I GOT TWO WORDS FOR YOU KIDS: DOMESTIC JONERYS!
This chapter has quite the jump, but for good reason! Monday's chapter and the one after it will also have big jumps, but you will see why. I'm only going to do a couple of them till we get to a point of the story proper for the plot and then things will stop being so jumpy. Everything is slowly coming into its rightful places.
"Alright push, Dany! You almost got it!" Jon coached his wife, her hand clenching his tight as she pushed with all her might.
Time seemed to pass quickly as Lyaella aged from a babe to tot of only two years, and before they knew it Daenerys was pregnant again. This time pregnancy was a lot more relaxing, the labor not as scary, and when it was time for her to give birth Jon was there. This time, both of them had a bit of a better handle on things.
"Ahh-" Daenerys groaned as she pushed with all her might trying to get the baby out or her.
"Alright, Daenerys, one more push you're almost there!" Rosemary's said from between her legs. She was very pleased with herself being there to help Daenerys give birth the second time around since Parsley did all the work for Lyaella.
It didn't get Parsley off the hook, though, and she was still there to hold Daenerys' other hand and wipe her face when she needed it, "You heard her, Your Grace, just one more!"
With one more grunt and scream, Daenerys pushed and the cries of a newborn could be heard. Daenerys chuckled as the babe in Rosemary's hands cried, pleased with what she had accomplished. Rosemary cleaned the blood off the babe and cut the cord before wrapping the newborn in a sheet, "It's a boy, a little prince Your Grace."
"Eddard Targaryen," Daenerys panted through her exhaustion. Rosemary handed the baby off and Daenerys and Jon were in awe. Their son had a lot more hair than Lyaella did when she was a newborn. It was a beautiful jet black color similar to his father, but like his mother, their son also had violet eyes. Daenerys looked at baby Ned and then to Jon, "Just like promised."
Jon's face was beaming at the sight of his newborn son. He had asked Daenerys halfway through her pregnancy if they could name the baby after the Father who raised him if it was a boy, and she agreed it was a wonderful name. There was no other name in the world his son would deserve more than that of the man who put Jon's life above all things, and for that reason, he would be named Eddard.
Daenerys passed the babe to Jon, who took baby Ned out of the room. On the other side of the door was Davos, Grey Worm, and Lyaella. His two-year-old couldn't wait to meet the new baby, and she was absolutely thrilled when she saw her father exit the room with the babe in hand, "It's a boy," Jon announced to those's in the hall, "Eddard Targaryen."
"Congratulations, Your Grace," Davos told him with a smile.
"Baby, baby!" Lyaella chanted excitedly, squirming happily in place. Grey Worm lifted the little princess up so she could see her new brother, "Father, baby!"
"Yes, my love, this is your new brother. His name is Ned, can you say that for me?" Jon asked his daughter. There was so much pure love in his heart for his children, and seeing them interact made his heart soar.
"N-Ned," Lyaella giggle, "See Mum now?"
"Alright, darling," Jon nodded at Grey Worm to put his daughter down and led her back into the room to see Daenerys. He could see that Rosemary and Parsley were quick to clean up the aftermath of childbirth, and most of the blood was already gone. Lyaella ran to the bed to see her mother, who was talking to Parsley.
"Mum!" Lyaella reached up at the edge of the bed for Daenerys to pick her up.
Daenerys smiled at the sight of her oldest, "Hello, love, you meet your brother yet?"
"Brother!" Lyaella pointed back to Jon, who approached the bedside and sat down at the edge of the bed.
Parlsey grabbed her dirty rags and water bucket before heading for the door, "If you need anything, My Queen, I'll be back in a few."
"Thank you, Parsley," Daenerys replied. She then turned back to her daughter to pick her up and put her on the bed. Lyaella laid next to her mom as Jon gave the baby back to her.
The sight of Daenerys cuddled up with baby Ned and Lyaella just about had Jon's heart beating out of his chest. This was the family Jon never thought he would never have. At that moment, Jon couldn't believe he had once vowed to never have something like this, because now staring at them Jon realized that this is the love that he had always wanted. While he was sitting there admiring them, he couldn't help but be so grateful. Nothing in the world could compare to the immense amount of love that Jon was feeling, and he never wanted that feeling to leave.
It wasn't just Jon's family that was growing. The population of Snowhome seemed to be booming, and what was once a little town of maybe a hundred or so men was probably approaching the three to four hundred range. Smaller clans from all over the North had come to start new lives at Snowhome, even some from East and the South had traveled to settled Beyond the Wall. Each of them bringing their traits, skills, and goods. It was hard to believe that the Freefolk were once, for lack of a better word, simple men. Their huts turned to stone homes, and fighting and raiding were traded in for bartering and providing for the people. As promised, the years that followed the Endless Winter was a time for peace and advancement.
The Freefolk didn't just love Snowhome; they absolutely adored their King and Queen.
"The work you've done here is remarkable, big brother," Sansa smiled as she walked Snowhome with Jon. His little sister had come to visit the Capital Beyond the Wall three months after little Ned was born, bringing news of Ayra's pregnancy with her. She was absolutely in love with her niece and nephew, and even more with her role as an aunt. So when she came North, she made sure to spend lots of time with her family, "It's beautiful up here. I would have never expected that it could be like this Beyond the Wall."
"I can't take much credit," Jon chuckled lightly, "Daenerys is the real leader around here, the people love her. She keeps the peace and really puts her heart into making Snowhome better."
"I hear them say wonderful things about you too, you know," Sansa smiled, "They love their King Crow."
"Gods I hate that name," Jon rolled his eyes and Sansa laughed, "My wife is the Dragon Queen, my sister the Red Wolf and I'm just a Crow.. how does that happen?"
"I'm sure they mean nothing by it but love, Jon." Sansa nudged him playfully. They were walking through the market now. It was the heart of Snowhome, according to Jon. All the hunters, gardeners and traders brought their goods to the marker to sell and that made it a popular place amongst the people. "You know…"
"Yes?" Jon turned to face Sansa and she did the same.
There was a smile on her face, soft and somber, "Father would've been so proud."
Jon smiled back, and before he could agree they were interrupted by the sound of his daughter calling for them. "Father! Aunt Sansa!" The two of them turned their heads back to see that not far behind them was Lyaella, Daenerys and little Ned. Lyaella ran forward to her aunts while Daenerys slowly walked towards them. As Lyaella got close, Sansa bent down to reach for her niece, picking her up into the air as she jumped into her arms.
"Hello, my little love!" Sansa pulled Lyaella in for a big hug, making the two-year-old giggle.
As Daenerys approached them, Jon pulled her close by her side, giving Ned a kiss on his head, "Didn't think I'd see you guys walking around today, thought you were busy all morning."
"Davos is covering for me this morning," Daenerys replied, "I wanted to take Lyaella for a walk. It's beautiful today, and summer isn't going to last forever."
"No, unfortunately, I received a raven from the citadel before I made my trip here," Sansa explained to them, "They think we'll get another year or so out of this summer, and fall will arrive soon enough after."
"I like summer, Aunt Sansa," Lyaella told Sansa as she nuzzled her head into the crook of Sansa's neck, little arms wrapped around her neck.
Sansa turned her head to kiss Lyaella's temple, "So do I, love, but you know the Stark words."
"Winter is coming," Lyaella strung up straight with a smile on her face.
Sansa looked at Jon who had a proud, smug look on his face then back to Lyaella, "Yes, my darling, it always does."
In what felt like a blink of an eye, little Ned had turned one and Jon's son had learned how to walk. Now that he was mobile, Ned had become quite the explorer. He was always trying to get into things and go on little adventures. He was a curious tot, and where ever he would go Ghost was sure to follow. So it didn't surprise him when Kinvara came to meet their son, and she explained to them that little Ned was definitely not one of the dragon heads.
"He was named appropriately," Kinvara explained to Daenerys and Jon as they all watched little Ned playing on the floor, "Your son is a wolf, there is no doubt about it."
"The Stark in that boy is undeniable," Daenerys smirked in agreement as she watched her son, "You can see it in his eyes when he looks at Ghost."
Jon looked from his son to Kinvara as he sat back in his chair, "So what does that mean for your prophecy?"
Kinvara chuckled, "Looks like you both will have to try again."
Daenerys scoffed, "And if I have another child, and it is still not the dragon you seek, what then? I'm not having a hundred children just to please the Lord of Light."
"Nor do I expect you to, it's possible none of your children will be the dragon he speaks of. Maybe it's your grandchildren, or maybe theirs," Kinvara told them both as she looked back to little Ned, "All that's for certain is that the Dragon will have Targaryen blood coursing through their veins. Only time will tell what the Lord's true plan is, and I expect things will become clear soon enough."
"Do you think she's right, about her prophecies and such?" Jon was leaned against the wall watching Daenerys brush Lyaella's hair, while little Ned played on the other side of the room with Ghost.
Texture wise, Lyaella's hair was basically the same as her mother, and he was impressed with how much it had grown for a three-year-old. Daenerys sighed as she continued brushing, "I'm not sure, but I still can't get my mind off what she showed us. It's been more over two years and I can still see it in my mind clear as day."
"Mum, braid my hair too?" Lyaella looked back at Daenerys and batted her dark eyes, a sweet smile on her face.
Daenerys' heart melted by the way her daughter smiled at her, she never knew how to say no to Lyaella, "Of course, my love."
Jon admired his girls as he watched Daenerys braid Lyaella's hair. He had noticed his wife started braiding her hair after Lyaella was born, and the braids became a little more intricate after the birth of Ned. She had explained to him once the significance of her braids, and why she stopped braiding it after she was brought back by Kinvara. Now that she was a mother, it had seemed her children was her newest conquests, "One more, and if it's not us than it's not us."
Daenerys stared at Jon confused, "One more what, my blood?"
"Baby," Jon told her, causing Daenerys to stop completely and look at him strangely, "Not now, of course! When you're ready."
Daenerys scoffed playfully and went back to braiding Lyaella's hair, "Do you want one more child because of the prophecy or because you want another baby?"
On the other side of the room, little Ned giggled and threw hands in the air, "Baby!"
Daenerys and Jon gasped at their sons' first word, and Lyaella quickly copied her brother, "Mum he said 'baby'!"
Daenerys looked back to Jon with a shocked look on his face and Jon immediately burst out into laughter. Daenerys couldn't help to smile, her husband didn't laugh like this often and it warmed her heart to see him truly happy like this, "The council has spoken," Daenerys smirked as she turned back to Lyaella, "One more it is, then."