In the following two months, Visenya hadn't found any trouble. Alicent was worried over Talya's death but no one saw anything and Brella was not at all a suspect in the murder. Not even the White Wyrm, who had done her own mass investigation, knew who it was. The good thing is that Talya and Brella had minimal interactions and were never sour with each other, so no one even thought of her. But Brella had kept herself busy.

"How are you finding all of this out?" Visenya asked after Brella bought out another spy. She had found a handful of children already that were spies, the mere fact of their age breaking her heart. But after giving them enough money to support their family for many months, they turned on a dime. And Brella promised to keep paying as long as they remained loyal.

"I'm just that good," Brella chuckled. "How can you even walk around with that thin?"

Visenya looked down at her eighth-month pregnant belly - more like a whole island at this point - and shrugged. "Why do you think I'm always in pain and in the bath? The best advice I got from my grandmother's stories."

"Are you feeling okay? You should really sit."

"Nonsense."

Visenya was becoming restless. It had been just over three weeks since she last rode Grey Ghost but she was so heavily pregnant even she had to agree it didn't seem safe. So she's been walking around so much and doing little exercises that her feet were getting blisters. And even now at this point, sex wasn't something she so desired. Everything was uncomfortable. She loved her pregnancy but she wanted them out and she wanted to hold them. She'd waited over a year to have a baby and now every day seemed to drag on.

"Brella, I feel like you've been keeping secrets from me. I want to know what's going on in your life except your affair with my brother."

Brella blushed and looked at her hands. "It's ... it's so unbelievable you would even take me seriously."

"Please, have you heard some of the things Aegon has said?"

Brella let out a genuine laugh and nodded. "You're right. But this scares me."

"Then tell me please, give me something else to think about besides how much my back hurts."

Brella folded her hands together and set them on her lap. Her red dress started to move as she anxiously bounced her knee and Brella took her time to gather her thoughts. "After the stress of owing all that money, I started to have these dreams that I could fly. And then this falcon was following me every day. When I was with Daeron after I killed Talya, I was suddenly ... I was the Falcon."

Visenya didn't react at first, taking in her words. "I thought warging was a myth."

"I barely even knew what it was! It always happened while I slept and during high-stress situations so now I'm just trying to control it. That's how I can get more information if I can spy without actually being there."

It made sense. No one would suspect a bird nearby while talking of secrets. But this valuable skill was overwhelming to Visenya, it was dangerous. "If anyone ever finds out, you won't just be a quiet and harmless servant. It will put a big fucking mark on your back. You can get away with a lot right now because no one notices you."

Pain shot through her back and she grabbed the side of Brella's chair. "Visenya?"

"Just some of those false contractions the maester warned me about. I get them about once an hour," Visenya sucked in a breath.

"Then you are definitely getting close to meeting them."

"Can you find Aemond? I don't want him far from me anymore, I don't think it will be long and I will need him by my side when it starts."

Brella and Visenya made their way inside, stopping every time Visenya needed to catch her breath. Another kick to her ribs made her yell in pain and she stopped moving. "You little fucking bastard!"

"Bastard, hm?" Aemond asked, approaching the two women. "Do I dare ask who their father is?"

"Me," Brella snickered, making Visenya laugh through the pain.

"Come here," Aemond said, lifting her bridal style. She leaned into his chest, moaning in pain.

"If the labor doesn't officially start soon, I will cut them out myself." Visenya hissed to Aemond's surprise. He supposed now that she would be going through such tremendous pain, things would be said that she didn't mean. It was known amongst the castle that when women went through labor, her words were full of poison. Not that Aemond could ever imagine how painful it is.

"I'm sure it's a matter of days, maybe a week. The Maester said twins normally come early. You're almost there."

When they reached their room, Aemond placed her on her feet and she reached for her bed. "My fucking hips."

Aemond rose a brow, watching her curse and walk around in pain. He wanted to help her, he wanted to take her pain away, but he was helpless in every sense of the word. "Oh fuck!" She winced, gripping her belly. And the water was suddenly dripping down her leg and she gasped.

"It's begun," he said, his eye going wide. He stepped out of the room and sent the first servant he saw after the midwife and went back to Visenya's side. "I got you."

She nodded, gritting her teeth. "You better. You fucking did this."

"You're right, I did. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," she whimpered, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry for whatever I say during labor."

"You don't need to. You have every right, pushing two babes out. Have we thought of a second name?"

She shook her head. "No. You?"

"Maybe Aemma after your grandmother."

"Yeah, sure. I don't care. You can name it if it's a girl. Aemma is nice!" She said, her pitch going up with each surge of pain.

"Well, well. I hear it's time," the midwife entered. "Shall we walk to the birthing chambers?"

"I fucking guess," Visenya took a deep breath and reached for Aemond's hand.

Jesyn, the midwife, rose a brow at Aemond. "You're not needed past here."

"I put the babe in her, I'll be there when it arrives. What kind of husband would I be if I can put it in but can't stomach through the birth?"

Jesyn rose a brow and shook her head. "Whatever. I'm telling you, you'll throw up or pass out. And I won't have that in my birthing hall."

"You can calm down or I'll have your job," Aemond snapped.

Visenya looked at him in shock, almost aroused by how defensive he got. Until a contraction hit and she was yelling in pain. Jesyn ushered them to the room, helping Visenya change into a very loose shift. Her hair was already coated in sweat as curses fell from her lips.

The pain she felt from Elaena was similar but this was so intense. The contractions weren't terribly close but close enough that she was fully in labor now. There wasn't much she could do now except push through each one with a stiff lip. A bath was drawn for her and it eased her pain but after 30 minutes, she needed to walk around.

Walking around the room with her hands on her back seemed to be the only thing keeping her from ripping Jesyn's head off. She was older and a militant woman, very by the rules and insufferable. Aemond seemed to love being rude to her.

"I have delivered more babies than you can imagine. I delivered that very girl that's screaming in pain."

"And yet the queen didn't trust you to deliver her four children," Aemond hissed.

"Watch yourself, boy."

"I grow tired of you, either do something to help my wife or I'll make you live on the streets."

"Shut the fuck up!" Visenya whimpered in pain. "I hate both of you."

Visenya doubled over, trying some of the breathing exercises Brella showed her. She had experience, considering how many younger siblings she had. Maybe that's who needed to deliver her children.

She'd been at it for hours. The contractions were getting closer but she still wasn't ready for delivery. And Jesyn wasn't letting her eat a single fucking thing, not even ice chips. She grabbed Aemond's collar and pulled him close enough to whisper. "Get Brella in here before I kill this midwife."

Aemond was gone mere minutes before Brella showed out with a scowl. "Seven hells. Aemond, get her a cold wet cloth for her forehead. And someone get this woman some bloody plum pudding, please!"

"Who do you think you are?" Jesyn frowned.

"My name is Brella, I've delivered three of my siblings and trained under Maester Mordel at Storm's End before I moved here at fifteen he had more modern teachings, something you clearly don't. When was the last time you actually met with a Maester to see or hear of any improved teachings?"

Jesyn was irate at the outburst. But when Aemond put the cloth on her forehead, she actually found some relief from the intense heat and sweat that came from the labor. And when a bowl of pudding was put in front of her, she devoured it with a new energy that boosted her tolerance.

"You can't eat anything heavy, but for fuck's sake, enjoy some pudding."

"Why'd you lie about having experience?" Visenya asked.

"I didn't. When I was 12, I delivered my sibling for the first time. At 13 I started training when my mother had another son that I helped, and by the time she had my sister when I was almost 15, I could do it much better. I have two years of training with a Maester who had more up-to-date knowledge."

Visenya was so happy with her plum pudding. When Aemond tried to take a bite, she almost snapped his wrist with the grip she had on him.

Then she felt a new pain. It was way more intense and the contractions were close enough to start pushing. The pain of pushing was a new experience that made her scream. She was covered in sweat at this point, even with the rag on her forehead. She was squeezing Aemond's hand so tight that his fingertips were purple.

"I see a head!" Brella cheered. "Just push with the next contraction!"

Crying. Screaming. A pink and distressed face.

The opposite of Elaena. Those nightmares could go away because right in front of her was her screaming baby. Alive. Healthy.

"It's a boy!" Brella exclaimed. Aemond's jaw dropped as he stared at the baby that was moving his arms and legs. With ten toes and ten fingers, he was alive and healthy. Aemond grabbed his dagger, cording the cord for Brella.

Visenya's tears turned from pain to joy as Brella placed the baby on her chest. "Take a moment to breathe before the next one, Mama," Brella winked.

Mama.

The second Visenya saw Maegor's indigo eyes, her breath was lost. He stopped his crying when he saw his mother, wrapping his little fingers around her thumb. "My Maegor," she sobbed.

Aemond kissed the side of her head, peering down at his son. His son. Aemond was equal parts terrified and elated.

"We have to go clean him now while you have the second, okay? You're doing amazing," Brella said softly. Visenya nodded but hoped that the next time she held him, she'd never have to let go.

With the next contraction, Visenya was excited to push. She was ready to meet her other baby, the love she felt was overwhelming. It almost hurt, the new amount of love and devotion she felt. It was addicting and it was healing. In her heart, she knew Elaena sent them down. But then again, labor was clearly making her delirious.

Except when she pushed and felt the babe leave her body, she heard no crying.

"The cord is wrapped around her neck!" Brella panicked. "Cut it!"

Aemond was quick to cut and help free her of the cord, but her face was already blue from asphyxiation. And she wasn't breathing. "Where is she?!" Visenya cried.

Brella started to lightly pump her chest and Aemond decided to enact his own plan. Maybe one of the rescues from choking would help. Maybe he had read too many books, and maybe he had bugged too many people. But the one thing he remembered was the little exercise Helaena taught him on saving a baby from choking because Jaehaerys choked when he was an infant, right before Aemond left for Oldtown.

Aemond went to grab her - finding it strange how natural he held her - and patted her back. Not too hard but enough to hopefully help her breathe. "No, you don't. You don't get to go on us. Not my baby girl, okay?"

He pleaded to the gods. Not the seven, but the Fourteen Flames. Save her. Don't do this to us again. We can't take it again.

Crying.

Aemond looked down, not believing what he heard. His daughter, his little dragon, was crying against his chest, reaching her hands out. Her little fingers grabbed onto a lock of his blonde hair and she looked up at him. Her little purple eyes were filled with so much wonder and curiosity. And innocence.

Aemond looked at Visenya. "She's breathing."

Visenya's face relaxed as a cleaned Maegor was placed on her chest, but she wanted to see her daughter. She needed to make sure. Aemond leaned over the bed and Visenya took her second child on her chest, both laying comfortably.

"She's not Aemma," Aemond finally said.

"You picked a different name?" Visenya asked.

Aemond nodded.

"Laenora."

I had to do so much research for this chapter but THEY'RE HERE!!!!! I have been so excited to reveal Laenora's name due to how much it means to Vis. Also, to those of you who do not follow me on TikTok (*ahem* it is tristan.mayy *ahem*) me and the amazing co-creator Phyllis have been making AI pics for the characters. So enjoy!

Brella

The twins and a random pic of Aemond/Vis

And my beautiful Visenya with short hair, and a portrait of her and Maegor, her heir.