"AAAHN—" A sharp screech of agony tore through the air.
Rhaenyra was twisting in pain, her hands gripping the bedsheets—damp from her drenched, sweat-soaked body from her current exertion and painful condition—her knuckles white as she panted through another fucking wave of pain coursing through her belly all the way to her lower body.
An older midwife was holding the princess from behind so she could maintain a correct and easy delivery posture while in bed. Her voice was steady, used to the rhythm of birth as she instructed her princess. "Keep breathing, Princess. Deep as you can."
Rhaenyra's breath hitched with groans of pain, her chest rising and falling in sharp, uneven gasps. She could feel the sweat trickling down her temples, her back arching slightly as another contraction seized her. A younger midwife, kneeling between Rhaenyra's spread legs, watched intently, her hands hovering just above the swollen belly, while a third pressed a cloth to Rhaenyra's forehead to tend to her sweaty face.
"And push," the older midwife urged, her tone encouraging and brooking no argument.
Rhaenyra groaned as she pushed with everything she had, the sound raw and guttural, her body straining. Her fingers clawed at the sheets, her nails digging in as she bore down. "I c—I can't—"
"Push!" the older midwife snapped, her voice cutting through Rhaenyra's protest. There was no room for weakness here, not even from a princess.
Rhaenyra gritted her teeth, her face contorting with effort. Another groan tore from her throat, deeper this time, her body shaking with the force of it. The younger midwife's eyes were fixed between Rhaenyra's thighs, her expression tightening. "The head!" she announced, her voice edged with excitement.
Rhaenyra moaned, the sound half frustration, half relief. She could feel it—the stretching, the burning, the relentless pressure. She bore down again, her muscles screaming, her breath coming in ragged bursts.
The older midwife leaned in, her voice firm. "Almost there, Princess. One more."
Rhaenyra's response was a wordless cry, her back lifting off the bed as she pushed with everything she had. The room seemed to hold its breath—then, a wet, squelching sound, and the sudden, sharp wail of a newborn filled the air.
The younger midwife's face lit like a blossoming flower, her hands already moving to catch the slippery, kicking body. "A girl, Princess."
"Praise the Mother!" the third midwife exclaimed, her voice warm with genuine relief. She pressed the cloth to Rhaenyra's forehead again, her touch gentler now.
Rhaenyra collapsed back against the older midwife's embrace with a relieved look, her body relaxing as her chest heaved in successive breaths. "Healthy?" she managed, her voice hoarse.
The younger midwife, now cradling the squirming, crying infant, grinned. "Kicking like a goat, Princess."
Rhaenyra exhaled, a shaky laugh escaping her. She reached out, her arms trembling. "Give her to me."
She carefully passed the baby girl into her arms. Rhaenyra's face beamed with joy as she looked at her new little girl. She kissed her little precious head with so much love and tenderness, feeling so happy about having borne another child for her son—and this time, compared to the previous times, he knew this was his and not a little sister or little brother, even if she would need to appear as his younger sister.
Rhaenyra continued drowning in her happiness, giggling softly while looking at her sweet baby and kissing her again, but this joy was short-lived as the door creaked open. Elinda, her lady-in-waiting, stood there, her face etched with worry and concern, as she prepared to deliver cruel words to her lady, who had just given birth. "Princess," she began, her voice careful, "the Queen has requested that the child be brought to her… immediately."
Rhaenyra's body froze. Her voice was dangerously calm. "Why?"
Elinda swallowed, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her skirt. There was no further message. It was obvious—to bother and endanger the weak health of the princess after having just given birth.
Rhaenyra's lips pursed with disgust and irony before steeling herself. She pushed herself up slightly, wincing as her body protested. "I'll take her myself."
The older midwife exclaimed with worry. "Princess, you should remain abed—"
"Yes, I should," Rhaenyra snapped, her voice rising. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her movements unsteady but determined. Taking hold of the bedpost that supported the bed canopy, she pushed herself into a standing position while holding her baby girl. "Uh… ugh…" She panted, her body strained.
The midwives sighed at the sight of their princess's unnecessary suffering at their queen's command. The younger midwife took the little princess from Rhaenyra's hands as she tied and cut the umbilical cord from the baby.
"Mom!" A young girl cried out as she ran with fast strides, like the wind, into the bedchamber, her eyes adorned with worry, her beautiful silver-gold hair whipping behind her. Her lithe, milky neck bore a dragon tattoo, styled in the same design and color as her mother's. Accompanying her was a tall young boy whose composed and calm face showed nothing to the sight of people, but deep inside, his flashing purple eyes were shaking and beaming with excitement at knowing he had become a father on this day.
"My sweet girl," Rhaenyra's face, which had been struggling, quickly composed itself and beamed a smile at her first daughter, who was embracing her.
"Be careful, Alyssa, you don't want to hurt Mom. She just gave birth," Rhaegon said as he looked at his mother's tired and sweaty face.
"Prince, Princess." The midwives and Elinda saluted the two teens.
"It's okay, my love. She is being careful," Rhaenyra embraced her daughter's shoulder, happy with her.
"Where is the baby?" Alyssa quickly asked, looking around.
"Here, Princess, you have a little sister," the young midwife said. Alyssa quickly disentangled herself from her mother's body and came beside the midwife. She observed her little sister with wide-open eyes, examining every feature of her. "Look, brother! She has the same hair color as us and purple eyes."
"Mhm." He nodded absentmindedly as he also looked at his daughter. Alyssa was already playing with the baby girl as he came back into himself and looked at his mother, who was standing.
"Why are you standing? Quickly, get back into bed, you need to rest now," Rhaegon urged with worry and tenderness toward his mother.
"I can't, my love. The Queen is calling for my baby girl." She sighed and looked at Elinda. "Help me dress."
The older midwife exchanged a glance with the prince before stepping forward. "Princess, you've just—"
"I said, help me," Rhaenyra growled, her violet eyes flashing.
Rhaegon groaned. "You should just send notice that the baby is not capable of moving around at this moment and be done with her antics."
"She is just trying to hurt your delicate health after giving birth."
"Rhaegon!" Rhaenyra chided. She knew that, but she couldn't refuse the command of the Queen, nor could he say those words openly like that. Etiquette must be enforced, even against their will—if not, how could the people follow the natural order?
He sighed as he walked to a table and took a chalice. He looked at it for a moment before unsheathing a dagger from his waist and cutting the palm of his hand. Blood started pouring through the slit wound as he made a fist and let drop by drop fall into the chalice until there was no more wound, as it healed in no time. The chalice now held half a cup of his red blood, swirling like thick wine. He knew his mark on his mother's neck would heal her in no time and avoid any danger to her life, but he wanted to relieve her pain more quickly—and his blood would do that.
The midwives moved quickly at their princess's order, helping her into a loose dress even if they desired for her to stay in bed, their hands efficient but gentle. Rhaenyra hissed as the fabric brushed against her tender skin, but she didn't stop.
But soon enough, her face contorted. "Oh—"
The midwives at her side looked at her in worry. "Princess?"
Rhaenyra's free hand flew to her stomach, her breath coming in short gasps. "It's coming."
The older midwife's eyes widened. "The afterbirth!"
Rhaenyra groaned, her body doubling slightly as another wave of pain hit her. She gritted her teeth, her knuckles whitening around the bundle in her arms. Then, with a sharp, wordless cry, she straightened, her breath ragged.
The third midwife exhaled in relief. "It's done, Princess."
"Drink," Rhaegon said as he moved the chalice to his mother's lips. Rhaenyra looked into his eyes as she opened her lips and started gulping down the contents without asking what it was—such was the bond they had. She licked her lips clean after there was no more, recognizing what it was and feeling her body being reinvigorated as if the childbirth had never happened.
The midwives looked at her with weird expressions, seeing her standing upright and with no pain in her face anymore. Even Elinda wore the same look, but they held their tongues, knowing better when silence was wiser.
Elinda cleared her throat. "Princess… your dress?"
"Mhm," she nodded, now with a regained bearing of a princess.
Rhaegon, meanwhile, walked beside the younger midwife and said, "May I?"
"Yes, my prince," she said as she carefully placed the bundled infant into Rhaegon's arms.
"Brother! Brother! Isn't she a cute baby?" Alyssa, filled with emotions and joy at having a little sister, exclaimed as Rhaegon embraced the child.
"Mh… mhm…" He nodded, his eyes starting to water with tears as he experienced his first fatherhood. His emotions were spiraling out of control inside him as he cooed softly to the little girl in his arms. "She is a beautiful baby girl, Alyssa. Our beloved new sister... She would be a beauty just like you."
Alyssa giggled sweetly at her dear brother calling her a beauty.
"Isn't it, baby girl?" He softly caressed her cheek with a finger. The little baby girl giggled softly against the embrace of her 'brother'.
"Pass me your 'little sister,' my love," Rhaenyra said meaningfully as she looked at him after dressing with the help of Elinda and the midwives.
The baby cried as she felt herself leaving her 'brother's' arms but soon softened as Rhaenyra began shushing her softly, trying to calm her. The baby's face softened to quiet hiccups, her tiny face scrunched up, her fists waving weakly.
Rhaenyra pressed a kiss to the downy silver-gold hair, her voice softening. "Shh, sh, sh. There, there, my little one." The baby quieted slightly, her purple eyes like amethyst blinking up at her mother.
She adjusted the dress, ensuring the baby was secure against her chest. Then, with a deep breath, she turned toward the door, her chin lifted like a proud queen. "Let's go and present the new member of our family to the Queen as she requests."