Summerhall

Kingslanding

"I'll be back before you give birth to Visenya, I just want to calm my mind a little," Rhaegar smiled, playing with her hair as they lay in his bed the morning he was set to leave.

"What will you do there?" Arianne asked him, looking into his eyes.

Rhaegar shrugged back, "I like to look at it. It's a reminder of what could have been."

"What could have been?"

"My great grandfather, Aegon, tried to hatch seven dragon's eggs on the day I was born. He failed, obviously, but ...," he hesitated, wondering if sharing his ideas with Arianne would cause her to accuse him of insanity, "I believe that I was born on the very day for a reason. The gods don't do anything for nothing."

"You believe you were born-,"

"While our family burnt yes, I know it's an odd phrase. I was born," he took her hand in his and traced it, his pale ones contrasting with her lightly tanned one, "as a rebirth of our family. A dragon is born in fire, and I was born in fire."

Arianne looked at the hand he held in his own, unsure of how to respond. "When will you be back?"

"I'll be back soon," Rhaegar smiled, taking her hand to his lips and kissing it.

"Who will go with you?"

"Now you're sounding like my mother," he laughed at her concern. "No one."

Arianne propped herself from her pillow and sent him a quizzical look. "But what if you are hurt!? Or ... or ..."

He ignored her question, he'd be fine alone. "I'll take you one day, it's very soothing to sleep under the stars in the halls of what was. But for now, I'll make up for my absence with a song. I have already written a few about twilight's, tears and the death of kings."

"You are very ..."

"Born in grief? Melancholic? Attached to the past? Too believing of tales of dragons. You are not the first to think that of me," Rhaegar sighed, freeing his hand from hers as he got up from the bed.

As he dressed, Arianne sat up from the bed fully now. "I want to come with you."

"You are with child, our first child. You aren't going anywhere."

"Well then, I want to go to Dorne, is it not right I rest my mind as well?" She asked him.

Rhaegar had noticed she had gotten exceptionally good at manipulating him, often getting her way. It took him back to their conversation on her very first day in the Keep, when he had told her that a wife must obey a husband. Well, that seemingly came back to bite him. "You aren't going anywhere. Especially not Dorne," Rhaegar responded, pulling his trousers up and tying them at their front.

"You visit your birthplace, but you have not even bothered to take me back to mine," Arianne reminded him.

"You have not asked."

"I'm asking now."

"When Visenya is born, ask then."

"So, I must ask before I do anything?" Arianne asked him, watching as he rolled his eyes.

"That's not what I said, and you know it," he stopped dressing and leant over the bed to kiss her.

She dodged his kiss, holding her hand out in front of her face. "If you care so much about me being with child, you'd also care to know that I also need a break from Kingslanding."

"You don't do anything, what is there possibly to take a break from!?" Rhaegar yelled, annoyed by the discussion.

Arianne's eyes widened at his short temper, not expecting it from him. He was right though; she didn't really do anything other than taking walks or holding teas in her chambers for people she'd considered her friends. But she was there when Aerys burnt any and everyone, she was there when Rhaella smiled off Rhaegar's questions about her bruises. She was there when Rhaegar would come back to his rooms, head hanging, eyes watery and they'd both wonder what was to come with Aerys in charge. "Are you forgetting who stands next to you, day in and day out at court? Watching the same things, you watch. The one you come to? Never mind the one carrying your child."

Rhaegar pushed himself from the bed, pulling his boots from the corner and lacing them up. There was a long silence as he put on his jacket and Arianne watched, expecting an answer from him. He didn't want to respond in anger again, but sometimes it got the best of him. Especially recently, which is why he wanted to visit Summerhall so desperately. When he was done tying his belt, Rhaegar walked to her side of the bed and knelt down. "Don't let us part on an argument. When I return, we can move officially to Dragonstone. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like it's very far away from Dorne."

"And we will go once Visenya is born," he replied, placing his hand on her growing stomach. "I promise you."

Arianne gave him a playful glare, "don't yell at me like that again."

"I'm sorry," he kissed her, "I have been terrible,' he kissed her again, "what will you do with me?" he gave her another kiss, laughing as she laughed. "Come here," he pulled her into a hug. "I love you."

Arianne pulled away from him, placing her hand on his neck. "Come back to me before Visenya is here."

"Our dragon will be born on the island of dragon's, don't worry."

As she watched him leave the room, Arianne couldn't help but wonder if he'd come back excited to see her or to see his dragon.

Kingslanding – Royal Sept

Arianne sat in front of the Mother's statue, her hands together and her eyes shut. Three Septa's stood behind her all with their hands together as well – praying. She had coped this way for the past four moons and as her stomach grew, her prayers became longer. Apart from Rhaella and her lady's, she had no one to remind her of home, of comfort, of what had been and prepare her for what was to come. It was all good and fun to announce a pregnancy, it was another to give birth and then wait until the babe passed its first year.

Rhaella had told her too many tales of her own lost babes, some of which had been named and lived to their first years but died. Arianne didn't want that, not for the first child she was to give birth to at least.

Make it painless, make it quick, make it easy, let Visenya survive. Those same four phrases she repeated to the Mother, over and over again.

Today, however, she was praying for Lilia's safety amongst the Stark's in Winterfell and praying that Lyanna returned to Storms End safely. She hadn't heard from a single one of the Stark's and was worried that Brandon's temper would bring wrath on Lilia. She had only heard in court about Lyanna and Robert's wedding in Winterfell. She had also heard that Lyanna was lost in the Stormlands, lost and pregnant. The man who had told her, Stannis Baratheon, Robert's brother, told her that he was worried about his younger brother as well. Not that Arianne cared, she just wanted to know more about Lyanna, he didn't say much. Just that Robert gave her the freedom to ride and hunt as she pleased.

"The curse of the Baratheon's," the King laughed, making fun of Stannis' own wife who had left him.

"Father," Rhaegar whispered, stood next to him in the Throne room.

Aerys held a hand up to Rhaegar, annoyed by his interruption. "Are your cocks that repulsive every wife must leave you?" Aerys continued, throwing his head back in amusement. Stannis was not very amused, biting the inside of his cheek and stopping himself from speaking out. He knew the King had taken to burning Lords now, he was insatiable – even the smallfolk couldn't keep him from his thirst for fire.

She looked up to the looming statue, the Mother's hands outstretched, and a kind smile etched on her face. Out of vanity, Arianne would contemplate praying to the Maiden as well, in hopes Visenya would be beautiful. But for now, all she was truly worried about was that Visenya came from her alive and well.

As they walked back to the Keep, Arianne – who was surrounded by guards and followed closely by Jaime, held her hand up to her nose. No amount of times going back and forth could stop that repugnant smell. Why hasn't anyone done anything about it? Arianne thought to herself looking down. She had practically memorised the route they'd take, rock, bump, flat, rock, rock.

The guards stopped in their tracks, and so did she. Her hand flew to her stomach, peaking over them to see what had caused their pause.

It was a little girl, holding a bundle of small flowers. "Princess!" her small voice called out, waving the flowers everywhere.

"Let her through," Arianne said, watching as the guards moved aside – still on edge. Honestly, it was a little girl. "Hello," she smiled down at the little girl, unable to bend down and look at her properly.

"Wow, your tummy's huge!" the little girl exclaimed. Her statement earnt a stifled laugh from Jaime.

Arianne looked down; it was huge in all honesty. She had also gained weight in the process of her pregnancy, her weakness for sweets and stews only growing as the months went by. "Well ... I hope one day yours will be too."

"No," the little girl responded. "I will be a knight!" She made a swishing sound while waving the flowers around like a sword.

"Mya!" A frantic woman ran after the girl, snatching her up from the floor and hiding her behind her legs. "I'm sorry my lady-,"

"She is not a lady," Jaime called out from behind her.

Arianne turned to Jaime and tutted, "it's alright," she held her hand out for Jaime to take, which he did, and lowered herself down to the floor with his support. "Will you come a little closer, Ser Mya?" Mya came from behind her mother and passed Arianne the flowers, of which a guard took from her hands. She took the girl's hands in her own and noted how sticky they were, "the next joust we hold will be in your name. I will come and look for you Mya of Kingslanding and you can watch real knights fight."

Mya nodded her head, "can my mamma come too?"

"Of course she can," Arianne winked, mentioning for Jaime to help her back up, which he did.

"You can't just go around touching smallfolk," Jamie had told Arianne once they were in the Keep.

"Why not? They are people are they not?" Arianne asked him.

"Yes, people who don't wash," Jaime reminded her, calling a maid over. "Warm water and a bar of soap, quickly." The girl nodded, rushing off into the Keep. "People who carry diseases. And you, your grace, are with child. It's one thing to be charitable, it's another thing to put yourself at risk."

Arianne bit her lip, knowing that he had a very good point. "Right," she held her hands out and waited for the maid to return. When she did, she washed her hands vigorously and dried them. "Will that be all father?" Arianne joked, leading the way into the Keep's gardens.

Jaime rolled his eyes, "I am only looking out for you."

"Yes, I know, I thank you for it," she responded, entering the gardens and breathing in the floral-scented air. "I don't know why Rhaegar would want to leave this to visit a pile of rubble," Arianne sighed, touching the flowers as she passed them. Rhaegar had left four moons ago for Summerhall, and she was saddened he was missing out on Visenya's growth ... even if it was inside of her. She was a playful babe, kicking around whenever a foreign hand would touch her. Arianne made a game of poking her until she could see her small foot through her own skin. It scared her the first time she'd seen it, but eventually, she'd place something small on top of her stomach to see if Visenya would find it and kick it. Four moons was a long and scary time to be left to your devices, and Arianne realised how much she relied on Rhaegar as her safety net. She wondered why he was taking so long, perhaps he had gotten lost? That wouldn't be possible, he said he'd travelled before.

As Arianne took her second turn around the garden's, she was stopped by a panting Penelope. "I'm sorry to interrupt your grace, the Prince has returned."

She smiled, following Nymella to the gates as quickly as her feet would take her. She was generally light on her feet and quick as well, counting to all the chasing games she'd played when she was younger, but with the added weight of a child, she couldn't walk without it taking years to get from one place to another.

Rhaegar jumped from his horse, his eyes growing wide at the size of his wife. He'd seen Elia pregnant, twice, and she'd never been so ... big. He watched her as she waddled over, trying to quicken her pace. It was amusing really, so he jogged a little and caught up with her, bringing her into a hug. "Oh, gods I've missed you."

Arianne smiled, quickly remembering that he had been gone for four moons. "I'm seven moons pregnant, what were you doing there for four moons!?" She asked him, hitting his chest. "And you stink."

"it's good to see you also darling," he kissed her cheek. "I know, time passed by rather quickly. But I'm here now, am I not?"

"You promised me we'd be in Dragonstone to give birth to Visenya," Arianne pouted, circling her finger over her stomach.

Rhaegar knelt down on the floor, placing a kiss on her stomach. "Hello to you too my dragon, has your mother been insufferable?"

Arianne rolled her eyes, slapping his hand away. "Don't turn her against me just yet."

...