they'd woken her and laenor in the middle of the night.

rhaenyra's poor choice of words ('well somebody better be dying!') came back to haunt her immediately as they were brought to alicent's room, the queen laying, bloody from labour. she wasn't moving. rhaenyra felt her stomach drop. "the babe, he's alright, but alicent . . ." her father, viserys' voice came out in a choked sob as he laid the small newborn in his daughter's arms. "his name is aemond." rhaenyra swallowed thickly. in the corner, she could see you and your sister helaena clinging to your older brother aegon. he was so . . . small and yet still trying to be strong for his siblings.

"what happened?" rhaenyra asked, gently rocking little aemond to soothe him. "they . . . they don't know. she was fine and then, a few moments after aemond came, she just started convulsing." viserys explained. it was clear he was trying to keep it together, but rhaenyra knew her father too well. it was aemma, all over. why must his wives continue to die on the birthing bed? rhaenyra swallowed, watching as the maesters drew a sheet over the queen. over the woman she had once called friend. "what do you need us to do, father?" she asked, glancing over at laenor. viserys didn't have an answer for a moment. "would you . . . would you look after your siblings? just for awhile?" he asked finally. rhaenyra looked back to you, helaena and aegon in the corner. "of course i can." she said with a nod.

rhaenyra gently handed little aemond over to laenor and approaching her siblings quietly. "my sweetlings, i know you're sad. so terribly sad. but your big sister is here. why don't you all come sleep in my chambers tonight?" she asked softly.