Expansion

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𝕬𝖘𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖉𝖊𝖑

CHAPTER 13, EXPANSION

𝕬 few months after Rhaenyra's marriage fiasco, Alaenna managed to bag herself the Commander of the City Watch himself. Ser Harwin Strong. It had taken months for Alaenna to arrange their many meet-cutes. Rhaenyra had obviously been her most prominent supporter and often gave her sister pep talks.

The first month often left Alaenna a blubbering mess as she tried her best to relay her feelings. Those three small conversations convinced her that Harwin only entertained her due to her status.

Their next date went a little differently. Harwin had suggested a stroll around the garden, and when he was sure no one had been looking, he gently kissed her lips, pulling away with a smug grin. Alaenna had turned pink, fumbling her words.

They took the next 2 months to learn more about each other. Halfway through the third month, they'd gotten hitched.

It wasn't a significant occasion like Rhaenyra's had been. It had been attended by the Keep courtiers and their respective families. Alaenna was the picture of a blushing bride. Her demeanor charmed even Simon Strong, Harwin's grumpiest great uncle.

Explaining her relationship with Rhaenyra was perhaps the most challenging thing Alaenna had to do. With Laenor, Rhaenyra hadn't had much difficulty, but Laenor hadn't been interested in his wife like that anyways.

How did you tell your husband you'd been sneaking around with your sister for half a year. To Targaryens, such relations had never been taboo, but as far as she knew, it had never occurred between a same-sex pairing.

Alaenna had stressed out for the entire week, leaving her husband utterly confused as she'd tried to maintain a terrible composure with him. Rhaenyra had wanted to assure her everything would work out, but even she wasn't entirely sure.

The plan was dinner. Butter him up with some of his favorite food and some good wine and lay it on him. Laenor had been invited to reassure that all parties had reached a mutual agreement.

Each sat around the rectangular table, Alaenna next to Harwin and Rhaenyra next to Laenor.

They ate for a while, making small talk about the City Watch and Laenor's new horses he'd purchased.

Around thirty minutes into dinner, Rhaenyra and Alaenna shared a look. It was time. "My love, I've something to tell you, and I hope this doesn't make you think less of me. Or that I've trapped you in this marriage for other reasons–"

Harwin took his wife's hand, wondering what could possibly be so dire that she'd begun trying to soothe him.

"Alaenna, you're scaring the poor man." Laenor jokingly spoke up from his side of the table.

"Tell me, I promise nothing could make me think less of you." Harwin turned her face toward him, his eyes gazing deeply into hers.

"Rhaenyra and I have... engaged in certain acts. Those unbefitting married persons," Alaenna tried to find the best way to translate her relationship with her sister. She'd always been the kind to try to find passive words to subdue how upset the recipient would be, but it made for very vague sentences.

"We've fucked," Rhaenyra spoke up, drinking from her cup. She hadn't been embarrassed about loving Alaenna. If they continued at her pace, they'd never tell the man.

"Rhaenyra!" Alaenna looked panicked as her eyes flitted between Harwin and her sister.

He was silent for a moment. He hadn't taken his hand off Alaenna's, but he'd been processing the new level of information he was receiving.

The longer he thought about it, the more it made sense. It was no secret to anyone in the Keep that the girls had been close, closer than Rhaenyra ever was with Alicent, but they were sisters, so such thoughts were never even considered.

Alaenna also had a habit of being found sleeping in Rhaenyra's room. It had decreased since the older's marriage. However, it still happened.

That night on Silk Street perhaps gave him the biggest clue that their relationship had always been a little more than siblings. Of course, Alaenna had never told him the details of that night, figuring it was best to leave something like that in the past. He also didn't want her to feel judged for the actions committed toward her.

Even now, Rhaenyra had been lovingly staring at the nervous Alaenna. They'd never tried to hide how they interacted in front of Harwin after he married Alaenna. If anyone was terrible at hiding it initially, it was Rhaenyra who'd leave lingering touches on her sister or even kiss her cheek a little too close to her mouth.

"I'm not upset." Alaenna had let out a held breath at his words.

Harwin looked at Laenor, who seemed a little over such a long conversation. If anyone understood the sisters, it was him. From his lack of shock, it was clear that he knew.

"Laenor completely understands our relationship, Ser Harwin. We're married as a political arrangement, but we are free to see whom we want. With discretion, of course." Rhaenyra stood from her chair, walking to stand in front of Harwin.

She placed her wine cup beside her as she leaned down, "We share mutual devotion and love for her." She grabbed his chin, turning his face toward Alaenna, who'd been staring at them both. Alaenna downcasted her eyes at the sudden attention from the two.

Rhaenyra leaned, whispering into Harwin's ear, "If you so choose, we'll share." Her long hair could be felt brushing against him as Alaenna continued her grasp on his hands.

It felt like he'd begun sinking into their wishes. He was enamored by Alaenna, his petite lady wife.

"We'll share her love, her touch. We'd come to share everything, maybe even our bodies." Harwin stiffened at Rhaenyra's implications. From what he knew, they'd shared everything. It looked like this time, they may even share him.

Laenor, who had been stuck witnessing all too much of this lover's requiem, cleared his throat before sipping his wine.

Rhaenyra gave Harwin a pat on the chest from over his shoulder before going back to sit in her seat.

Alaenna looked positively flushed. Harwin seemed to be at least okay with her relationship with Rhaenyra. He'd been convinced. She'd done it. She could have them both, her fears of losing either had been settled.

Laenor stood from his chair, wine glass raised, "This is cause for celebration. To my wife and her wife's husband, for sharing a love that'll continue on long past our age." He had the weirdest smile as he fervently raised his eyebrows at Alaenna, who giggled at her cousin's ridiculous behavior.

Harwin was officially surrounded by the weirdest people he'd ever known. But they were Alaenna's people. If she loved them, no matter to what degree, they were probably as strange as her and worthy of such undying dedication.

"Hear hear," they all raised their glasses. The night descended into boisterous laughter. Any estrangement had been cast aside as stories and jokes were made. The room was filled with love, laughter, and the cause behind it all, good wine.

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Later that year, it was discovered that Alaenna had been pregnant. It was joyous news to everyone. The happiness turned into concern as she got into the later months. Her belly had grown unexpectedly large, and moving around had become increasingly complex with her sore feet.

As she entered her final terms, Rhaenyra also announced her pregnancy. It had been better hidden than Alaenna's. The gods had blessed her with a surprisingly flat stomach.

It seemed they were around the same stage, Rhaenyra perhaps 2 months behind her sister. While they'd been unsure of how the babies would look, it was clear to both they'd resemble a certain knight of theirs.

Harwin had been there for them as much as he could when he wasn't helping his father or Commanding the City Watch. It was easier to play a dutiful father. He was maybe more excited about the birth of his children than both women were. Then again, he didn't have to deal with the bashers he had for children.

Despite Lyonel's initial worries about marrying his eldest son off to the Targaryen girl, he'd spent his free time checking in on Alaenna. His usual excuse was that he happened to be on his way to some other place or talking to another person.

Larys, however, hadn't given anything beyond congratulations to his elder brother. It was true Harwin's children would take him even further from ruling Harrenhal, but Harwin likely would've been married with children in some way or another.

Alaenna's final days were spent with a lot of tension. She hadn't trusted the Maesters since the beginning of her pregnancy and refused to take milk of the poppy. It was understandable. Her mother had died because of some of those very men.

That day her baby arrived, it'd been a hassle for all. Her water broke in the night, sending the castle into an uproar as Harwin retrieved Rhaenyra and Laenor. Laenor had been the one to call the maesters, as neither he nor Harwin knew how to deliver a baby.

Alaenna had started taking deep breaths. Panicking wouldn't be the wisest choice. When the Maester rushed in, Harwin and Rhaenyra took each of her hands. Both had been surprised at the vice grip she had them in. Alaenna had almost taken a bite out of Harwin when he got close enough to her.

Labors lasted until the early morning. Maesters had been going in and out of the room, presumably to update her father.

As her contractions shortened in pauses, it was time. Rhaenyra consoled her crying little sister, whispering little affirmations. With a few big pushes, a baby was born. A boy with a head full of light brown tufts.

"It's a boy princess," one of the maesters said proudly, passing Alaenna, the crying naked babe. He was so small. She'd been worried by his lack of size, but so long as he breathed correctly, it'd be alright.

Everyone was surprised when she cried out. Rhaenyra quickly moved to grab the babe, placing him close to her chest as her sister began pushing.

"What's happening?" Rhaenyra exclaimed toward the maesters.

"We assume it's the after-birth princess." They were quickly proven wrong when another head began appearing between her legs. This babe had been more manageable than the other. The problem was the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck.

The maesters rushed in, cutting its umbilical cord as they attempted to get the baby to breathe. Alaenna had been a little dazed, but the silence was all she needed to know. Something was wrong. "Where's my baby?" She didn't have the strength to look up.

She grabbed onto Rhaenyra's forearm, turning her head. "Nyra, where's my baby?" Alaenna was losing her mind without any statement from the maesters.

Another pause occurred before a loud, raspy cry was heard from the foot of the bed. The baby was alright. This one had the typical Targaryen features, stark white hair, and pale skin.

"A girl princess."

The fiasco with both babies made it easy to pass the placenta, which the maesters would take and do something with. Alaenna always considered them weird old men, but they weren't a priority here.

Harwin began wiping the sweat from his wife's forehead and neck as their children lay on her chest. Alaenna had been a twin herself, not that she had any recollection. Perhaps life would've been very different had her brother been older before passing.

"They're beautiful. Look what we made, my beautiful babies," Alaenna said to no one in particular. They'd all contributed to the development of these babies just as they would in the future, raising them.

Rhaenyra sat beside the bed as she fixed her sister's hair, "You've done so well. Our children will be siblings, just as we are."

While the children could never explicitly be called siblings, they'd be raised as such. Both sets would have two mothers and two fathers, unconventional but full of love.

"I'll tell father. The announcement will be made after the council meeting," Rhaenyra gave her sister a gentle kiss on the forehead before moving around the bed to provide Harwin his own.

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As her sister walked out, she turned to her husband, who'd been marveling at their children.

"They're so small, aren't they. You can touch them, you know," Alaenna said, scooting up her pillows ever so slightly.

"What if I break them?" He said without blinking as he continued staring at the tiny humans.

"Ser Harwin Breakbones, if you were worried about this, you shouldn't have broken me in. If anyone is gonna break, it's me. I fear I won't be walking for some time." She laughed a little, careful not to jostle the sleeping newborns.

Harwin rolled his eyes at his wife with the dumbest smile on his face. "You're hilarious, you know."

"What should we name them?" He asked.

Alaenna had a few ideas, but she'd never particularly asked Harwin about them. "What do you think?"

"Alaenna and Aemon," Harwin blurted out. To which Alaenna scrunched her nose.

"We're not naming our daughter after me."

"Why not? She has your nose?"

"Think about how ridiculous it'd be with me, Laena, Laenor, and the baby all in one room. And she doesn't have anyone's nose. She's a baby."

Alaenna watched as Harwin rolled his eyes once more. He could be oddly dorky at random times. He hid his more jester-like personality from those he hadn't felt close to.

"What about Alysanne and Simon?"

Harwin raised his eyebrows at her. He hadn't the slightest problem with Alysanne, but Simon? Alaenna was the only person he knew that enjoyed his sour-puss great-uncle's company. But then again, his great-uncle had only seemed to enjoy being around her and his father.

"What? Just because he doesn't like you doesn't mean it extends to the rest of us. He also kind of looks like a Simon." Alaenna said as she looked down at her son, who'd been sleeping with his mouth parted.

"As you said, babies can't look like anyone. But if we do name him Simon, at least promise our son won't be like his namesake. I don't think I could bear two of them."

Alaenna quickly slapped Harwin's chest, "Harwin Strong! If he's going to end up like anyone, it'll be his fool of a father."

Harwin let out a chuckle as he went to kiss her, "Aye, then he'll be a fool for beautiful women."Perhaps it'd been the aftereffects of birth, but Alaenna felt red. Harwin was a smooth-talker when he so chose.

The world felt right with Rhaenyra's very own children on the way. Her small world of her sister, Laenor, and Harwin, had been made more significant with the addition of children. She was loved. Safe even.