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"I am worried, Ser," Alicent says
Criston knew being her sworn shield would mean being an ear sometimes, a shoulder to cry on. But he finds himself being more : a friend, a confidante, perhaps even a platonic soulmate. The queen understands him better than himself. It is scary sometimes.
"What about, Your Grace?" He replies
"Aemond..."
A sweet babe, he thinks. Born quite smaller than his brother, the maesters say he was born half the size of Aegon. But he is twice as fierce. And the child was born early, at the start of his mother's eighth's moon of pregnancy. His survival is a miracle in itself, and every milestone he hits is to be celebrated.
"Prince Aemond seems in good health." The knight tries
Not far from them, the babe babbles away, playing with a wooden figurine of Vhagar, his favourite.
"He babbles, but he doesn't talk." The young woman explains. "Aegon and Helaena spoke already at his age... Not much, of course. But they could speak."
He remembers it quite well : Dada, Mama, gimme, here. And with the circumstances of his birth, it's natural Alicent worries.
"I wouldn't worry too much, Your Grace." Criston tells her
"Wouldn't you?"
He smiles gently.
"Our prince has started to walk and run. Prince Aegon talked first and then walked. Babes master things, but one at a time. Once walking is quite set, Prince Aemond will speak so much that we will wonder where he hid all of this."
"You may be right. He does babble, after all."
The child turns his head and smiles brightly at them, getting up on his feet and waddling towards them, his arms extended to the dornish man, begging for a hug.
"Dada!" He exclaims
Alicent gasps.
"Dada!" Aemond repeats, looking at Criston straight in the eyes
"Aemond, you spoke!" Alicent almost cries
The knight laughs as he takes him in his arms.
"Well done, my prince!" He congratulates him. "But I am not your dada. The king is your dada. I am your mother's knight."
"Dada!" Aemond insists as he wraps his arms around his neck, burying his head in the adult's nape.
The man doesn't dare correct him further : Aemond starts to speak and should be encouraged. He'll know soon enough that King Viserys is his father.
"Well... The truth always comes out of the mouth of babes." Alicent says
There's a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Yes, one day, Aemond will know King Viserys is his father.
That doesn't mean King Viserys is his "dada".
And if Criston can somewhat fill this role, he will gladly do so.