The babes cribs lay side by side. Neither parent could tear their eyes away from their sweet, innocent children. Ally finally felt like all the pain and agony always worth it. Aemond kissed the top of her head and the rest of the family filed out, giving the five of them much needed privacy.
Aemond took Alaesys hand in his own and kissed her knuckles. "Do you think it was worth it? That everything we have done and experienced has led us to this point? We have went through...many phases." Alaesys leaned her head on Aemond's shoulder, placing a hand over her belly where her children once lay.
"Sweet Dove, the moon is still the moon, no matter how many phases it goes through."
(Special thanks to Witchfromcabin_13 and all of those that recommended Aemma. I know it is a very common name in these stories but I think it fits so well!)
