Chapter Text
There were screams, he didn't know what was happening, he felt trapped, he moved but it cost him a lot, he heard more muffled screams that slowly became louder and louder as he felt as if he was being pushed forcing him out, he closed his eyes in annoyance when a brightness momentarily blinded him, he tried to move back but it was useless, an invisible and external force was pushing him more and more, until he heard a loud scream and finally he came out of the tight and viscous place he had been in.
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Zuko did not understand what was happening, a few minutes ago he had been on his deathbed after a long life of peace and tranquility surrounded by his family and loved ones who were saying goodbye and crying for him, Zuko had only closed his eyes once he felt it was his time and accepted his death in peace, but when he opened them again he was now here, cold and confused crying in the arms of a strange woman who tried to calm him while she cleaned him in a small fountain with warm water.
“One more push Lady Rhea! The other baby is coming!”
“Another baby?” Zuko thought in confusion as he slowly stopped crying and looked around even though he was a little blurry and still not used to the lights, the women were cleaning him carefully to Zuko's embarrassment and slowly dried him and then covered him with a blanket, once he was carried and covered Zuko heard another cry, a louder and more strident one.
The woman who was carrying him took him to a bed where he saw a tired, sweaty and disheveled woman who smiled happily when she saw Zuko in the woman's arms, why is she happy? Zuko thought still not assimilating what was happening, the shrill cries of the other baby. Zuko stirred somewhat uncomfortably when he was placed in the other woman's arms, she was looking proudly and lovingly at Zuko, something that made him feel conflicted with his feelings, he liked that look, such a maternal look full of love and affection, Zuko unconsciously moved his little body awkwardly and snuggled closer to the woman.
But the moment was interrupted when another woman, who Zuko suspected were maids, deposited the other baby who was still crying and stirring in the blanket where he was wrapped, Zuko could have sworn he almost had another heart attack at the sight of the baby.
“Azula...” Zuko thought incredulously as he looked at the baby in front of him, there was his little sister, that little girl he loved and cherished as well as despised and hated, but here was his sister, Azula was back too.
Zuko stretched with effort his little hand trying to reach Azula, he still remembered how she ran away when she could not accept that Ursa had chosen to live without them and had a daughter whom she loved, Azula stopped crying when Zuko took her hand, the baby opened her teary eyes and looked at Zuko, he noticed that Azula recognized him, now only sobbing.
Both brothers slowly fell asleep, their little bodies still new and weak to assimilate so much in such a short time, Zuko and Azula fell asleep on their mother's chest who looked with tenderness and love to both babies who were still holding hands.
- Have you already chosen a name for the twins, Lady Rhea?
Lady Rhea had gone through a long childbirth of twins, her husband Prince Daemon was not present, really nobody from RuneStone or the Valley wanted Prince Daemon, a bold, cruel, shameless and impulsive man. Everyone knew that Daemon and Rhea's marriage was not at all affectionate, being something more political and full of mutual hatred and dislike, being Daemon who most showed his dislike against Rhea calling her “Bronze Bitch”.
It was really a miracle that both consummated their marriage only once and that the first time Rhea got pregnant, which resulted in two beautiful babies.
- Their names will be...
Rhea murmured with her voice a little scratchy and tired from so much screaming while she was giving birth, she looked at her firstborn who had pale skin, along with light strands of brown hair, her sister the same, although her face was flushed from crying so much as soon as he was born.
- He will be Aegon... and his sister will be Visenya.
Rhea spoke in an affectionate tone looking at her two children sleeping on her chest, she carefully and slowly arranged both babies next to her who lay down nicely on her bed, closing her eyes and slowly falling asleep after hours of pain and effort that for her were completely worth it, in the end Rhea ended up sleeping with her two newborns who were soon removed to be placed in a crib next to her bed.
[Time Skip, 5 years later].
- Senya! Don't do that, mother will scold us.
Aegon scolded somewhat annoyed his twin Visenya who sighed in boredom before tossing the somewhat burnt seagull who flew away in fright, the young girl had pale skin and pale lilac eyes, her long brown hair held in a high ponytail, she wore 'masculine' clothes as she didn't like to wear dresses, something Rhea approved of as she didn't wear dresses very often either. Aegon before Zuko folded his arms when he saw Visenya who was once Azula, the young woman had a mischievous smile on her face as she raised her hands in a sign of peace.
- Sorry Zuzu, but that seagull stole my favorite cookies.
Visenya excused herself without giving it much importance as she walked towards Aegon who sighed shaking his head, only two months ago Zuko and Azula developed their firebending, something they had thought impossible since it was not the universe where they had been before, but apparently the gods had been good to them. Though their mother forbade them to use their powers as she feared their father Daemon would bury himself and try to take them away, though Zuko doubted that since they were born they had not seen their supposed father again who according to rumors did not like that they had brown hair, calling them “Mongrels” when he met them and returning to abandon RuneStone as usual, living off battles, whoring with whores and living off his brother the king.
- Visenya... please, I don't want you or mother to be hurt... if the foolish king finds out we are lost.
Aegon spoke between serious but worried, he looked at his twin sister, he still cared for Azula, he wanted to protect her in this life, now they did not have their 'father' but they had a great mother, a good ruler of an ancestral house, loving but firm without going to the abusive extreme that Ozai once went to, Azula did know what a mother who didn't look at her like a monster was, a mother who looked at her with pride when she showed her blue flames, Zuko still remembers that day, her sister cried all afternoon when her mother Rhea hugged her and told her how proud she made her feel.
- Yeah yeah Egg, let's just go back inside, I just hope I don't have to have classes with septa Sally or I swear I'll burn her.
Visenya said already annoyed but not that annoyed, she walked over to her brother and put her arm around his shoulder pulling him closer to her as they both started walking towards the fortress as it would soon be time for their lessons. Both siblings had become more accustomed to the new place where they lived now, besides having cleared the rough edges left between them from their past life, they had learned a new language apart from learning the language of the first men from their mother's family, they had not yet learned from their paternal family, besides having conquered Westeros years ago with dragons.
Needless to say, Zuko/Aegon was excited when he heard that there were dragons, he had learned to control his firebending, he wondered if he could meet them and maybe they would be like the ones in his universe.
Both siblings already knew about politics, history, mathematics, grammar and other important things that they could control and manipulate very well as they still had memories of their past lives, Aegon proved to be a great pride for his mother by showing that he was a great heir to RuneStone, while Visenya was a skilled warrior and swordsman, honoring her namesake, although the young people were not yet aware of the murky history of their Paternal family and their incestuous tradition they had.
They still had much to learn and live in this new life.