𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 || Aemond Targaryen

Chapter Eleven

The morning light filtered through the heavy drapes, casting a golden glow over the room where I lay recuperating. The birth had been arduous, but the sight of my newborn daughter, Laena, sleeping peacefully beside me in her cradle, made every moment worth it. Her tiny chest rose and fell with gentle breaths, a rhythmic sound that was music to my ears.

A gentle knock at the door pulled my attention away from Laena, and in came Helena, her presence as comforting as the warm sunlight, with our shared handmaiden, Dyana, following closely behind. Their faces bore smiles, but it was the excited squeals from behind them that truly brightened the room—Maekar and Rhaella, my heart and soul, were toddling in eagerly, their eyes wide with curiosity and wonder.

"Look, Maekar, Rhaella, come see your new sister," Helena coaxed gently, her hands guiding them forward. Dyana, with her ever-watchful eyes, carried a precious burden wrapped carefully in a cloth—a dragon egg.

Helena helped Maekar and Rhaella onto the bed, their little feet wiggling with excitement. "We brought a gift for Laena," Maekar announced proudly, his voice a mix of pride and a touch of solemnity that only a three-year-old trying to sound grown-up could muster.

Rhaella, less concerned with speeches, clambered closer to peer at the baby. "Egg for Laena," she declared, her small finger pointing at the bundle Dyana was now placing beside the cradle.

"Yes, darling, it's a dragon egg, to protect her and remind her of the fire of our ancestors," I explained, my voice soft but filled with a fervor I hoped would instill in them a sense of their heritage.

Helena knelt beside the bed, smoothing back Rhaella's hair. "It's very important, my dears. It symbolizes the strength and courage she must one day embody as a Targaryen."

Dyana, stepping forward, allowed Maekar to help her set the egg next to Laena, his movements careful and precise. "Good job, Maekar. You're such a big brother now," she praised, her voice laced with affection.

Rhaella, feeling a bit left out, tugged at my sleeve. "Mama, hold?" she asked, her big eyes turning to me.

"Of course, my sweet girl," I whispered, lifting Laena gently and settling her into my arms. Then, shifting to accommodate both my children, I helped Rhaella touch Laena's tiny hand. The connection seemed to spark a magical understanding in her, and her usual torrent of toddler words slowed to a simple, awed, "Baby."

Maekar watched with a seriousness that made my heart swell. "We protect her, right, Mama?"

"Yes, my love, we all protect her," I affirmed, pulling them close. "Just as this egg will one day remind Laena of the protection she has from her family, and the great legacy she carries forward as a Targaryen."

Aemond's presence filled the doorway, his tall, commanding figure framed against the light of the corridor outside our room. The children's faces lit up upon seeing him, and even Helena and Dyana stepped aside with respectful smiles.

"Father!" Maekar exclaimed, his voice a mix of joy and reverence that only a young son could hold for his father. Rhaella, too, squealed with delight, her small hands clapping together as she spotted him.

Aemond's stern features softened as he approached, his eyes sweeping over me and our children with a warmth that belied his usual stoic exterior. He knelt beside the bed, his gaze lingering on the sleeping form of Laena before reaching out to gently stroke Maekar's hair and then Rhaella's.

"How is my newest dragon?" Aemond asked, his voice low and filled with tenderness as he peered at Laena.

"She's perfect," I responded, my voice filled with emotion. "And she's already being guarded by her brave siblings and their gift," I added, gesturing towards the dragon egg beside her cradle.