Sweet Waters Throne

187 Chapter 18All this time when Lord Dundrey was narrating the late of the love between Luca Arteides and Jordy, and their separation. Artemis seemed to be so far in thoughts, the only question he wanted to ask was about this half-brother who he never met before. “Is he a bastard or not?” finally he interrupted Lord Dundrey.

“No he is not Your Grace. The wedding between Luca and Jordy was legal and he was born inside the marriage. That’s why I called you here, you deserve to know the truth, all of it” replied Lord Dundrey.

Then there was an awkward silence, neither Lord Akirbus nor Lord Angun added anything. They didn’t know the whole truth about the son their King had with Jordy, but they knew of their deep connection and the relationship they forged under the circumstances. It seemed Luca only trusted Lord Balrus to keep the secret of his son’s legitimacy and he sure did not let him down ─ he didn’t tell it to his close friends.

“Does he.... know?” Artemis sighed softly, then he stood up and paced back and forth slowly. “Does my half-brother know that he is the true heir to my throne?” he asked looking at Lord Dundrey.

“I don’t think he does Your Grace; Jordy swore to never tell him”

Artemis nodded “Then this stays between us and he never has to know. We bury this right here, just the four of us. I need your words my Lords”

“You have mine, Your Grace” swore Lord Angun. Then Lord Akirbus followed, “And mine too, Your Grace. I swear to you my lips are sealed”

Lord Dundrey didn’t need to swear anything because he assured Artemis that he won’t surpass a week to come and he will be dead. It’s like he knew his days were numbered and that’s why he needed to say what he just did.

Later on, they all left Lord Dundrey’s tavern and walked back to the main palace. There were a lot of thoughts which colluded Artemis’s mind as he walked back to his palace, and even when he went on to sit on the ancient Sweet Waters throne ─ he felt strange, like he didn’t belong.

.....

The next day Aurora started her labors, Artemis was right beside her trying to make the whole process easier. Ten midwives were summoned inside the Aurora’s Hill, and five trained maesters, without forgetting the Faith Crones in their white costumes and headscarves. The main purpose of having Faith Crones in there was for them to pray for Queen’s health and easy labor.

But this time the labor wasn’t so easy for Aurora. She was sweating a lot, constantly moving from one point to the next while holding her stomach and crunching her teeth. Her body developed a weird fever which didn’t seem to go away and it scared her, it was during this time she wished her grandmother was there to help through it.

Artemis had never seen Aurora like this before, he saw the fear look on her eyes as she kept on going back and forth and refusing the midwives to even touch her.

The agony was visible through her eyes and when she bent over to touch a pillar and screamed so loud, that’s when Artemis stepped in and held her hand. “Easy my love…” he whispered to her. “Let the midwives help you”

“I don’t want them to touch me”

“Then how do you think you’ll achieve this? They are here to help, let them please…” Begged Artemis trying to bring out the silver hairs which were all over Aurora’s face back to her shoulders. Then he tied her hairs with a small ribbon.

“I fear it may die inside me” Aurora wept hysterically.

Artemis pulled her in for a hug, “No one is dying today my love, you just have to be strong. You have done this before, and you can do this again” he said and then kissed her forehead.

Artemis motioned for the midwives to come and take Aurora, they obeyed and reached out to her. This time Aurora didn’t push them or yell, she just followed their lead and sat on the bed.

One maester bent down to look, and he asked Aurora to widen her legs. “I want to have a look Your Grace” he insisted. Aurora widened her legs softly while tears rolled down between her eyes, she didn’t know why she was crying, if she could ride a dragon then giving birth should be like a walk in the garden ─ although it wasn’t.

The maesters declared the baby was on its way outside and she only had to push, to which Aurora did while grunting her teeth and screaming. Artemis offered a hand for support and stood by his wife like a good husband that he was even though he had a lot of things inside his mind, he let all that go and remained strong and focused for Aurora.

Thirty minutes later, Aurora successfully gave birth to a girl as the maesters announced. They went on to wrap the infant using soft cloth and handed her to her father while the midwives tried to stop the bleeding and helped Aurora, who at this time seemed to be fine and even the fever broke but she was so weak she could barely even speak.

That day during the birth of the Princess of Blackmount, Princess Haisa named after Queen Haisa, the King’s late mother was the happiest day in Artemis’s life ─ this even the good folks who were present during this time wrote of the love their King Artemis had for his daughter.

First of all Artemis always wanted a girl, he said this once to Aurora even before they were wed and he even promised that if he were to have all girls, he would still name the first daughter as the heir to the throne. He believed in good leadership and a person’s perspective rather than their sex, maybe that’s why he was mesmerized by Aryan the day he met her in Old City.

“It’s a girl…” Aurora tried to speak, but it was more of a question rather a sentence. She was weak she has short breaths.

Artemis walked to her and sat on the bed while holding his daughter tightly, tears fell down between Artemis’s eyes and it was like he forgot everything happening around him. He wept softly without saying a word, when he turned to Aurora, he kissed her forehead and whispered softly, “Thank you” and even Aurora was stunned by this.

Artemis didn’t cry and nor did he seem so emotional the day Jahery was born, he was normal and he even went on to do other tasks the next day. But with Haisa it was different, Artemis wasn’t seen at court for three straight days and he gave strict orders to his small council not to disturb him as he seek solitude inside Aurora’s Hill.

The news of the birth of Princess Haisa enlightened the realm. There were small celebrations all over the kingdom, from Sea Stone to Green Town to Horriss. Even the Lord Spider from Dark Town sent flowers and a note for the Queen, it was a joyous occasion in deed.

No one celebrated the birth of Princess Haisa like Lord Leoric, he was over the moon and so was Princess Aeryn. Leoric threw a whole feast inside his castle and invited Lords, rich men from Penrith and Arkala, merchants who traded goods, and a lot of whores to entertain his guests.

For two days he feasted the guests and showered them with gifts, he claimed the gods were on his side and that his son may one day sit the Sweet Waters throne. Maybe it was the wine which made him say such words, he was reckless and Aeryn tried to warn him of what he says to his men because words do travel, but Leoric couldn’t care less who hears or who will send the word to Artemis.

He claimed Jeremiah, “King of Maldonia and Lord of Ten Cities” and he had his friends tossing to this, as if he was passing over Jahery and handing the throne to his son. Jeremiah was brought in and Leoric started showing him to his friends. “Take a good look at the future King of Maldonia before he grows up into a man and slay all his enemies” he said while laughing.

His friends showered Leoric with praises and they even named Jeremiah the King of Maldonia, while they knew Jahery still lived. What Lord Leoric had in mind no one knew, except Princess Aeryn who noticed her husband’s assurance that their son will be King.

There was only way to this, if Jeremiah were to be King, then Jahery must be disposed. Was she ready to kill her brother’s son, no she wasn’t. No matter what happened between her and Artemis, Princess Aeryn was still the same girl who favored her brother more than anyone else. She even wanted to get married to him and that’s because she wanted to be close to him, because she loved him dearly and fondly. Leoric was cruel, she had seen that first hand when he punished his slaves and Aeryn knew he was capable of murdering even a toddler if it meant getting what he wants.