108 AC
"Holy Seven, bless my sister with your gentle presence in these days of hardship, let the queen have new joy as her child is brought to this realm. Please help her find comfort in you. Strengthen her body and soul from the changes that come with the birth. Holy seven, ble–"
Otto Hightower stood still, hands behind his back, watched as his son Gwayne whispers as he paced the halls of Maegor's holdfast,his steps hurried and bumbling about. He walked to one side of the hall, turned around and walked down the other side, passing the Queen's chambers. He repeated this motion again and again, his prayer becoming more desperate.
His son was panicked, it was clear to see and Otto did not hold that against him. His own wife and their mother left the world the same way when she gave birth to Alicent.
It was one of the reasons he had risen as high as he could,becoming the Hand of the King. As a second son, he could give his children little, but as the Hand of the King he could guarantee their future.
His daughter Alicent's childbirth was securing his family further and cementing his own ascension.
"Gwayne", said Otto calling out to the young man,"Cease your ramblings".
Gwayne stopped and turned towards him, "But father how can I? Why should I!?" he put a hand against the wall for support and the other to cover his face, "When the King himself does not see fit to make an appearance! He already murdered his first wife, and my sister shall not be his second!"
Otto moved quickly and and grabbed his son's face with both hands, forcing him to meet his gaze. This close, Otto was reminded of how much Gwayne looked like him in youth. Both were a dark brown of hair and green eyes. The only difference between him was that Otto himself had aged, wrinkles apon his face and a full beard, while Gwayne was in his youth and clean shaven.
Gwayne truly was his firstborn and that is why he had to teach him to control his tongue before he followed his footsteps and made the same mistakes as he did.
"Hold your tongue boy! These walls have ears, and our enemies are eager to give a reason for our own to be cut!" said Otto.
"But it is true father! We both know that the king prefers to hide in his room playing with his miniatures rather then attending to the realm,let alone his wife!" spat back Gwayne his green eyes narrowed.
Annoyance began to grow in Otto's chest but he was quick to calm it. He gently let go of Gwayne's face and instead grabbed his shoulders.
"That is why we are here Gwayne, your sister, my daughter and our Queen, is fighting her own battle right now, she is to give birth to another legitimate heir to the throne. It is our duty.
And honour to stand by and support her. We can not do that if we ourselves are gripped by fear."
Gwayne gave a downcast'd look to his father,his face scrunched up. He looked everywhere but at his father for a moment before meeting his gaze again."You are right father, I just thought after Aegon was born a year ago he would have warmed up to her by now, soon he will have a second child by Alicent and he still flee's from her in a moment of need."
'The King is a fool' is what Otto would have loved to say. After Aemma's…tragedy, the King always fled when Alicent was at a birthing bed, preferring to keep 'busy' or spend time with Aemma's first and only child, Rhaenyra. That spoiled princess always loved to get Visery's attention when Alicent showed signs of pregnancy.
But he could not utter those words, he had to set an example for his son.
"Keep those thoughts in your head, your sister would displeased if she gained a mute brother" said Otto,removing his hand's from Gwayne's shoulders and putting them behind his back.
"...Yes father" said Gwayne he straightened his posture and seemed to put up a mask stocisim,it would have worked if he didn't try to imitate Otto, down to the last detail.
If only Janna was here,she would joke that he was looking at a mirror.
Everything would have been better if she was here…
Otto and his son just stood in silence,waiting for the labour to end. Both of them deep in thought.
'If it is a girl we further secure Aegon's legitimacy, though it disgusts me Vaegon always told me these Targaryens love to wed sibling to sibling and Aegon having a Targaryen bride would make it seem in realms eyes that he emulating his namesake and even the Old King Jaeharys" thought Otto.
'But if it is a boy…Rhaenyra's own legitimacy will further weaken, and we will have a spare for our cause if Aegon unfortunately meet's an untimely demise. Even though we have constant vigilance on him and even sent Ser Criston to guard his room at the moment, it may not prove enough.'
Otto was so lost in his thoughts that he nearly did not hear his son's question.
"Father…there's something I must tell you…" said Gwayne, "It's about Alice–"
The queen chamber's door snapped open and out came a maidservant. Her attire was messy. Otto felt as if he had seen her from somewhere, She did not look like a commoner…
"M'lords the queen has finished, Grand Maester Mellos bids you to come in" she said in a hurried voice, her pale blue eyes darting between them both.
Otto could not ponder the maidservants any longer, for Gwayne rushed in and he was quick to follow.
Except he did not run in like his son but took a steady stride, a lord must always keep his composure.
As he entered the room, he ignored how orderly it was and focused on the woman currently residing in a bed.
Her face was drenched in sweat, and her reddish brown hair that flowed down her face was frizzled up. Her green eyes were focused on a bundle near her chest.
If his son was his replica, then his daughter Alicent Hightower, was the spitting image of his late wife and her mother, Janna Tyrell.
In Otto's own unbiased opinion, she was more deserving of the title 'The Realm's Delight' than Princess Rhaenyra.
"Sister are you alright? Grand Maestor Mellos is there anything wrong!?"said Gwayne kneeling by her bedside.
Grand Maester Mellos was a aged man,older then Otto himself, "The Queen has had a successful birthing m'lord, if all goes well she will have a swift recovery and the babe will grow healthy."
Otto approached the bedside and bowed his head lightly, "We thank you for your service Mellos, you have done the realm a great service"
"Lord Hand, it was my pleasure," said the Maester,bowing his head back.
"So great is your service the King would be glad to hear the news from you directly"
"M'lord, would it not be better to call a serva–"
"Leave" said Otto, his green eyes piercing the Maester.
Mellos quickly bowed his head and quickly left the room, closing the door on his way out.
Now, only the Hightowers resided in the room.
"So he refused to come again…" said Alicent in a meek voice.
"The King was with us the whole time, sister, just now he had left swearing he would soon be back to attend to you," said Gwayne, attempting to comfort her.
Alicent looked at her brother and gave a sad smile, "It is fine Gwayne, there is no need to lie for me. Having you and father here is enough."
Otto looked down at the bundle in Alicent's arms."My daughter, Alicent how do you fare? Who have the Seven blessed us with?"
Alicent looked up at her father and then down at the babe."The seven has blessed me with a boy," she turned the bundle slightly to face them.
Otto observed his new grandson's features, as did his son Gwayne.
"The babe's eyes and hair…" said Gwayne in awe before smiling, "It seem's he is fortunate that he has inherited most your colouring instead of the King's"
Alicent smiled, "It does not matter, he is perfect".
"That he is Alicent, what name shall you give the boy?" asked Otto. Names hold weight, even more so for a member of the royal family.
Alicent furrowed her brow and looked at her child in her arms."Father…Brother". The child cooed at her, and his arms reached out to her face.
"I do not wish for him to carry a Targaryen name, Aegon already has that burden of living up to his namesake" she finished.
"So what name shall we give my nephew, sister" said his son, staring at the babe.
Otto was curious as well, he knew the King would be displeased if the child held no Targaryen name a commoner's name was out of the question.
"Urrigon…Urrigon Targaryen" said Alicent.
"After the founder of our House sister?" said Gwayne.
She smiled and nodded her head.The babe in her arms had begun looking everywhere in the room and his eyes landed on Otto and reached for him.
They were surprised when the child started to cause a fuss, begining to sound as he would cry.
Alicent lifted the baby towards him and Otto gently took him from her arms.
Urrigon Hightower was the founder of his house,the man so mysterious and shrouded in legend and myth. Though little was known of him, none could say the name was common or ordinary.
It held weight and Visery's could not disagree for that very reason.
Otto looked at the child, his grandson.
"Yes…Urrigon Targaryen, a fitting name for our new family" he smiled.