"What are you doing, Livvy?"

"Writing correspondents, brother." Livia looked up from her work, her quill suspended from further writing, as she smiled at Tyrion. "What about you?"

Tyrion smiled, lifting up a small wooden contraption. "I'm making a toy boat. For the baby."

Her brother was visiting from Casterly Rock and she took to spending time with him and Jaime. She invited Cersei of course, but Cersei resented even being in the same room as Tyrion. Much like their father.

"A boat? I still think mine is better. A wooden lion." Jaime bragged, lifting a slightly deformed wooden lion to show everyone.

Tyrion huffed. "Then I shall make a stag. Beat that!"

Livia laughed softly at their antics, before becoming distracted by the correspondents in front of her.

She had been receiving much more letters, asking about her well-being, congratulating her on the child she had yet to give birth to.

She didn't recall having much friends throughout Westeros but it seems they all saw her as a potential friend, what with her being queen and all. They sent various kinds of gifts with their letters. Gifts like casks of cloth, jewels, exotic foods. 

For the baby, supposedly. 'Supposedly.'

Even Robert had laughed at the latest one when they sent, a case of cured meats. Robert enjoyed eating those ones.

"Good luck making a stag in so little time. Look at Livvy." Jaime retorted, nodding at Livia. "She'd give birth before you even finish that toy."

It had been couple of months and Livia hated having to say it but she knew she resembled a sphere of some sort. It had become difficult to do pretty much anything. 

Sometimes, she couldn't even sleep, finding it difficult to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Robert had been understanding enough, even when she had woken him up four times in the night.

Unexpected food cravings and mood swings, he stuck by her side. He may deny being the sweetest man alive but he truly was.

"Livvy, can you postpone giving birth so I can finish the stag?" Tyrion asked.

Livia shook her head, laughing. "It's not like I can just keep the baby inside!"

Jaime snorted before bursting into laughter. Tyrion, feeling annoyed, threw the wooden boat he had been working on at Jaime.

"Ow!" Jaime exclaimed, his expression in mock pain.

"Don't worry. You'll live." Tyrion answered, giggling.

"Livvy, he's being mean to me!" Jaime protested like a child.

Tyrion stuck his tongue out at his brother. "He was mean to me first!"

Livia was about to jokingly reprimand them both for acting like children when she felt slight pain in her low abdomen. 

She waved it off, speaking. "Both of you, st-" 

Her words were cut off with a gasp when she felt more pressure the second time, her belly tightening. She placed her hand on her stomach. The others were farther apart but at that time, the contractions were much closer to each other.

Oh gods. It couldn't be. Then again, it could very well be.

"Livvy. You alright?" Jaime asked, immediately at her side.

Livia looked up, a slight panic erupting within her but it was overcome with excitement. She was about to meet her child. "Jaime, I think I'm about to give birth."

Tyrion called out to the guards outside urgently. "Get the maester! Queen Livia's going into labor!"

Jaime had started to panic, along with Tyrion as they both looked like they wanted to hurl into an empty vase. It almost made her laugh if it weren't for the pain.

"Seven hells! Livvy, what do we do?" Jaime asked, running his hands through his hair, almost as if he was going to pull it out. 

"We're clueless! We don't know anything!" Tyrion wailed, opening the doors and causing panic among the guards outside her door.

Livia laughed softly, before wincing. "Tyrion, call my ladies and tell Lady Lydden to find Robert. Jaime, help me to my chambers."

"Alright, we can do that." Jaime said as both of them looked at her expectantly.

"And for goodness sake, calm down! I'm the one about to give birth!"

°•°•°•°•°•°

Robert carefully aimed at the deer grazing in the grass.

Stretching the string of the bow, slowly breathing in and out, about to fire the arrow, when a voice spoke up. "Have you thought of what to name the child yet?"

"Dammit Renly!" Robert growled, turning to his brother, lowering the bow. "When I invited you to hunt with me, I actually meant it."

"Does that mean that you still do not have a name for the child?" Renly asked, smirking.

What a smartass.

"No. Livia has a name for the child and I'm happy enough to leave the choice to her." Robert answered, rolling her eyes.

Renly smirked before turning serious. "How is she? I mean, I know it has been months but I have heard about what happened in Dorne. No one can just walk away from that unscathed."

Robert frowned at the memory before shaking himself from the thought. "She's better. When we first returned, she seemed a bit shaken, but after some time she was able to get back on her feet. I must admit that I would rather forget the events in Dorne but ever since we came back, Livia seems more carefree than ever."

Robert remembered her laughing more often, smiling. Gods, when she smiled at him, he could almost hear his heart start to sing.

"That's good." Renly stated before, turning to him. "Now, I don't want you to feel insulted but to be honest, I had thought that you weren't going to enjoy being married. Before you married Livia, I seem to recall you drinking and fucking around with no care whatsoever."

Robert laughed, recalling the days before he married Livia. What an ignorant fool he had been. "Well, we weren't perfect at first. We made plenty of mistakes, mostly me. However, she saw past all of that. I was lucky to have married her, even luckier to love her and have her love me in return."

"You are besotted with her." Renly confirmed.

"Very much, yes." Robert smiled, even at the mere thought of her. "Maybe you should get married as well, brother. Who knows? Maybe you'll find your own love. Besides, I know you like all those frilly colorful words."

"I think that's highly unlikely." Renly admitted, looking quite down.

Robert scrunched his brows, confused. "You'll find someone, I'm sure."

"Maybe." Renly sounded skeptical but Robert knew otherwise. If he could find love then his brother could too.

Instead of replying, Robert raised his bow once more. Aiming, and releasing the arrow. With a single shot, the deer fell and Robert released a laugh of glee. 

"Your Grace! Your Grace!" A knight rode into the Kingswood, looking obviously panicked.

"What is it?" Robert asked, demanding an answer. Had something happened in the Keep.

"It's the queen, Your Grace." The knight spoke, seemingly out of breath. "She's about to give birth!"

Robert dropped the bow in his hands, shocked. He turned to Renly with a wide smile on his face. "Oh gods. Livia's about to give birth! I'm about to be a father!"

"Congratulations, brother." Renly smiled, clasping him on the shoulder.

Robert's smile suddenly became panicked as soon as he thought about it more. 

"Oh gods. Livia's about to give birth! I'm about to be a father and I'm not even at the keep! Fuck, we must go! Now!"

°•°•°•°•°•°

"My queen, you must try harder."

"Come on, Livvy. You can do it!"

Livia could only glare at Cersei and Maester Creylen, the maester of Casterly Rock sent over by her father to help her. He had been quite agreeable as they spoke, perhaps as she followed some of his advice about managing the kingdom. The bond between them was slowly repairing, something she was glad for.

With more commands, Livia could not help but scream louder. She knew they were just trying to help but that was not what she needed at the moment.

Livia released another scream as she attempted to push the child from her body. 

Seven hells, she had heard from many that childbirth was painful but none of them could ever prepare her for the actual pain. It felt as if she was pushing all her insides out.

Tears had already leaked from her eyes and Thisel had taken to using a piece of cloth to wipe the sweat forming at her brow.

"Where's Robert?!" Livia asked desperately before having to push once again.

Thisel answered. "He's at the Kingswood, my queen. I have already sent a knight to call for him."

Livia gripped the blanket tightly, almost painfully, wishing that Robert would come soon.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion happening outside the chambers. 

"Let me through!" Robert's voice boomed from the other side of the door.

"Your Grace, it is not proper for-" 

The guard was not able to finish his thoughts as Livia shouted from inside the room, half in agony, half in desperation. "Let him through!"

Immediately the chambers opened and in comes Robert, looking both excited and terrified. 

"I'm here, Liv. I'm here." Robert assured her, taking Thisel's place at her side as he planted a kiss on her forehead. 

Livia held his hand tightly, almost squeezing the life out of it. "Robert, oh gods. I'm...terrified."

At that moment, it hit her. She was so very afraid. Her own mother had died at childbirth. Would she suffer the same fate?

Robert seemed to have read the thoughts on her face as he cradled her face. "You're doing well. You're going to be alright, I promise."

With renewed strength, she met his eyes and pushed as hard as she could. She refused to stop trying. 

After what felt like an eternity, their ears were graced by the sound of an infant crying. 

At that moment, that sound was better than the most beautiful song in the world. 

Livia turned to Robert, still not believing it herself. Robert looked just as amazed as she did.

Cersei wrapped the infant in a dandelion blanket that Livia and Thisel had sewed the month prior. "It's a boy, Your Grace."

Cersei placed the baby into Livia's arms as Livia looked at her son with wonder, tears prickling at her eyes. 

Her son, his eyes still shut, his skin pink. He resembled a tiny little peanut, except for the small tuft of hair on his head. Even resembling a tiny peanut, she could see early on the features he inherited from both of them. The tiny button nose, the raven hair, the full lips.

Robert smiled down at the sight, seeing his wife carrying his newborn son. He laughed, stroking the tuft of raven hair atop his son's head. "He's a Baratheon, alright."

Livia smiled, lifting her head to connect her lips with his. "Cassian. Cassian Baratheon."

Robert's eyes widened in surprise. "After my mother?"

Livia nodded as Cassian squirmed in her arms. She looked at Robert who had only stroked his son's head and asked him. "Would you like to hold him?"

"I couldn't-Can I?" Robert asked hesitantly, looking so adorably scared to hold the child.

Livia transferred Cassian from her arms to Robert's. "Make sure to support his head."

He looked absolutely heartwarming. He was a grown man carrying a little baby, looking at him like he was his whole world.

"Cassian. Little Cassian." Robert whispered. "I'm still a little new with this fatherhood sort of thing but with your mother, I'm sure you'll turn out just fine."

Livia laughed softly, pushing back his hair. "He's perfect."

Robert turned to her, his eyes shining so brightly.

"I love you, Livia Baratheon."

"I love you, Robert Baratheon."

A small cry escaped Cassian's mouth, making Robert laugh.

"We love you, Cassian Baratheon. Welcome to the family."

<>---------------<>