Twelve moons later,
Aerys was in his room; he was sitting on the ground with a few toys littered around him.
Behind him were a few maids who were overseeing the prince.
'Hmm, it should be any time now.' Aerys mused while his eyes flickered with worry as he looked out the window to see the morning sun casting its warm rays upon him.
'Shaera is giving birth today…' he mumbled inwardly. It was worrying for him; although he knew nothing would happen to them both, he still worried about them.
The maids behind him watched intently; they were a little confused when Aerys didn't touch the toys he usually played with.
"The prince must be worried about his mother." One of the maids said in a hushed tone, her eyes softening as she looked at him.
The other maids too felt the same. "The prince is so cute." Another one said as she clasped her hands.
"I hope the gods grant the princess a safe labor," one of them prayed as she closed her eyes.
Aerys heard the maids, and a small smile bloomed on his face. This is a tumultuous time for his house, and every loyal servant should be valued.
He stayed silent, hoping everything would be all
A few hours had passed, and the door to his room opened, and a man walked inside.
The maids immediately bowed to the man, "Prince Jaehaerys!"
The man looked sickly, with shoulder-length silver-gold hair and big purple eyes.
A smile adorned his face as he walked toward Aerys.
"Aerys, you have a new sister. Come, let's go see her." He said, his voice smooth and amicable.
He lifted Aerys in his arms and made his way toward Shaera.
The maids followed them behind while having big smiles on their faces. "Their princess had made it and given a new princess to the house."
'Gods! Thank you for blessing the princess!' one of them exclaimed.
After walking down a few hallways, Aerys and Jaehaerys reached the room.
The maids rushed forward and opened the door, and Jaehaerys walked in.
Aerys's gaze immediately went toward the bed in the middle of the room.
In it lay his mother, limp like a lifeless corpse. Aerys' eyes widened when he looked at her, his face drained of all color and tears strained his eyes.
"M-Mother?" he called out weakly.
Jaehaerys frowned when he heard his son's tone; he turned to his sister-wife, who was limp like a corpse.
But there was no worry on his face; instead, he turned to his son in his arms and explained, "Nothing happened to your mother, boy. She's just sleeping."
But Aerys wasn't relieved; he intently stared at her, and only when she slowly opened her eyes did he relaxed.
'I don't want to lose her…' he mumbled inwardly. From the day he was born, Aerys mostly spent time with his mother; his father only visited him occasionally.
His mother loved him dearly, cared for him, and told him stories, which made him become attached to her.
Shaera looked at her son and husband. "Aerys, come here." She said, her voice was hoarse due to all the screaming.
Even now, her body felt all sore, with her navel feeling like it had stretched enough to birth a dragon.
She then glanced to her side; some maids were standing beside her, with one of them holding her daughter.
At the other corner of the room, a maester was writing her daughter's birth details in a book.
Jaehaerys walked toward his lovely wife, for she was the one who defied his father's orders.
"Mother…" Aerys called out again as he leaned outward toward her.
Jaehaerys, noticing his intent, released Aerys onto the bed and sat beside his wife.
"How are you feeling?" he asked his wife while holding her hand.
Shaera sat upright, her upper body leaning against the bed.
"I never felt worse!" she exclaimed as her face contorted into one of annoyance.
CHUCKLE
Jaehaerys chuckled at his sister while Aerys hugged her by his side.
"But," Shaera turned to the maid holding her daughter and beckoned her.
The maid nodded her head and carefully handed the new princess to her mother.
Smiling at her baby daughter, she continued, "I am happy that we have a new family member." She leaned forward, kissing her daughter on the forehead.
Then, turning to her son, she said, "Aerys, meet your baby sister, Rhaella."
Aerys looked at his new sister with complicated eyes. She was cute; she had chubby cheeks and some white hair on her head.
Her small chest rose up and down as she slept peacefully.
Aerys smiled as he looked at her, but his smile faded when he remembered what had happened to her in the book.
'She endured a lot!' Aerys thought inwardly. He clenched his jaw as he stared at her, 'She was raped by her own husband. Taken forcefully without giving her time to mourn her dead children!'
Rhaella had miscarriages and birthed stillborns after she gave birth to Rhaegar. But the mad king Aerys didn't care for her after a few years.
The man, lost in his paranoia, took his wife forcefully while his kingdom slipped away from his hands. He blamed her, accusing her of cheating with a knight.
Aerys' heart thumped against his chest as he looked at his sister. "She's cute." He commented, causing his parents to chuckle.
'I will not let it happen to you, Rhaella. I will love you and make sure that you live your life happily, as the queen that you are.'
Aerys swore inwardly, his eyes gleaming with determination as he continued to stare at her.
Perhaps, noticing his stares, Rhaella woke up from her sleep; her little eyes fluttered as she looked at her mother.
She then glanced toward Aerys, her eyes locked with his.
They both stared at each other for a while before Shaera said, "Alright, Aerys. Off you go! I have to feed your little sister!"
Shaera shooed her husband and son away to feed her little girl.
Aerys didn't go back to his quarters like his father, but he stayed outside the room along with the maids.
He went back in after an hour, when all the maids and the maester had gone away.
'I will spend a lot of time with her,' he decided, his hands curled into fists, his eyes glinting with determination as he continued, 'The blood must stay within the family!'