Chapter 7
Confusion addled Lucerys' mind as he listened to Jaehaerys and Jaehaera babble at him.
He did not know what was happening.
He remembered the tormenting walk to the Queen's rooms, and The Hand demanding that Aemond hold his daughters and then...
Lucerys woke up in Helaena's room.
But his aunt was nowhere in sight.
However, two of the midwives his mother had sent, Abagal and Rose, along with Dyana were fluttering around him. He was sat against the pillows behind him as a cup of cold water was pressed to his lips. Lucerys managed to get a few sips down before shaking his head,
"We'll try to have you get some more down later, my prince," Rose said as she traded the cup for a soaked cloth.
A tiny hand pushed the curls that were plastered against his forehead back so the cloth could be placed across his heated skin,
"Thank you, princess," Jaehaera smiled at Rose and shuffled until she was squished to Lucerys' side, then pressed a messy kiss to his cheek,
"Feel better,"
He managed a weak smile at the little girl,
"Thank you, Haera,"
Luke settled further against the pillows as Jaehaerys splayed himself across the Omega's lap and wrapped his little arms around Lucerys' waist. He grimaced as the little boy's face squished against his tender stomach and-
He jolted up in a panic.
His daughters.
Oh gods, did the Greens have them?
Did Aemond have them?
His hand darted out and latched onto Rose's arm,
"My prince, what-"
"Daughters! Where-"
"They're here, prince. I promise. As healthy as they can be. Maester Gerardys looked them over himself," He looked at her in confusion as she beckoned Abagal over,
"Gerardys?"
Rose nodded as she took the blue bundle of cloth from Abagal,
"Aye. The raven Princess Helaena had Lord Caswell send flew faster than an arrow piercing the air. It reached Dragonstone and in less than two hours, your mother was landing with the maester atop her Syrax while Craxes and Meleys flew in just behind her as Velaryon ships docked in the harbor. Here," She gently shooed Jaehaerys back and set the blue bundle in Luke's lap, "She's already had her fill. Your other little one will be done feeding in a moment," Luke stared down at the small bundle in his lap.
Small, thick curls were peeking over the top of the blanket and a little fist was pressed against a rounded cheek as his daughter slept.
She was here, safe, and nestled against his legs, but Luke felt...
Empty.
He still felt empty.
Why? What was wrong with him? Why could he feel nothing for this tiny thing in his lap?
"Prince?" Rose gently gripped his shoulder,
"No! No cry!" Jaehaerys rubbed at Luke's cheeks, clumsily wiping away the tears that had begun to fall down his face, "No cry, Unca Lu! No cry!"
Lucerys quickly pressed his palm to his eyes and rubbed at them harshly,
"Sorry, Jae. I'm sorry," He fell back against the pillows and ran a finger across his daughter's nose, "Where's... Where's her sister?"
Abagal answered him, "The other little one is with Sara. She's still nursing,"
"Nursing? Who-" Luke caught sight of an unknown woman sitting in one of Helaena's chairs, holding a red bundle to her breast,
"That's Sara prince. Elinda was the one who brought her," Abagal quickly explained, "We didn't know when you would wake up. And we knew better than to trust anyone under the Queen's employ,"
"Sara helped Elinda's brother with his own babe not too long ago. She ran to get her after we had gotten you settled here," Rose added.
Lucerys stared at the woman holding his daughter and quietly asked,
"Elinda, trusts, her?" Both Abagal and Rose nodded,
"Elinda would not have brought her otherwise,"
"Aye, prince. She would not have been allowed in this room if Elinda did not trust her,"
Lucerys stared at the woman who was holding his daughter. He did not know her, but Elinda did, and Rose and Abagal didn't appear concerned that she was there.
He felt himself nod,
"Unca Lu? Name?" Jaehaera was leaning over the babe in Lucerys' lap and gently petting her curls while Jaehaerys peered over his sister's shoulder,
"What name, Unca Lu?"
What was her name?
She didn't have one.
Neither did her sister.
Neither had a name or a dragon egg.
He and Aemond had spoken at length about both, sitting under the Heart Tree with books piled around them.
Aemond had written the names they had both agreed upon while Lucerys flipped through the different books as he sat against his husband, brushing away any loose leaves that fell across the pages.
"Nymeria would be a good name," He said while opening the book Ten Thousand Ships, "Or, d'you think that would offend some people?"
Aemond shrugged as he pulled Lucerys back and rested his chin on the Omega's shoulder, "It would be a good name. And while the Dornes may find it slightly in bad taste, I would not care. If we both agree it should be our child's name, that is what it will be,"
The Alpha's hands crept around his mate's waist and rested against the small swell of Lucerys' stomach, the corners of his mouth twitching up as he felt it. His nose traced the curve of Luke's neck as the Omega leaned against his chest with a sigh,
"Though someone most likely will hate us, if the torn page is anything to go by," Luke said while tracing the torn edges that stuck out from the book.
Aemond hummed in response while pulling his Omega closer to him. His fingers trailed up Lucerys' arm and dipped beneath the collar of his shirt to lightly trace the mating bite.
Lucerys shuddered at the touch and leaned further against the Alpha and let out a light purr as he turned his head,
"Aemond?" He waited until the lone violet eye opened to look at him, "Nymeria. Write it down,"
The Alpha huffed slightly but untangled one of his arms to reach for the notebook resting in the grass beside them.
The page it was open to had two columns lining the sides.
One listed the names Daenys, Visenya, Valaena, Jaenara, Alysanne, and now Nymeria was added at the bottom.
The second had Aenys, Aenar, Maekar, and Rhaegar.
And at the bottom of the second column was a heavily crossed-out Jacaerys that Luke had added one day as a joke.
All those names now left a bitter taste in Luke's mouth. He could not give any of those that had been chosen by him and Aemond to this tiny thing in his lap.
Lucerys knew of one name he could use for this small babe. He never suggested it for fear of breaking whatever unspoken understanding he had with the Queen, and upsetting Aemond. So, he had kept it to himself, putting it further down the list when a new name was written.
He could use it now since it no longer mattered what the Queen thought.
It no longer mattered what Aemond thought. He no longer wanted their daughters so it did not matter.
Luke's finger traced the edge of the babe's cheek as his eyes began to burn,
"Una Lu?" Both of Helaena's children were looking at him with concern.
He gave them both a weak smile as the door slowly opened.
Helaena poked her head in and smiled broadly when she saw Luke sitting up as her children excitedly tell her that he was awake.
After his aunt swept in a person that had Lucerys' tears pouring down his face as he reached for her,
"Mother, I-" He cut off with a sob as Rhaenyra grasped his hand and knelt beside the bed,
"My sweet boy," She held Lucerys as he leaned into her. The princess pressed kiss after kiss to her son's sweaty curls as he rested his face in the crook of her neck.
He breathed in the scent of crisp apples and warm peaches with small undertones of honey bleeding into his nose and felt himself relax against his mother. The tension in his shoulders that he had been unaware of slowly disappeared as Lucerys clung to Rhaenyra.
A heavily calloused hand was placed atop the hand Luke had on his mother's shoulder as the smell of pine mixed with Rhaenyra's scent. Lucerys gripped the hand and held onto it tightly, no doubt surprising Daemon if the slight intake of breath was anything to go by. After a moment, Daemon's other hand began brushing through Lucery's curls as the Omega was enveloped by the smell of a forest.
Helaena gently pulled her children away so she could begin explaining that they were going to be leaving the Keep with Lucerys' family. Both twins were practically vibrating with excitement in what they saw as an adventure they were taking with their Uncle and new cousins and quickly darted to the corner where a few of their toys were located and began piling together the ones they wanted to take with them.
The oldest twin had finished nursing, prompting Sara to gently pass her off to Abagal and she began lacing the front of her dress back up as she spoke with Elinda while Rose and Gerardys had their own conversation with Dyana.
Corlys just stepped into the room after reaffirming that his men would not let anyone through. He joined Rhaenys as she stood off to the side, watching the three in front of her as they huddled together. The pair could only see the hand Lucerys was holding onto Daemon, and they could see that the skin had stretched over the slim bones of his fingers, making the limb appear skeletal.
There was a light cooing noise that had Lucerys reluctantly pulling away from his parents to look down at the small bundle in his lap. The babe was still asleep, but she squirmed slightly before settling back against Luke with a small sigh,
"Her hair is like yours," His mother said, prompting him to look at her, "Your brother's had light whisps, but not you. You had a full head of curls that stuck up everywhere," She ran her fingers through his hair which caused his mouth to quirk into a slight smile.
It may have been the first time he smiled since giving birth.
Lucerys leaned back against his mother, his hand lightly brushing over the babe's curls as someone lightly cleared their throat,
"Maester Gerardys," The older man bowed slightly, the chain he wore clinking as he moved, "The babes, my- Are they-" The words died on Lucerys' tongue, but the maester was quick to say,
"Both healthy, my prince. I will admit I worry for the younger child, seeing as where she was born. But so far, I see no cause for concern," Luke stared at the maester before looking down at the small child in his lap.
She was still sleeping soundly, nestled safely in the blanket she was swaddled in.
He felt himself nod, his head brushing his mother's chin as Gerardys continued,
"I've arranged for a bath to be drawn. It should help with his temperature," Abagal piped up from where she was swaying with the oldest twin in her arms,
"And with feeling better in general,"
"And then more rest. I want to get you and your daughters to Dragonstone as soon as that rat and the women who forced themselves into your rooms are dealt with," Lucerys glanced up at his stepfather, eyes watering as he asked,
"Dragonstone? I- We can go with you? We can go home? They're letting us go home?"
"Not even the gods would have been able to stop us from getting you home, lad," The tears on Lucerys' face flowed in earnest when he saw his grandfather standing behind his parents.
Oh, he was going to be angry at Lucerys, Rhaenys was going to be angry with him! He had lost his father's, their son's, cloak!
"I'm sorry, grandfather! I'm sorry! I-" The Sea Snake vehemently shook his head as he took Rhaenyra's spot beside Lucerys,
"Why are you apologizing? There is no reason for you to-"
"I lost it! Father's cloak! Mother-mother gave it to me fo-for my-my nest. A-Aemond to-took it an-an-and I-" A full-bodied sob wracked the Omega's weakened frame and caused his daughter to let out a displeased noise before she to began to cry, "Oh! Oh no! Do- don't cry! Please-"
His daughter only began to wail loudly as her sister joined in.
Lucerys looked frantically between the two children, his panic rising and his tears falling with each wail as the younger twin was lifted from his lap.
Rhaenys quickly gave the child to her grandmother and cupped Lucerys' face in her hands, shushing him when he tried to apologize,
"No. There is nothing to apologize for. Do you understand? Nothing!"
He did not understand.
Rhaenys had every possible reason to be angry at him, her and Corlys both.
But they did not appear mad, just...
He didn't know what they appeared to be.
So, Lucerys nodded while lowering his eyes.
And then, to his surprise, Rhaenys kissed the top of his head and embraced him.
He was certain this was the first time Rhaenys had ever hugged him,
"Unca Lu?" Jaehaerys had toddled over and squeezed himself between Rhaenys and the bed.
His little hands were reaching for Luke, prompting the Omega to lean down so the pup could squeeze his cheeks,
"No cry! Promse! No more. 'kay?" He pointed at Rhaenyra and Abagal who were holding Luke's now quiet children, "New babsies. No sad, only happy. Oka?"
There was the sound of little feet as Jaehaera came over to stand next to her brother and grabbed Luke's hand,
"Una Lu? Can, can you tell us t'e names?" She asked while pointing at his babes, "Names now? Or s'prise for Dwagonstone?"
Luke glanced over at his children.
He had one name. Only one name for two newborn pups,
"I-"
Everyone was looking at him now.
He didn't have names for both of them! If he named only one of his daughters now, what would they think of him?
Lucerys already knew he was not good enough for his children, he'd made them cry and was constantly feeling nothing but emptiness toward them!
And none of the names he had chosen with Aemond were right for either child!
"Lucerys?" His mother was back in front of him, the pup she had been holding was now being cradled by Rhaenys while Helaena held Jaehaerys and Jaehaera by their shoulders so that they wouldn't crowd their uncle.
His head was cradled in his mother's hands as she brushed the hair that had fallen across his face back. She rested her forehead against his and pressed three quick kisses to his temple before pulling back.
Questions danced across his mother's face but they remained unasked. Lucerys did not think he'd be able to answer them anyway, he could hardly answer any of the questions he asked himself.
Rhaenyra ran her thumb over Lucerys' cheek,
"If you do not have names chosen, or if you feel the names you have chosen are no longer adequate, do not push yourself to come up with them before you are ready," She said, "Names or not, they are loved. And they will both continue to be loved after you decide what we shall call them," Her thumb collected the tears under his eyes and brushed them away before her lips pressed against his forehead.
When she pulled away, it was like kindling going up in dragon fire.
He did have another name.
Lucerys had suggested it when he and Aemond were still finding even ground during those early days of his pregnancy. His husband had shot it down so vehemently that Luke had pushed it into the furthest recesses of his mind and never thought of it again.
Until now.
Now, when it no longer mattered what Aemond thought about their daughters. He lost his right to say anything about them when he first accused Luke of carrying bastards.
Lucerys leaned against his mother, gripping her arms as he shuddered with tearless gaps before quietly asking,
"May I have my daughters, please?" She studied him for a moment before beckoning Rhaenys and Abagal over while Lucerys painfully crossed his legs. When he had his daughters nestled into the bowl of his lap, he motioned for Jaehaerys and Jaehaera to join him. They scrambled onto the bed and plopped themselves down beside Lucerys and stared at the pups in his lap.
Their faces were still tinged red from their crying earlier, but both were fast asleep once again.
Lucerys traced his daughters' cheeks and noses with light fingers and twirled the ends of their hair for a moment before looking at Helaena's twins,
"Which name do you want to know first?"