In the room, the bastard sisters were whispering.
Annie leaned against the headboard, Emma sat on the edge of the bed. Their heads were close together, their voices kept very low.
They chatted and laughed, teasing each other, talking about girlish little things.
Suddenly hearing the door open, both turned their heads at the sa ti.
They saw it was King Luke himself and their faces lit up with joy.
"We greet Your Grace." Emma stood up and knelt in greeting.
Annie on the bed also hurriedly lifted the quilt, wanting to get out of bed to salute.
"No need." Luke walked over quickly, one hand pressing down on Annie's shoulder, the other hand making a gentle supporting gesture toward Emma.
"Your Grace, the doctor said it's almost two months." Emma sensibly gave up her seat and retreated to the side.
Luke sat where she had been sitting, gently took Annie's hand, and placed his other hand on her slightly swollen belly.
Through the thin fabric, he could feel a tiny life being nurtured inside.
So small, so fragile, yet so real.
"Almost two months. Why didn't you tell earlier?" His voice was calm, but his eyes were sowhat serious.
"I… I…" Annie lowered her head, biting her lip like a child who had done sothing wrong.
Emma quickly explained for her sister: "Your Grace, please forgive her. Annie really didn't know she was pregnant. She only thought her body was unwell, so she didn't take it seriously."
"Silly girl, it's fine. I don't bla you. This is actually my fault too."
Luke gently stroked Annie's pretty face, his voice softening.
He lifted her hand and kissed it lightly.
"This is my first child. You must give birth to him safely. It will be hard on you."
"Your Grace, I will. Giving birth to a child for Your Grace is my honor." Annie's pretty face glowed with a trace of happiness, mixed with a hint of doubt. "You said 'him'… does that an…"
"Yes, it's a boy." Luke spoke with certainty.
Not only had he detected the child's gender, he had also perford a "DNA test"!
It was indeed his.
Although he had mainly stayed in Harrenhal for the past half year, he returned to Draco every few days to "feast."
There had been a few tis when he had not used protection.
He had thought it was a safe period…
The child's organs had not yet ford, but with his powerful spiritual power, he could determine the gender from the soul level.
Male and female souls have different fluctuations!
Moreover, he felt a strong "blood connection"… a feeling he had only experienced with his parents and sister on Earth.
Therefore, he could confirm without doubt that this little life was his own child.
No cuckolding!
That night, he stayed in Annie's room, talking with her and sharing their hearts.
Annie leaned in his arms, listening to him talk about Harrenhal, about the battles and killings, about things she didn't quite understand.
But she listened very attentively, occasionally asking, "And then?" like a little girl listening to a bedti story.
The next day.
Sansa and Tyrande ca to pay their respects to Luke.
Both of them saw the specially cared-for Annie and imdiately felt a surge of envy and jealousy, even a trace of urgency.
Sansa's gaze lingered for a mont on Annie's belly, then quickly moved away. Her face still wore that gentle smile.
Tyrande was not as reserved. Her gaze circled Annie several tis, then moved to Luke's face. The corners of her mouth curved in a half-smile.
Not only they felt this way — even Annie's sister Emma was a little jealous!
His Grace was being far too attentive to her sister!
Sister Annie was even taken by His Grace to fly into the sky to watch the sunrise and sunset.
Annie, upon returning from the sky, was excited like a child. She held Emma's hand and talked about it all night.
Afterward, Arthur requested an audience.
When he entered, only Luke was in the room.
The chief steward's expression was very serious, as if he had sothing important to say.
"Your Grace, regarding the selection of the queen, this servant earnestly requests that Your Grace decide soon."
Luke leaned back in his chair and looked at him.
"You're giving another difficult problem?"
"This servant dares not." Arthur lowered his head. "But this matter concerns the stability of the realm and cannot be delayed any longer."
Luke was silent for a mont.
This problem had been troubling him, and today it had reached the point where it could no longer be avoided.
There were five won in Westeros with whom he had had intimate relations: Sansa Stark, daughter of the forr Warden of the North; Tyrande Sand, bastard daughter of a Dornish prince; the Waters sisters Annie and Emma, bastard daughters of a minor Crownlands noble; and the Myrish beauty Myrcella.
Who to choose as wife? Or rather, who to choose as queen?
He thought for a while but could not find an answer.
He thought again and still could not find an answer.
"Let think about it so more." Luke stood up and walked to the window.
Outside the window, the sunrise in Draco dyed the entire city gold.
Arthur looked at his back, wanted to say sothing but held back, and finally only bowed.
"This servant withdraws."
Luke stayed in Draco for three days before returning to Harrenhal.
During these three days, he did several things.
The first thing was to change the surnas of Annie and her sister.
They were no longer bastards but young ladies of House Fairchild.
Fairchild — aning "beautiful child."
When Luke personally wrote down this surna, Annie cried, and Emma cried too.
The sisters hugged each other and cried like children.
The second thing was that he could no longer stand the resentful looks from the won and simply granted their wishes.
Sansa looked at him like a neglected kitten. Tyrande looked at him like a snake ready to bite. Myrcella looked at him like a pool of water about to overflow.
So he simply gave them all white silver coins.
"Take it, all of you take it!"
House Jaqenion really needed more branches.
The third thing was spending the entire days taking Annie everywhere.
They flew over Draco, over the God's Eye, over the construction sites, over the fields being reclaid, and over the heads of the new recruits training.
Annie clung to his back, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. The wind howled past their ears.
At first she was very afraid and kept her eyes closed.
Later she secretly opened a slit, saw the tiny people and houses below like ants, and quickly closed her eyes again.
Eventually, she finally dared to open her eyes.
She saw the sunrise, saw the sunset, saw the evening glow, saw the golden waves on the God's Eye.
"Your Grace," she said in his ear, "I am so happy."
Luke did not answer. He only held her a little tighter.
On the day he returned to Harrenhal, he stood on the Tower of the Burning King. Bronn reported that the coalition army would arrive at Harrenhal the next day.
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