157
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299 AC
Summer Isles - Ebonhead
Eragon Targaryen
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""You still don't miss your siblings?"" I scratch the back of the young dragon named 'Jadewing' by the Blackfyres.
He arches his back as my nails run against his jade-like scales and in between his bronze frills. His sweet little trills are the only answer I need to know he is content with where he is right now. Laying with me on a couch beside the bed set up for Shaena to push a baby out on. Pillows are stacked behind her as she sits slightly sitting up with her whole body covered in sweat, but right now she is sleeping.
I do not know the whole process of what is about to happen but I know things are about to get wild. The Fertility priestess has been caring for her the whole day after giving her the drink that is supposed to help her with what comes next. She said she will sleep until things start, a calm before the mighty storm, and the last rest she will have until she gets the baby out.
Sometimes it is fast for moms who have done it before and other times it can take half a day or more of screaming and fussing. I am praying to every god I know that this does not last that long, I am not prepared for that. My mind already hurts thinking about it but my heart is warm and fluffy thinking about my baby being here soon. A potent mix of worry and excitement that if it was not for Jadewing laying on me I would be rolling around on the couch.
This room is across from the main bedroom we all usually sleep in, except for when someone wants alone time they go to one of the rooms next door. This room was picked so they will be close by but can still sleep, both doors are open so they will wake up to screams whether they want to or not. Mother is wide awake and sewing away at a blanket for the baby, a little Targaryen sigil onto a nice thick blanket made here in the Summer Isles.
I think this is the fifth one she has worked on over the last week and her hands are like lighting as she works. She needs plenty since it won't be just one baby after a while, Ashara and Melisandre will also be here soon as well. I am kind of still pissed about missing Aemma and Arianne but also glad I won't hear so many screaming babies through the nights. Three will be enough for me for the time being, Danny won't be too far behind, and the other possible pregnancies.
It was like a summer sickness took root in all my wives as Shaena showed off her swollen belly, I was stuck in the bedroom for days. I will never complain but they damn sure made me put the work in.
"You can sleep as well, you won't get any if the Priestess is right about her concoction." Mother speaks up with a bit of annoyance, she didn't like the idea of Shaena drinking something she didn't understand what it exactly does.
But there are quite literally hundreds of people walking around the Summer Isles because of that priestess and her potion. I think it was fine after all the recommendations we got when we asked around and Nata's mom even drank it when she had Nata.
"I might, I am just doing a lot of thinking." She hums at my response and I stop scratching Jadewing so the dragon can get some sleep if we are about to be woken by screams for hours on end.
Well, the dragon can always fly away and find a nice spot to rest without any noise but I can't, so it's wise to close my eyes for a bit. The sound of a fire crackling and birds softly calling even getting late into the night. The breathing of Jadewing and the noise of my mother makes as she sews, all of it mixes together in a nice song.
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"AHHH!" I sit up and feel a scaled object hit my legs as I threw it off, an indignant screech reminds me I slept with Jadewing but I am preoccupied with the woman shouting.
I stare dumbly at the red face Shaena and wonder if I am still dreaming or if this is actually happening. The Priestess shouting orders at tired servants lets me know its reality as I would not know half of what she is saying to dream of it. I stand and make my way over to the bed and grab one of Shaena's hands as she grabs toward me. She tries to crush my hand but I hardly feel it as the beating of my heart consume all going around me.
The worry of what is happening and the excitement build up and feel ready to burst out as I watch people bring in hot water and cloth. Behind the servants, the tired faces of my wives slowly make their way in with a hint of worry. Mother holds Shaena's other hand and is telling her everything will be ok in a gentle tone.
Jadewing climbs up onto the bed and watches with great interest as his little chest rumbles like a kitten purring. If I did not know better I would say the little green dragon is excited seeing what is going on.
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"Aaaahhh!" A much quieter but just as desperate shout fills the room using its much smaller lungs.
Someone snips a cord and some wet cloth wipes down the kicking and punching little Targaryen as he screams as loud as he can. A whole new world is around him as he breathes for the first time and lets it out as a wail. The blanket that my Mother was sewing on is wrapped around him and restrains his wild arms and legs.
"Here son, go ahead and hold him." My Mother speaks but I am not even sure if it was she who handed him off to me as I take his tiny body in my arms.
"Look how cute! It is worth all that screaming and fighting to get to see a little sweet boy like him." Rhaenys speaks up as she pokes at my son's cheeks much to his displeasure.
He is hairless other than maybe a sheen of silver over the top of his head, his eyes only open a small amount before closing tight. I want to see if he got my eyes or his mother's lighter color but I am willing to wait. I want to snuggle up with his mom and enjoy the moment but she is being cleaned off and the sheets are being snatched off the bed.
"What are you going to name him?" Nata asks as she takes her turn to run a finger over the top of his head like everyone else.
His little legs kick around against his restraints as he is held against my chest, his wailing coming to a softer whimper. I do not know what to call him, I like so many names that I am not too sure. I try to think of a name he would like and a few come to mind but I have trouble thinking of which would fit the little bundle in my arms the best.
Jadewing climbs up my shoulders and I nudge him with my head to push him back away from my son but he seems adamant about smelling him. He takes little sniffs at him before trilling at my boy and I wonder if he will bond with him. It might be why he wanted to be in here and not with his egg mates.
If they will be partners maybe names that sound good together? Jadewing and... Jaehaerys sounds good.
"Jaehaerys." No one speaks up against the name so I take it they also like it until Rhaenyra laughs and runs her fingers over the neck of Jadewing.
"Jaehaerys and a bronze dragon?" I nod as she ruffles the frills on Jadewing's neck showing off their metallic sheen.
"It's a good match." I respond before I look over at the cleaned bed and Shaena being adjusted on it after being wiped off.
I climb onto the bed with baby and dragon before she can reach for her son and she smiles even with tears in her eyes as she takes him. She wordlessly pops a tit in his mouth as he keeps trying to shout but is silenced. The slight kicking around in his blanket also stops as he finds what he wanted and relaxes.
"Lucky little shit." I mutter in a joking manner but still get a glare from Shaena who is unimpressed.
Jadewing also abandons me and climbs the mountain of pills to look down from on high at his new friend. I wonder how being raised together will affect growth or if it will even matter, it will be nice for my son to be able to have a dragon ready by the time he is ready. Though I don't doubt there will be trouble with him trying to mount his friend too soon and having to be pulled off in the, not-too-far future.
"Little Jaehaerys, huh?" My mom asks with tears in her eyes, she named one of my brothers Jaehaerys but he died before a year passed. "It's a good name for him, I am sure he will do the namesake proud in the future." She smiles and runs her hand over the back of his tiny head wrapped in blankets.
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"I take it you did not sleep?" Cirilla Blackfyre finally speaks as I lean my head over a steaming bowl of mush.
"I slept a little, I thought he was happy once he got a boob but he got tired of the boob and wanted to yell soon after. But I stayed up anyway so we could meet this morning and talk about the future plans for you and your sister." She nods but Helaena seems too busy feeding strips of meat to the two hungry dragons to respond.
"What plans are those?" She asks curiously as she takes a bite of some flatbread with jam.
I sit up straight and push the bowl away not feeling all that hungry.
"House Blackfyre is dead, there is no other way to progress forward the House represents a problem that dies here at this table." I wait for her to respond and she locks eyes with me before giving a stiff nod.
"I want to know what you plan to do with my sister and me, as things stand I could care less about invading Westeros. My mom trained me and taught me a lot about Westeros and wanted nothing more but to complete the first Daemon Blackfyres goal. After all the failure I didn't see too much hope but it was all I had, now there is only Helaena and me and no one wants a Queen in Westeros so it is already dead." She stops and looks once more at her sister before looking back at me. "I won't have kids so you do not need to worry about me birthing more Blackfyres. My sister if she agrees will marry anyone you pick so long as she wants it and they are not horrible, she will lose the name as well so no more Blackfyres. I can't change who I grew up as and I can't bring back the people who died but I can protect the last family I have, that is my goal." I frown since I was told her father is still alive and well.
"What about your father he is alive, he might not be a Blackfyre but he is your family shouldn't you defend him?" Her nose scrunches up and Helaena giggles making me more confused.
"He can burn in one of the hells for all I care, he may have loved our mom but he did not love us. We were an idea he long ago had and wanted to see completed to honor the one person he probably loved." I nod in understanding since my own dad was a crazy man so I get where she is coming from.
"Alright, with that settled let's talk about what is expected of you and the first thing will involve the Sword attached to your hip." She lowers her hand to the handle of Blackfyre with caution and I smile as I grab the handle of Brightroar beside the table. "Let's head to the yard after you finish eating." She blinks in confusion before her lips quirk up into the first real smile I have seen on her face and not through a flame.