hear me out. what about a Baelor x Maekars!widow reader. like obviously Baelor is a widower as well. Like Maekar died during a diplomatic mission for the King but reader is pregnant so Baelor suggested they marry so her and the kids aren't separated and tells reader that they don't have to have a bedding ceremony since he already has heirs. but then they fall in love a few years later and one of the kids goes "so when are you finally gonna give us a new sibling?" and its chaos because they thought the kids would be against the marriage or something.
DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE—Baelor Targaryen
Baelor Targaryen x Maekar’s widow!reader
content: After Maekar's unexpected demise you are left widowed with five children and pregnant, but Baelor is there to take care of his brother's family.
words: 2.7k
cw: MDNI 18+ canon divergence, character death, child birth, feelings of guilt and grief, lmk if I missed any
a/n: I loved this idea!!
You could still remember the day you had married Maekar, young, naive and full of utter love for the young man, boy more like, waiting for you at the aisle. You had spent more of your life married to him than not. You had built a life with him. Five children and now pregnant with the sixth.
Then he was gone. As simple as that. You were left a pregnant widow, with five children and an identity crisis, because who were you without Maekar? That was a question you never wanted to find out, but now you would have too.
Baelor came to Summerhall to deliver the news personally. Baelor was the one who held you and bared through your screams. Baelor was eventually the one who offered you a solution. One that you were sure neither of you truly wanted, but you were a woman, and sooner or later you would have been forced home, possibly away from your children.
The wedding feast carried on around you, your good-brother your new husband sat in by your side. Baelor had been kind enough to do most of the socializing, allowing you to simply sit, resting your feet, as they had already doubled in size from the small bit of standing you had done in the Sept of Baelor.
“Did you ever think you would marry your brother’s widow whilst she was eight moons pregnant with a sixth child?” you asked, it was a joke, as you attempted to hide the feeling coursing through.
The sadness. The guilt. The same bit of excitement you felt. Which truly only made thee over two emotions worse. Your hands rested on your round stomach as you turned looking to him, with a raised brow.
“I did not think I’d ever remarry,” he admitted.
Your eyes immediately moved to Valarr who sat talking to your eldest two boys, “I suppose that makes sense you had what you needed,” you said, letting your gaze sweep over both Aerion and Daeron’s face before turning back.
“Widowhood is much kinder to men than women,” he told you, and you knew it was the truth.
He would have had the liberty to go with being unwed, where it would have been expected you to no doubt remarry. You still had plenty of child bearing years left, despite having already been pregnant six times some Lord would have expected you to push out a seventh and no doubt an eighth all for the name of duty.
“Do you think Maekar would have remarried?” you then asked before you could stop yourself.
“No,” he answered without hesitation, turning toward you fully, “But it would not have been expected of him,” he reminded you once more.
It would not have been expected of him like it was you.
And you knew that deep down. That this was the best your choice could have gotten, because you knew Baelor. You knew what he was like. He was not some evil lord who was going to pin you down night after night or beat you for disobedience.
“I am ready for bed,” you said finally, you may as well get it all over with.
“Alright,” he said, “Just give me a moment,” he said, pushing himself to his feet before turning to talk to the King.
Your chair scrapped against the floor as you made a move to stand which was no easy feat these day with your round belly, a hand suddenly appeared in front of you, Your eyes turned up to find young Valarr causing you to smile, “Thank you,” you told him, taking it as you finally stood.
You moved to your two eldest boys pushing a kiss to the top of their heads, “Can I trust the pair of you to behave?” you asked.
“Of course, mama,” Aerion assured you with a toothy grin.
You rolled your eyes, “If either of you two need anything you can come get me. This is our home now, the same things from Summerhall still apply here,” you told the pair.
“Ready?” Baelor asked.
You turned toward him with a smile nodding, he extended his arm to you, and you wrapped yours around his as the pair of you made it out of the hall. “No bedding ceremony?” you questioned.
He laughed, “You think I would put you through that eight moons pregnant?” he questioned.
You thought about it for a minute, and you knew the answer. You knew there was a reason you had not been worried about the aftermath of the wedding, because you knew Baelor. You trusted him, “No, but I expect to get something out of you tonight,” you then said.
He spared a glance at you raising a brow, “And that is?”
“To rub my feet.”
“I can do that.”
You had done this five times before, it should have been easy, and in a sense it was. But this was different. There was no Maekar holding your hand telling you that you are doing so good that you were more of a warrior then he could ever be. You were alone, and it was quite frightening.
“I want my husband,” you cried for the third time, as another scream tore through you as your contractions were too close together and you felt the need to push, but you did not want to. You wanted Maekar.
The doors opened and you looked up expecting to see the stern face of him once more, but he was not there, just like he would never be. Baelor went to move inside the room as a maester immediately intercepted him, no doubt telling him he had no place here.
You had heard it all before as they had tried to sue Maekar from the birthing chamber time after time, but the man never did care for propriety, especially when it came to you. Baelor looked from you as you let out another groan to the maester. You half waited for him to turn around, to do what was expected of a prince.
He surprised you though when he suddenly declared, “That is up to my wife,” he looked from the man up to you, “Do you wish for me to stay?” he asked, gently not moving from his spot near the door still giving you a chance to turn him away.
In case this was a line you did not want to cross. He let out set the boundaries like he had been doing for months taking what you gave him, and not daring to toe the line in the slightest.
You immediately nodded your head, “Please don’t leave me alone,” you said, your words held more meaning then just this moment, and both of you knew that but neither spoke on it.
He moved across the room to you, rolling his tunic sleeves up to his forearms, one hand reached out gripping yours as the other moved to the small of your back guiding you back to the bed.
It was time, you both knew it was time, and you could no longer prevent it, but you still found yourself doubting yourself. You had never done this without Maekar. You had never done most things without the man, and each time you had it felt like a constant stab to the heart. This was no different if not worse
“I can’t do this,” you suddenly said.
“Yes, you can. If anyone can do this it is you. You're strong, you are the strongest person I know.”
You held his bi-color gaze for a moment, before nodding, “Don’t leave me alone,” you whispered to him once more.
He nodded, helping to lower you onto the bed, “I’m not going anywhere he assured you.”
You weren’t positive when your thoughts of Baelor changed. Mayhaps it was when he did not force you to bed him on your wedding night, when he held your hand during child birth promising you he would not leave you alone, or mayhaps it was even watching him care for children that were not his own without asking anything in return.
It started slowly, gently just like everything else with Baelor, and before you knew it that familiar feeling was in your bones once more. There was always that heartbreak of Maekar’s absence and there always would be, but it did not feel all consuming anymore.
You did not feel entirely cold now, you did not feel his ghost breathing down your neck at every possible moment leaving a chill down your spine.
You actually felt warm, as you watched Baelor help Aerion with his sword craft. Saw him conversing with Daeron, listening to him with a nod and adding in put when needed. He would have tea parties with Daella, and chase Aemon and Aegon around indulging in whatever games they wanted.
He got up with Maelora during the night allowing you to sleep, and had even taken her to council on more than one occasion despite the men’s loud protests. You had heard him on numerous occasions talking to her, telling her of her father and how much he would have adored her.
He was there for you, with his promise. He would not leave you alone in this, in anything. He would care for you. Not the same way Maekar could, because no one could ever truly replace him, but he was there in his own way. Not overshadowing Maekar, but existing alongside him.
Dinner was chaotic with seven children and an infant. Maelora, ten moons old, slept soundly in Baelor’s arms, having been long tired from her new activity of walking. You all dined together, the chatter of different conversations mixing together as you watched with a fond smile before turning to look at your husband who watched you with the same expression.
“Mama,” Aerion called out, causing you to look toward him.
“Yes?”
“When are we gonna have another sibling?” he asked, his small face set seriously as he awaited your answer.
You stared at the boy of nine for a minute, simply blinking before turning to look at Baelor, “Why do you ask that, Aerion?” he asked, gently.
“I think it’s because Aemon, Daella, Aegon and Maelora were all close together,” Daeron explained on the other side of his brother, using his wisdom for his whole one and ten years of life.
“A new sibling could be fun. A boy though,” Valarr added with a shrug.
“No. A girl!” Daella argued, though you were sure she had no idea what the conversation actually pertained.
You could only laugh staring at them all half in disbelief and something else you could not entirely explain. Baelor watched you, but you did not lift your head staring at your plate as you pushed your food around in thought.
The rest of dinner finished the way it always does, a conversation slipping to the next before eventually it was time for bed and you were tucking them all in following the specific routine they had set for themselves. You made your rounds to each chamber, even Valarr and Matarys before making your way toward your own.
Baelor sat in front of the fireplace, a book propped in his lap, as he lounged in his seat. You stood in the doorway staring at him a moment, all your thoughts swirling in your mind that had been consuming you since dinner.
The mention of children had you thinking. You had not even laid with him so as a child was out of the possibility, and then that led to the fact that why did you seem somewhat content with the thought of perhaps a future child with Baelor. His dark hair and mismatched eyes. You wanted him. You oh so wanted him, but at the same time you did not want to betray Maekar’s memory.
It had been almost two years since his passing. You were happy, and you knew he would have wanted you to be happy. To be cared for the exact way that Baelor was caring for you all now, but it did little to ease the guilt.
Baelor was your good-brother, and now you wanted him to warm your bed? He is your husband, a voice in your head reminded you, as your mind continued a battle in what it wanted.
“Are you alright?” he asked, causing you to look up toward him.
You stared at him a moment debating lying to him, but you knew he would eventually get it out of you. He was far too perceptive for his own good, “I feel like I am betraying Maekar,” you admitted.
He immediately stood setting his book to the side, “Why would you think?” he questioned.
You pressed your lips together, “Because I am content with you. With our life, and I want you like a wife,” you whispered, as if the words were dirty and should not be heard. “And I know. I know he would want me to be happy and cared for like you have been doing all along, but some part of me still feels like it's wrong that I am betraying him!”
He took a step forward, moving to pull you into his chest as you cried softly, “You are not betraying him, sweet girl,” you continued to cry, “It’s okay. I am here for you,” he assured you.
No more lines were crossed that night as he held you, letting you cry, once more allowing you to set the boundaries, only letting you know that he was there for you and did not plan on leaving you alone with your grief, with your children, or with anything else for that matter.
You laid half sprawled on the bed, your body tried from the day of events. Maelora’s first name day had quickly approached and now gone with success.
Baelor lay sprawled next to you, both of you filled with the same exhaustion though neither of you truly slept as both of you were still dressed for the day. The pair of you had been sharing a bed for the last moon, but nothing ever happened beside an arm thrown over your waist and every once so often.
“This is the first time since before Aerion that I had not been pregnant before a child’s first name day,” you realized.
He laughed turning on his side to face you better, “Did you want more children?” he found himself asking before he could stop himself.
You noticed how he used the past tense… Did you want more children with Maekar? Not… Do you want more children with me? He did not see that in the cards, but he did not ask the question with any anger in his voice, only curiosity.
But you did not think of the question in regards to the past. You did not think about more hypothetical children that would never happen with Maekar. You thought of the present, the now with Baelor.
You turned onto your side now to face him,
“I would not mind one more mayhaps…A boy or girl mayhaps with your eyes,” you answered.
The pair of you stared at the other for a moment, his eyes flickered down to your lips, but you stared at him, “You can kiss me if you,” you whispered.
He nodded, before his hands raised cupping the side of your cheek. He held your gaze for a moment giving you the chance to turn away, to declare that you had changed your mind, but it never came.
Finally he leaned in, pressing his lips toward yours, before rolling over to hover over you, all his weight resting on his fore arm, careful to not crush you.
You moved with him laying on your back as he settled in between your legs, your hands moved one lacing through his dark hair and the other resting on his chest. His mouth moved claiming yours, his hands resting firmly on your face and they would not stray until you gave him permission to.
He rested his forehead against yours, when the pair of you finally had to separate for air. Your eyes flickered around his face and as if he could read your thought, “I got you,” he assured you, quietly, his hands remaining on the sides of your face.
And you believed him, because you knew he would never leave you alone, not now.
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