Year: 110 AC

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The springtime weather had finally arrived, bringing with it a sense of renewal and hope to the residents of King's Landing. The air was crisp and fresh, with a light breeze that carried the scent of blooming flowers and budding trees. As the days grew warmer, the castle's gardens came to life with vibrant colours and fragrant blossoms, and the sounds of chirping birds filled the air. The sun shone brightly in the sky, warming the stones of the castle's walls. 

For the crown princess of Westeros, Rhaenyra Targaryen, who was heavily pregnant and due to give birth sometime in the spring, the change in weather brought both joy and trepidation. She felt the stirrings of new life within her, but also the weight of fear that came with giving birth. As the weeks went by, the princess grew increasingly restless and uncomfortable. The warm weather made her swollen feet ache, and the constant movement of the babe within her left her feeling drained and exhausted. 

Her stepmother, and dearest childhood friend, Queen Alicent Hightower, had also given birth to her second son earlier that year and Rhaenyra couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as she thought about the queen's relatively unproblematic delivery. The maesters repeatedly told her that every birth was different, but she couldn't help but feel anxious about her own impending labour. Her mind was plagued by the sorrowful tales of her ancestors and each of the women who had lost their lives in the pursuit of serving their realm. If difficult pregnancies were genetic, Rhaenyra was sure she would have the worst of it. Her mother, Aemma Arryn, and even her grandmother Alyssa Targaryen. They had all died from the complications of childbirth.

Her mother's haunting words came back to her often these days.

You will lie in this birthing bed soon enough. 

That was the last time she had ever spoken to her, and then she had died, stolen from her by the brother she never even got to hold. She also remembered her own words, her adamant resolution that she would rather die as a knight in battle. Oh, how the tables had turned and the restless babe in her womb made her take back every single one of her claims. 

Rhaenyra Targaryen went into labour a fortnight too earlier, like her grandmother Daella Targaryen, much to the horror of the maesters. The midwives rushed around the room, trying their best to help the princess through her pains, but the stifling atmosphere in the birthing chamber only made her more ill-tempered. She forbade the maesters and all men from entering, and only allowed her sister-in-law, the Lady Laena Velaryon, to remain at her side. Lady Laena held her hand and tried to comfort her as best she could, but even she could not soothe the wailing heir to the Iron Throne. She had been in labour for almost two whole days, and the babe still showed no signs of coming. 

As the labour pains intensified, Rhaenyra felt her body convulse with pain, causing her to cry out in agony. Her breathing became more strained and she could feel the sweat dripping down her forehead. With each contraction, she clutched Lady Laena's fingers tighter, her knuckles turning white. As the hours passed, the pain only grew more intense, causing her to feel as if her body was being ripped apart from the inside. She swore to the gods above, the old and the new, as fear rose within her. Something was wrong. The baby was not coming out as easily as it should have.

"I'm scared. What if I don't make it? What happens then?" Rhaenyra whimpered, tears streaming down her face.

Lady Laena smoothed the hair away from her face and dabbed a cool, wet washcloth on her forehead, "You will not die, princess. You will survive this and you will live to raise your child."

"But what if I do? Fuck, what if I don't survive this? It's too much, too much!"

"I will not hear you speak of such things! Just breathe Rhaenyra, you will be fine," Laena took deep measured breaths and motioned for the princess to follow along. 

On the third day at dawn, a baby's cries filled the room, and after cutting the umbilical cord, the midwife finally held up a small, squirming bundle to the exhausted princess. Tears of relief and joy streamed down her face as she reached out to take the newborn child into her arms. The room erupted into cheers as the news of the baby's safe delivery spread throughout the castle. 

Laena kissed Rhaenyra's forehead, "A daughter, princess. You did so well."

Rhaenyra held her daughter close, overwhelmed with emotion. The child was small and fragile, but she had come into the world kicking and screaming with unbridled energy. There was a smattering of silver-gold hair on her head and when she opened her eyes to blink up at Rhaenyra slowly, they were a deep violet. Rhaenyra exhaled in relief. She was beautiful. 

Laenor Velaryon burst in through the door just then, a broad grin on his face.

"A girl, they said. And what a girl indeed, you can hear her from across the castle," he exclaimed joyfully. "Why she's got the lungs of a dragon!"

Laena laughed at her brother's words and vacated her spot beside the princess so that he could take her place. He sat at the edge of the bed cautiously, taking the wet cloth from his sister's hand and wiping Rhaenyra's brow with it. 

"The lungs of a dragon indeed. She will not stop crying," Rhaenyra chuckled.

"It is a sign that she is healthy, princess," one of the midwives smiled. 

The room was filled with chatter as the midwives cleaned up and the servants rushed to bring in fresh linens and hot water to wash Rhaenyra with. She smiled weakly, tears of happiness streaming down her face as she kissed the crown of her daughter's head and handed her off to Laenor. Only then did the baby stop howling, and blinked up at him with innocent eyes. 

"Oh look, I think she likes me better," Laenor joked, nestling his daughter gently, and admiring her delicate features that were so different from his own.

"Thank you for being here with me, Laena," Rhaenyra murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Laena squeezed her hand, "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Next to arrive were the king and queen of Westeros, along with Princess Rhaenys and her husband, Lord Corlys. King Viserys's face was filled with joy, but Queen Alicent's demeanour was more reserved and observant. She immediately sat down on one of the divans in the room, still recovering from her own labour a few months prior. 

"I have a granddaughter I hear. Let me see her then, the future heir to the Iron Throne," King Viserys beamed.

Laenor handed his daughter to her and the king cradled her, proudly showing her off to her other grandparents. 

"She has her grandmother's eyes, just look at them!"

"What will you name her?" Lord Corlys pondered.

Rhaenyra smiled at her father, "We were thinking that you might have a name for her, Your Grace."

Viserys gazed upon the child thoughtfully, and he couldn't help but tear up. She looked just like his beloved Aemma. The Targaryen family was filled with great characters from which he could have chosen his granddaughter's name, but it didn't feel right to give her the name of just another warrior.

"Many in our line have been dragon riders, but very few among us have been dreamers. Her name will be Daenys so that perhaps she may inherit her ancestor's gift of prophecy," he declared and handed the child to Lord Corlys.

"Daenys Velaryon, a fine princess, and the future heir to the Iron Throne," Lord Corlys looked forward to the day when someone with his name would finally sit on the throne. History remembered names after all, not blood.

Princess Rhaenys ran a finger across the baby's nose, "We have picked out an egg for her as well, from Meleys's latest clutch, to be placed in her cradle." 

Queen Alicent nodded politely as everyone in the room continued to speak amongst themselves. When Rhaenyra reached for her, she went and sat by her side and held her hand, but she could not shake the feeling of despair that clawed at her from the inside. She wished that her husband had shown this much enthusiasm at the birth of his own children, as he did for his grandchild. She wished that he had taken this much care in naming their own daughter, then perhaps Helaena would have been named something else that reflected his passions this deeply. It was this bitterness that she just could not let go of, even as she congratulated Rhaenyra and wished her a speedy recovery. However, when she was finally handed the babe, she couldn't help but smile. The small blonde girl reminded her of her own little Aemond, and she couldn't bring herself to hold any animosity toward the child itself. If she noticed that the newborn's features bore great resemblance to those of the Commander of the City Watch, she kept it to herself. It was only one child, perhaps it was a coincidence that her colouring was nothing like Ser Laenor's, she told herself. 

"You're beautiful aren't you," she cooed at the baby. "We shall let you get some rest Rhaenyra, you have had an exhausting few days."

King Viserys kissed his daughter farewell and ushered everyone out of the room, Queen Alicent taking the babe along with her to get her cleaned up. Only when they were all gone, could Rhaenyra truly relax. She took several deep breaths, her body still sore from her tireless efforts and her head slumped back against the headboard. There was a hesitant knock on the door and she croaked out for them to come in. 

Ser Harwin Strong entered the room slowly, a bouquet of spring roses in his hand.

"Princess," he said, bowing respectfully. "I heard the good news, and I just had to come and see for myself."

Rhaenyra looked up from her bed, her face still flushed and sweaty from the labour. She smiled weakly at her sworn shield.

"Ser Harwin, it is good to see you. The child has been taken away to be tended to, she is not here."

"She is not the only one I have come to see," Ser Harwin walked over to her bed and handed her the flowers. "For the new mother."

"Thank you, Ser Harwin. They're beautiful."

"If I may Princess...?" 

Ser Harwin reached toward Rhaenyra, and after a quick glance at the closed door, Rhaenyra nodded, allowing him to press a kiss to her forehead. Just as he was pulling away, Ser Laenor, walked in.

"While it is obvious that my little princess prefers my company, I thought she might like to meet another very important person," he teased, handing the baby to Ser Harwin and closing the door behind him once again when he left. 

Ser Harwin held the child gingerly, his eyes full of adoration. 

"She has your nose," Rhaenyra commented softly.

Ser Hariwn sighed, "I am glad that it is the only part of me that she has inherited. The rest of her is lovely like her mother and her grandmother."

"Do not say that."

"I speak the truth princess, but you should know that I love her with all my heart. What is her name?"

"My father has named her Daenys. I think he hopes that she will be a dreamer, although I doubt that will be true. She looks like a fighter to me."

Daenys Strong.

Ser Harwin tries out the name on the tip of his tongue, low enough for no one but his own heart to hear. His firstborn daughter. He would never call her by that name but for a single silent moment, she is his and he is hers. 

"Daenys Velaryon," he finally says. "A wonderful name indeed. What makes you say she is a fighter."

"A mother's instinct. And she has got the blood of a warrior."

"A blood of a warrior hmm."

"You should have seen her scream when she came out, already so angry with the world, as if it had done her some grave injustice. Although if she is to be a woman, I suppose the world will do her a great many injustices. I just hope that I am able to protect her from the worst of them."

Ser Harwin kissed Daenys's rosy cheek as she slumbered in his arms, "I will protect her for as long as I live."

"May that be a very very long time indeed."

The two of them sat in silence for a few moments, gazing at their newborn baby and basking in the joy of the moment. Despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead, they were content to enjoy these stolen moments where they could find them.

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A/N: lol the timeline has been shifted enough that Daenys and Aemond are basically the same age. I am kinda just lifting everyone's birth years from the ASoIaF wiki page and making adjustments.