Chapter Text
August 10-11,283
The storm began somewhere over Old Andalos,as a medium pressure system encouraged by Braavosi winds. As it moved west,it grew like a fat man at a royal feast after he has had his fifteenth course. The stars were blotted out by grey clouds as winds buffeted the plains,the holy land of the Andals shrouded by a hellish darkness and fog. Such were the storms of spring,which had been declared by the Order of Maesters a sennight before. In Westeros,the first land to feel the storm was the isle of Tarth. By eventide,the watchers upon Lord Selwyn’s walls could scarce see the Sea,which was foaming as though it had gone mad.
Gods,but it was raining tonight, a servant named Olyvar thought as he manned the watchtower’s post. The winds were blowing with a demonic force and in the distance an old fishing boat was barely tied to its moorings. The waves of Shipbreaker Bay howled and sent up sprays of white mist almost as tall as the watchtower.
Olyvar had served Lord Selwyn for five and twenty years this night. He had come here as a boy from Fawnton,where his father ran a ramshackle school. Old Lord Cameron had accepted him into his service as a huntsman,and when he had died twelve years ago Olyvar had stood attendance at his funeral. Lord Selwyn had then made him part of the castle guard. Since then he had distinguished himself in all aspects of service. He raised the guardbar and sent a raven to King’s Landing.
———-
On the isle of Dragonstone the waves were as high as mountains,Stannis thought as he made his way to the Windward. Named for his family’s old ship Windproud,Windward boasted the latest innovations in shipcraft. Hand cannons made in the Norvoshi mines lined either side of Windward’s great deck. The oarsmen could stretch themselves out on long benches or even sit on them and row. There were the sails,done in Targaryen colors,red dragon on black field. The captain,Borros,saluted him. After a brief talk with Master Deem,he went to seek the queen.
Within her chambers Rhaella Targaryen sweated,the first pains of childbirth oncoming. She looked up when Stannis entered.
”My Lord. How goes it?”
”I’ve talked with Allar Deem. He is ready to cast off. Where are Viserys and Aegon? I would bid them goodbye for now.”
”Viserys is with Filip and Rickert,his manservants,on the lower deck. Aegon and Orla,the wetnurse,are nearer the stern.”
”Do you know what name the child will bear?”
”If it is a boy,Jaehaerys or Baelon. If a girl,Daenerys.”
”After Daenerys the Daring?”
”I have always admired her. Daeron the Second must’ve been a good husband.”
Stannis allowed himself a smile,something he rarely did. “He was. Farewell - for now.”
———
Windward pushed out into the Narrow Sea as the storm reached its crescendo. Lady Rhaella could feel the pains in her belly. She strained and strained. Now she couldn’t stand her pains.
”ORLA!”,she called. The maidservant came and cradled her. She bucked her hips into Orla’s hands,and felt her load lighten before passing out.
When she came to,Orla was cradling a baby girl in her hands. “What shall her name be,m’lady?”
”Daenerys.”