The cry of the handmaid, Vera, startled everyone. Wylla had suddenly noticed a large wet patch beneath her.
"The water broke! My lady's water broke!" she shouted.
Rhaella imdiately ordered the maids to prepare hot water and sent soone to fetch the midwife at once.
Since Rhaella herself was pregnant, they had already made preparations for a birthing chamber and secured the services of a midwife when they first arrived at Dragonstone.
The Targaryens were few in number now, and even a bastard child was considered precious.
Rhaella's kind heart would not allow her to stand by and watch Lyanna die before her eyes.
Sotis, deep down, she blad Lyanna for not being more careful with her conduct, but she also understood that it was wrong to lay the fall of a kingdom at the feet of one woman.
She did not mind Lyanna using her things.
Arthur moved swiftly, scooping Lyanna into his arms and carrying her toward the birthing room that had originally been prepared for Rhaella.
Viserys, counting the days, realized it was about ti for Lyanna to give birth.
In the original course of events, Lyanna had died from childbirth.
He wondered if the change in location and a better birthing environnt might help her survive this ti.
"I must inform Elia," Viserys thought to himself.
Truthfully, he and Elia had maintained a good relationship. In House Martell, Elia had been deeply cherished.
Her older brother, Prince Doran, doted on her endlessly, while her younger brother, Oberyn — the infamous Red Viper — was fiercely protective of her as well.
Ships full of goods from Dorne were regularly sent to King's Landing.
Elia often shared these gifts with Viserys. Now, by luring Lyanna and the others to Dragonstone, Viserys felt he had, in a way, wronged Elia.
He decided to personally tell her about Lyanna's arrival, to give her so ti to prepare herself emotionally.
It would also serve to comfort her a little.
Just as Viserys was about to leave the hall, he noticed sothing strange —
The glass candle in the corner had suddenly lit up. The translucent candle, which had no wick, was now burning with a violet fla.
"When dragons were still around, the glass candles would often glow," Elia had once told him not long ago.
"Could it be that Lyanna's childbirth is triggering so magical force?" Viserys wondered.
Thinking of the prophecy — that the dragon must have three heads — he realized it was not impossible.
But Viserys knew very little about prophecy or magic. Most of what he had learned from Grand Maester Pycelle were little more than anecdotes and crude guesses.
For now, he could only take the burning of the glass candle as an on — a sign of the savior's birth.
As he prepared to inform the others about the glass candle, he noticed the hall was already empty. When he turned back again, the glass candle had already gone dark.
Since he could not be of any real help with the childbirth, Viserys decided to go find the few Kingsguard knights to socialize with them.
After all, with Aerys dead, he would soon be crowned king.
It was important to familiarize himself with these knights, to earn their loyalty. Besides, Viserys had been thinking more and more about his mysterious gift — his so-called golden finger.
At present, it seed he only had one available ability: Transfer.
Based on its na, it seed to allow the transfer of "essence" to soone loyal to him. If that were the case, it was truly an extraordinary ability.
He would only need to defeat his enemies to claim all their skills.
He could instantly turn new recruits into battle-hardened veterans. If resources kept up, he could march his armies across the world, fighting and winning in an endless cycle.
As Viserys left the hall, a distant rumble suddenly shook the ground.
He looked toward the source of the noise and saw thick smoke erupting from the volcano in the distance. The volcano, known as Dragonmont, had long been associated with dragons.
In the age of dragons, they often nested there.
It was not unusual for smoke to rise from Dragonmont, but today's eruption was far stronger and heavier than usual.
"The savior is born amidst smoke and salt," Viserys recalled the famous prophecy from the tales of ice and fire.
Had events followed the original tiline, Lyanna's child — Jon — would have been born in the Tower of Joy.
But whether or not the Tower could be considered a place of smoke and salt was uncertain. Perhaps it was better to consult with Gerold and the others.
........
anwhile, Arthur and the other two knights were engaged in a serious discussion. They were trying to determine their best course of action under the current circumstances.
Of course, none of their options included betraying House Targaryen.
Even when they had learned of Rhaegar's death and the fall of King's Landing, they had fought to the last man against Eddard Stark's forces.
They would not betray their oaths now.
It was clear that Viserys would soon be crowned the new Targaryen king. Had he been just an ordinary young prince, their choice would have been simpler.
But the "dream" from Rhaegar complicated things.
"Could soone have coached him to say such things?" asked Oswell, who usually spoke little.
"No. The queen is not that sort of person," Arthur answered firmly.
"The late King Aerys?" Oswell pressed.
"Impossible," Arthur replied.
All three of them had served their shifts in the Red Keep. They knew how Queen Rhaella had gone to great lengths to protect Viserys from the increasingly unhinged Aerys.
Though they all lived in Maegor's Holdfast, father and son had rarely t.
Having eliminated all other possibilities, they were left with only the most unlikely explanation.
The prophecy was real.
"In that case, we must protect Lyanna's child all the more," said Gerold Hightower, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
His oath bound him to protect the king, not to judge him. As long as he still drew breath, he would honor Rhaegar's final command — to ensure the savior fulfilled his destiny.
And according to Rhaegar's prophecy, the dragon must have three heads.
Thus, Rhaegar's other children must be protected with the sa devotion. Protecting Viserys was simply part of the sa duty.
Still, the three knights found their feelings toward Viserys to be... complicated.
He was not rely odd — his behavior was unsettling. Compared to Rhaegar, this young prince had yet to earn their heartfelt loyalty.
For now, their allegiance was driven more by duty than by any genuine devotion.
"Then we must continue to shoulder our responsibilities," Gerold said at last. "Arthur, you will calm the soldiers. Oswell, you will patrol the harbor. I will oversee the royal residence."
As commander, Gerold assigned their duties.
Arthur and Oswell followed behind him, ready to depart.
But just as they stepped outside, they found Viserys waiting for them. Despite their misgivings, their habits were deeply ingrained.
They saluted him with flawless discipline.
"My prince," they said in unison.
"Ser Hightower, Ser Dayne, Ser Whent," Viserys greeted them politely. "Forgive for disturbing you. I have co to ask you about my brother... and about the lady Stark."
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