Chapter Text
Aemma’s labors had started in the early morning hours, before anyone else was up. Alicent had been awoken by a servant when Aemma’s contractions had started to get closer together. It was now almost midday, and the babe was expected to come in just a couple of hours.
“What a fortunate coincidence it is that the babe decided to come on the day of their tourney,” Aemma laughed before a contraction cut her off with a groan.
“It seems they are just as eager as you are for them to be born,” Alicent responded, smiling at her goodsister as she wiped sweat from the Queen’s brow.
“Truly,” Aemma muttered, rubbing her belly. Alicent hoped that this babe would live, hoped that in a few hours Aemma would finally be able to hold another one of her children.
It was afternoon, and the babe should have been born by now. Aemma had been in labor for over 12 hours, and the maesters were starting to whisper among themselves. Alicent had heard bits of their conservations, perhaps the babe was breech, the Queen just needed to push more, the Queen needed to eat something to gain energy, the Queen needed to…
Alicent was tired of hearing them say what Aemma needed to do. They were the maesters, they ought to be helping, not standing and whispering amongst themselves. She could tell Aemma was tired of it too. Her face was a constant mixture of annoyance, discomfort, and pain. Alicent tried to help her however she could; getting her water or small things to eat, getting more pillows or cool cloths, but she knew that there was very little she could do to truly help her goodsister beyond simply being there.
Alicent heard the door open and the murmurs of the maesters and maids. She looked over her shoulder to see King Viserys talking with the Grand Maester. Her lips pursed as she turned back to Aemma. She knew that it was important he be informed of his wife’s condition, but she thought that he could spare a moment to come see her first. She heard more murmurs behind her, but she didn’t pay much attention to them and tuned them out.
“I’m sure the babe is just stubborn,” she tried to reassure Aemma. “They’ll come soon, and you’ll be able to hold them.”
Aemma simply smiled wanly at her. They both knew her reassurances were weak, that Aemma and the babe were in more danger than either of them wanted to acknowledge.
“My lady?” a maid’s quiet voice said.
Alicent turned. “Yes?”
“Pardon me, but you are needed outside for a moment,” the girl said softly, her gaze darting between Alicent and the Queen.
Alicent glanced at Aemma, silently asking if she would be fine for a moment. Aemma smiled at her again. “Go, I’ll be fine,” she said, her breath hitching on the last word as another contraction came. Alicent hesitated, but after it had passed, Aemma motioned for her to go.
Alicent stood up, squeezing Aemma’s hand. “I’ll be back quickly,” she said comfortingly, then followed the maid outside of Aemma’s chambers. They stopped in the hallway; the only people were her, the maid, and the two Kingsguard standing at the Queen’s doors.
“What was I needed for?” Alicent asked the maid, her voice neutral, though her mind was starting to tell her that something wasn’t right.
“I-I wasn’t told. I was instructed to tell you to come out, that someone else would be waiting,” the girl said nervously, looking around as though someone would suddenly appear.
“Who told you?” Alicent asked, her suspicions growing.
“One of the maesters, my lady,” the girl answered.
Alicent was debating waiting a little bit longer or going back inside when she heard a scream come from Aemma’s chambers. She jolted, the hairs on her arms standing on end. That scream wasn’t a normal scream that a woman would let out in childbirth. It was a scream of terror, of excruciating pain. Alicent ran to the door, intent on going back in to see what was happening to Aemma that could make her scream like that, but the guards at the door blocked her.
Alicent stood still for a moment, shocked, before she demanded, “Let me in.”
They glanced at each other. “My apologies, my lady, but we were ordered to not let anyone in,” one of them said sheepishly, wincing as another scream tore through the air.
“I am the Queen’s goodsister,” she snapped, “and she clearly needs someone right now, so let me in!”
They hesitated for another moment, and just as Alicent was about to rush for the door again, they opened it. She ran through the door, praying she wasn’t too late. The screaming had stopped, leaving a chilling silence behind that was broken by a child’s weak cry. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the King and some maesters crowding around something, but her attention was grabbed by the sight in front of her. She stopped, frozen in horror at what she was seeing, her mind unable to comprehend what it meant.
Aemma was lying on the bed, still, so still, too still, covered in blood and-
Oh gods, no. no no no no no nonononono
Alicent screamed.