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House of The Dragon-For The Queen, Not The Prince: What Could Have Been: Chapter 26
🕑 Added 2025-04-16 04:39:50 +0000 UTC(Aerion's POV)
[Dragonstone, Nine Months Later....]
"I-It is a girl, My Lord...." Elinda said as she held a crying babe in her arms, "You have a daughter."
I stood there, staring at the child as Elinda held her while the other midwives were wiping her with a rag.
I had no words, I could not say anything. I merely stood there, holding Rhaenyra's hand as she was panting heavily.
Throughout the entirety of her labors, I was by her side, her grip was harder and stronger than anything I had ever felt and I had gone through a lot of rough stuff in my young years. Every time she screamed in pain and cried, I would whisper encouraging words, assuring her that she would be okay.
Something told me that it would help and I suppose it did since Rhaenyra would calm down when I would do this.
And now, the child came out and was being cleaned by the midwives as the Maester cleaned his hands, approaching them and inspecting the child.
"I-Is she okay?" Rhaenyra's voice was soft and strained, "I-Is she okay?"
"I will see, Princess." The Maester said as he was looking at the babe, "Nothing seems out of order, a crying babe is but a healthy one. She has spirits, this one....truly your daughter, Princess."
I looked at Rhaenyra, her entire face was covered in sweat, she had a relieved smile on her face. Tears were forming in her eyes as she curled her lips; she wanted to cry.
"C-Can I....?" She said softly
I reached over and moved the wet hair out of her face, "Let her hold the child." I said without taking my eyes her, "Our Daughter...."
"Of course." The Maester said
"She is simply precious..." I heard Elinda say
I let go of Rhaenyra's hand and stepped back as she reached for the babe. I watched as Elinda handed her the child as the cries eased up and slowed down to a stop.
"Oh...." Rhaenyra said as a tear flowed down her cheek, "Oh, how beautiful....."
I stood there, looking at Rhaenyra holding the babe in her arms. The child was so small, of fair skin, and had white hair like ours. She opened her tiny eyes and I could see that they were a Targaryen purple.
It was surreal.
I did not know how to react to this.
The sight of Rhaenyra holding the child was simply too much to even process.
"My beauty..." Rhaenyra leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, "Oh....my, I...I love her so much already...."
"She is....so small...." I said softly
Rhaenyra looked at me, "Look...." She said with a smile, "She is ours....come and look at her more closely...."
I stepped forward and looked at the babe, seeing that she was rubbing her face with her tiny hands. It was something that I would expect any babe to do, but there was something about her that made me feel a strange way.
I could not understand this feeling.
What was it?
Why did I feel this way?
"Do you want to hold her?" Rhaenyra asked me softly
"I...." I said as I looked at her with surprise, "Are you certain?"
"Yes." She said with a nod, "She is your daughter too...."
I slowly reached for her as she began to hand her to me, "Alright...." I said, "I will-"
I stopped my hands halfway, looking at them; they seemed to be drenched in blood. I did not understand, what was this???
"What?" I muttered as I quickly pulled them back
"Aerion?" Rhaenyra said, "What is it?"
"I...." I said as I shook my head and placed my hands behind my back, "My hands are filthy....y-you do not want me to hold her..."
I felt my face harden as my breathing got a bit harder than usual, a creeping feeling spread throughout my body, giving me chills.
I looked at the girl's face, she was slowly closing and opening her eyes.
"Oh..." Rhaenyra said softly, "I see...."
"I am sorry...." I said as I looked down, "You can hold her.... "
"I do not want to stain her..."
**********
"My beautiful boy...." Mother said as she hugged me, kissing me in the cheek as I sat down in the chair, "Today is a glorious day....you are now a Father..."
I nodded, "Y-Yes...." I said as I was looking at my hands, "I am...."
She patted my shoulder as she straightened up, "The King is seeing his first grandchild...." She said with a joyous tone, "I hope your Father arrives soon."
"He sent me a letter..." I said, "He is on his way."
"Is something the matter?" Mother asked me as she rubbed my hair, "Hm?"
"I....." I said, "I cannot hold her...."
"What?" She asked
"I cannot hold my own daughter...." I said seriously, "I look at her face, I want nothing more than that....but....I cannot...."
"Why?" She asked me as she crouched down next to me and placed her hand on my lap, "My boy, you can speak to me...."
"My hands....." I said as I looked at them, "They.....they are covered in blood...."
My mother looked at my hands, "What?" She said, "Aerion....they are....they are...not...."
She may not see the blood, but that is all I could see. My hands and arm were drenched in red, completely stained....
"It is there...." I said, "The blood of hundreds.....n-no...perhaps thousands..."
No matter how many times I even tried to wash them, I will not be able to scrub away the blood completely. I have stained them red as I did my hair back in the Stepstones, I could not do anything about them.
"Hey." Mother said as she patted my cheek, "Look at me."
I looked at her, seeing that she had a serious look in her face. Seeing her face, it eased me. I felt shame for this, I was no longer a child yet I needed my Mother to calm me down.
"I...." I said
"You are a Knight." she said seriously, "Blood is going to be on your hands no matter what, it is something you have to accept. I understand, Aerion...I understand that War can change someone....that you did things that a boy should not have done....but that is done.....you are not a boy...you are a Man....you are a Father....Gods, I know how difficult it must be for you...and I am here for you....I will always be here for you.... "
"Mother..." I managed
"Trust me when I say this...." She said, "If you hesitated, Rhaenyra would have gotten the wrong idea....so get up....go to her....and hold your daughter....she is yours....."
"She deserves to be held by her Father...."
