Two Dragons, Gone

[Westeros]

Princess Naerys Targaryen, daughter of the Hand and wife of Prince Aegon, was quite suddenly brought to the bloody bed after months of the most careful stewardship of her pregnancy. Never the strongest of women, the birth of her sole child Daeron having nearly undone her, still she bore up bravely as she remained often abed on the advice of the maesters and her companions. But while she entered her labor, there were worried looks among those self-same maesters and companions: it was too soon, and too sudden. If Naerys realized it, she did not say, instead closing her eyes and mouthing prayers to the Mother as the contractions began. Outside the chamber, septas prayed as well, and Naerys’s famed brother Prince Aemon and Prince Viserys often appeared to learn the progress of his daughter’s labor (her husband, Prince Aegon, was elsewhere in King’s Landing and could not be found). Four hours the labor lasted, and when it was done, two new Targaryens were hailed. Twins, a boy and girl, the infants were small but seemed lively enough, crying loudly after they drew breath. It is said that Baelor thanked the gods, when he learned the news in the royal sept, where he had been praying to the Mother as well.

The joy did not last, however. Within the hour, both infants had grown too quiet, their skin took a blue tinge, and the maesters ushered people away as they took charge of the infants. They did what they could to warm them, chafing their little hands, trying to feed them tiny draughts that might make breathing easier…

But it was not to be. Within the next hour, both infants were dead. Naerys, exhausted from her efforts, was said to have wept when she learned it; her ladies wept as well, and they say the Dragonknight came to his sister and consoled her. Prince Viserys thanked the maesters for their efforts, and commanded that the babes be taken to the silent sisters, to prepare them.

And King Baelor? Mortified by the tragedy, heart-sore for his cousin’s loss, he concluded that the prayers failed because he had not merited the intercession of the Seven, had somehow offended them and kept them from seeing to Naerys and her twins. And so Baelor now prays, and fasts, and refuses to carry out any of the business of the realm until he has atoned for whatever sins the Seven were offended by.

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