(Drakken's POV)
I stood next to Saera's bed, seeing that she was lying on her side, her body trembling slightly as I heard sobbing.
I let out a sigh and slowly crawled into bed, "Hey."
"...I...." She sobbed, "I am so sorry...."
I wrapped my arms around her from behind as I felt her body trembling while she cried, "About what?"
"I did not give you a son...." She said softly, "I failed you...."
"I don't care about that." I told her as I held her firmly, "You're not in your right mind, just sleep."
"But....." She sobbed, "I.....I wanted you to have a son from me...."
"I know." I said, "I know that. And I wanted a daughter from Daranne....but we can't all get what we want, can we?"
She sniffed, "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"
"Not really." I said as I leaned in and kissed her shoulder, "But me being here with you is."
"I love you...." She said softly, "I did not want to fail you. I just....I just don't want you to cast me aside...."
"And you think giving me a daughter will make that happen?" I asked, "Do you truly think that I will cast you aside like trash if you didn't give me a son?"
"That's what you're going to do, right?" Saera asked me, her voice shaky, "You hate me...."
"No." I said firmly, "I won't. Do yourself a favor and stop thinking that way. I told you, didn't I? I was going to humor you. I was going to put a child in you and see what comes out. Regardless of what you gave me, it was going to be mine."
"But...." She started
"You gave me a daughter." I told her, rubbing her stomach gently, "Do you truly think I will be that cruel and simply cast you aside for that? A daughter, Saera.....you gave me a girl...."
"Yes...." She said, "I did...."
"She is our daughter." I told her, "We made her, do you understand? She was just born, and you think you failed me? No, you haven't. Failing me would be not wanting to raise that girl, not giving her a chance. That would be failure.....and I don't want that for either of you. You're tired, Saera. just get some sleep in my arms. We'll speak more when you wake up tomorrow."
"But....I....just wanted a son...." She said softly
"You have two." I told her, "Focus on them if you're so obsessed with sons."
"But....mine..." She replied
"Yours." I said as I kissed her cheek, "They're yours too."
"Don't forget."
********************
"Hey." I told her while I sat up and moved some hair out of her face, "How are you feeling?"
She opened her eyes slowly, "With you here....." She said softly, "Better...."
It was the following morning, I had woken up next to her. After a few more minutes of her sobbing, Saera eventually fell asleep, and so did I.
Now that she woke up, her face was still a bit red from crying, but it wasn't that bad. This didn't mean that her depression was over, there was still a bit more to go through.
I couldn't just force her to escape it, I don't want to do that with them. It doesn't matter what kind of person she is, Saera is still my woman.
I stroked her hair, "When Maegelle was pregnant...." I said as she looked at me, "I told her I wanted children with white hair and red eyes. I figured that it would be an amazing combination. I don't mind Riktor and Sylas but white hair? That is simply ethereal.....if they would have their mother's hair, they would be perfect to me. But Vaella has Heterochromia, which is still a very beautiful combination....but not what I wanted.....I still accepted her, though."
"She...." She said softly, "She is beautiful...."
I nodded, "She is." I said with a slight smile, "But Astorias? Your girl? She has my red eyes, the red eyes I wanted those white-haired brats to have. To me, she is perfect. She is the way I envisioned them."
"I see....." She said as she slowly sat up, "So.....you are not mad?"
"No." I said, "I am not. I have two sons, why would I be disappointed if I don't have more?"
She looked down, "I figured you'd want more warriors."
"It doesn't matter." I said, "What matters is that she is my blood, an extension of me. Boy, Girl, whatever in between, it doesn't matter. They are my children, Demigods. By default, they are superior to anyone else in this world...."
"I see...." She said softly
I heard the door open, and I turned to see that Maegelle was walking in, holding the girl in her arms while she was wrapped in blankets.
"There she is." I said, "Your girl."
Maegelle smiled as she reached Saera's side of the bed, "She's lively, this one." she said, "Sister, it appears that she desires her mother."
"M-Me?" Saera said softly, "I...I don't know...."
I leaned in and kissed her cheek, "Hold her." I said, "Don't make me command you."
She gulped, "R-Right...."
Maegelle handed her the child to Saera, and she reluctantly took her in her arms, "There you go..." She said softly, "Little Astorias."
Saera held her gently and looked at her daughter with a look of surprise, "A-Astorias...." She said softly, "M-My daughter...."
I moved some of her hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ear, "Yes." I said, "Our girl."
"My...girl...." Saera said as she stared at her for a couple of seconds, "I....she came out of me...."
Then, tears flowed out of her eyes, rolling down her cheeks as she began to tremble.
"Saera....?" Maegelle asked with a frown
"My beautiful.....my beautiful girl...." Saera began to sob as Astorias looked at her with a smile, "My beautiful daughter, Astorias...."
I patted her head and leaned in to her, "Yes." I told her, "Yours."
"I....I am so sorry...." Saera hugged her gently, "I am so sorry, Astorias..."
"Shh..." I said as I patted her back and rubbed it, "Just...take it in...you'll be fine."
"Astorias Drakkengard..." Saera said as she sniffed, "You'll be the most beautiful woman in this world...."
"My daughter...."
*****************************
"Astorias...." Mya said as she sat next to me, "Is that a name from Infernis?"
"Yes." I said as I leaned on my chair
"Riktor was named after your brother..." Mya said as she looked up into nothing, as if in deep thought
"Questionable person to choose as a namesake." I muttered, "But yes."
"And Sylas was just from a short list of names that Daranne chose...." She said, "What were the others?"
"Lucian....Rykard....." I started, "Kristoff, Krystal, Artemis....I don't know, I forgot the others."
"And Astorias...." She said, "Hm, interesting. It is quite a long name, but I like it. I can get used to it."
"I suppose so." I said with a shrug
"How is Saera?" She asked me
"She'll do better." I said, "Maegelle will supervise her when she's with the girl. Postpartum Depression is nothing to overlook. Over the centuries of living, I've come across cases of Mothers attempting to kill their children due to this. That results in the child having serious trauma-based issues. That is the last thing I want for any of mine."
"Oh my..." Mya said, "That is horrible..."
"I've witnessed at least two actually succeed in doing so." I said seriously, "I am not a saint, I am a terrible person. I've killed thousands, perhaps millions of people in my years.....but.....that unsettled me."
"I see." She said softly, "I'll keep an eye on her as well, don't worry. That girl, she is ours as well. But Saera will get better, I can assure you of that."
I nodded, "Yes." I said, "That is what I expect."
As I said that, I saw that Jocelyn walked in the room, wearing a servant cap on her head, covering her long hair which was in a bun, for sure.
"Lady Mya...." She said softly as she stopped a couple of feet away from us, "Lord Drakken....did you ask for me?"
I nodded, "Yes." I said, "Write a letter for me."
"S-Sure..." Jocelyn said, "To whom?"
"King's Landing." I said, "Prince Aemon and Princess Daella. Inform them that their niece, Astorias Drakkengard, has been born and that Saera wishes for them to come and see her."
Mya raised an eyebrow, "My Lord...."
I smirked slightly, "What? It's just a letter."
"I will do it." Jocelyn said, "Is it a summons?"
"Nah, they need to respond first." I said, "And we'll figure it out later. Just do me a favor, write me that letter, please."
"Mya will send it when it is done."