Daenerys felt the sudden sharp kick to her lower left ribs and tilted her

head back with a murmur, "Little one you are making it very hard for your mother to get back on her horse."

Rhaego ignored his mother's reprimand and kicked again causing her to wince slightly. Gently running a hand over her heavily swollen abdomen Daenerys sighed, "I know, Rhaego. It's too small in there for you now. If you'd simply come out and grace us with your presence we wouldn't need to have this discussion any longer."

When all she got in reply was another kick to her ribs she let out a huff of air, causing one of her servants to touch her shoulder lightly, "Khaleesi?"

Daenerys straightened and turned to face her, "If you could inform my husband that I will need assistance getting on Silver please."

The servant smiled lightly, "Yes Khaleesi."

Once she walked away Daenerys rested her head on Silver's neck breathing deeply as her lower back tightened and her son shifted inside her. She counted slowly and tried to focus on moving air in through her nose and out through her mouth as the midwife had instructed as these spells grew more and more frequent. She didn't even start when a large hand placed itself firmly on her lower back suddenly, just leaned against her husband, moving her head back to rest against him until the pain past.

She could feel Drogo's eyes on her, asking without words if she was all right. She leaned her head back further to meet his gaze with a tired smile, "Just another spell. You son is very comfortable where he is at and doesn't want to leave yet."

Drogo pressed a kiss to the top of Daenerys head and ran a hand over her stomach, "We will find a place to stop and set up camp."

He grasped her waist and lifted her with ease so she sat sideways on her saddle, "You do not get down without my help."

She nodded with a smile that shifted to a grimace as another wave of pain hit her. Drogo watched her until it passed before returning and mounting his own horse again, "We find a place to stop."

As the Dothraki moved Daenerys heard Jorah's voice from behind her, "Are you well Khaleesi?"

She sighed, "The prince is coming soon. Not soon enough but soon."

"How do you feel?"

The Khaleesi gave a rueful look at her stomach, "Large. And the spells come more frequently now."

Jorah looked her over, "You look well. Pregnancy suites you."

Daenerys smiled softly, one hand resting gently on the top of her stomach, "I'm ready to be done. I'm ready for him to be here."

"No doubt you are. Nine months is a long time to wait to see the new prince."

Before she could respond another bout of pain hit her causing her to squeeze her eyes shut and count her breaths again. As it faded her eyes reopened to see her husband watching her intently, not nearly as far ahead as he normally would be. Jorah looked between them, "I think the Khal believes the prince will be here very soon. He hasn't taken his eyes off you."

Daenerys felt another pain spell begin and shut her eyes again, "He may be here sooner than we think."

As the sun began to set on the Dothraki camp the people paused in their work as their Khaleesi walked briskly past seemingly without a destination, Jorah, Irri, and Doreah following dutifully behind. One of the women smiled to herself before turning to the others watching her movements curiously, "The midwife told her movement will speed up labour. Khaleesi seems determined to walk the khalakka out."

On her third lap of the camp Drogo appeared in front of her. Daenerys made a small noise of pain and quickened her pace to reach him, burying her head in his chest and wrapping her arms around his waist as the pain intensified. Drogo placed one hand on the small of her back and ran the other gently along her hair, "Moon of my life."

She didn't give her customary response, just kept her head pressed down against him, flexing her fingers tightly as she squeezed him. A long moment passed before she lifted her head again, "This has just begun and I'm ready for it to be over."

Drogo slipped one arm under her knees and lifted her up easily, carrying her to the birthing tent, "You should be resting."

Daenerys rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, "The midwife said movement would help."

The inside of the tent was dark, lit only by a few small candles. Lavender incense burned giving everything a calming feel. Drogo placed her gently on the large bed in the center before she reached out and grasped his wrist, "Stay."

He nodded and sat behind her, pulling her back against his chest. She laced her fingers with his, squeezing them tightly as the pain hit, "He'll be worth it. When he's here the pain will be worth it. This cannot last forever."

Jorah sat around a fire near the birthing tent, the Khal's bloodriders with him keeping a steady guard. The whole camp seemed to be on edge, waiting for something, any news on the birth of their khalakka. As one of the midwives exited the tent heads immediately turned, Jorah getting to his feet. The midwife shook her head, "She is resting. Nothing yet. Nearly three days she has been labouring. She's doing well. I think tonight he will be here."

Drogo watched as his wife slept uneasily, curled on her side clutching a pillow tightly, her brow furrowed as small noises of discomfort escaped. One of the attending midwives paused in her work to speak, "She is doing well. Khaleesi has a high tolerance for pain."

Daenerys made a low whine of pain and shifted, brow furrowing even in sleep. Drogo ran a gentle hand over her head, "Of course she does. She is my wife."

Dany's eyes opened slowly, pained and hazed with sleep, "My sun and stars?"

Another sharp contraction hit her and she flexed her fingers open and closed, face pinched tight as she forced herself to breath. Her husband's large hand slipped into hers and she squeezed tightly until the pain passed. After a very long moment her eyes opened and she relaxed a fraction before another wave hit and she grasped Drogo's hand tightly again. The head midwife, a near ancient and incredibly well respected woman by the name of Nizhi came to the bedside, "It is time Khaleesi. Khalakka is finally ready I believe," She gave Drogo a long look, "Out."

Drogo stood to level an intimidating glare at her but Nizhi held his gaze with a stare of her own, "I birthed you Khal. That does not work on me."

Daenerys huffed out a breath of laughter that turned into a quiet moan of pain. Drogo was instantly back at her side, pushing her hair from her face. Nizhi sighed and fixed him with a sharp glare and pointed at him with one crooked finger, "If you interfere, you leave."

Drogo gave a slow nod and Nizhi turned to bark orders at the two other Dothraki women assisting her. Slowly they moved Daenerys into a sitting position, reclining her against the mound of pillows. Nizhi laid a hand on Dany's head, "You will need to follow our words Khaleesi."

Daenerys nodded and tensed again with another wave of pain. Drogo was ushered out of the way by the midwives and he climbed on the bed to sit beside his wife, taking her tiny hand in his own. As he watched his Khaleesi struggle to give birth to his son he had never felt more pride. His wife, his Khaleesi, the moon of his life was handling this pain better than some of his best khalasar, with naught a word of complaint, just an occasional soft moan and tight grip on his hand.

Nizhi checked between Daenerys's legs and signed of the other midwives to fetch a blanket, "He is almost here Khaleesi. Push."

Drogo watched, eyebrows drawn close together as Dany gave out increasingly hard to listen to cries of pain, her hand squeezing his impossibly tight with every tense of her muscles.

Daenerys was in the most pain of her life. Every push was agony, muscles screaming in protest. Through a haze of pain she heard Nizhi speak, "One more Khaleesi. We can see him."

With a final loud cry Daenerys felt the pain come to a sharp head before she fell back against the bed, utterly exhausted and panting. Immediately her ears registered the constant screams of her very unhappy son. Nizhi handed her a small wrapped up bundle, "Your son Khaleesi."

Daenerys looked down at him and immediately felt the prick of tears behind her eyes, "Hello Rhaego."

A large hand came and rested over her son's head and she glanced up to see Drogo staring at him with a look of awe and wonder on his face she had never seen before. Dany reached up her free hand and touched her husband's face, "Our little stallion."

Drogo stayed quiet, seeming utterly entranced with the small babe. Nizhi smiled at the new family, touching Dany's head with a gentle hand, "We leave you to rest."

As the midwives exited the tent, Daenerys wiped Rhaego down the best she could with the blanket he was wrapped in, tears falling freely, "He's perfect. He looks like you."

Drogo ran a finger over his son's cheek, "Rhaego."

Rhaego began to squirm and fuss and Daenerys lowered her top so he could seek her breast. He latched on quickly and Dany leaned into her husband happily. Drogo watched, a look of reverence on his face and she smiled up at him, "What it is?"

He pressed his forehead to his wife's, "You grow my son inside you, you birth him, and now you feed him. I'm waiting to see what you can't do."

She felt her mouth stretch into more of a grin and tilted her head to kiss him.

An hour later found the small family utterly at peace with the world. Rhaego slept in his mother's arms, belly full. Drogo kept her leaned against his chest, one arm around her waist, the other hand held captive by a strong grip on his finger. Daenerys lifted her head from where it rested on his shoulder to look up at his face, "You want to hold him?"

She shifted with a small wince, body still sore from labour and gently lowered the wrapped bundle of their son into his father's arms. Drogo held him unbelievably cautiously, barely breathing with how still he was. Dany watched him for a moment, "My sun and stars what is it?"

Drogo stared down at his son's impossbly small hand, barely able to wrap around his finger, "He's so tiny."

Dany felt a few tears begin to fall again and she wiped them away with a smile that turned into a yawn. Her husband watched her closely under it passed, "You need rest, Moon of my Life."

Daenerys nodded a little and held out her arms for Rhaego. Drogo handed him to her gently and she rose, taking him to the small wooden cradle near the foot of the bed. She laid him down and gently tugged one of the furs around him to keep him warm, running a finger along his brow and down his tiny nose, still in awe at how utterly perfect he was. She stood at stared at him for a long moment and she felt Drogo wrap his arms around her waist and tug him back against his chest, bending to resting his chin atop her head, "My Khaleesi did well."

Dany let him take most of her weight as she leaned back against him, head beginning to feel fuzzy. She blinked harshly a few times to try to clear her vision before the edges of things started to fade to black. She heard Drogo call for her but it seemed distant and far away as if he were across a field or she were underwater. Suddenly overcome with total exhaustion she felt her legs give out completely.

Drogo tightened his grip on his wife as he felt her begin to waiver ever so slightly in his arms, "Moon of my life?"

Daenerys didn't answer but began to sway, eyes unfocused. Drogo supported her a bit more, "Dany?"

No response except for her going completely limp in his arms, head falling back, eyes closing. Drogo looked down to see blood dripping from between her legs and he scooped her into his arms, "Daenerys? Daenerys!"

Before he could register what had happened Nizhi was in the tent, the other midwives taking his wife from his arms and forcing him out.

It seemed like hours they were inside the tent with her, with no word as to what was going on. No one dared to approached the Khal who stood directly outside the tent, entire body tense, arms still coated in his wife's camp was eerily silent. It was far too often that women, even the strongest of Khaleesi, died in childbirth. Drogo crossed his blood-covered arms over his bare chest, face a mask of perfect stillness. His Daenerys had seen him injured a handful of times in their year of marriage, it came with being the Khal's wife. The last few times she had gone about healing him herself, fussing over even the smallest of scratches like it pained her to see him bleed. He prided himself on keeping her safe from harm the best he could, particularly after the last attempt on her life, assigning one of his bloodriders to be with her at all times. But this? This he could not protect her from. After an eternity of stillness and silence Nizhi exited the tent, wiping blood covered hands off on a rag, Drogo's stomach plummeted until she spoke, "Khaleesi is very strong. She will live."

Drogo closed his eyes and tiled his head back a fraction in relief before he heard Nizhi speak again, "She is resting. She must stay on bedrest for a few days to recover. She lost a lot of blood."

"What can be done for her?"

"She needs rest most of all but food is just as important. Twice the amount she normally eats. She needs to heal her own body and feed Khalakka."

Drogo nodded, "We stay here until she can be moved."

Nizhi reached up and touched his cheek lightly, the closest thing in the camp they all had to a grandmother, "Khaleesi sleeps now. You may go see her."

She barely ended her sentence before he was through the tent entrance, disappearing into the darkened interior.

Daenerys was sleeping, covered in thick furs and blankets, skin far too pale. As if sensing his presence her eyes opened and she managed a tired smile, "My sun and stars."

Drogo was on the bed in an instant, pulling her tightly to him and pressing his face into her hair, "You are not allowed to do that again."

Dany leaned into him weakly and spoke in common ever so softly, "I'm sorry for worrying you."

Drogo kissed the top of her head and lowered her back down onto the bed before straightening. Dany reached for his hand, "Stay with me?"

He nodded, "I'm not going anywhere. Rest."

Her eyes slipped closed and she drifted back into unconsciousness. Drogo watched her for a long moment before rising, going to the basin of water left in corner and scrubbing her blood off his arms with a rag. Once he was suitably cleaned he walked over to the cradle containing his son. Rhaego slept soundly, unaware of the commotion that had happened and Drogo once again marveled at how small he was as he ran a finger over the tiny hand peeking out from the furs covering him. After a moment he stripped himself of his pants, climbing into the bed beside his wife, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her tight against his chest, before burying his face in her neck, breathing in her scent, eventually falling into a deep sleep.