Of Duty and Love

With his heart on her hands

Prince Aegon was recovering very well, the first day of illness was spent in Flea Bottom with a terrible fever and excruciating pain in his chest, but after he was brought to the read keep by Aemond and Criston, he improved well, not requiring much care besides being on bed rest to avoid forcing the lungs and the heart. After 2 days in the castle he was already calling maids in and out to please him, and demanded wine to be served, which of course the Maesters didn't approve. The same however could not be said about Prince Aemond. After waking up from his collapse, and receiving the care and attention of a woman he felt so deeply for, the prince did seem to thrive, even his mood was actually pleasant, even while being ill, but the Maesters advised queen Alicent and lady Orya, both attending to him full-time, that "it worries me that his heart rate is still this fast, and the fever should have been lower by now, but he seems to be doing better, we'll see" and so they saw. During the night, he woke up drenched in sweat feeling like he could not breath, his heart was hurting and racing, the prince grabbed his chest in hopes that it would slow it. Orya called the Maesters as soon as she felt him getting worse during his sleep, when he woke up they were already there, she tried to calm him and understand what he was feeling.
- Rest Aemond, breath, I sent for the Maesters again, you're sweating a lot and your fever is going up again, I called for them before you woke up.
- I… can't breath Orya…- even just speaking was difficult for him at that moment. She put her hand on his chest feeling his heart, if she was not already panicking by then, after that she surely was. However, she remained calm and peaceful to not stress and worry Aemond any further
- Breath with me Aemond, I'll lite the pyre again to help with it, everything is going to be ok, the more you stress the more difficult it will be to breath. I know you're in pain, but fight with me - she was indeed right, and the fact that she was there with him was probably determinant to help Aemond. When the Maesters arrived and saw the state the prince was in their faces could tell it was very serious. Prince Aegon had his bad moments too during the illness, but never in the critical state Aemond was in. The Maesters wanted space to work, so Orya stood back, leaving room for them to treat the patient. She could however listen to what they were commenting "Your grace, we need to give you a sedative, to see if your heart slows down, we really need it to slow down. As for the breathing, I'll leave a second pack of leaves to burn and inhale and ointments as well" Aemond consented only, he had no strength to do more than that. She listen them talking to each other, discussing the symptoms and possible treatments, one of them went to Alicent with a concerned expression, he only said: "My queen, his heart… it's too fast, and the lungs are not working very well, if it goes like that... it might stop" in this moment Orya could not contain her tears and she wept, so did Alicent. The Maesters gave Aemond a tea with an infusion they believed would bring the heart rate down, and with that the fever. But then one of them suggested that they might had to bleed him and put him in a freezing bath lo lower the fever and bleed the illness out of him, but the 3 could not agree if this practice would cure or kill him. Orya spoke against, so did Alicent and Helaena, so bad was the condition of the prince that the other two felt the princess should also be called for.
- I'm sorry to get into your deals, but I don't think you should bleed him right now, or give a freezing bath. Aemond is already so weak and frail, look for yourselves! He's shivering, yet his skin burns like fire in fever, he's resting in bed, yet his breathing and heart seem like he run a mile right now… if you bleed him it might be too much… you also said it yourselves, I don't think that will help. Let me call for our two Maesters, from Dorne, they might help you get to a solution. - Orya said in the middle of her crying, she did believe those solutions would not bring Aemond any cure. The Maesters didn't like the suggestion, but they complied. They didn't want to risk for the prince to die in their hands, that way they might have others to blame.
- I'll call for the Stark Maesters as well, maybe in the north they have dealt with a disease similar to this, we should get to a cure- and so did Alicent. Heleana agreed with all the suggestions as well.
- So many people worried… it sure is a sight… - Aemomd said in a low voice, still trying to clutch on his chest but being stoped by the maesters, they needed him still to work. Orya, Alicent and Helaena went closer to him - I'm lucky to have three women that I love so much with me.... - He was very out of breath, so he could not say anything else, in his mind, he was actually tranquil that he was not alone, he felt loved and cared for.
- Hush my son, you must be exhausted, don't waste energy on speaking. Try to sleep again my love - Alicent was trying not to be emotional but it was visible that she too was crying.
- You'll be ok, I trust that, we'll call all the Maesters in this realm and the other if it needs to, and you won't ever be alone, we shall be with you always. - Orya held his left hand while talking, in the right side her mother and sister. Aemomd gave a light smile, and reached for her face. But the pain and symptoms he was feeling were of a violent nature, milk of the poppy did very little, he could only rest when the Maesters of Dorne applied a solution to make him sleep, and the Maesters of the Starks introduced an herb infusion, from the north, that they used in respiratory conditions that were more common in the winter lands. He was breathing better and sleeping, the fever went down a little, so did his heart rate, but everyone was still uncertain, for the prince's condition was still a matter of worry. When he slept, Orya knelled and prayed, she cared for his medicine and treatments, applied ointments, it was the job of a maid but Orya demand to do it she said "I'm no princess myself, not even an heir, but even if I was, I'll care for the ones I love myself, I believe it makes a difference" and so she did, maids still helped but she and Alicent were taking care of most things. After he finally slept Alicent reunited with the faith for an urgent pray for her son Aemond she said "Pray! All of you! That's all we can do right now", the morning did not yet had broke but she made sure everyone awoke for it. In his chambers Orya and Helaena remained.
- Lady Orya, I'm moved by your attention and care with my brother... It pains me to see him like this, but I believe he will recover, trust me.
- I hope so as well your grace… your brother doesn't deserve… oh god why him.
- If he didn't fetch for Aegon maybe he wouldn't have catch it…- Helaena's face went disgusted thinking about that - but there's no reason to think about that now, what is done is done.
- Yes, let's focus on his full recovery now, there's really no one to blame...
- Let me ask you Orya, I'm sorry but the current situation calls for that, you do love my brother don't you? You don't need to hide… I see how you look at him, how you hold his hand, clean his face, brush his hair, help with his treatments, this are acts of love. I've seen your love long before when you kept his company in training, riding, talking… You'll have my support, if it ever comes to that, I say, in a marriage proposal.
Orya didn't deny, but she was surprised with those words.
- I believe I came to truly love Aemond… where that will lead us I don't know, but I know he feels for me too, thank you so much for your words princess - she half smiled for a while in the middle of he wept. Halaena went to her and gave her a tight hug. It was uncommon for the princess to get so close, that got Orya in total surprise.
After that she excused herself, the maesters said that after the sleep medicines he would not wake up for a couple of hours at least. Seeing Aemond so bad made her wonder if Aegon was also doing worse. She didn't love him, but she worried for him, so she went to see him after breaking her fast. When she arrived to his chambers however, she found him complaining to the maids that they didn't want to strip for him last night. Halaena asked their leave while she brought tea and an infusion to him.
- I'm sorry my lady wife, but I did felt in a better mood and was in need of some… attention, during this long cold night O was lonely, you were not here so I called for them.
- I was worried with you, I now see I didn't need to. Your brother Aemond is ill - she said bluntly.
- I know, the maesters told me when they come to check me yesterday…he collapsed in duel with Daemon right? Stupid brother...The maids say lady Orya is there too, at least that's what I've been told, I think my little brother is surely very well entertained during his illness, I wish I could be entertained too! - Aegon laughed while saying it, in fact he had no idea his brother was in a terrible condition, he even though he was doing better than him, since he was treated by the maesters right away when he collapsed and he spent the first two days of illness in the Flea Bottom.
- What are you saying Aegon...didn't you heard mother pledge for prayers?...
- Oh yesterday? Of course I did... I could I not, everyone did.
- No... today, around 6am..
- Oh, not at all... the maesters give me some strong shit, this pains in the chest make it difficult to breath sometimes, but with this shit...oh I slept like a stone, only woke up a while ago, not that you asked but I do feel better.
- No, your not understanding... - she moved closer to his bed - Aemond is...VERY ill, it's very serious, mother demanded new prayers today...for Aemond, she's devastated.
- What? How so? In the morning they told me we both had the same disease, the thing rats transmit. I don't feel great and the first two days were certainly horrible, but for sure not bad enough to kill me where I was in Flea Bottom, with only wine and drunks.
- You both have the same illness yes, but Aemond's symptoms are much more severe than yours are or were, he can't even breath, just talking is a tremendous task... A couple of hours ago the maesters were frightened that his heart was beating so fast that...it might just stop. They wanted to bleed him and put him in a freezing bath to lower the fever, but that could have been enough shock to stop his good heart. Lady Orya is indeed there, and she spoke against it, so did mother and I. We called the maesters of Dorne and the North to help. He was slightly better when I left but the situation is still concerning. Lady Orya is not entertaining him Aegon, she's a serious devoted and kind women, she's taking care of him, weeping for him, crying for him, praying for him...
Aegon was shocked, terrified actually. After those words he started feeling remorseful… he even cried.
- It's my fault... If he didn't fetch for me he would not be ill right now.... Stupid little brother…risking himself for me. How could this happen, how could this happen... - Aegon was very worried with the news, he even started to feel difficulty breathing again, placing his hands on his chest.
-In that we agree. But there's no point in feeling sorry now...it was not your fault, you shouldn't have been there, but you didn't want him to be sick. Pray now...I was worried you perhaps were feeling worse when I saw how bad Aemond was, that's why I came. I can see the news stressed you, do you want me to stay?
- I think I do Helaena... I do... rest and pray with me please... - we can't know for sure, but the maids say that during that day Aegon did pray and cried for his brother.

During the afternoon Aemond regained some conscious, but the symptoms flared up all again, so the maesters were called again to force the sleep with more medicine, they could have give a stronger dose, but they were afraid of making him sleep and never wake up, so they gave only small doses to relieve the heart and lungs. During his fever, he asked for his mother, sister, and for his wife. We can't know for sure what he meant, it was a delirium, but he was talking of Orya. Listening to that, Alicent took note... if there were already no signs enough then that was probably a great one. She thought to herself "My boy will get better, and he will marry her, she will take good care of my boy, he will be happy" this was the thought that kept her in a berable mood inside the chambers. The maids say she was chaotic when she was not in his chamber. Lady Meriah had of course heard of Aemond's illness too and during that afternoon she asked for permission to enter, she was worried too, specially after listening how bad he was during the night. Meriah held and hug Orya when she entered, and she cried in the harms of her cousin.
- My sweet girl, hush, I'm sure he will be fine... What our maesters say?
- They don't say much... They don't wish to talk to much or say too much and be wrong... They all agree that the situation is quite severe. They were worried is heart could just... - she didn't finish what she was going to say, but Meriah understood what she meant.
- But isn't he doing better now?
- A little .. he's not in pain, and can sleep, but it's still far from ideal... The Maesters said that usually the disease is moderate, as it is was with Prince Aegon, causing moderate symptoms, but that sometimes it can be more severe than that, prince Aemond's case... They warned us that the next two days would be decisive, if his body could fight it he would probably overcome it after...
- Then we need to think about that! I'll pray for prince Aemond, and for you my dear. I'll have my leave now, I'll inform father and the rest of our land, he's also worried, he's specially worried with you. Don't forget to take care of your too Orya.
- Thank you my dear, I won't.

Orya spent her time always by Aemond's side, leaving rarely just when Alicent or Helaena were there. After that terrible night, she was completely exhausted, she had not slept. Alicent was laying in a long chair in the corner, finally giving in to sleep, Orya was still kneeling side his bed, checking his temperature, his breathing and heart. He was sleeping, the improvements had been little, but not unnoticed. When one Maester from the north came in the afternoon to check on him after he slept he said: - Still not stable enough for us to be relieved my lady, but he's a little better than last night, we must take that as something positive.
A little after the maester visit was over Aemond woke from his troubled sleeping, and saw Orya still there
- Have you really been here all night? - he asked in a slow voice, still tried to adjust to the brightness.
- I have Aemond... I'm so worried with you... I don't want to leave until you're recovered. How are you feeling? You woke up in the afternoon, but your symptoms were so severe, the maesters put you back to sleep..I need to send for the maesters again, they said to call them every time you wake up, so they can check on you.- Orya held his hand, her eyes were dark under, she was tired and it was visible, she called for a maid and asked her to send for the maesters, all of them.
- I don't even know what to say.... but know that I deeply feel your actions... Please, don't stay there kneeling all the time, at least be comfortable, you should sleep to... you look very tired too - Aemond spoke with calmness but Orya could tell he was still very out of breath just with talking. She sat on bed and caressed his face
- Tell me in truth Aemond, what are you feeling? You must say if you feel worse, please...
- Not worse than last night at all... My lungs still feel like knives stabbing...I guess the recover will be quite slow. How is my brother Aegon? I want to know if he's also this ill... - even in such a condition, Aemond's thought went to his brother, he was worried with him.
- Halaena went to check on him after leaving you, when she came back she told he was recovering well, he was even asking some maids to undress so... I guess he's not too bad
-Ahh typical of my brother.... I'm glad he's not too bad...
- Halaena told him about you... That you had a difficult night, she said your brother was actually purely worried, he even asked her to stay with him, that's why she's not here now... she didn't want to leave him alone too. One of his chambermaids rumored that he prayed and cried last night for your recovery... I guess that after all you both care a lot for each other
Aemond blushed thinking about it, in a way, it felt good to know that others also cared for him, just like he cared for them. Alicent woke when the Maesters entered, seeing her little boy awake was a blessing. For everyone's happiness, the maesters accessed that Aemond's case was a bit more stable, his breathing and heart were still concerning, but the fever and gone down, deciding that it would be better to not sedate him again. That night Orya finally rested, she slept in a chair leaning her head on Aemond's bed and hand, he was happy that she was finally resting too, eventually his exhaustion made him sleep as well.

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