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⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ °• ☼ CHAPTER NINE: UNDER THE MOONBEAMS ☾ •°⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
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IN THE MIDDLE the following year, Queen Rhaella Targaryen fell pregnant. It was not the first time she'd been pregnant since Nessie was born. In fact, it was one of many. Shaena Targaryen had been born a stillborn in the year after Nessie's birth; Daeron had been born two years later and had lived only half a year; in the two years after, Rhaella birthed a child each year and both were stillborn, both unnamed; and in the years later, Jaehaerys had been born and died in the same year. The closest she'd gotten to having a younger sibling other than Viserys was in 272 AC, when Rhaella gave birth to Prince Aegon Targaryen. But he never made it to twelve months.
Nesaela shouldn't have expected anything more—she shouldn't have thought the child would turn out anything but stillborn or dead; but the truth was: Nessie was lonely. So often, Viserys was kept from her due to Aerys' paranoia—perhaps afraid that Nessie might kill her brother so she would be in line for the throne—and her mother had other duties to attend to. Rhaegar was becoming so more and more absent from their family, and it frightened her that he might be planning a rebellion against his own father, or sneaking around with another woman.
Nesaela had Tylan, Elia, baby Rhaenys, and Elia's newborn, Aegon, each whom she loved and cherished, but she wished she had a younger sibling who she was allowed to adore and spend time with, who, she hoped, may be a girl like her. It was why she adored the time she was allowed with her mother, though with Aerys' frequent executions and periods of madness it was becoming fewer and fewer.
But, when she lay with her mother on her bed and lay her head on Rhaella's stomach, hoping to hear a heartbeat, Nesaela felt at peace. Even now, while she was writing poetry at her desk and her mother lay on the long couch, she looked at the bump swelling at her mother's belly. "You should call her Daenys, if it's a girl." Nesaela suggested, putting down the ink and pen. Her mother looked up from her stitch-work at the words.
Rhaella smiled softly. "Oh, but my love, Daenys is your second name. Don't you think we should name her something new?" Rhaella's fingers brushed along the swell of her stomach. It was too early to start naming the baby anyway. It was most likely the baby wouldn't make it half a year.
Nesaela hadn't seemed to think of that, instead of settling down in her cushioned chair with a sigh. She seemed to think for a moment with squinted eyes. "Something with the nickname Dany, then," she settled on. "I like the name Dany."
Her mother smiled at the girl, ink smudged across Nessie's cheek carelessly and lilac eyes bright. Beside her ink-stained fingertips lay pages of poetry, both newly written and old. Rhaella touched her daughter's chin, smile full of pride and love. "Okay, Dany it is then." Rhaella placed a hand on her curved belly, and Nessie's hand joined hers.
