Tya was true to her word. She did not make a single mention of her pregnancy to anyone but her family, Rhaella and Loreza, and even when it became too obvious to pass off as a little extra weight, no one else dared ask about her protruding midsection.

Except Aerys, of course.

"Are you going to keep acting as though your belly hasn't swelled to twice the size?" He said to her one morning. "Will I need to find another Hand to do your job while you go and whelp a new Lannister?"

He meant it as a joke but she could sense the undercurrent of annoyance underneath. It was impossible to tell if that was from the inconvenience any absence of hers would cause him with regard to ruling, or from the fact there was now actual proof she lay with her husband. In all honesty it was likely both, and either way irritated her.

No doubt if she took any time away from her duties, there would be people everywhere using the fact as proof that women could not have such huge responsibilities, and that Aerys should keep on any temporary male replacement he named.

"No, your Grace," Tya fixed him with an even stare. "Being with child does not affect my ability to do my duties as Hand," She was constantly tired, her feet hurt, she was often nauseous and needed to visit the privy at least every hour, but she let none of that show. Her mind was as sharp as ever, which was what mattered.

"Good," The king seemed satisfied, but then smirked. "I heard that pregnant women are overemotional and prone to hysteria - overemotional for you would just make you a normal woman,"

"I somewhat doubt I will start weeping during a council meeting," She said dryly. "Nor throw a fit of hysteria on the Iron Throne,"

"Best hope not," Aerys snorted. "You'd slice yourself to ribbons," He held up his own hand, which bore the usual scabs and scars from where he cut himself on his own throne at least twice a week.

It was moments like these when she remembered why she hadn't minded his company when they were younger, even enjoyed it at times. Then she thought back to every slight he had given her, as well as the fiasco that was her bedding ceremony, and was reminded why that was no longer the case. When Aerys was in a good mood he was often tolerable, even good company, but with his mercurial nature, that could change in the blink of an eye, making him truly unbearable.

"There is no need to worry, your Grace," She reiterated. "You will not notice any difference in my work until the day I give birth,"

Sure enough, there was no difference all the way through Tya's pregnancy. She had no hysterical fits on the Iron Throne, did not burst into tears at any point, and ignored the well-meant but patronisingly-given advice of Grand Maester Pycelle that she should go into confinement, or at least relinquish some of her more stressful duties to her husband, in order to rest so that she and the child remained healthy.

Rhaella put it best, she thought.

"I spend half my life in confinement," The queen had said rather sadly when Tya mentioned the maester's increasing concern over her. "And I still lose every single child I bear. The only one who lived past six months has been Rhaegar, who was born after I was carried out of Summerhall as the palace burned behind me. I truly think it will make no difference, Tya, and don't let the men tell you otherwise,"

"I won't be taking advice from anyone who can't list bearing a child among their achievements," She replied, and Rhaella had smiled, amused.

"I wouldn't expect anything less,"

Tya had felt an uncharacteristic stab of sympathy for the queen then, who had to watch her grow big with child whilst she herself suffered a series of miscarriages, stillbirths and cot-deaths since the birth of her first child six years ago.

Privately Tya thought that the stress Aerys was mounting on the queen to birth a girl, a bride for Rhaegar, was partially the cause. Not to mention how increasingly rough he was with her in their chambers, even when she was with child. Rhaella had reluctantly shown her some of the bruises when she noticed the marks on her wrist, though begged her not to go to the king about it, claiming that he didn't directly strike her, he was just... rough. So far Tya had kept her word, knowing that her involvement would do little that earn the queen Aerys' ire.

Tya's waters broke in the privacy of the Tower of the Hand, just as she was about to attend the Small Council meeting that morning. She was very thankful for the fact she had not left yet; the mortification of something like that happening in public was the one thing that had concerned her about not going into confinement.

Within minutes she had been assisted up to her chambers and the whole tower was a flurry of activity, maids hurrying to fetch rags and bowls of water, midwives barking orders and Maester Pycelle appearing shortly to oversee it all. Jason had wanted to wait in the tower but Pycelle assured him that there was a long time yet before the babe was born, and Tya had agreed.

"Go to the meeting," She told him. "You'll just be pacing round here otherwise with nothing to do. And it'll only be a few hours long,"

"My mother only took three hours to birth Stafford," He said. "And if you'd allow me, I'd be in the room with you,"

"Not a chance," She shook her head; the fewer people in the birthing chambers, the better. "Go to the meeting - it's important, Lord Tyrell had that matter he wished to bring up and Aerys can't be trusted to deal with it himself without starting a war,"

"That's a fair point," He grimaced, though still looked torn. "Promise to have someone send word if things progress quicker than expected, though," Or if anything goes wrong, was left unspoken.

She swore that she would and Jason finally left.

Birthing was far longer and more frustrating than she had imagined. More painful, too, despite being able to remember the screams of her mother as Tygett came into the world. Tya tried to grit her teeth and bear it in silence but she had never been in more agony her life and even she could not keep from letting out small cries and gasps of pain, nor from taking it out on those attending her.

"I am pushing already," She practically snarled at the round-faced midwife, who seemed amazingly unbothered by her glare and remarkably patient too.

"Then push harder," The woman had replied flatly, and though it may have been out of sheer desperation for this pain to end, Tya had for once done as she was told.

She was glad that only half a dozen people were seeing her like this. Many lords seemed to forget she was a woman after interacting with her for any amount of time - that was the only way their pride would allow them to take orders from her - but this whole ordeal did nothing but remind her that she could succumb to the dangers of childbed like any woman. Like her own mother hand while birthing Gerion.

Jason was not in the room at any point and for that she was glad. She didn't want him to see her like this. She didn't even want to see the gruesome scene between her legs herself. Though by all accounts her husband was pacing around outside the door, having returned from the meeting an hour or so after noon. Despite her claims she wanted him nowhere near, she took some comfort in knowing that he was just the other side of the door.

Towards the end, Tya became aware that one of the midwives was muttering under her breath to Pycelle.

"What's going on?" She attempted her tone to be sharp but it likely just sounded exhausted. "I'm not bleeding to death, am I?"

"Not at all, my lady," Pycelle immediately soothed and she riled slightly at his tone. "All is well. But I think there are two children in there, not just one,"

Twins... gods. She hoped it was a boy and a girl. They had agreed upon Jaime for a son and Cerelle for a girl, not expecting that two names would be needed. It had been hard enough to choose those as it was. Jason had liked Myrielle for a girl, and there was no chance any daughter of Tya's was going to be named that, whilst she had liked the idea of Gerold for a boy, after their grandfather, but he thought it too much of an old man's name.

The pain towards the end truly was excruciating, but then the sounds of a baby's wail filled the air and a small wrinkled red thing was whisked away to be bathed and swaddled. Another quickly followed it, so suddenly that it took her a moment to realise it was all over.

"The second one isn't crying," Concern seeped into Tya's voice; she was too tired to hide it. "It's not dead, is it?" Right now she doubted she'd be able to contain her tears if it was, and she hadn't cried in years, not since her mother died.

"No, no, milady," The midwife smiled down at her. "He's perfectly healthy and breathing, just a little quiet,"

"A son?" She felt herself smile back, then realised what she was doing but hadn't the heart to straighten her face.

"Aye, milady," The woman said. "He came out holding his sister's foot and all, a protective brother already. Not that she'll need it, by the sounds of things. She's got a right pair of lungs on her, your little lady,"

"A true lion," Pycelle praised, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the fact he was still between her legs waiting for the afterbirth. "Both of them,"

"Could I - could I see them?" She hated the way her voice faltered, but no one seemed to care, or even notice. Perhaps this was what it was like for normal woman all the time; no one there to pounce and call you unstable or overemotional or unsuited for 'men's work' the moment you showed a shred of weakness.

"Of course, milady," The midwife left her side and came back with a bundle in her arms, one of the younger maids following her with the second child, who was still crying noisily. "Here's your son,"

She passed the baby carefully down to her and Tya was suddenly struck by a stab of panic, not knowing how to hold an infant - she'd always turned her nose up at holding her siblings and cousins as a girl - but reached out to take him nonetheless, with more care than she'd ever held anything with, settling him down in her arms.

It felt surreal, like she was play-acting, for surely she could not be a mother? But this tiny thing here was hers, hers and Jason's. There was a thin layer of fuzzy gold hair on the baby's head and his eyes were already green. He does look like a Jaime, she thought, stroking his face with one finger which was soon gripped in a tiny fist.

"Pass me my daughter," She murmured, and when the girl was handed to her she stopped crying suddenly, staring up at her with the same wide green eyes. Tya smiled and settled her down beside her son, identical as they were. No, Cerelle isn't quite right for you...

"Would you like to clean up a little, milady, before Lord Jason comes in?" The midwife asked as Pycelle began to pack up his instruments and the bloody rags were cleared away. "Or would you rather us give you time to rest and we bring the children out to him? You have just birthed twins after all - no mean feat for a first birth. I must say, you bore it well - most women scream and curse something awful," Most women would scream and curse at Aerys for half the things he says.

"Jason can come in here," Tya said after a moment's thought. "But I will wash first,"

She reluctantly passed the children off to the midwives in order to wash herself and change into a nightgown that was less... sweaty and covered in blood, whilst the maids changed the bedsheets. Standing was difficult, but aside from wincing she did not show it, though did get back into bed as soon as everything was ready. She was glad when the midwife passed her both babies again, now dressed in matching white smocks, as the maid went to open the door.

"I didn't bleed to death," She said as her husband stepped inside, everyone else quietly filing out. Jason smiled faintly, moving to sit on the bed beside her.

"I can see that," He held out his arms and Tya awkwardly lifted up their son and passed him over.

"That's the boy," She said. "They look the same,"

"His eyes are slightly lighter," Jason said after a pause, glancing between the twins. "And her nose is a shade smaller," Tya squinted and could almost see it.

"If you say so," There was a pause. "Do you think the names we chose before fit them?"

"No. Let's call them Jason and Tya. Or perhaps Aerys and Ellyn?" He smiled at the look she gave him, as their son gripped his finger and their daughter let a small noise. "Jaime for him is perfect,"

"Yes," Tya agreed. "Not Cerelle for her, though. It's too... soft,"

Her husband considered that.

"How about Cersei. Similar but... different,"

"Jaime and Cersei," She considered. "Yes," That sounded right.

"May he grow to be a great warrior," Jason smiled. "And she to be formidable, just like her mother,"

"A fine thing to call your wife, who just birthed your two children,"

"As if you didn't take that as a compliment,"

For once she just smiled, looking down at her daughter in her arms. Cersei. She would make sure this girl grew knowing that her future didn't have to be simply bearing sons for some lord and running his household. Perhaps she could be queen if Rhaella didn't bear Aerys a daughter in the next few years, though Tya wasn't sure if she wanted that for a daughter of hers. Though Rhaegar was a pleasant child, Aerys had been pleasant and charming enough before, and she would never sentence little Cersei to a life like Rhaella's.

"If anyone tries to hurt or laugh at either of them," She said honestly. "I'll tear their life apart,"

A bit of a shorter chapter this time. The reason I stuck with the twins and not OCs is that for me it will be much more interesting seeing how the dynamic with Tya/Tywin changes with the original children, who are characters everyone knows and, well, not loves but you know what I mean. OCs kind of need a story of their own, I think.

Hope you liked the chapter. Thanks for reading, please leave a comment!