Gerold handed the Valyrian steel pendant to Lyanna's handmaiden, Wylla.
Although Gerold did not understand the significance of this action, she still carried the pendant into the birthing chamber.
"Rhaegar, wait for me, Rhaegar."
At that moment, Lyanna was in terrible condition. Her face, already pale to begin with, now looked as white as paper.
"Where are you going? Where are you going? Wait for me! Wait for me!"
Sweat soaked Lyanna's forehead, and her brown hair clung to her face and neck. From the look of urgency in her eyes, it was as if she were truly chasing after Rhaegar.
Her breathing was erratic, her chest heaving like a bellows, and strange noises came from her mouth and nose.
Her gaze was vacant, staring straight at the ceiling, as if she wanted to bore a hole through it with her eyes.
Even Rhaella, who was otherwise calm and rational, could not help but glance up at the ceiling.
"Lady Stark! Lady Stark!"
Wylla pressed the pendant into Lyanna's hand and held it tightly with her.
A miraculous thing happened. Upon touching the Valyrian steel pendant, Lyanna's wild gaze slowly calmed. Moments later, even the bleeding from below began to improve rapidly.
Her breathing, though still heavy, became steady and rhythmic.
With a loud, clear cry, both Viserys and Gerold, who were waiting outside the door, let out a breath of relief.
When the midwife announced that both mother and child were safe, the two exchanged a smile. Ever since Gerold had borrowed the Valyrian pendant from Elia, the glass candle in Viserys's hand had gone out.
"Good thing we made it," Gerold thought. He didn't quite understand how the pendant worked, but there was no doubt that it had been effective.
It was lucky that Viserys had sent him to find Elia.
What surprised Gerold was that Elia was not in her room, but praying with Rhaella at the Sept.
This had caused some delay.
Given the relationship between Elia and Lyanna, the fact that Elia was willing to pray for Lyanna and her child was truly admirable.
If it had been most others, they would have likely wished death upon the child.
"Your Highness…"
"Call me Viserys."
"Alright, Viserys. Can you tell me why? About the glass candle and the pendant?"
Gerold had initially called him "Your Highness," but after a few conversations, it became "Viserys." Now, reverting to the formal address was a gesture of respect.
"You do love your inversions, don't you?" Viserys thought to himself, then shook his head.
"It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you. It's just that I don't really understand it myself."
"Let's go tell my mother and Ser Arthur and the others."
........
When Arthur Dayne and Oswell Whent heard that Lyanna had given birth safely, they both felt immense relief. It meant the prophecy had been fulfilled.
Gerold also told them about the pendant, but they too were puzzled.
"Maybe it's a protective charm that Prince Rhaegar left behind?" Oswell guessed.
"But then how do you explain the glass candle?"
"Our prince is truly remarkable," Arthur Dayne said.
Both men knew he wasn't speaking of Rhaegar.
Meanwhile, Viserys understood that Jon was the first-born "Prince That Was Promised," and that the unborn Daenerys would be the second.
He sensed that a mysterious force was trying to claim the mothers of the prophesied children. Rhaella, Lyanna, and the woman who would later birth the "false Aegon."
Naturally, it was Rhaella he worried about most. If this time he had managed to foil the force's intentions, what about next time?
Would it retaliate against him?
Viserys's expression hardened, his face tightening as he looked up at the sky.
His goal was survival. If everything was part of some preordained plan, then in order to avoid ending up with a molten gold crown on his head, he would have to oppose it.
The right course was to prepare as much as possible. To scare oneself into inaction was the height of foolishness. Having reached this conclusion, Viserys steeled himself.
After Lyanna successfully delivered a baby boy, Rhaella called for the council to resume.
This time, there were more participants. All three Kingsguard were present, and their character and abilities were exceptional.
When everyone was seated, one more person was visibly excited. It was Lamy, the acting castellan of Dragonstone before Leila's arrival.
Now that Lyanna and her son were safely on Dragonstone, and considering that one of Robert's reasons for rebellion was Rhaegar "abducting" his betrothed, the truth coming to light was a tremendous boon.
Lyanna and Rhaegar were truly in love.
Even during childbirth, Lyanna had called out Rhaegar's name. Robert Baratheon could stop flattering himself.
Moreover, Lyanna could now serve as a hostage. Perhaps the North would retreat.
Without a cause for rebellion, the Riverlands and the Vale might also cease fighting. From Lamy's perspective, the situation was looking extremely promising.
"Your Majesty, I believe we can now issue a decree, explain Lyanna's situation to the lords, and pardon Robert…"
He had not even finished speaking when Viserys let out a cold, mocking laugh.
His expression and tone were so clear that everyone noticed.
"Pardon Robert? Ser Lamy, tell me, what do we have to pardon Robert with? He holds the Iron Throne and commands a great army. What do we have? Lyanna?
If I weren't a prince, if I killed your brother, and you told me you forgave me, would I believe you?
Jon Arryn openly defied royal commands. The Lannisters murdered the king. The Tullys shifted allegiance at the drop of a hat. Do you think they'll let Robert back down?
I truly don't understand why my brother ever chose you to act as castellan of Dragonstone."
Viserys did not hold back, mocking Lamy while scrutinizing him from head to toe as if he were looking at an imbecile.
His sharp tone served two purposes: first, to call out Lamy's defeatist attitude; second, to make his own stance clear to everyone, dispelling any naïve hopes.
If a rebellion faltered halfway because its leader gave up, they would simply choose a new leader and continue fighting. Even if Robert were removed, he had two brothers.
The rebels could not imagine what the Targaryens would do to them if they regained power.
And at this point, the Iron Throne was already within the rebels' grasp.
Hand it back? Did they think the Targaryen name still commanded such awe?
Did they think they still had dragons?
The most critical point was that the rebels had already laid claim to the Iron Throne. Robert, believing himself the rightful heir through his grandmother, Rhaelle Targaryen, had staked his claim.
A kingdom could not abide two kings.
The immediate priority was to have Viserys crowned.
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