Kingdom Fall : Aegon II Targaryen

Night Terrors.

I've split up the final chapter into two parts so part two should hopefully be published soon.

Annerys's wakes up with a jolt, that familiar pang of pain across her lower back. She knows she's begun her second labour. She pats across her bed in search of her husband to find the space bare. It's not unusual or unexpected for him to leave her bedchambers in the middle of the night to go out into the city. So she shouts for her guards. They do not come. She waits for the first wave of pains to pass before she stands from her bed and moves to the doors of her chambers. She pulls on the handles of her doors and finds the door locked. She assumes it is merely some jest of Aegons so she calls for the guards once more, he's probably paid them to ignore her.

"Guards! My labours have begun, you must let me out and fetch me a midwife." Annerys orders from behind the door of her chambers. "Guards!" She demands once more. Panic rises in her as it begins to dawn on her that her pleas are going unanswered. "Let me out!" She shouts, "let me out!" A second burst of pain surges across her lower back and abdomen, her pains are coming along far faster than they did in her last labour, the one that birthed her sweet little Rhaella and nearly claimed her life. Panic and pain floods her body as she begins screaming, the sound scratching at her vocal cords.

"Help me! Please somebody help me!" Annerys cries.

*

The Green Council has long since commenced when one of Princess Annerys' guards request entry to the sealed room. "It's Princess Annerys." He calls from behind the doors. "She's demanding that she be allowed to leave her room."

"She'd be a fool not to." Otto scoffs dismissively. "Tell the girl all is well and to return to her bed."

"She's demanding to see a maester," The guard continues.

"A mere ploy," Otto replies.

"Dishonesty is to be expected from the whore of Dragonstone's daughter." Criston agrees.

"A maester?" Alicent, the only woman in the room, intercedes. "Why?"

"She says her labours have begun." Annerys's guard announces.

"If ever there was a sign that the Gods were on our side this is it," Alicent says mostly to herself as Otto smiles rather smugly at her, "you must go Master Orwyle, go help your future Queen birth what surely will be Aegon's son and heir." Otto allows.

The thought comforts the soon to be dowager Queen and doubts she had about her betrayal of her oldest and once dearest friend are quickly abated by the idea that the unfortunate timing of Annerys's labours is an omen from the Gods that her actions are Godly and most importantly righteous.

*

Annerys' voice has become hoarse from her screaming, crying and begging but she persists as she pounds her fists against the oak of her grand bedroom doors. She and her child will likely die together if help does not come. Anne is a dragon rider and yet completely powerless and unable to save herself and her unborn child from what will surely be their fate.

She hears her guard approach her door and the metal clang of keys unlocking the lock. Relief washes through to her but it does nothing to stave off the rage that she feels as her guard comes into sight as her door opens. She grabs his breastplate, her fingers clawing at the neckline pulling him closer to her, as she vows "I'll burn you alive for this and then my dragon will feast on what remains of your corpse." Her guard at least looks at her with fear in his eyes as Annerys threatens him, she's not so disrespected by the Greens that they do not fear her wrath.

"Princess, please." The Maester says a tad patronisingly as he takes her by the arm and leads her to her bed.

"What is happening?" Annerys demands.