Sweet Waters Throne

Chapter 105

105 Chapter 10Mayhaps Lady Allysa took it too far in pushing Daella off the edge, getting married was the last thing Daella craved and yet still she pushed her towards it, by the next week Daella fled Green Town and made her way to Raven all alone.

This sudden disappearance of Daella made Petrus anxious and as the lord of Storm Town and leader of his family, he felt the need to seek his sister out. First of all he blamed his mother for pushing Daella too far, her obsession with making marriage pacts without considering her daughters’ feelings.

“She knew Daella wasn’t a marrying kind. The girl loves swords and tourneys than she loves boys” Petrus complained to Aeryn the day of his departure. They were outside the city’s gates, Aeryn had to stay because she was already heavily pregnant. Petrus was set to leave Blackmount with only ten men because he didn’t want to cause attention, Artemis gave him his blessings and wished for him to succeed. .

Aeryn rather exhausted and sad, she leaned on Petrus “Must you go lord husband?”

“My love, believe me there is no place I’d rather be than by your side. But I must bring her home, she is my responsibility”

“What if she’s happy there, will you force her to come back home?”

This was a question Petrus hadn’t asked himself before, but now it was on the open and he said if Daella is happy then he will leave her there with his blessings. Then he was off as Aeryn looked on him, the horses’ hooves pounding the sand drove the wind and as Winter was ending giving way to Autumn, the season Aeryn was fond of.

It can be the flowers which always drop and make such a mess all over the palace, or the mixture of a little bit of heat and the last cold freezing snow hence making the weather not too hot or too cold. This weather was perfect to Aeryn and after saying goodbye to her husband, she was escorted back to her chambers by Misenda – her lady’s maid.

While all the farewells were happening in the palace, neither Artemis not Aurora were present as they were tucked inside Aurora’s Hill and inside their chambers looking on the dragon eggs. At eight months turn, Aurora was close to giving birth and she was so scared, also at the same time excited.

.....

Ten midwives were summoned to Aurora’s Hill, and five maesters all professionally trained to help a woman in her labors. Artemis’s mother died by childbirth, he was so young during that time but he remembers seeing his mother being pregnant with the third child but neither her, nor the child made it.

Hence childbirth had really traumatized him and he wanted everything to be perfect for his wife and for Aeryn too. The same number of midwives and maesters were also summoned to stand by and look out for Aeryn since now she was all alone, neither her husband nor her mother in law was there for her.

So now Artemis was caught in between two women who he loved dearly and fondly, and he wanted to save them both. “Where is your grandmother? She should be here by now” Artemis said walking back and forth, Aurora’s water broke and it was just a matter of time.

The day was glorious even though the sun wasn’t shining, it was Autumn and the sun barely shines during this season. Aeryn who was yet to have her own labors arrived at Aurora’s Hill to see if she can help her good sister, or just simply being there for her brother.

“She will be here my love, there is nothing to worry about” replied Aurora while holding on to a table, her face clearly showed every level of distress and her labors had just began. “Princess...” she turned to see Aeryn who had just arrived.

Aeryn walked to Aurora and lend her a hand “Are you alright Your Grace?” asked Princess Aeryn.

First of all Aurora let out a deep sigh and then she screamed while holding Aeryn’s hand so tight, Artemis held her other hand and helped down. “He’s coming, it’s time” said Aurora. Right there Artemis called out the midwives and urged them to hurry, the maesters too.

Lord Balrus was also present and he prayed silently wishing his queen safe labors, Lord Angun arrived later on to be by Artemis’s side since he was the Hand. Visenya arrived shortly after Lord Angun to find Aurora had already began her labors and she was laying down on the bed sweating and clearly she was scared.

As if she had seen a sunshine in the midst of harsh winters, Aurora’s face delighted upon seeing Visenya arriving. “Babushka... you are here” she raised her hand to Visenya and Visenya took it and held it firmly. No one asked where Visenya was but she did look like she just arrived from a long journey, her hairs were messy and unwashed, she reeked of sweat and salt water. It was either she almost drowned from a wrecked ship or she went fishing herself.

“I apologize for taking long my sweet child, but I’m here now”

“He’s coming...” Aurora kept saying and Visenya smiled, with a tear falling down on her left eye. Then she reached out inside her bag and took out a small bottle. “I brought you this... flowers from Atawi, they will help you in your labors. It’s what I gave it to your mother the day she had you, take it... drink it”

Without asking where did this portion come from, or where was this Atawi that her grandmother just said. Aurora took the portion and swallowed it whole, just by her face expression everyone in the room knew the portion was bitter and unpleasant to the taste.

Visenya stood up and took another portion, this one she gave to Aeryn. “This is for you, may you have easy labors” and Aeryn accepted it without asking questions, she said thank you and went back to looking at Aurora who was sweating and struggling even though she shouldn’t since it wasn’t hot.

The faces inside the room grew somber as they all felt sorry for Aurora, but the only person who was hurting way more than everyone else was Artemis. These two people were connected to one another, whatever Aurora felt it’s as if Artemis was hurting way two times than her.

It didn’t take long for Aurora to feel relieved from her labors, and the portion worked it’s magic by widening the way for the child to pass through and also making it easier or Aurora to push. “I don’t feel the pain anymore...” claimed Aurora. “Babushka, it’s working” this time with a small chuckle.

“Good my sweet child, now maesters, get to work” Visenya instructed them quickly.

The maesters and midwives took it upon their hands to instruct Aurora to push as they looked on if the baby was close or not. Aurora’s thighs were widened and instead of her crying and wailing, she seemed so energetic and cheerful, now this was magic and no one could say otherwise.

Visenya left the room with Artemis, even though Artemis didn’t want to leave, Visenya insisted. The rest stayed behind and looked upon the labor process although this time they were easy and no one had that somber look on anymore. Aeryn held on tight to the portion knowing if she wanted easy labors like Aurora, then she must have the portion.

Down to Aurora’s chambers they walked, Visenya and Artemis. It was Visenya who seemed to be in a hurry while Artemis tried to keep up with the so determined and considerate Visenya trying to make things good for her granddaughter.

“We need to hurry before your son passes on” she insisted.

“Why do we need to hurry for?” asked Artemis not knowing what was going on. “And where were you, Aurora needed you and you weren’t here”

Visenya kept on walking “I went to Atawi, to get the portion”

“Where is Atawi?”

“Far from here, you needn’t to know”

“Shouldn’t we be there with Aurora?”

“No”

Suddenly Visenya barged in inside Aurora’s chambers and pulled Artemis inside, then she locked the door and went straight to where the eggs were inside a cradle. Visenya took three eggs and gave Artemis two, then she led the way outside while Artemis kept on following with his series of questions which by the way Visenya wasn’t in the mood to answer.

They went on to the outside of the castle, this place was barely occupied with servants or guards, it was close to the bay and the waves of Silent Sea hit the walls of the building. Visenya instructed Artemis “Put them down” she said.

Artemis placed the eggs down and then suddenly Visenya started a huge fire, Artemis had no clue as to how did she do that but he had been through worst of things to start questioning Visenya’s powers. Visenya took one egg after another and dropped them inside the fire with force, Artemis feared they may break but then he had to remind himself they were dragon eggs, not chicken eggs.