Chapter 3: Birth of Baelon and Alyssa

…What was happening? Where was I? I could barely feel my surroundings, but I could understand that it was gross, wet, and slimy. My eyes were closed, so I was unable to use my vision to determine what was happening. 

After trying to move around, I noticed that I was not alone. There was another figure inside the same cramped space I was in. I tried to use my hand to grasp the other person, but I couldn't get a hold of him.

'Was I reincarnated inside a cave, or a swamp?' I thought to myself as I did my best to try and guess my surroundings. 

There was also a tether, attached to my abdominal region. Wait, slimy, eyes shut, tether to my stomach, am I inside someone's womb.

This made me realise that the unknown being reincarnated me as a baby. This also meant that the other person along with me was my twin. 

As I floated along the ammonic fluids, I heard voices coming from outside the womb. The screams of a woman became much louder. The walls around my twin and I became smaller, already compressing the tight space.

'Man, childbirth is way too complicated. Why can't it be simpler?' I thought as the crushing walls pushed me down the canal.

<Rhea Royce P.O.V>

"AAAAAH" loud screams of pain followed by weak pants of overextertion were a common occurrence in the room. 

The midwives encouraged Rhea,"My lady, you are doing well."

Another one of the maids wiped away the sweat from rhea's forehead. The maester looked serious. "My lady, you have to push. The baby can not remain in your stomach forever."

He took out a jug of milk of poppy and gave it to her to drink. 

Rhea drank it and with determined eyes, pushed as hard as she could.

"Thats it my lady. I can see the baby's head. Push harder." The maester assisted Rhea. 

With one final push, one of the babies came out. The maester quickly cut the umbilical cord and cleaned the screaming baby. 

"Congradulations Lady Rhea, it is a girl." The maester said.

Rhea smiled in relief, but the pain was not going away. She weakly called out," Something is still wrong with me. Why isn't the PAIN GOING AWAY." She screamed out the last bit as a contraction hit her.

The maester quickly realized that something was wrong. After checking, he frowned,"My lady, you still have another child inside."

Rhea was worried,"Twins? Can I even take it."

It was true. Twins were rarer in the middle ages. It was mostly because the birth of twins either resulted in stillborns, the death of the mother, or sometimes both.

Despite the Maester's worries, he chose not to voice them and remain optimistic. "You can do it my lady. You are the heiress of Royce."

Rhea hardened her expression and began the arduous process again.

Outside the birthing chambers, Lord Yorbert Royce waited outside patiently. He was accompanied by his son, Geold Royce.

Yorbert frowned,"Why is this taking so long?"

Geold stayed silent. He and his wife had been trying to conceive a child, but he didn't know anything about childbirth and the troubles woman had to face.

One of the midwives exited the chambers, and closed the door behind her. "Lord Royce, Rhea has given birth to a girl."

'A girl, well no matter' thought Geold.

"If the birth is already over, then why is Rhea still screaming?" asked Yorbert.

"The lady is giving birth to twins."

The reveal shocked everyone present. Yorbert clenched his fists. "Then what is my son-in-law doing?"

"Father, Daemon went to king's landing to get an egg for his child," reported Geold.

"But they are twins. Who gets the egg?" asked Yorbert.

"That I have no answer to." Geold shrugged.

"Waaaahhhh!!!" the loud crying of the baby broke their stupor.

The handmaiden opened the doors and decreed," Lady Rhea has given birth to twins. A healthy boy and a girl."

The announcement was followed by a loud roar of a dragon. Yorbert and Royce looked outside the window, where they saw a familiar red dragon and its rider landing outside the castle. 

"Tell him to come directly to Rhea's room." Yorbert told his guards. 

Yorbert and Geold entered Rhea's room, where Rhea laid on her bed. She held her babies swaddled in her arms. Her hair was scattered and beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

"Father, your grandchildren."

Yorbert gently held the girl, like a priceless treasure. Seeing this, Geold held the boy, mimicking his father. 

"She's beautiful," said Yorbert.

Geold scrunched his nose. "Really, don't they look kind of wrinkly?" 

"Are you calling my babies ugly!" Rhea adjusted her posture angrily, but she fell back exhausted. 

"Geold, all babies look like this when they are young." Yorbert patiently explained to his tactless son.

"Give me back my babies." Rhea held out her arms.

"Jeez, I was just being honest." Geold handed the boy back to his mother.

Rhea carefully held her baby son, lovingly. She felt so peaceful. It was worth going through all this effort. Her mood was spoiled by the guard announcing the arrival of her husband.

"The Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, Lord Daemon Targeryan has arrived."

Daemon walked into the room, wearing his usual red and black attire. He carried a satchel in his hands. "Rhea, I've come to see my child..children?"

Daemon paused when he noticed the twins held by Rhea. "Well, this compicates things."

Daemon pulled out an egg covered in silver scales. 

"Only one," said Rhea.

"Hey, I'm surprised that you managed even birth one child. Then again, its my seed, so its expected to be powerful enough to beget twins." said Daemon.

"Is this all you have to say, Prince Daemon, despite being late for the birth of your own son and daughter." said Yorbert angrily.

"It was hard enough to get this egg for them. Do you know where this egg came from?" asked Daemon.

Geold said," Probably some wild dragon right?"

"This egg is born from Vermithor and Silverwing, two of the largest dragons present in the world. This type of egg may not appear for another two decades." said Daemon proudly.

"King Jaehaerys accepted giving this egg to you?" questioned Yorbert.

"He promised to give the egg only if the child is named Jaehaerys if he is a boy and Alyssane if she is a girl." 

Letting the Royce's think for a while, Daemon approached his children, looking at his son and daughter. 

"Since we have twins, we have to follow the wishes of the king." asked Rhea.

"I thought you would throw a hissy fit," said Daemon.

"The boy may be called Baelon Targeryan, but he will always be William Royce in my eyes," Rhea caressed the boy's cheeks.

"What you call him won't matter since history only remembers the name Targeryan, not Royce." scoffed Daemon.

"Alyssane is a beautiful name for a girl, but it's too long for my taste. She shall be called Alyssa." Rhea gently told her baby.

"But what will you do with the egg." Geold's question brought back the main topic to discussion.

"Isn't it obvious. The boy will get the egg." Daemon told Geold as if pointing out the obvious.

Suddenly, Baelon started bawling, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. "Baelon has powerful throat." said Daemon.

"His birth was accompanied by the roar of your dragon," said Yorbert.

"Of course, its expected of my son." Daemon poked the cheek of his son. 

Baelon grabbed Daemon's finger. Daemon tried to gently remove his finger from Baelon's grasp, but Baelon held his finger firmly. Baelon's eyes opened, and Daemon was surprised. It was expected for Targeryans to have purple eyes. Some of them had lilac colored eyes. Others had various shades of amethyst, but Baelon's eyes were a black. The darkest he had ever seen. Eyes similar to his wife.

He stayed silent, and said,"The dragon's egg will go to Alyssa."

"What," Rhea was surprised,"Daemon, Baelon will have many enemies growing up. He needs a powerful dragon."

"The boy's eyes are black, clearly polluted by your house. If he is truly Targeryan, he will get one. The traditional Targeryan way. By going to Dragonston and claiming his own." His voice left no tone for discussion.

Rhea slumped back. Yorbert was surprised, since it was unexpected for the dragon to be useful for a long time. Geold was ecstatic, since this was the best result he could have hoped for.