Chapter 144 – Complications

[301 AC]

The crackling of flames in the fireplace and the even breathing of Phenex were the only sounds reaching Daenerys' ears while she lay in her love's embrace, her bare form pressed against his as they rested under the heavy furs in her quarters.

Her face was buried in Phenex' chest and her legs were entangled with his, while his arms were wrapped around her with his hands and fingers brushing softly over her back. Daenerys couldn't help but breathe in deeply, drawing Phenex' wonderful scent into her lungs.

The scent of slightly burnt cinnamon and sandalwood, mixed with something else, that just made her want to never leave his embrace, filled her nose as she sighed lightly in pure content, while Phenex' heat and presence seeped into her body and set her heart at ease.

The comfort and shelter Phenex conveyed to her with his simple caresses, and the quiet affection she felt coming from him with every moment she spent at his side, made sure Daenerys knew that she would never be loved the same by another person, nor could she love someone the way she loved Phenex.

Her beautiful violet gaze followed the tender movements of her fingers as she gently retraced the words and names her love had branded on his chest.

Rhaella Targaryen.

Kinvara Wisdomflame.

Missandei of Naath.

Arianne Nymeros Martell.

Daenerys Stormborn.

Allyria Firestar.

It wasn't when she reached her own name that she suddenly stopped, but when she read her younger sister's, Allyria's name that she did, the look in her eyes transforming into tender longing.

"I want to carry your child, Phenex.", Daenerys found herself whispering, her face still buried in his embrace, while her right hand laid flat on her love's chest, right above his strongly beating heart.

Suddenly she felt Phenex' left hand move up her back over her fair shoulder and slender neck, as he cradled her cheek and gently forced her to raise her head to look up at him, while his other hand was still wrapped around her waist and lay flat against her lower back, pressing her lower body against his.

Brushing back a strand of her still damp hair that had fallen on her face and looking down at her utterly gorgeous features, wide deep purple eyes shining with tender love and longing, Phenex could feel his immortal heart tremble under the weight of his affection for the young dragonrider.

"I want you to carry my child too.", he replied softly, the simple thought of Daenerys being the mother of one of his children causing possessive desire and infinite joy to erupt in his heart.

Leaning down, Phenex couldn't help himself and captured Daenerys' soft lips in an innocent kiss.

Pressing his forehead against hers after he broke their kiss, even though his lips were only separated from hers by a hair's width, Phenex's fiery eyes burned with gentle longing as he addressed her with a soft smile.

"There doesn't exist a word to describe how much I love you, but I hope you know it even without me saying it, little dragon.", he whispered, as his arms tightened their hold on Daenerys, pressing her even deeper into his embrace.

"I know.", tears glittering brightly in her hauntingly beautiful eyes, the young dragonrider answered quietly, almost inaudibly, as she once again buried her face in his chest, her lips leaving a soft kiss on his heated skin.

…

[301 AC – Winterfell]

Walking silently through the bustling castle, while using his magic to conceal his presence, Jaehaerys walked in the direction where he felt Sansa's life force.

Sneaking into the Ancestral Seat of his mother's House had already become a habit as the young Targaryen dragonlord had done so a few times already to find the Northern Princess that had been in his mind since the first time he had seen her.

Sansa's feminine grace, deep-blue gentle eyes, and the soft curves of her figure, along with the kind spirit that inhabited her heart and her sharp mind, all of it had captivated his heart, urged him to be close to her, to conquer her.

Since their kiss in the forest, there wasn't time he didn't think about her soft lips on his, or how right it felt when her slender figure was pressed up against his, her womanly curves feeling like the missing pieces to his draconic physique.

Frowning slightly, as he moved around the corner, Jaehaerys saw several handmaidens carrying towels and buckets of heated water in the same direction as they moved with hurried, almost panicked, looks on their faces.

And even though it had nearly been a decade, he still remembered that he was moving in the direction of the quarters occupied by the Lord of the castle.

Sharpening his senses, the young dragonrider listened in on the conversation between the servants and projected his hearing even further ahead, until he realized what was going on.

His brother's wife, the Northern Queen Talisa Stark was giving birth, and more importantly, things did not seem to go well.

His frown deepening, Jaehaerys didn't hesitate to use his magic to alert the High Priest, who was currently outside the castle, before dropping his magical concealment and bursting into a sprint, arriving in the corridor before the Lord's quarters only moments later, easily overtaking the rushing servants.

Looking up due to hearing his approach, Sansa stared at him with surprise, worry clouding her beautiful eyes.

"Jaehaerys!", she called out in relief, before she rushed into the safety of his embrace, her slender arms wrapping around his waist, as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

For a moment she seemed to have forgotten that she was in the presence of her younger brother and several older servants, including a few guards led by Robb's trusted aide, Lady Mormont, and her eldest daughter Dacey Mormont.

Those present were shocked to see the young girl act so intimately with the deadly and powerful dragonrider from the Red Temple, which was also a blood relative of hers, but Jaehaerys couldn't care less about their thoughts and opinions at this moment.

Wrapping his own arms tightly around Sansa, softly rubbing her back and taking her deeper into his embrace, he demanded gently: "Tell me what is going on, Sansa."

"Talisa, she- … Maester Luwin thinks she might not survive the night.", the young princess replied, raising her head from his chest to look up into Jaehaerys' crystal gaze, unshed tears of worry glittering in her eyes.