Screams echoed the halls of Maegor's Holdfast that evening, alerting the servants, staff, and members of the Queensguard that the Queen had officially begun her labors. While most of the servants and staff were overjoyed with the news at the thought of a new Prince coming into the world, no sooner they learned of the circumstances with why Visenya had begun her labors, they became struck with fear.
A Prince at the kidnapping of the Princess.
A terrible thing to admit.
"Too much stress on her in these moments can be crucial, as they can affect the survival of the mother and or the child." One of the maesters explained to Jaime as they watched Visenya pace back and forth in pain. "It shouldn't be happening this way."
That comment made Visenya snap her head towards the two of them in anger.
"It is fucking happening!" She shouted at the man, with her eyes full of rage.
In that moment, Jaime ushered the maester out of the room and turned back to her.
"Do you want me here?" He asked calmly, walking over to her, helping to support her body in case she'd fall from the pain.
She took a deep breath to regain her composure as she shook her head. "I can handle this...I want you to handle the Queensguard."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Tell Brienne to have the Queensguard to search the city from top to bottom. I want no stone unturned." She groaned. "I don't care if they have to swim through shit...I want it all searched."
6 Hours Later
No sooner Mira got off the galley, fresh from Dragonstone, she knew something wasn't right. The dawn was about to break, as they had been sailing all night from Dragonstone, but still, she didn't feel right.
Almost like a sixth-sense, Mira felt that she knew something was going horribly wrong. Maybe it was the fact that she was essentially attached at the hip with Visenya, being her closest associate (other than Olenna and Jaime), and friend. Feeling a sense of worry deep in her gut, she practically sprinted from the docks to The Red Keep.
No sooner she entered the castle, she could feel that something was off. None of the other servants and staff acknowledged her presence, and most of the members of the Queensguard were running around frantically. Mira frowned in confusion.
What was going on?
She began to venture down various corridors, looking for answers, and still, no one acknowledged her, making her feel even more confused than before. Mira had quite a bit of pull around the rest of the servants and staff around The Red Keep, considering she was the Queen's main handmaiden, so for them to not even say hello or give her a nod of respect, was highly odd and out of character.
No sooner she ventured around the corner, and was about to climb the stairs to the Royal Apartments, a loud scream, made her stop in her tracks. She could recognize that scream anywhere.
It was Visenya.
But Mira knew, Visenya wasn't just screaming for the fun of it, she knew that only a scream at that octane, could mean one thing. She had begun her labors. Mira, then practically sprinted up the stairs, taking two at a time, to try and make it to the Queen's chambers in time, as she was one of the few people currently in The Red Keep, that assisted the last time Visenya gave birth.
As she walked down the hallway, she heard the scream get louder, and louder, until she reached the door of the Queen's chambers. Without knocking, knowing Visenya would want her there, she entered the room. She was met by two other handmaidens, along with a midwife assisting the Queen, who was screaming in pain.
"Your Grace, I am here." Mira explained calmly, rushing over to Visenya's side.
Visenya, whose face was covered in sweat, turned to face the woman, knowing it was her dearest friend.
"Mira...you've returned." She said with exhaustion. "I hope...you...you are feeling alright."
Mira smiled and nodded. "Never better, Your Grace."
"They took her." Visenya groaned, feeling the pain come on again.
"Who?" Mira frowned in confusion.
"Helaena." Visenya explained in agony, tears falling down her face. "They took Helaena."
But in that moment, Mira wasn't able to tell if they were from the immense amount of pain the Queen was experiencing, or if they were because her daughter was abducted.
Or it could've been both.
"Where is her Lord Husband?" Mira asked, over Visenya's screams as she had begun pushing again.
"Informing the Lord Commander of the Queensguard of what has occurred." The midwife explained in between instructing Visenya. "Her Grace told him to order the Queensguard to search the city from top to bottom for the Princess."
Visenya let out a loud scream, interrupting the conversation between the midwife and Mira.
"Keep breathing, Your Grace." Mira calmly instructed the Queen. "Keep your head about you, we've already done this once before. Keep your spirit and the second will be no different."
That's when Mira noticed the smallest, tiniest, most minuscule smile appear on Visenya's face. Almost like the Queen knew she could do this, and while the pain was horrendous, the end was result, was quite rewarding.
About an hour later, was when it occurred. Visenya had felt that she gave almost all her energy into this entire situation, as she had been in this state for almost 8 hours. It all came to a halt, as soon as she heard the sound of a baby crying, making her sigh in relief that the pain was over, and that her child was here.
Healthy and alive.
A son.
For the first time since she heard of Helaena's disappearance, she had a smile on her face as she took her newborn son into her arms. She was happy that the boy was healthy, but in the back of her mind, she knew that there was still pressing matters to attend to.
The location, and fate of his sister.
"Mira, help me dress." Visenya began. "I need to be in the Small Council meeting."
"You should remain abed, Your Grace." The midwife protested.
"Yes I should!" Visenya practically snapped, still holding onto her son, who was wrapped in a blanket. She nodded to Mira. "Please, help me dress."
Mira nodded. "Of course, Your Grace."
Once Visenya was dressed, and her son was cleaned, she carefully stood up and started to walk out the door. No sooner she did, she was met by Jaime who looked worried, but at the same time, somewhat happy.
"A boy, I just heard." He said with a small smile, before frowning in confusion as she began to walk past him.
"Yes." She tiredly replied.
"Where're you going?" He asked in confusion.
"The Small Council meeting." She said calmly.
"I'm coming with you." He confirmed, walking quickly to catch up with him.
He gestured to their son that Visenya was still carrying. "Let me take him."
She shook her head. "I can handle it."
"Just take my arm at the least."He began, as he put his left hand on her right arm to try and steady her as she walked.
Silence fell over the two of them, before he asked one of the dumbest questions he could've asked in that moment.
"Was it terribly painful?"
Her eyes narrowed at him in disbelief, as they continued to walk.
"Oh gods." She murmured, as they turned down the hallway that would lead to the staircase.
"I took a lance to the shoulder during a joust when I was younger." He explained, trying to lighten the situation.
"My deepest sympathies." She sarcastically murmured.
"It is in times like these where I am glad I am not a women...but I sympathize that you went through it." He explained.
She sighed. "I did it once before."
As they started to descend the stairs, Visenya started to feel pain in her abdomen. Shortly before she walked out of her room, she had the afterbirth...but because she had gotten up so quickly after giving birth, she had begun to feel pain. When she delivered Helaena, Maester Wolkan had warned about the risks of getting up quickly, and had instructed her to remain abed for a few hours, which she obliged.
However, with this child, those instructions were completely out the window.
"What is it?" Jaime asked with concern.
"Fuck." Visenya murmured before gesturing down the staircase. "Walk...walk!"
With a sigh, and not wanting to be on his wife's bad side, they continued to walk down the stairs at a slow pace. Every once in a while, when she was not scouring in pain, the smallest smile would come on her face when she'd make eye contact with her son. In a way, she was telling him she was ok, when in reality, she was in severe pain and on the verge of a mental breakdown due to the fact that his sister was missing.
She came to a halt on the staircase again, groaning in pain.
"That's it, we're turning back." Jaime began. "They can come to us, all right?"
Visenya's eyes narrowed as she turned her head to him. "No. Not unless you want to carry me up those fucking stairs."
With a sigh, he continued to help her down the stairs, and once they reached the bottom, they proceeded to the Small Council chamber. No sooner they entered the chamber, all members of the Small Council stood up in shock and disbelief, seeing the Queen standing before them.
"My sincerest appologies." Visenya explained tiredly, as she carefully sat down in her seat. "I had...matters to attend to."
"Congratulations, Your Grace." Tyrion began.
"There's nothing to congratulate me about...yes I have a son, but my daughter is still missing." Visenya commented coldly, before turning her head towards Brienne. "Where are we on the matter of searching the city?"
"I instructed them to leave no stone unturned, Your Grace." Brienne explained. "I also instructed some members of the Queensguard to search some of the smaller villages outside of the city."
Visenya nodded before turning to Davos. "Are you having your men search Blackwater Bay?"
He nodded. "Yes, Your Grace. I am having them patrol until Dragonstone and Driftmark."
"Send a raven to Yara Greyjoy, as I want her thoughts and mindset on this matter...if her uncle is the person who took my daughter." Visenya began. "Send a raven to the Velaryons as well. They have been allies of my house for centuries...I want to know if they have seen anything near Driftmark."
"As you command, Your Grace." Davos confirmed with a nod.
"Send ravens North to Sansa Stark, to the Eyrie, and to Dorne...I want any information that have." She explained instructing the rest of the Council.
Before someone could reply, Podrick opened the door to the chamber.
"Your Grace, my apologies for interrupting...but the Prince of Dragonstone has returned from his travels...and he has brought Lord Snow with him." Podrick explained.
Visenya frowned. "Where is he?"
"In the Dragon Pit, Your Grace." The boy explained.
She nodded as she carefully stood up from her seat. "When he arrives here, tell him to see me in my chambers."
The boy nodded before walking out of the council chambers, ready to pass the message on to Aegon and Jon. While waiting for both of her nephews to come and see her, Visenya decided to take up one of the hardest challenges she had to face, as of late.
Naming her son.
"I suggest we call him something that doesn't trigger pain." Jaime suggested as he sat down next to her in their bed.
"We're not naming him Aegon." She began, looking down at her son, who was in her arms.
"That'd be terribly confusing." He sighed in agreement. "We're not naming him Aerys."
"That's all either of us need...another Aerys." She quietly mused. "We're not naming him Tywin."
He frowned. "That's not Valyrian?"
The slightest smile came on her face. "I'm putting it out there before you offer it as a suggestion."
"Fair enough." He nodded in agreement. "What was the suggestion Myrcella gave you?"
"She wanted to name him Daeron...after the Targaryen that tried to conquer Dorne." She sighed. "I told her that'd be incredibly rude and unlike me...since I appreciate the Martells."
"Did Aegon have any suggestions?"
"He suggested the name Daemon..." She explained trailing off.
The slightest smile came onto his face. "We already have a Visenya...I don't think we need a Daemon."
"With our luck, he'd act like who he was named after." She murmured, running a finger tip down the newborn's face.
A knock at the door snapped them both out of their thoughts, making Jaime get up to answer the door. Within a matter of seconds, Jon and Aegon walked through the door and into the room.
"Good, you're both here." She began, before her eyes narrowed at Jon. "What did I tell you about writing back to me?"
He shrugged. "I've been busy. I created a civilization beyond the Wall. A place for anyone who was exiled or shunned by their own civilization...Maester Aemon use to tell me about Valyria...at least the history of it. I took inspiration from it."
"What do you call it?" She asked.
"New Valyria." Jon explained before gesturing to his brother. "Aegon helped me name it."
"I did." Aegon said with a nod. "Why have you called us here?"
She sighed. "I need both of you to mount one of the dragons, and fly over Westeros, Pentos, and Essos...someone took Helaena."
She watched as both of their eyes widened in disbelief.
"Why would someone take Helaena?" Aegon asked in disbelief. "She's a child! She's done nothing wrong!"
"We are beginning to believe it is Euron Greyjoy." Jaime explained. "Though we won't be certain until we find Helaena."
"I am not able to ride a dragon." Jon explained. "Rhaegal is dead."
"Ride Drogon." Visenya immediately responded.
Jon shook his head in disbelief. "I-I can't."
"You're brother said the same thing before he was able to ride Aegonar." She sighed. "Don't tell me what is and isn't possible."
"Shouldn't I be working with Vermithrax and Whitefyre?" Aegon frowned.
"Neither of them are big enough to ride." Jaime sighed. "Worry about finding Helaena, then worry about training them."
"At dawn, you both fly out." She sighed. "And I will be joining you...only for a short period."
The two boys nodded, before they exited the room. No sooner they left, a small smile came onto Visenya's face as she looked down at her soon.
"What is it?" Jaime asked as he took his seat next to her.
"I know what to call him." She explained.
"What?"
She looked over the newborn's features, before she mentally confirmed the name in her mind, before she spoke it.
"Aemon." She confirmed. "After my uncle...the man who gifted me with Dark Sister.
A/N:
Please let me know your predictions with how this is all going to go!
As always, let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas.