what came first (the egg or the name)?
At two and ten, Daeron Targaryen was already a seasoned older brother, having already been presented to two little brothers and one little sister, so there’s not a lot that’s new or exciting about the little bundle in his mother’s arms.
Aemon though, only had one younger sibling so far and he had been so young himself when Daella was born that he probably doesn’t ever remember a time before her. This is something wholly new to him.
Prince Maekar had strictly instructed their sons on how they were to handle themselves before he took them to meet their new little brother. A nurse would be tending to little Daella, ensuring she also behaved herself. They were to ask after their mother and the baby’s well being first of all. There would be no yelling, no fighting, no pushing, no trying to climb on the bed. And most importantly, he finished with a pointed look in Aerion’s direction, no biting.
Mother looked tired and pale and her hair was sweaty and sticking to forehead, but Daeron already knew that was to be expected, after having a baby. But she did look good, and her smile when she saw them come into the room was bright and it made Daeron feel like something heavy was lifted from his chest when he saw it.
She smiled at Father too, when he walked to her, and when Father took her hand and kissed her knuckles, Daeron could have sworn he smiled too.
The boys approached their mother carefully. Aemon, because of the novelty of it all, Daeron and Aerion because Father was watching them.
This new brother was smaller than Aemon and Daella had been, and while Aemon was born with the Targaryen silver hair, and Daella had inherited their mother’s black hair, this baby…
“He’s bald!” Aemon cried out, as if that was the most fascinating thing in the world “his head looks like an egg!”
The loud, inelegant laughter that bursted out of lady Dyanna Dayne startled all of them, but it was quickly replaced by a sharp hiss of pain.
Prince Maekar was still glaring at his son, as he with one hand helped his wife lean against the pillows and helped her properly support their youngest son with the other.
Daeron and Aerion stifled their giggles the best they could, while little Aemon stood bug-eyed and unmoving under the weight of the mishap.
“Well, it does”, Daeron said, hoping it would help “a little”
His mother’s laughter and his brother’s talking had apparently woken the baby, but miraculously, he didn’t cry, as babies this small were wont to do, at the smallest noise. He simply opened his eyes – dark purple, valyrian eyes – and looked around curiously at all the other people in the room.
“It really does” Mother said, still laughing, but gentler this time, She readjusted the baby in her arms, so everyone could see him better, at the same time “Seems like we’ve found a name for you, little one”
“Dyanna” Father said, in that tone that was both baffled and fond, he only used with his wife “you can’t be suggesting we name our son, a prince, egg”
“Well, of course not” Mother rolled her eyes at her husband, fond and exasperated “but it works as short for Aegon, doesn’t it?”
“I think it suits him” Aemons seemed to finally had found his voice back
“Me, too” said Daeron and Aerion, at the same time
Father only groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose as mother smiled, which usually meant she won.
“What do you think, little one? Do you like your name?” Mother asked the baby in her arms
Prince Aegon Targaryen, fourth son of Prince Maekar Targaryen and Dyanna Dayne, surrounded by his parents and brothers, gave them a gummy smile upon hearing his name.
It looked like an agreement enough to Daeron, who couldn’t help but smile too, alongside Aemon and Aerion.
But from this day forward, he would always be “Egg” to him
