Enigmas | Aemond Targaryen

TWENTY

I gave birth to my daughter Daenaera at a little red-walled castle beside the Starry Sept. The pains started early in the morning, flickers of churning ache rippling through my belly. The Archmaester of Healing, the very best Citadel could offer, gave me a small quantity of herb mixtures that dulled the sharp sensation quite efficaciously, and forced me to walk up and down until I stumbled and could scarcely put one foot before another. Only then I was allowed to lie down, hunching against the tearing contraction, yet the midwives soon yanked me up and had me kneel upright so that the baby could easily slip from the womb. For hours I struggled, biting down the wooden wedge they inserted into my mouth lest I bit off my own tongue as my body convulsed violently. For hours the baby didn't come. The pain reached the limits of what a person could endure. I was emitting inhuman, sobbing and wheezing noises as steamy blood spurted from me as though from a stuck pig. In my unabating and unremitting agonies, I thought there was no hope I could give birth and live.

The only thought that prevented me from falling into the dark pit of oblivion was the thought that if I died, Daenaera would die with me, or be abandoned in a fickle world without a mother's care. It gave me back all the strength I needed. I closed my eyes and exhaled and inhaled deeply. Mine is the blood of the dragon, I reminded myself as I gritted the wooden wedge between my teeth, a dragon knows no fear. I pushed with all my might and kept up the fight. The hours dragged on for eternity in the throes of childbirth. When the shrill squalling of a baby rang through the air, I spat out the dampened wedge and cried out "Give me my daughter. Give her to me." all the while falling flat on back into the blood-flecked bedsheets.

The midwives cleaned and swaddled the baby as fast as they could. I snatched her with a feral aggression only a mother could possess and cradled her against my breasts. She was so tiny, my Daenaera, delicate of form, but a healthy pink like rose petal, even her miniature nails a dawn-tinted color. Wispy tufts of silver-gold curls were plastered all over her perfectly round little head, and when she opened her eyes, I saw the most stupefyingly beautiful shade of blue. With an illogical fear that I might harm her, I touched her little plump hand with uttermost caution, almost immediately she opened her tiny rosebud of a mouth to wail, yet I had never heard a sweeter melody.

"There. There. My little queen." I coaxed and soothed her with a gentle voice, smiling as my heart swelled with overwhelming joy beholding the most perfect creation that was my little girl. "Your muña is here. No harm shall come to you. Muña will always be here to keep you safe, my little Dany, my little baby."

I was so immersed in wonder and satisfaction I completely ignored Aemond when he strode through the birthing chamber door. "You have me scared to the bones, Senya. Your damnable dragon broke free of his chains and was bemoaning like a crone I thought you—" I placed a finger before my lips, making a shushing motion to him, then I dropped my loving gaze back to Dany as she nuzzled at my chest comfortably.

"She really is so beautiful." Aemond said quietly, wanting to caress her glowing cheek but withdrew his hand just before the contact was to happen as if he too was afraid of hurting her, even with the slightest of touch. I turned a warm face to him, giggling. "Go on, my love. Your daughter is a small hatchling but a dragon hatchling. You won't hurt her."

Aemond stroked her downy cheek ever so tenderly and whispered with absolute awe and adoration. "Hello, Dany." His fingers traced down to her chin and Daenaera all of a sudden grabbed his thumb, making Aemond gasp and shudder.

"She has your eyes, everyone in your family has more or less a blue tint to your eyes." I pointed out proudly. "But hers are lighter and clearer. I've never seen a blue so captivating like you could drown in it."

"The rest of her looks more like you." Aemond smiled, brushing a hand over the silken fluff of Daenaera's hair. "Perfect in every sense."

I smiled serenely sidelong at him.