The Bastard Dragon

Chpt 18: Final Wish

Pentos:

Laenas screams echoed the fortress. The same screams that have been echoing these halls for days. She laid tiredly on the bed, still fighting for her babe to come out. It had been two days of this torture, but she still stayed strong.

Daemon stood in the doorway, trying not to look at the scene. His face twitched with every scream from Laenas mouth. "Push, my lady. You need to push harder" one of three midwives said. She let out one last roar until there was no fight left to give.

In truth, Daemon did love Laena. And more importantly, he respected her. Something he can not say about many people. She was fierce yet a good mother, wild yet collected, caring but stern. Everyone who met her fell in love with her. So to see her like this pained him in ways he never thought was possible.

Laena weakly dragged herself from the bed as she sat on the cold floor. "Clear the room" she muttered. "Lady... The babe needs to come out" the maester said. "We can not-"

"I need to speak with my husband! Leave the room!" she exclaimed. The maesters and midwives obeyed her leaving only Daemon and herself. "Daemon, i need to speak to you. And i need you to listen" she said, the pain growing worse and worse.

Daemon shut his eye's tightly staying quiet. "Daemon, look at me" she said sternly. He paused before finally turning to her. "Baela and Rhaena. You must be there for them. They... A child that grows up without their father's guidance grows weak as you know. And-"

"Laena" Daemon interrupted. He couldn't bare her speaking like this. "I know this is not what you wish. But it's happening so you must listen" she said. "There is one more thing. Rhaena. You need to protect Rhaena. She is in the North and she can not stay there any longer. This burden is for you to have now. You need to protect her and... And you must get her the throne."

Laena groaned in pain as Daemon gave her a confused look. "What?" he questioned. "Daemon!" she shouted with a rasp in her throat. "You must swear this to me now. The throne. It belongs to her. And you will get it for her if i can't, tell me you will!" she sobbed.

Daemon knelt down beside her, putting his hand to her head. She was burning up. She was speaking of madness. "These useless fucking maesters" he muttered under his breath.

He tried to get up and summon them inside until Laena grabbed his hand. She had tears streaming down her face whilst clutching her blood stained gown. "Please" she whispered. "Tell me you will win it for her. I thought it would be me, but it is you now.... I can not rest until you swear this to me."

Daemon flinched at her words. He did not know what pained him more. The thought of raising his daughters without Laena by his side to scold him. Or her bringing up Rhaena. But he did not wish to anger her. "I swear it" he said to ease her mind. He then checked her chalice to see how much milk of the poppy she had drank.

Sweat dripped down the woman's face as she turned pale. "Let me get the maester. You will be fine and then we can speak, alright?" he said before rushing out.

He gave Laena one last look before opening the door. The maesters and midwives all had their heads hung as Daemons chest tightened. "I've reached the limit of my art. The child will not come" the maester said.

"My brave girl" Daemon whispered. "I'm very sorry, my prince. I couldn't lay open the womb. I can try and remove the infant by way of the blade."

"Would the mother survive it?" Daemon asked. "No" the maester said. Silence washed over them all. "The choice is yours, my prince."

Daemon flinched at his words. It was his choice. But he knew he would not make the same mistake his brother had made all those years ago. The minute he chose to kill his wife for his unborn babe, his life fell apart. Daemon would not submit himself to the same fate.

He looked over to where Laena was sat but she was gone. No where to be seen. "Laena?" he said in almost a whisper. But he received no response. He looked all over to birthing chambers alongside the maesters and midwives but it was to no avail.

He stormed out to the room, already knowing where she had gone. She had spoken often of wanting a dragon riders death. But he could not let that happen. Once he got outside, he heard a dragon's anxious grumble. "Laena!" he shouted.

But before he could take another step, he saw that he was too late. The large and intimidating Vhagar opened up his mouth, flames burning in her throat. Laena seemed ready to die on her own accord. She would not let anyone decide her fate. And before Daemon knew it, Vhagar bathed Laena in a blast of flame.

Daemon was frozen with shock. He could not move a muscle. He watched as the fire burned the woman he has been with for ten years and he could do nothing about it. The power that had made his family rule the Seven Kingdoms had taken what he loved. He felt helpless. And he never wanted to feel that again.

Winterfell....

"So... We're you truly unburnt? No wounds? No burns? Not even a scar?"

I laughed at Rickons questions as i laid my head on his shoulder. "I've told you a thousand times. I was not hurt" i said. Rickon pulled the sheets off of us grabbing a candle from his table.

"Are you truly going to do this again? It never works" i teased. "I'm going to keep doing it until you crack, lady" he teased also. I sighed sarcastically putting my arm out.

Rickon poured the hot wax on my skin as i stared him in the eye. "Gods be good" he muttered, still amazed even though this was the fifth time he has tried this. "I will never crack."

Rickon smiled smugly as he pulled me on top of him. "Are you sure?" he asked. I scrunched my nose up at the man as he kissed me softly. But the moment was quickly interrupted by a knock at lord Starks door.

"I'm busy" Rickon called out as he rolled his eyes in frustration. "I'm not here for you, lord" i heard a familiar voice say. "I have a letter for the princess Rhaena."

I turned my head swiftly as i grabbed one of Rickons night shirts to cover myself. I quickly opened the door to see Brodon standing at the door. "Laena has written?" i asked excitedly grabbing the letter from him.

I ripped it open scanning the page quickly. My excited smile faded as i read the letter. I felt my knees go weak as Rickon caught me before i fell. My chest tightened as all the air in my body was stuck in my throat.

I gasped for air, clutching at my chest. I felt tears fill my eyes as i scrunched the letter up tightly. "Rhaena?!" Rickon exclaimed frantically. "What's happened?!"

The Northerners said that the princess Rhaenas screams could be heard all throughout Winterfell. Her roars shook the walls and brushed the leaves from the trees. Another excruciating roar that could be heard was from her dragon, Cannibal.

She fled that night in the dark with her children and headed straight for Pentos. Something changed in Rhaena that day. Or atleast that's what history says. To loose a mother to childbirth is one thing, but to loose someone you love more than anyone is another.

And that was the day Rhaena Targaryen left her life of peace and never returned.

(Authors note: hi! idk why this chpt took so long to write. i originally planned this chpt differently but i couldn't articulate it properly so sorry this is short! but the next chpt will be extra long don't worry <33)