Chapter 74: The Silver Twins

"Your Highness, the situation isn't looking very good," Maester Visari sighed as he came out. Time hadn't left many marks on his face, but it had made his already long and untidy beard even longer and more unruly. "Although the lady didn't give birth at the most dangerous age, and her physical condition is still good, after all, she is carrying twins."

Before the old Maester could finish his sentence, a heart-wrenching scream echoed from the delivery room. Draezell felt a shiver down his spine. "Who's in there?" His feelings for Diana were complicated. It wasn't exactly love; rather, he and Diana were more like friends and partners. Over the years, they had shared a lot of respect and support for each other. At least, they were very happy now.

Until Diana became pregnant, went into labor, and fell into intense pain.

"Lord Zesar, and Lady Leyla, Your Highness. The lady can only calm herself by holding Lady Leyla's hand right now," Maester Visari said nervously, glancing at the delivery room. Another scream came from within as Diana, unable to give birth standing up due to the twins, could only lie in bed enduring the intense pain.

"Brother." Leyla celtigar appeared with a serious expression. Compared to Valar, who loved dragons and weapons, Leyla had given her husband enough respect and love, but she preferred being with the gentle and intelligent Diana. The two girls quickly became very close friends, often inspecting the Summerfield construction sites, reading together in the grand library of the Bay Laurel Tower, and reviewing family ledgers. Now, they were together in the delivery room, supporting each other.

"How is she?" Draezell hurriedly asked.

Leyla shook her head. "Both children are healthy, but too healthy. Lord Zesar is reluctant to use the anesthetics from Yi Ti, fearing that an overdose could harm the babies and also leave the mother too weak to finish the delivery."

"Are there any other options?" Draezell anxiously looked toward the delivery room. Diana let out another weak, helpless cry, and Leyla quickly rushed back inside.

Inside the delivery room, Diana lay weakly on the birthing bed, with murky blood still flowing beneath her. Fine beads of sweat made her white clothes look as if they had just been washed. Several midwives were busy replacing soiled cloths with clean silk and hot water. Zesar the Weaver stood solemnly with several burly midwives, assisting Diana with the delivery. When he saw Leyla enter, Zesar furrowed his brow and approached her, lowering his voice to ask, "Has Your Highness considered the other method?"

Leyla didn't have time to respond to Zesar. She quickly rushed to Diana's bedside, grasping her hand. "Sister, we're all here. Hang on, just a little longer."

Diana, breathing heavily, weakly said, "Draezell, Draezell... Ah!" The intense pain overwhelmed the small dose of Estar anesthetic that Zesar had administered, causing Diana to grip Leyla's hand tighter.

"Ahhh!" Tears streamed from Diana's eyes as she gasped for breath. "Mother... Mother..."

"We've prepared the last method, Your Highness," Maester Visari said quietly from outside the room. "We could perform a cesarean, remove the babies. The methods from the Citadel aren't foolproof, but Zesar's Eastern medicine is said to increase the chances of survival for the mother."

"What are you talking about?" Valar barely restrained himself from grabbing Maester Visari's beard. Rey's face remained expressionless as he stared at the old Maester. "Maester, are you trying to kill my sister-in-law?"

"I dare not, but this is the final option," Maester Visari replied. "The babies are healthy. We can guarantee they will survive the surgery."

"No need for such complications," Draezell said coldly. "Prepare the fire basin."

Maester Visari froze for a moment but quickly rushed out with two midwives, seeming surprisingly fast for his age. He reached the corridor and shouted to the guards stationed outside. "Hoffa, prepare the fire basin." The two midwives rushed ahead without hesitation.

Hoffa immediately motioned for Argo to stand aside and dashed downstairs. Soon, he returned with the two midwives, carrying a fire basin.

Draezell signaled for the midwives to place the basin in the room, then grabbed a piece of charcoal from the center and lit the fireplace.

"Your Highness, the smoke from the fireplace..." Zesar instantly realized what Draezell intended and quickly resumed assisting Diana with the delivery, along with the other midwives.

"Draezell, save... save the babies..." Diana's vision blurred, and Draezell's figure was reflected in her dimming eyes. Her voice had weakened to a mere whisper.

"Don't worry, you won't be harmed, and our children will be fine. Don't forget, I'm still a blood Wizard," Draezell whispered as he leaned over the birthing bed, gently wiping away her sweat. His other hand hovered over her swollen belly, and silver blood slowly seeped from his fingers, falling onto her abdomen and sinking in. Diana immediately felt the excruciating, twisting pain that had been pounding through her insides start to fade, replaced by a sense of relief. Finally, she loosened her grip on Leyla's hand. "Leyla."

Draezell slightly turned his head. Leyla understood what he meant and gracefully stepped aside to stand by the window.

Draezell called out to the door, "Valar, silverblood!" Valar rushed in, breathless from following Maester Visari, and handed Draezell the Valyrian steel sword, Silverblood. Draezell gently ran his hand along the sword's blade and placed his injured palm over the fire basin. Zesar immediately joined the midwives in assisting the delivery.

As his blood dripped into the fire basin, the flames surged, and the fire in the fireplace leaped toward the room, tongues of flame curling outward. Soon, it seemed as if the flames had come to life. Dozens of fiery tendrils, like worms, emerged from the fire, slowly wriggling toward Diana's abdomen. Diana's eyes widened in shock.

When the first tendril entered her belly, Diana felt a warmth spread through her, as if something was moving inside her. The pain of labor melted away in that warmth, like snow under the sun. One by one, the tendrils of flame merged into her womb, and Diana was overcome by an overwhelming fatigue she could not describe.

"Don't sleep," Draezell urged, his hand still guiding the flames. With his other hand, he gripped Diana's hand tightly against his lips. "It'll be over soon, just hold on."

"The baby is coming! The baby is coming!" The elderly midwife exclaimed in excitement. "A boy first!"

A gush of murky blood poured out, and the midwife quickly scooped up the wrinkled infant, handing it over to Zesar and the apothecaries for care.

"Waah!"

As soon as the baby was lightly patted, a strong cry rang out. The child's slightly opened eyes revealed a deep, vivid purple, and soft silver-white fuzz covered his head.

"A healthy boy, Your Highness! You have an heir!" Zesar swiftly cleaned the infant alongside Maester Visari, cutting the umbilical cord with practiced ease.

On the other side, the midwives had already lifted the second baby. "A girl!" one of them announced loudly, her voice echoing through the corridor.

"Valar, I'm an uncle!" Rey exclaimed, nearly jumping in excitement.

"Aren't I as well?" Valar retorted, landing a playful punch on his younger brother before both squeezed into the room.

The girl had silvery-golden fuzz on her head and was crying vigorously. Maester Visari efficiently cut the umbilical cord and then turned to the utterly exhausted Diana. "My lady, both children are healthy. Frankly, I've never seen newborns this robust."

"Let me see them. Let me see my babies." The elderly midwife, together with another, carefully brought the infants to Diana. Smiling weakly, Diana touched each baby's nose before her hand fell limply to her side. Zesar rushed to the bedside.

"Zesar, don't worry. Diana is just exhausted," Draezell reassured him, his injured hand already healed. Smiling, he gently teased the two babies and murmured, "Move Diana to another clean, warm room and help her into fresh clothes."

"Understood," everyone in the room responded with nods of agreement.

"Brother, what are their names?" Rey asked eagerly as he leaned closer. "Have you decided yet?"

Draezell nodded, his gaze fixed on the two wrinkly newborns. "The boy will be named Rhaegor, after the 'Lost Dragon,' the greatest patriarch of our family and the former Archon of Old Valyria, known as the 'Bronze Dragonlord.' The girl will be named Samantha, as per Diana's wish."

"Good names," Valar affirmed with a nod.

Just then, voices echoed from the corridor—Jacaerys and Lucerys were calling out excitedly.

"My lord, the dragon eggs have hatched!"

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